headlight swap
 

am i the only one thats not a big fan of the stock 09 mazda 3 lights. I find it very hard to see sometimes. if i want to switch to some HIDs how would i go about this? Would i be able to just replace the bulbs? or would i have to replace the whole unit, housing ect.

Thanks.

I wasn't terribly disappointed by the lights, but you can definitely make them better. The stock lights are certainly better than some other cars lights.

You can't replace just the bulbs themselves. HIDs function differently than halogens do..... more like fluorescent lights actually. Instead of having a filament which heats up and makes light the bulb has two electrodes which arc and create the light. You'd need a HID kit which has the bulbs (lamps), and ballasts/igniters. You can find them online from anywhere from $30-400. I have DDM slim ballast HIDs.

Next you'd need to look at the kelvin rating.... basically where in the light spectrum the lights will be. All OEM HIDs are 4100-4300k which is pure white. As you raise the kelvin rating the lamps will emit more bluish light. Some people specifically want blue HIDs to look like high end cars with HIDs, however the bluish flicker on those cars is a function of the optics of the projector not the lamps themselves.... again all OEM ones are 4100-4300k. I recommend not going above 5000k but that's just me.

Lastly a good way to help increase the output, reduce glare, and get some of that bluish flicker across your cutoff is to swap the stock frosted lens out with a clear lens and paint the shield. You can also shave off a little tab on the cutoff shield which will reduce glare even more.

check out www.v-leds.com. I have been buying stuff from them for a while now. They sell HID kits, some starting at $59.99