mburnickas

Well I bought the Phillips 6000K last year for my Lex and love them! But now I guess HIDS can not longer be imported!

I would love to know why the DOT now put an illegal stamp on the HIDS. I read the glare issue but I do not buy it.


I would think the moron government either wants a piece of the sale, through tax or some sort of control; or wants to control them period. It just seems weird that only xxx complaints (I think 1,800) and they make them illegal? Maybe have the government do some real work for once instead of going after the consumer for dumb reasons. Never mind the xxx millions of cars and trucks on the roads.

I read last year that hids were illegal after 4,300K (limit). So this is nothing new here on higher K lights (6000, 8000 etc).

Also I would love to know how the "tax man" will handle all the older cars with HIDS and the ones being ordered and manufactured at Lexus, MB, BMW, etc?

Can't make them illegal of the dealership???? What happens if they need spare parts? Is the customer screwed????

I can't believe that they would just make a blanket law like that. Dumb if you ask me. It is like going from cable TV to Direct TV (night and day). They a few years down the road they make Direct TV illegal and force them back to regaulr TV....

PS. Please don't take my Direct TV away....or HIDS!!!!

LexLS

I think it's probably a safety issue. If I didn't have a dimming rearview mirror I would be pissed every time I drove at night. How bright do you really need your headlights?

Where can I read about all this and the glare issue? Do you have some links?

rominl

iTrader: (4)

huh?! where is the news saying that hid is entirely illegal now? i know that hid kits are illegal

Wald GS

iTrader: (1)

Same here, www.hidforum.com doesn't say anything about not being able to sell them. It is illegal, but they are limiting the sales of these kits...

mburnickas

I read online as of 8-15-2003 no more HID kits or parts can beimported to the USA. I will look for the links again since I am at work.

rominl

iTrader: (4)

yeah, hid kits are illegal, that's the case from min 1 already. it's just now they fully enforce it and you canNOT import or sell them anymore. hid is still legal. it's legal on all cars that come with hid, or you can do hid retrofit

mburnickas

Rominl- I just do not get why is OEM ok and retro not? What is the difference if I buy a car with OEM HIDS (Phillips) or but a retro kit with same everything (Phillips). No difference.

So when I go for a inspection sticker how to you prove they are stock or not stock? Grey area if you ask me. What if I need parts down the road? Again, how do you prove it is OEM or retro?

I think the DOT is going to make a mess out of it. Can’t say it is ok on some and not on other. Big time BS here.

Companies can’t import them but customers can. Customs could careless.

rominl

iTrader: (4)

well oem hid and retrofit, you are actually putting hid specific design setup in the car. the cutoff is clear, and setup is correct, the bulbs are right, etc... so of course it's legal. however, hid kit you are putting hid in a housing that's not design for the light pattern off a hid bulb, so glaring is very often the case. hid kits have been illegal since the first day of birth, that's why they are always for "off road" use only. honestly, i can understand why they are banning the sales of hid kits, it's definitely a safety issue. if you put in an hid kit on say the gs without adjust the headlight by quite a bit like what i did, you are going to shoot the light right in the face of another car -- very dangerous.

mburnickas

rominl- Thanks for the help with the difs. The question is, I know it is illegal, but how does anyone know besides you if they are OEM or not? Can't really tell.

rominl

iTrader: (4)

you are correct, it's very hard to tell. unless you stare at the hid and analyze the pattern a little bit, then you can tell i am having a kit not oem hid onmy car

HKGS300

Probably you can tell by looking whenpeople turn on their HID lights. The OEM come with automatic leveling, so you see that the lights are adjusting its light beam.

In addition, a lot of countries require that cars with oem HID come with headlight washers/sprayers.

Alex

rominl

iTrader: (4)

not the case in US though, no autoleveling and washers needed. but on lexus there is autoleveling that's for sure

Toysrme

Old news. Trust me... *pleanty* of people still sell them because I have friend buying a kit from a retaile online this comming monday.

Just email around... From what I've read, the ban on selling isn't being inforced except for the largest suppliers. Very few of the smaller suppliers have been contacted.

There-hence-forth find someone smaller than a huge name you're comfortable dealing with and email and ask.

If they have't gotten their official letter yet, they're still legal.
And all orders made before the day their letter arrives is still legal...

It's all in the legalities