From my understanding the best option out there for a true upgrade is to retrofit. I am considering a Acura TSX HID retrofit with oem ballasts and projectors. Im just a little concerned about cutting my headlight up, mounting the projector firmly, getting a good weathertight seal on the light, cost and finally light output quality.

Aside from HID bulb color temperature choice, whats the light output like from say an oem 09-12 TSX projector? Is there another car that would have better projectors/ballasts? Obviously I want the brightest light with the best beam cutoff, I mean who doesn't?

My other thought was going LED with an aftermarket set of LED bulbs in my un-modified oem headlights. Has anyone run something like this?
http://www.xenonhids.com/low-beam-h1...light-kit.html
Any idea on quality of light from these?

Just lookin for for input on what the best/most cost effective upgrade for my '01 Prelude would be.

Thanks guys,
Ian

 

Still, at this point, you are going to get better output compared to led from a proper retrofit. The new mini D2S/H1 setups are so good and so easy to do that I couldn't imagine going through the hassle of cutting up buckets and epoxying in oem projectors, plus you get to keep your high beams (and in the case of the Mini D2s 4.0, they are impressive high beams!). I couldn't deal with only having lows... yeah F that.

 

So just LED bulbs arent gonna really provide good light? At least nowhere near a HID retrofit?

Cutting out the back of the headlight is still required though right? Even with the Mini D2s like this Morimoto kit right?
https://www.theretrofitsource.com/complete-retrofit-kits/universal-kits/bixenon-morimoto-mini-d2s-stage-3.html?preselect=51537%2C47803%2C51867%2C52241%2C4 7308%2C50242%2C50174

 

That link is to a Morimoto Universal Mini D2s Stage III kit but I see now you were probly talking about these, the stage 4 projectors.

http://www.morimotohid.com/complete-retrofit-kits/projectors/bi-xenon-mini-d2s-4-0-projectors.html

Any idea whats required to get these into a 5th gen Prelude headlight?
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Putting led bulbs into an old halogen housing will give you color, but likely no more output. You need to match optics to your bulb type, period.

Yes, I was talking about the 4.0 Morimotos. As far as installing, it's pretty much:

- split the housings
- screw the new projectors onto the buckets
- put the housings back together
- plug in the harness
- aim
- Enjoy.

The output is really good on these. The high beams are freakin' awesome.

https://www.theretrofitsource.com/co...C49468%2C47308

Looks like they are finally rolling out their LED projectors too. I'd be interested to see how these actually pan out:

https://www.theretrofitsource.com/co...ctors-kit.html

 

110%. Not much pisses me off more than when on my morning commute to work coming up on I35 and some ******* starts tail gating me with bright *** HID bulbs that he just haphazardly shoved into his reflective style housings. Light ******* scatters everywhere and blinds other motorists.

Had that happen a few days ago. Was infuriating, I couldn't see **** out of my rear or side view mirrors and it even made seeing in front of me difficult because my eyes were straining.

Really wish people that did braindead HID "retrofits" improperly would get pulled over more regularly and/or fail inspection... All the cops down here care about are easy speeding tickets though.

 

So oe halogen "reflective" housing headlight should run only halogen bulbs unless you want just a color change from an led bulb. Hid bulbs belong in projectors only and morimoto's or oem retrofits are the way to go.

​​​​​​I get the idea of a hid projector retrofit, basically split housing, mount and put together. I'm interested as to the details of actually mounting a morimoto bi-xenon mini d2s in a 5th gen headlight housing. Most of the people ive found who've done it seem to have put the projector in the upper part of the headlight (oe h1 low beam). It looks like itd be a tight fit, esp when it comes to how close to the top of the housing the projector would be. The mini d2s's have a threaded mounting tube on the back and a big plastic nut. The back of my headlight housings have a sort of round cap and bucket that the plug and bulb holder sit in. Is mounting the projector as simple as using the threaded pole peice and plastic jam nut on the rear of the projector?

 

Pretty much. You split the housings, insert the projector, and screw on the nut. Done. You may want to head over hidplanet and start doing some research there, you may be more likely to find someone with experience for your specific headlight... I'm not aware of any issues but someone there might be. Google images seems to indicate that it can be done.

 

As others have said, installed LEDs in to a multi-reflector setup is not ideal. Light will scatter and, in some cases, you'll actually get poorer visibility.