I'm a total lighting n00b, so "enlighten" me. I've had my Prelude for about a month, and was curious to know if there are upgrade kits to convert my headlights to an HID system, or some some custom fabrication (like with another make/model's projector) required?

Anyone out there have HID's on their 5th gen?

 

hum ..im new to the forum. ..but. .one thing you learn quick is. .search!

 

yea, this has been covered before... check out http://www.hidplanet.com and do searches on prelude forums or google for hid retrofit. It's been done on a fifth gen. Any REAL kit will cost you between 800 to $1200 and more for installation if you can't do it your self. Basically you are looking at removing your current headlight housing, dremeling out a hole, place a real HID projector in there, and running the typical wiring.

Alot of "kits" that come with bulbs that fit in your current housing (like h1 or h4) are poorly made and you will definetely run into huge issues with glare and blinding oncoming traffic since your current housing isn't designed for HID use.

 

yeah, i was thinking about this for my 4th gen, but since it's my daily driver and it has a decent amount of miles... not oging overboard with customizations

 

yea, i put a projector kit and HID's onto my 5th gen, it took about 6 hours to finish. and it cost me about 500 bucks total. i got BMW E46 M3 projectors and HID kit, and i custom retrofitted them in myself. take a look.







not too bad for the first time. so it can be done. just be sure u use a dremel. otherwise, its damn near impossible...

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by h8trix &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Any REAL kit will cost you between 800 to $1200 and more for installation if you can't do it your self. </TD></TR></TABLE>

I don't know where you have been pricing things out, but that is WAY high for a HID projector setup. A nice setup including projectors, ballasts, and bulbs can be had on Ebay or the hidforum.com classifieds for ~$500 or less. Even a S2000 setup, which is regarded as one of the nicest setups available, can be found in the $600 neighborhood.

There are butt-loads of writeups and information (even prelude specific information) over on hidforum.com. Do some research there, then ask questions.

 

All I know is that I am going to kill the next jackass ricer who puts HID's in without projectors. If you're gonna do HID's, you have to do them properly (which should be in the $500-$600 range). Its just not safe for the other drivers on the road if you don't.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by red92s &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I don't know where you have been pricing things out, but that is WAY high for a HID projector setup. A nice setup including projectors, ballasts, and bulbs can be had on Ebay or the hidforum.com classifieds for ~$500 or less. Even a S2000 setup, which is regarded as one of the nicest setups available, can be found in the $600 neighborhood.

There are butt-loads of writeups and information (even prelude specific information) over on hidforum.com. Do some research there, then ask questions.</TD></TR></TABLE>

A year ago when I was doing to research into getting the kit... I didn't see anything go on ebay for less than $800, sometimes $700 unless there was something wrong with the kit... scratches, missing parts, etc... and also HIDplanet.com kit prices.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by h8trix &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote"> Any REAL kit will cost you between 800 to $1200 and more for installation if you can't do it your self. Basically you are looking at removing your current headlight housing, dremeling out a hole, place a real HID projector in there, and running the typical wiring.
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u can find a real nice kit on ebay for around 500. i got lucky and found one for 400, and then shipping and other parts were a lil more. and if u cant do the installation urself, then u shudnt be working on cars. all u gotta do, is dremel a hole in the reflector housing and the black plastic housing, and place in the projector. then just run the low beam wires to the ballast. and ur done. i have Bi-Xenons tho, so there was a lil more work to wire the hi beam too.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by h8trix &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

A year ago when I was doing to research into getting the kit... I didn't see anything go on ebay for less than $800, sometimes $700 unless there was something wrong with the kit... scratches, missing parts, etc... and also HIDplanet.com kit prices.</TD></TR></TABLE>

hidplanet.com now has projector kits starting just over $400:
http://www.hidplanet.com/package.html

 

retrofit, best bang for the buck. 2 hella ballasta run you about 150, 2 philip hids about 50 or 60, and some audi bmw or s2k projectors =p. And of course around 300 for some jdm headlights.

i've read that you don't really need projectors though, they do help output but VERy little, they are mostly there just for beam and cutoff.

 

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

i've read that you don't really need projectors though, they do help output but VERy little, they are mostly there just for beam and cutoff.</TD></TR></TABLE>

its illegal to put in HID's on a car that didnt come stock with them, for one. and it helps cars that werent stock with hid's, b/c the housings on those headlights for cars that didnt come with them, werent made for them. so there s light going in every different direction. and it blinds oncoming traffic. projectors help to keep the light in a useable area, and prevents stray light from blinding drivers, it helps a lil bit. BTW, adding projectors in a car that didnt come with them is illegal too, but ur less likely to blind a cop, with projectors. they just look more normal.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by AEMPrelude916 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

its illegal to put in HID's on a car that didnt come stock with them, for one. and it helps cars that werent stock with hid's, b/c the housings on those headlights for cars that didnt come with them, werent made for them. so there s light going in every different direction. and it blinds oncoming traffic. projectors help to keep the light in a useable area, and prevents stray light from blinding drivers, it helps a lil bit. BTW, adding projectors in a car that didnt come with them is illegal too, but ur less likely to blind a cop, with projectors. they just look more normal. </TD></TR></TABLE>

Incorrect. HID conversions are not legal and only DOT approved for the OEM installs. However, if you had a projector installed in the car from a DOT approved OEM installation... so long at it says DOT on the projector and headlamp house, you're good to go.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by SNsLude &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">i've read that you don't really need projectors though, they do help output but VERy little, they are mostly there just for beam and cutoff.

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Yes, you do need projectors to control your light output. There is a reason HID's dont come stock without projectors on cars that have them. Without them, you blind everyone else on the road.

 

I understand that, I was just stating you can have them in without the projectors. Projectors will just gather the excess spread of light and focus it more into a beam. My friend was driving around without projectors with 4100k rating and if he hit me on a corner, it looks just as blinding as s2k coming around the corner.

Difference I would notice is that since a projected beam is more refined, it doesnt shine in your eye as long as a long spread blast of light would coming from cars that didnt have projectors. But I do agree with you, they are blinding.

 

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

Incorrect. HID conversions are not legal and only DOT approved for the OEM installs. However, if you had a projector installed in the car from a DOT approved OEM installation </TD></TR></TABLE>

thats exactly what i said.....

if ur car wasn't originally fitted with HID's, its considered illegal...

 

Was just clarifying that not ALL installs are illegal though if your car didnt come with it.

 

ok, ya... i gotcha..

seems like everythin is illegal in CA. lol

 

email sent... I'm still a n00b and can't use instant messaging.

 

just click on their name, and then click on "send instant message" --- for future refrence..lol

 

I meant I'm still on "trial," and the board won't let me send them.

 

LOL.. oooo ok..

 

where did you buy the bmw headlight and how much? do they have more? where did you buy the hid kit and how much?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by jnuanz382 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">where did you buy the bmw headlight and how much? do they have more? where did you buy the hid kit and how much?</TD></TR></TABLE>

I have a set up for sale right now. Check the "For Sale Thread" for pics. Just scroll down a little https://honda-tech.com/zerothread?id=617401&page=14

 

why not just buy silverstar bulbs for ur lude and call it a day. hids are nice but you know you hate getting blinded...also if any one wants some silverstars i got some 9006's for sale