# Is HID car head light worth it better than halogen?



## picard (Dec 1, 2006)

do you notice if HID car headlights improve visibility better than halogen lights?

I might buy a car that has HID option feature. However, I am debating its effectiveness in enhancing the driver vision at night. 

Has anyone driven a car that has HID head light? I would like to know your opinions.


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## tebore (Dec 1, 2006)

picard said:


> do you notice if HID car headlights improve visibility better than halogen lights?
> 
> I might buy a car that has HID option feature. However, I am debating its effectiveness in enhancing the driver vision at night.
> 
> Has anyone driven a car that has HID head light? I would like to know your opinions.



I've used both and HID is literially a night and day difference. 

Also if a car is designed to use HIDs but use halogens to save costs (cough cough Jaguar cough cough) then you have to go with HIDs. I swear I might as well drive with a candle with that Jag I drove.


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## Pumaman (Dec 1, 2006)

I have a Mazda 3 with the xenon headlight package. are HID new and different? I love my xenons, very bright, white, and even illumination. they were one of the things that got me thinking about better light options.


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## bfg9000 (Dec 1, 2006)

It's well worth the $500-800 or so it costs. $500 is only like $10 more a month in payments and you'd notice the improved lighting much more than the $10.


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## Gryloc (Dec 1, 2006)

As a test driver for a research company, I drove some newer cars (like whats being sold for '06 and '07) that had HID lighting. I guess it depends on what type. Some cars used the HID lighting as normal low beam headlights, but when you flip on the brights, both the HID lights and some Halogen high beams flip on. Visibility is nice either way. I liked the visibility I got, even though it was a highway-like test track. Offroad driving wasnt too bad, but I had to turne on the halogen highs on the dust road. I never drove one that had an all HID, so unfortunately I cant tell you how those do.

I would recommend taking a test drive of a car with the HID lights and see how you like them personally. They supposed to be brighter. If you are ordering a custom car built at the factory, give a similar car with the HID lights a test. Good luck...

-Tony


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## picard (Dec 1, 2006)

thanks for the feedback guys.


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## RAF_Groundcrew (Dec 1, 2006)

From what I read, I believe that HID lights take 'time' to warm up and give full output, so some vehicles out there have HID low beam, and Xenon high beam, because you need the high beam in a hurry, rather than low beam, which is on throughout.


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## Whitelitee (Dec 1, 2006)

I have them on my 2002 Infinity Qx4, So thoese are the older hid technology, and even with old hids and relfector housing it is almost a night and day diffrence. 

With the projectors in todays cars, its deffently worth it, unless your not a "light nut" and dont care..


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## bfg9000 (Dec 1, 2006)

RAF_Groundcrew said:


> From what I read, I believe that HID lights take 'time' to warm up and give full output, so some vehicles out there have HID low beam, and Xenon high beam, because you need the high beam in a hurry, rather than low beam, which is on throughout.


 Most "bi-xenon" equipped cars that use HID for the high beams actually don't use a separate bulb but simply reaim + rotate the low-beam glare shield out of the way. Since all HID equipped cars in the US are required to have auto-leveling headlamps, the mechanism for reaiming the lights higher is already there, and this avoids the high cost of a second set of ballasts and bulbs (BTW for some reason "xenon" seems to be synonymous with HID in the automotive lexicon).

Most automotive ballasts blast the bulb with extremely high voltage to get them to light quickly; ~80% within 2 seconds. This also confers the hot restrike capability.


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## Sable (Dec 13, 2006)

I have a 2004 Mazda 3 as well, and man-oh-man do I love its HIDs.

It really is just a no-comparison difference. In virtually all driving conditions the HIDs win, hands-down. I'll never buy another car without them.


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## iholla (Dec 14, 2006)

My Lexus has HIDS and Ill tell ya, I dont think I could go to another car without them! They are FANTANSTIC


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## Norm (Dec 14, 2006)

Sable said:


> I have a 2004 Mazda 3 as well, and man-oh-man do I love its HIDs.
> 
> It really is just a no-comparison difference. In virtually all driving conditions the HIDs win, hands-down. I'll never buy another car without them.



I have a Mazda6 here in Australia and they describe the headlights as projector, what exactly does that mean?
Norm


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## idleprocess (Dec 14, 2006)

I have yet to drive a car with HID headlights, but it's nice to see the availability increasing.

I'm not sure that I'm willing to spend enough money on a vehicle that comes standard with HID lighting, nevermind the nosebleed premium that's demanded when it's an option. I'd like a vehicle equipped with them, however...


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## bfg9000 (Dec 14, 2006)

Norm said:


> I have a Mazda6 here in Australia and they describe the headlights as projector, what exactly does that mean?
> Norm


 Just that it uses an optic (lens), like a slide projector. Can be a halogen or HID behind it.


