lex400sc

BTW, can your Silverstars do this?....

LexRX

lex400sc, I knew someone would answer that question

If you can get passed the price, HID's are a great technololgy. Heck, they're a great technology for the price More light, using less energy and heat and less maintenance.

It's definitely (for me atleast) not just about the color temperature. It's amazing lighting for better night driving. The cool looks is a bonus.

Manaray

Hehehe...don't kid yourself. I've done side by side comparisons of Silverstars, PIAA XTREME's, etc., etc., next to my HID's...NO COMPARISON. Sure, the color is right, but like Lex400SC said, the brightness is not there.

Don't get me wrong, the Silverstars and others are an improvement over stock Halogens, but they're not in the same league as real HID's...

As soon as I get mine, I'll post photos with one side HID, the other side Stock/SilverStar/whatever else I have access too.

Keith13b

iTrader: (3)

Lex400SC : what HID kit are you running in that pic?

EmeraldLexuSC3

Manaray, I'll be interested in seeing that first hand. There's too many decriptive personal opinions. A pic is worth more than what words can describe.

Lex400SC, I assume the pic is viewed from inside a SC, or are you showing what a BMW and Audi HID looks like with a retro fit
HID kit?

lex400sc

Those are pics of an Audi TT OEM HID retrofitted into a 2000 Honda Prelude. The pics are taken from inside the car.

Manaray

ToeJam, why not do your own comparison? Buy a set of bulbs (like the Silverstars), install it in your car, then go to your local Lexus Dealership at night and compare...make sure you do it in a dark area (not in a fully lit up service bay)...

Keith13b

iTrader: (3)

How about someone show some pics of an SC HID install. I keep seeing pics posted of other cars HID's; and thats fine and dandy, and no one is questioning the the real deals are better, but how about some SC photos. I know several people have HID kits on their cars. I would love to see a comparison of the different kits available.

lex400sc

Keith, I would love to see this too and have been asking people to post their pics, but it seems either everyone is either reluctant to or they don't have a digicam.

Manaray

Well I think I got my HID kit in...I'm not sure...I just have a little note on my door...I will check tommorow...uh, I mean later today...

Anyways, I'll install these bad boys ASAP...I'm going to do it myself....so if I don't post in a few days, please send the Coroner cuz I probably electrocuted myself...

I am going to take photos of the lights before hand down a dark street, in a "medium dark" area, and against a wall somewhere...then I'm going to install the the HID on one side and take side by side photos in the same areas, then I will do the other side and take the same photos...

If I can get my hands on a set of other non-HID 9006's, I will take photos of those too...

Don't worry about the camera "adjusting" for the lighting, my Nikon has a manual mode so I'll make sure all the settings are the same for all the photos...

hoops_24

Great! You got my PM about my interest so as soon as you get the pics up I will be ready to decide what to do. I get the feeling i'm gonna like 'em.

EmeraldLexuSC3

manaray, I do not understand your question! Compare them to what? The newer SC's,!? I have the Silverstars and I am quite pleased with them. HID in a projected beam is not going to get you the same 'flood' affect as the previous posted pic's show.
I agree with Keith13b, I am interested is comparing apples for apples!

LexRX

Doesn't the pic above use projector beams in the prelude?

Manaray

Toejam - You said that the 4100K HID kit is NOT worth getting because "the SilverStars have the same light temp. output rate of 4000K, for a fraction of the cost."...what I'm saying, is go to your local dealership AT NIGHT and compare your Silverstars to a set of REAL HID's...(the SC430 has a project beams)

This way, you can see how "not bright" your Silverstars are....granted they are better than the stock Halogens (and if I was going to take the cheap upgrade route, I would do Silverstars or better yet, Koitos), but don't fool yourself, there is NO comparison to REAL HID's.

LexRX - I think he's talking about comparing SilverStars in a older SC with a HID kit in the same SC.

Now I was going to do this comparison but I'm not going to spend $50 EXTRA (for a set of Silverstars that I can not return and have NO use for other than this test) to prove something I know for sure. The SilverStars will NOT be close. I will compare the HID to my stock Halogens though.

I will take side by side photos of my '92 SC400 with a '97 (or was it '98?) SC300 that has Koito Whitebeam also...

2Lexus430s

Here is a little basic knowledge of HID and HID lookalikes.

HID Lights that you see in most BMW 3, 5, 7, and X series have an AUTO LEVELING system that shifts the projector to adjust to the road (Like Porshe, Lexus LS430, new GS430, Ferrari, M/B, Audi, S2000 Honda). Just buying a Philips HID or any other aftermarket HID kit will not give you that flickering of color you see when the car is coming towards you. That flickering is produces when the bulb is moving up and down with the auto leveling system.

HID Replicas do NOT look like real HID because they use a special flim on the lense to filter out all but blue and white tones. Blue and White Project VERY poorly on road an other surfaces causing a HUGE decrease in visibility. Real HID kits project much brighter light in the Blue and White Spectrum but they also project every other color. That is why you can see so much more with them.