Stock lights suck? Solutions not any better. Help!!

[BlackyRose]

The stock headlights on my FRS are becoming unbearable. But it seems like the only two choices are the following:


1. HID kits which are classified on this forum for the most part as cheap, unreliable and dangerous as they blind other drivers. Not to mention the lack of quality control with these kits.

2. the best available direct halogen replacement bulb that looks sporty and tunerish is the Sylvania ZXE but it burns out way too fast.

Does anyone have a needle in a haystack answer for me of a solution to my problem. I have done extensive research on this forum and on the internet and keep getting the same results that HID kits are unreliable and blind other drivers and the ZXE bulbs will burn out in no time.

I have PM'd so many other member too and the opinions are just all over the place.

HELP LOL!!!!!

[weedtank]

I agree HID kits in the stock halogen housings are terrible. Look into retrofit projectors or wait and see if the FRS 10 series headlights are easily ordered from the dealer.

[SkAsphalt]

Originally Posted by weedtank

I agree HID kits in the stock halogen housings are terrible. Look into retrofit projectors or wait and see if the FRS 10 series headlights are easily ordered from the dealer.

the stock HID's are not much better, ask BRZ guys.

Retro fit dude, my headlights are AMAZING now

[nalc]

I believe your FRS low beams take a H11 bulb (There's no bulb guide published for 2013 yet, that I've seen), in which case it's easy, simple, safe, and effective to replace the H11 bulb with a H9 bulb. You may have to trim some of the tabs on the H9 to make it fit, but it's easy to find a guide. Much better choice than a crappy HID kit. High beams are 9005, which can be replaced with a 9011 (HIR1) for additional output, again a fairly straightforward modification to the bulb tabs. H9 does have a shorter life, but we're talking about replacing a $7 bulb after 2 years instead of after 5 years, not a big deal.

Stay away from blue-tinted trash like those ZXEs you were talking about.

[BlackyRose]

Originally Posted by nalc

I believe your FRS low beams take a H11 bulb (There's no bulb guide published for 2013 yet, that I've seen), in which case it's easy, simple, safe, and effective to replace the H11 bulb with a H9 bulb. You may have to trim some of the tabs on the H9 to make it fit, but it's easy to find a guide. Much better choice than a crappy HID kit. High beams are 9005, which can be replaced with a 9011 (HIR1) for additional output, again a fairly straightforward modification to the bulb tabs. H9 does have a shorter life, but we're talking about replacing a $7 bulb after 2 years instead of after 5 years, not a big deal.

Stay away from blue-tinted trash like those ZXEs you were talking about.

I agree with everything you said but there are no reliable decent H11 bulbs on the market that arent yellow and ugly. That was my problem. Besides, I might just end up rolling the dice on a DDM tuning kit.....

[suaveflooder]

I have "trash" HID's in my car and love them, no issues with people flashing me. This is my 4th car with "trash" HID's and i have never had a single issue other than matching color (due to a tinted housing). I even run DDM, so $35. I have on all my cars.

[Yruyur]

Morimoto hid retrofit from the retrofit source. Link in my sig.

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk 2

[BlackyRose]

Originally Posted by suaveflooder

I have "trash" HID's in my car and love them, no issues with people flashing me. This is my 4th car with "trash" HID's and i have never had a single issue other than matching color (due to a tinted housing). I even run DDM, so $35. I have on all my cars.

LOL, i personally dont believe that DDM is bad, was just kind of quoting the general consensus on this forum. The again, anything other than coilovers, WORK/Volk wheels and a JDM exhaust is not "official" tuner stuff...lol

Some people have egos and cant get over a 30 dollar kit being serviceable.

I was just concerned about ordering a kit and then blinding drivers or getting pulled over, but from reading other forums I think the problem lies in HID kits in halogen light WITHOUT the projectors. At least our cars have projectors so the light is focused.

BUt if you have them and like them then and others do as well, I am sure the whole "it looks like crap and is illegal" argument is probably overkill and a little sarcastic.

[UnOvertime]

I bought one of those PnP kits and they work. I re-aimed mine correctly and bent down the squirrel spotter so light doesn't scatter as much. I would like to do the retrofit, but I have reservations about baking sealant in my oven. The whole "illegal" argument is really a moot point because aftermarket exhausts in most states are "illegal".

[suaveflooder]

Originally Posted by BlackyRose

LOL, i personally dont believe that DDM is bad, was just kind of quoting the general consensus on this forum. The again, anything other than coilovers, WORK/Volk wheels and a JDM exhaust is not "official" tuner stuff...lol

Some people have egos and cant get over a 30 dollar kit being serviceable.

I was just concerned about ordering a kit and then blinding drivers or getting pulled over, but from reading other forums I think the problem lies in HID kits in halogen light WITHOUT the projectors. At least our cars have projectors so the light is focused.

BUt if you have them and like them then and others do as well, I am sure the whole "it looks like crap and is illegal" argument is probably overkill and a little sarcastic.

Lol, i had to . I just figure that i can replace these a dozen times (it takes about 5 minutes) before i spend the same as i would on "good" HID's or replace even more if i retrofit.

[nalc]

Originally Posted by BlackyRose

I agree with everything you said but there are no reliable decent H11 bulbs on the market that arent yellow and ugly. That was my problem. Besides, I might just end up rolling the dice on a DDM tuning kit.....

Use H9. Should be no problem finding a good quality one from Philips or Osram or the like. It's some 50% brighter than a H11.

[BlueDubbinTDI]

I got a $60 Amazon 5000k kit and its the tits compared to stock. It's like daytime in front of my car at night and looks amazingly oem.

[nalc]

Originally Posted by suaveflooder

I have "trash" HID's in my car and love them, no issues with people flashing me. This is my 4th car with "trash" HID's and i have never had a single issue other than matching color (due to a tinted housing). I even run DDM, so $35. I have on all my cars.

Oh, you haven't had issues with people flashing you? That must mean your headlights are safe and legal. FMVSS 108 must have a little-known clause in the back that says "As an alternative to analyzing, testing, and certifying lights as safe and legal, you can also just slap something together and drive it around, and if no one flashes you, they're approved"

[Richard Cranium]

I run a $60 Kensun kit from Amazon with ZERO issues. I ran similar kits on my Si and Tacoma for +/-100k miles between those two vehicles with zero issues.