Thinking About Getting HID Headlights... Need Some Help
May-31st-2013, 03:47 AM
#1
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Thinking About Getting HID Headlights... Need Some Help
So, I've had my 2009 Mazda 3 for a little over a year... I absolutely love the car. Only problem is that the stock headlamps are a little weak. So I really want to get an HID headlamp kit. I just have no idea of where to start. I've read that some are illegal in some states if they are after-market. I live in PA and was wondering if anyone knew the law on headlamps there? Also, how do I know which kind of kit I need for my car? What sites do you recommend for HID headlamps?
Thanks.
Thanks.
June-1st-2013, 08:26 AM
#2
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Join Date: Sep 2012
Posts: 28
So, I've had my 2009 Mazda 3 for a little over a year... I absolutely love the car. Only problem is that the stock headlamps are a little weak. So I really want to get an HID headlamp kit. I just have no idea of where to start. I've read that some are illegal in some states if they are after-market. I live in PA and was wondering if anyone knew the law on headlamps there? Also, how do I know which kind of kit I need for my car? What sites do you recommend for HID headlamps?
Thanks.
Thanks.
Here's the link: www.theretrofitsource.com
June-5th-2013, 11:55 AM
#3
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Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Winston-Salem, NC
Posts: 504
Technically any aftermarket HIDs are illegal. For the most part that law is because of people who put HIDs into reflector housings as it causes significant scatter and glare.
The 3 does have projector low beams, so there is no real glare problem. That said the halogen and HID projectors are different and you won't get the best beam and light spread with HID lamps in the halogen projector. There are a couple of tweaks you can do to make them look a little nicer though. If you replace the frosted lens with a clear lens from theretrofitsource it will help the output and beam pattern. While you have the light apart you can also space the lens to get a little color on your cutoff and paint/shave off the little tab on the shield which causes glare above the cutoff.
Another option would be to do a complete retrofit of a HID projector. In general this is a bit more labor intensive and requires some fabrication. That said theretrofitsource has a bi-xenon HID retrofit kit which comes with a mounting bracket, the lamps/ballasts/wires for about $300. In theory it should be nearly completely plug and play....... well at least it shouldn't require fabrication to install. If I didn't already have a HID kit with those above noted mods I'd probably do this.
The 3 does have projector low beams, so there is no real glare problem. That said the halogen and HID projectors are different and you won't get the best beam and light spread with HID lamps in the halogen projector. There are a couple of tweaks you can do to make them look a little nicer though. If you replace the frosted lens with a clear lens from theretrofitsource it will help the output and beam pattern. While you have the light apart you can also space the lens to get a little color on your cutoff and paint/shave off the little tab on the shield which causes glare above the cutoff.
Another option would be to do a complete retrofit of a HID projector. In general this is a bit more labor intensive and requires some fabrication. That said theretrofitsource has a bi-xenon HID retrofit kit which comes with a mounting bracket, the lamps/ballasts/wires for about $300. In theory it should be nearly completely plug and play....... well at least it shouldn't require fabrication to install. If I didn't already have a HID kit with those above noted mods I'd probably do this.
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