EvstarH22

I am curious to see who uses what kind of HID lighting. I currently have a 99-00 civic and want to upgrade to HID lighting. I would like to know what brand of lighting everyone uses. I dont have enough money to do a retrofit. Thanks.

mnaines

I run Sylvania Silverstar Ultra headlights...Great brand, but very affordable...if I remember right, Advance Auto Parts sells a pair of them for around $50. The Sylvania Silverstar Ultras are HID headlights and are street legal in all 50 states.

B18C_EJ8

I think he's talking about doing an HID retrofit...

Try HIDPlanet.com

Lots of good info there.

mnaines

I was able to put HID headlights in the stock halogen cases...So, no, don't waste money on a whole retrofit. Just go to advance auto parts, tell them what kind of car you got, and they'll tell you what Sylvania Silverstar Ultra bulbs to get. I've got a 1991 Honda Accord EX, and the bulb mounts for lowbeams are number 9006, so I just used a matching Sylvania Silverstar Ultra bulb in each 9006 mount.

B18C_EJ8

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I was able to put HID headlights in the stock halogen cases</TD></TR></TABLE>

No you didn't. HID bulbs have totally different bases and require ballasts.

Silverstars are not HID's. They may come close to the same color temperature, but they are certainly not HID's. They are HID "style".

Silverstars:


True HID's:

Ballast:

mnaines

These are the silverstar Ultra HID headlights:

EBP_SI

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by mnaines &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I run Sylvania Silverstar Ultra headlights...Great brand, but very affordable...if I remember right, Advance Auto Parts sells a pair of them for around $50. The Sylvania Silverstar Ultras are HID headlights and are street legal in all 50 states.</TD></TR></TABLE>

I hate to burst your bubble but those are not HID's. Hid's have a ballast and operate totally different than a regular halogen.

EBP_SI

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by mnaines &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">These are the silverstar Ultra HID headlights: </TD></TR></TABLE>

Where did you read that these were HID's ?? just because the bulb looks kinda blue at night it doesnt mean its an HID. idiot

mnaines

20% brighter than standard halogens and lights up 25% more area than standard halogens, and last 30% longer...Most "true" HID headlights are not street legal, while the Sylvania Silverstar Ultras are street legal in all 50 states. SilverStar's color temperature is a white hot 4,000 K, far higher than other halogens on the market and comparable to High Intensity Discharge headlights. Sylvania is a leading supplier of headlamps and light bulbs to original equipment manufacturers the world over. Designed to meet and exceed the most demanding specifications, Sylvania lights deliver the brightest, safest illumination possible at a most economical price. you can trust Sylvania lamps to meet or exceed your original bulb's performance while delivering the longest life and most innovative features available in the automotive aftermarket. Whiter light helps you see better at night and if your night vision is better, night driving is safer. Silverstar? is whiter light, closer to the color of daylight - the brightest, whitest, 100% legal halogen headlights anywhere!

EBP_SI

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by mnaines &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">25% brighter than standard halogens and lights up 20% more area than standard halogens...Most "true" HID headlights are not street legal, while the Sylvania Silverstar Ultras are street legal in all 50 states.</TD></TR></TABLE>

Most true HID headlights are street legal. IE, BMW, mercedes, audi etc, its when you start doing HID retrofits that you run into legal issues. regardless, they bulbs you are mentioning are no HID's whether or not they're great bulbs and are "street legal"

mnaines

Sylvania is a leading supplier of headlamps and light bulbs to original equipment manufacturers the world over. Designed to meet and exceed the most demanding specifications, Sylvania lights deliver the brightest, safest illumination possible at a most economical price. you can trust Sylvania lamps to meet or exceed your original bulb's performance while delivering the longest life and most innovative features available in the automotive aftermarket. Whiter light helps you see better at night and if your night vision is better, night driving is safer. Silverstar? is whiter light, closer to the color of daylight - the brightest, whitest, 100% legal halogen headlights anywhere! SilverStar's color temperature is a white hot 4,000 K, far higher than other halogens on the market and comparable to High Intensity Discharge headlights. SilverStar shines with a luminance up to 20% greater than other halogens. They light up 25% more area and last 30% longer than regular halogens.

Standard Halogen:


Silverstar Ultra:


There is no noticeable difference between true HID headlights and the Silverstar Ultras.


