Nexx

Obviously if you have the money than retrofitting is the way to go but if you're tight on cash and can't comprehend spending $800+ for retros than PnP kits are fine. Just stay between 4300K~5000K for functionality and call it a day. Seriously, the glare isn't that bad. Apparently you guys don't drive around here where everyone and their moms drive large SUV and blind everyone on the road.

TypeRBoy

I have installed 4 PnP kits into friends cars and personally have a Customlightz retro. I have compared both side by side. My friends 02 Si is the closest in brightness to mine with a 6000K kit. Friend with the 8000K kit in his Sentra Spec-V is not even close. And the 4500K kit in my friends 07 F150 is the most blinding thing I have ever seen. It is impossible to lower the truck lights any further. With a retro the light is brighter and perfectly placed on the road. If you cant afford a retro, I can't fully give the thumbs up to PnP. I got my TSX projectors and MDX shrounds on my own on Ebay and it was very easy to find them. All told my parts were $250 and labor was $500 because I got custom **** done. I was happy with them for $750 since the Ebay PnP kit I was going to buy at the time was $450. A couple years ago PnP kits were not as numerous on Ebay and they were mad expensive.

2008fijibluesi

That is your opinion and you are entitled to it. However, I know many people that think the Customlightz retrofit looks ricey, even though it is a great product.


It's much different. I didn't buy one HID, and I didn't even buy a bad product. My PnP kit was a hell of a deal, and is still a great product. It doesn't have as clean a cutoff as the retrofit. But I'd trade the loss of a perfect cutoff for the better look of stock housings (IMO), and $600+ kept in my wallet.

I have the money and could afford this easily, but I can't justify spending that much money on my car for something that looks worse (again IMO), and doesn't add any power. I don't bash on people that choose to go the retrofit route (even though the majority of them do just buy the retrofit to establish their "baller status"). I have my reasons for not getting a retrofit, and I feel they are perfectly justified.

EG2KIWI

I have a PnP kit 50 w ballast and 6k bulbs on a vw golf.... I have to admit that on the vw the light don't blind people and its very clear (very impressed on the light housing), compared to my del sol it is a little more fuzzy but still nice.

Ricey McRicerton

Bottom line all of you guys who keep talking about how wonderful your pnp kits are in reflector housings at 6k or 8k or whatever else are wrong. If you've ever seen a S2k cutoff, that's how HIDs should look. They shouldn't be the blue or purple of 8k or 12k or whatever else. Those put out LESS light than the 4300k lights that come in the S2000 or TSX. There should be a defined cutoff that is below the side view mirror line of other drivers. Past that, you're doing it wrong, and I hope you get pulled over for it because you're too cheap, inept or unwilling to admit that you're unable to do it correctly.

EG2KIWI

Well I am not trying to be cheap.... thought I would give it a try. I had an S2k and yes I see the difference.... what ever floats your boat.

2008fijibluesi

The color (or kelvin) of the lights does not distinguish a projector housing from a reflector housing. It only determines the color. Yes, there is a point to which the color becomes unusable (some people same 4300k, I say 6000k), but you could still put a 12000k bulbs in an S2000 projector, and produce a beautiful cutoff. The color would just look fruity and would be hurting your ability to see the road. My PnP doesn't blind other driver's so it's done correctly. It doesn't have a perfect cutoff. But fortunately for me, I can still live with myself.

Ricey McRicerton

I well aware that the color doesn't distinguish what style headlamp it is.

You are 100% wrong on the 4300k vs 6000k argument. It's not an opinion thing. It's a what color is the brightest, whitest light thing.

You've done something half assed at the expense of others.

civicguru

well I have recently installed an expensinve Renken HID kit and was not happy with the way the beam is scattering all over and on to the oncoming traffic. was Surfing around and found out that the D2S type bulbs are for Projector housing's and for Reflector type housing that we have the type of bulb to be used is D2R. I have ordered a pair and will switich the bulbs and see the effects and report back.

From what I foundout that the D2R type of HID bulbs are designed for refceltor type of headlights and do no scatter or bother the oncoming traffic and are best sutied for our type of headlight assemblies......

Some one can second this please....

2008fijibluesi

Apartently not, because you said otherwise in your last post.

Once again, as so often occurs, you are very very wrong, and also put words into my mouth. First, I never said anything about which is brighter. While, honestly, every kit's K/color will differ from the next, I said I feel 6000k is about the top of the "usable light spectrum", while other's will say 4300k. That IS opinion. Secondly, 6000k is whiter than 4300k, and it is also brighter. Contrary to belief, the higher the kelvin, the brighter something actually is. Different kelvins just light different things, and different situations better. My HIDs are 6000k and are only blue at startup. They go to a clear white as they warm up, and I find white much better for my eyes than the yellow/white that 4300k produces.