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## BVH (Dec 14, 2006)

I'd verify the color temp to be in the 4200K to 5000K area. Anything above approximately 4200K and you actually lose lumens, significant lumens. Yes, the blues and purples are great colors but are less efficient.


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## Chronos (Dec 14, 2006)

I have HID low beams in my Porsche Carrera. The tint is warmer than most of the other HIDs I see on the street, such as the truly blue HIDs I see on a lot of Japanese imports and a few Mercedes. I have halogen high beams. I find the HIDs to be wonderful for nighttime illumination, far better than the incans on my wife's cars (a Range Rover and Cadillac SRX), though the incans in the Caddy are really well done. For quick driving at night, I don't find myself overdriving the headlights as I used to on my Corvette. That means that they project further down the road, with a better field of illumination, so I can see several seconds ahead of my car even at near triple-digit speeds. 

Interestingly, on the Porsche the HIDs are self-leveling.


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## bfg9000 (Dec 14, 2006)

All OEM HID automotive lamps sold in the USA are required to be self leveling.

And virtually all OEM bulbs are 4300k; it's just that when used in a projector housing the prism effect turns the very edges of the beam blue. So when driving past a car with projector HIDs you'll see a flash of blue even though the beam itself is white. HIDs in reflectors just look white, unless the owner has purchased aftermarket bulbs which are available up to "12,000k" (deep purple).

For reference, the WA 10w HID used in many flashlights is rated 6500k.


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## Duluth Diesel (Dec 14, 2006)

My truck has PIAA halogens mounted in the factory housings. They work OK and are better than stock. Our Passat has Xenon projectors and are real nice to drive with. My dad's 350Z Roadster has HID, and they blow the doors off everything for a factory headlamp. HID owns.


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## Glen C (Dec 16, 2006)

I have driven with HID and halogens and HID is far superior. You can get halogen up to HID performance though for far less than the cost of HID (at least in Aus). A lot of guys with older cars do this as no HID is available or will fit. The main things are much much heavier cable to the globes usually straight from the alternator, heavy duty relays, heavier grounds between engine and chassis (all the above to reduce voltage drop at the globe), higher wattage globes like 55/130 or 90/130 and possibly new reflectors if it is an old car.

This can beat HID, not because it is a better technology but because the manufacturers HID operates within the law and the above probably wont meet your local laws.


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## Lite_me (Dec 17, 2006)

bfg9000 said:


> *All OEM HID automotive lamps sold in the USA are required to be self leveling.*
> 
> And virtually all OEM bulbs are 4300k; it's just that when used in a projector housing the prism effect turns the very edges of the beam blue. So when driving past a car with projector HIDs you'll see a flash of blue even though the beam itself is white. HIDs in reflectors just look white, unless the owner has purchased aftermarket bulbs which are available up to "12,000k" (deep purple).
> 
> For reference, the WA 10w HID used in many flashlights is rated 6500k.


 *I'm not exactly sure what this means. *One of my 3 cars, a Nissan Murano, has HID lamps. They're great, especially on hi-beam. It's like daylight! Anyway, I don't know what self leveling is but I have a dial on my dash to adjust the level of the headlights up or down. Seems like that would defeat auto leveling. :shrug:


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## cobb (Dec 17, 2006)

Err, am I missing something here? I find two 8 inch hella seal beamed head lamps in my benz to be fine for driving 85mph along back roads at midnight or 4am. Think maybe you guys just need to adjust your lights? My van had the square sealed beams and likewise, a few turns of a screw driver brought the usable light out in front of the van vs right before the bumper. Luckly the benz has hand screws under the hood to adjust the beams on the fly. 

Ive enquired twice on this forum about lights and found all my stock ones needed were adjustment.

As for fog lights, I found the benz works best to aim them right at the road in front of the car so it lights up the line on the road. Real helpful for driving at night on a nice wet road in a pouring rain too. 

Dont get me wrong, if I had the money and time, my car would have led lights everywhere rather it needed them or not and 3 sets if hid lamps on the bumper. THe stock lamps, fog and driving. Maybe a 7th light for the rear when in reverse.


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## cobb (Dec 18, 2006)

Was it something I said? Anyone try readjusting your lights?

I had a rental car, nissan murrano for a few days and hated the lights. They were too low and too dim to see antyhing that is less than 7 ft in front of the car. Worse of all, I almost hit two deers trying to avoid them and it was the fact I saw the tan freakled skin/fur along the shoulder of the road, vs the glow of their eyes like I do with my benz. My benz will light up any reflective material within a mile or so and I find myself honking and slowing for mail boxes, phone boxes, the back side of traffic signs, etc to cross the road. I think it had regular halogen lights, not hid. Then again, I tried my best to avoid driving it at night after that incident.


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