To Project Or Not Project (HID Thread)

[capt512]

Hey Everyone,

So I am at the point of placing an order for a BiXenon Morimoto Mini Stage III Kit (H1?) from theretrofitsource and installing it into some new housings.

However right before I went to do so, I checked some articles in the newb section of HIDPlanet.com. One in particular (I can't find it now :( ) had multiple people talking about how halogens were better for seeing distance as they lit up the area more like sunlight which was more easily recognized by the eye. Even more so than say running 4300.

So now I am wondering if I should just pull my DDM setup and go back to halogen with an upgraded harness? I know HIDs always throw to the sides a good bit, but I care much more about distance than the side of the road.

I currently have the slim ballast DDM setup in both fogs and headlights, but have two different colors of bulbs in the headlights (thanks quality control at ddm) and have to send both bulbs back to try and have them match them, at my cost, plus a "testing" cost of $15 each. I can't deal with the color difference anymore, looks like 4300 in one bulb and 6k in another. So this is how I got to the projector vs halogen issue.

Thoughts? Its not a matter of paying for the projector retrofit (will be doing it myself), but if i'm not going to have much better output than silverstars and a harness then it may not be worth the money...

[BirchMarauder]

i am using the Morimoto mini projectors in another vehicle. I would say its not so much the color of the light (halogen vs hid). I'm using 5000k bulbs, very nice white light. the only problem you might have with it, is distance vision. there is a cut off line on the projector which, in really dark areas, makes it look like you are cutting thru the darkness with a light edge. anything above that line is still pretty dark and everything below the line is very well lit up. i find myself flashing the high beams sometimes to see a bit further but never when other people are around or coming to me as they will blind the crap out of them. i know when you are setting up the projector alignment, your supposed to have a 2 inch drop at the cut off line from the height of the center of the projector on the car to 25 feet away. being that the front of the car is already pretty low you may want to deviate from that rule slightly to get alittle further light since you are worried about distance. before I bought mine, I did weeks of reading on several different sites. decided to do it anyway because halogen wasn't working for me.

[capt512]

Thanks for the feedback, I noticed that cutoff line and wondered about that. I do most of my driving at night on the unlit highway, so thats why I prefer distance to width. I may go back to the halogens for a bit and just see how it is again.

Either way I can't deal with this anymore
http://i1082.photobucket.com/albums/j379/ReflectionsAD/563358_684247826835_1901647087 _n.jpg

[bolsen]

I have the same kit sitting in my garage. I hole to install it this weekend.

[capt512]

bolsen - you have the morimoto kit? If so and you wanted to take some before and after pictures I would surely appreciate it!!

[capt512]

Just for any of those following this thread, I will post a writeup soon.