Well, fortunately for me (and unlike you and 90% of this forum), I don't modify my car for anyone, other than myself. That being said, my HIDs are neither half *** nor at the expense of others.

Sure, there are people that buy PnP, throw them in, and never adjust them, blinding people everywhere they go. They buy them for the bling bling factor. The same amount of people (probably more in reality) buy retrofits for the same reason. I've seen an Si at a meet with a Customlightz Retro, and it was blinding because the owner never adjusted them when he installed them. But man they had a great cutoff right above the top of my car! I cannot be lumped into that mass. I've adjusted, and re-adjusted my headlights countless times, to achieve the lighting that helps me see the best, while also being courteous to other drivers.

I've said it before, and I'll say it again. Most of our cars do not come from the factory with the headlights adjusted properly. If you are blinding people with a PnP kit, you were most likely blinding people with your halogen bulbs. When I first got my car (before I put Silverstar Ultras in the headlights), I kept getting highbeamed when I had my lowbeams on. I knew the car came with the lower Silverstars but they certainly aren't that bright. I adjusted my headlights and was amazed at 1) how terribly they are aligned and 2) how well our headlights are designed to reflect light onto the road. The step up to Ultras definitely helped my eyes, but they burned out way too often for me (I replaced 3 in a couple months). At like $40-45 a pair, they aren't cheap bulbs, especially for how long they last. I stepped up to HIDs for a more economical solution. I, of course, needed to re-adjust my lights when I got the PnP kit, but I was prepared for that.

cramos1222

just go with the pnp kit for a start...and spend money on something else..or buy the pnp save up and when u hav enough for a retro sell the pnp..or w/e...then if u want a "clean cut off.." get ur self some eye lids for your head lights..haha












i kid i kid..but really...economy is down..so it be best to be cheap around this time..

JdmcivicRR

I'm just going to go with a PnP kit for now, and where do you guys get the red honda emblem for your steering wheel?

mraudio13

I have a 06 TL and I get flashed all the time. I will agree that I am seeing more PNP kits on cars and they are just too damn bright. Especially the blue ones. I have had PNP on all of my civics and I love them for the brightness and how they light up reflectors a mile away. I would suggest going with a low color like 4000's. Please don't buy the 12000's.

JdmcivicRR

Yea I know, I was gonna get the 6000k HID's.

SIVIC 3

jdmcivicRR = civic lx ?

2008fijibluesi

Just do some research before you go with the 6000k. Check around the net and see what color is actually produced by 6000k from the specific company you want. The color can vary a lot from company to company. With some companies, 6000k is blue, while some (like mine) it's white.

JdmcivicRR

It's just a name. lol

AlphaQup

2008fijibluesi,

Do you mind sharing pics of your PnP kit lighting up the road or even a wall for us to see how great it is? Only if you want to. I'd like to see what you are swearing by.

As for your "baller status" remark, not all people are who you perceive them to be. I've done a few retrofits myself and guess I'd fall into the category that takes time to do it right the first time. Not because I want to be "baller status".

No matter how you argue it, PnP kits are only designed for one reason and its all for fashion rather than form. Why?... (beating on a dead horse a little here) ---> because the halogen reflectors/projectors were never designed to properly distribute the light emitted from a HID bulb.

JdmcivicRR

Retrofits cost around $1,000 correct?

AlphaQup

Not at all. Not if you do it yourself.

JdmcivicRR

How can you do it yourself? Any threads about this?

Orochon

yeah im really curious to know..ive been on the customlightz site they dont say much about how to retro fit..they just tell you s2k lights...tsx..tl..blah blah etc..and some videos..but if its around 400 for a diy..then retro i go..

hmmm i wonder if they can do it with out the ebay looking black housing VVVVV



now thats "baller status"

K5^

^I believe that that's complex's car.

Unless you're experienced or willing to test your abilities with your own car being a guinea pig, I'd say go with customlightz. Otherwise, by all means, have at it.

Orochon

yup thats his car...do you know how he did his lights?

AlphaQup

You have to take your light housings off your car and bake em open. The major part of Retrofitting is actually mounting the OEM HID projectors into your stock housings. After you've done this and everything is properly lined up/leveled, you put the housing back together and bake it again to properly seal the 2 halves back together. That's just a quick interpretation in a nutshell, there's more to it such as: finding the right shrouds, color mod, shield mod, lens mod, retrofitting hardware, etc.

If you are truely a DIY type of person, I highly recomend you visit http://www.hidplanet.com/forums/ You'll find most of the info you need on there. Parts can be found easily on Egay or hidplanet also has a sales dept as well.