HID Lighting Upgrades

[trd43]

Hello,

Im just curious as to whether anyone has any experience with this product:

http://www.xenondepot.com/product.php?product_id=97

I emailed the company and apparently its a direct replacement for our OEM headlights. I would have loved to get HIDS from the factory however it wasnt an option =(

 

[Silver Ex]

HIDs are great looking and throw a tremendous amount of light. The down side is the cost. I had a '97 Lincoln Mark VIII with factory HIDs. When the low-beam went out on the driver's side, the replacement lamp with a HUGE discount from Five Star Ford was still over $160! You decide...

 

[mustangrfast88]

i wish i could find a kit for my 2000 expedition and now how often does a hid light bulb burnout

 

[Silver Ex]

HID life is directly related to how clean the environment is around it. If the HID housing is completely weatherproof and dustproof, the lamps last a long time. But if the retrofit kit is not high quality or it isn't installed properly (the seals and gaskets especially), HID lamp life can be shortened significantly.

And one last thing. HID lamps do NOT like to be handled. If you do your own installation, never EVER touch the actual lamp with your bare hands. Oils from your skin will shorten the life quicker than most anything else. I recommend a cheap pair of cotton gloves to wear during the installation process...they're very cheap insurance!

 

[trd43]

I would assume that in order to be DOT compliant though they would need to mee all their specifications (including making sure that they are waterproof).

 

[Silver Ex]

Automotive parts and components are supposed to be waterproof, properly aligned, tightened to spec, fully insulated, corrosion-resistant, quality controlled, Job 1...you see where I'm going with this...

I'm not really sure how closely the DOT regulates that type of thing. And don't get me wrong, I'm not arguing...I'm just speaking from experience. And experience has taught me, positively and negatively, that proper installation and quality of part are both critical. Like I said earlier, HIDs are very touchy...if you go into an aftermarket HID installation just take care to do the installation right the first go 'round. If you purchase a top quality kit and do the installation carefully and correctly, you'll be very pleased with the results. But I guess that holds true for anything, right...?