Why I can never go back to HID kits in halogen projectors... Pic Intensive
#16
Pole Position
iTrader: (1)
Personally i think you just wasted a whole bunch of money and someones time.
my light output beats your aftermarket HID and is just as good as your retrofitted ones. it all boils down to the HID kit you use. and there are come crummy ones. maybe you just got a crummy one.. because i do know for a fact that my HID output its pretty sharp like your retrofitted ones.. i also have better output then most bmws audi and benzes however there light pattern is different. and i still have better output then people with Stock HID lexus'.
just my $0.02USD..
my light output beats your aftermarket HID and is just as good as your retrofitted ones. it all boils down to the HID kit you use. and there are come crummy ones. maybe you just got a crummy one.. because i do know for a fact that my HID output its pretty sharp like your retrofitted ones.. i also have better output then most bmws audi and benzes however there light pattern is different. and i still have better output then people with Stock HID lexus'.
just my $0.02USD..
#18
Pole Position
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Ames, IA & Rockford, IL
Posts: 239
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Personally i think you just wasted a whole bunch of money and someones time.
my light output beats your aftermarket HID and is just as good as your retrofitted ones. it all boils down to the HID kit you use. and there are come crummy ones. maybe you just got a crummy one.. because i do know for a fact that my HID output its pretty sharp like your retrofitted ones.. i also have better output then most bmws audi and benzes however there light pattern is different. and i still have better output then people with Stock HID lexus'.
just my $0.02USD..
my light output beats your aftermarket HID and is just as good as your retrofitted ones. it all boils down to the HID kit you use. and there are come crummy ones. maybe you just got a crummy one.. because i do know for a fact that my HID output its pretty sharp like your retrofitted ones.. i also have better output then most bmws audi and benzes however there light pattern is different. and i still have better output then people with Stock HID lexus'.
just my $0.02USD..
OP, nice work!!
#24
#25
Lexus Test Driver
Thread Starter
iTrader: (1)
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: NYC
Posts: 1,124
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
For me...
2x SC430 Projectors: 180$
2x E30 Clear Lens: 75$ <--Overpaid for this one, but oh well
DDM kit with D2S adapters: 105$
2x Philips 85122+ bulbs: 50$
Headlights: ~200-250
As you can see, if you choose to do it yourself with your own headlights, a retrofit can cost only about 400-500. Especially if you go the route of the RX330 projectors (Mahcah), as they are ~130, and have comparable or better output with a curved shield than SC430s. However, if you have it retrofitted by a pro, add another 250-300 or more. All in all, I spent roughly 1 grand on it, but for headlights brighter and wider than 99% of cars on the road with little glare, it was worth it for me. Plus, the blacked out look which I like as well.
Personally i think you just wasted a whole bunch of money and someones time.
my light output beats your aftermarket HID and is just as good as your retrofitted ones. it all boils down to the HID kit you use. and there are come crummy ones. maybe you just got a crummy one.. because i do know for a fact that my HID output its pretty sharp like your retrofitted ones.. i also have better output then most bmws audi and benzes however there light pattern is different. and i still have better output then people with Stock HID lexus'.
just my $0.02USD..
my light output beats your aftermarket HID and is just as good as your retrofitted ones. it all boils down to the HID kit you use. and there are come crummy ones. maybe you just got a crummy one.. because i do know for a fact that my HID output its pretty sharp like your retrofitted ones.. i also have better output then most bmws audi and benzes however there light pattern is different. and i still have better output then people with Stock HID lexus'.
just my $0.02USD..
The HID kit you use does not make a huge difference, except in variations in color temperature or if the bulbs between kits do not fit correctly. The biggest limitation is the projector itself. A halogen projector has different focal points than xenon projectors (and different xenon projectors all have different outputs) and an HID kit in it will not produce optimal output.
Even the IS250/350 Xenon projector utilizes a poor design, and is severely limited in width and intensity by its side-entry narrow bowl design.
Here is a picture of the stock HID IS250 projector that has been replaced with a clear lens for added output. Keep in mind that this projector is still much better than the halogen IS250 projector.
Here is a picture of the SC430 with clear lens to show the difference. In addition to the width and sharpness of the cutoff, the light is properly focused directly under the middle of the cutoff (the hotspot). A well lit hotspot is essential in ensuring proper down the road visibility
That said, the stock setup is enough for the majority of people, but for a true lighting enthusiast, differences will quickly be noted. As Tchan has said, if your bulbs are very blue (6000K, 8000K, etc.) you may feel as if there is more light on the road, but it is an optical illusion due to the sensitivity of the eyes to light toward a blue spectrum. A true 6700K bulb (Philips Ultinon) puts out roughly 2800 lumens or less compared to the 3200-3300 lumens of a 4300K bulb (Philips 85122, 85122+).
I will post pictures of the same wall tonight and update as necessary. Thanks for the comments
Last edited by ELL Y; 03-17-09 at 07:21 AM.
#27
Beam pattern is so much more important than how the headlight unit looks while off on the car or even head on when illuminated.
Thank you for posting.
If anyone wants to comment on whether another set up is better or worse, post up pictures of the beam pattern!
Thank you for posting.
If anyone wants to comment on whether another set up is better or worse, post up pictures of the beam pattern!
Last edited by maxnix; 03-17-09 at 08:31 AM.