Modified by mnaines at 5:14 PM 12/3/2006

EBP_SI

k first of all. anyone can copy the sylvania website. second. you're only comparing the colour. try comparing the light output from the sylvania's vs a tru HID system. its no comparison. sure what you bought was an improvement over stock, but dont try and say that it's HID or better than HID.

mnaines

EBP, how much does a true HID retrofit cost? By the way, as far as light output...Using the silverstar ultras, I can see EVERYTHING up to 1/3 mile ahead of my car on a clear day. And another thing: I do not think true HIDs are street legal in all 50 states, maybe in some, yes, but I know here in Kansas City, they are not.

Otherguy

A Hid retro can cost anywhere from 100-1000 dollars depending on how much you get the bulbs, ballast, projectors, etc... Plus doing the fab work on your stock housing

EBP_SI

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by mnaines &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">EBP, how much does a true HID retrofit cost?</TD></TR></TABLE>

Im not entirely sure. i'd guess in the $300 range assuming you're not replacing your reflectors with projectors but there's a lot of variables there.

mnaines

My point exactly...It wouldn't even cost half that to run Silverstar Ultras, and you can see just as well with the Silverstars as with true HIDs...

Otherguy

there is a night and day diff between halogen and hids...

mnaines

Look...I know the difference between the two, and you'd have to be blind as a bat not to be able to see things with the Silverstar Ultras. I am sorry for arguing...I am just trying to offer a less expensive alternative to HID headlights. He did not say whether or not he wanted a retrofit, nor did he say how much he was looking to spend.

Otherguy

Yeah, I do wear glasses, but still Hid's &gt; ultra stars

mnaines

Again, though, is the price...Do you really want to throw $1,000 into a 1999 Civic just to have the brightest headlights in your neighborhood? For off-roading and stuff, I can understand the need for HIDs, but for normal everyday street driving, HIDs are overkill, especially for an older-model Civic. The other thing to look at, too, is reliability...How long would they last and how easy are they to replace when they do burn out?

EBP_SI

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by mnaines &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">My point exactly...It wouldn't even cost half that to run Silverstar Ultras, and you can see just as well with the Silverstars as with true HIDs...</TD></TR></TABLE>

you proved that replacing halogens are cheaper than an HID retrofit. would you like a cookie? if you think the silverstar's are just as good as true HID's, thats fine. some people cant tell the difference between audiobahn and dynaudio but it doesnt mean that they're equal. True HID's are a far better product in terms of light output and thats the end of the story. give up cause you're not right.

mnaines

EBP, dude, I KNOW HIDs are better...I'm just saying, for a 1999 Honda Civic on the street, they are pointless. Having HIDs in a Honda Civic is just like putting a turbocharged 4-banger into a Geo Metro...Yes, its some fancy doo-dad and can get you bragging rights, but there's really no point to it other than that.

Otherguy

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by EBP_SI &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

you proved that replacing halogens are cheaper than an HID retrofit. would you like a cookie? if you think the silverstar's are just as good as true HID's, thats fine. some people cant tell the difference between audiobahn and dynaudio but it doesnt mean that they're equal. True HID's are a far better product in terms of light output and thats the end of the story. give up cause you're not right.</TD></TR></TABLE>

I agree,

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by mnaines &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">EBP, dude, I KNOW HIDs are better...I'm just saying, for a 1999 Honda Civic on the street, they are pointless.</TD></TR></TABLE>

So what dumb ***, I know some ppl that get hook ups and can get all the parts for a true HID retro fit for maybe 200 bucks and they fab it up themselves. Its all on taste... I had HIDs in my 92 civic, they were s2000 HIDS and I did all the work and they came out great! I spent maybe 200 bucks for everything

mnaines

You wasted $200 on the brightest headlights ever known that aren't even street legal in most cities (not here in Kansas City, that's for sure), and I spent $50 on the brightest STREET-LEGAL headlights on the market. Mine are 100% street legal...I can go anywhere in the US, including Alaska and Hawaii, and still have street legal headlights. I at least follow the law when I do upgrades for my car...Here in Kansas City, you can get a serious fine for having headlights that are too bright, because they blind oncoming traffic and cause more problems than they solve.

Otherguy

ok... whats illegal about them? They came off an s2000, and the s2000 has them stock. I think your just mad because you cant afford them :D