Ahh.. pulled over for having HID..

[wparsons]

Originally Posted by SirBrass

Exactly. the HIDs need the proper reflectors. Simply plugging in HIDs where the halogens went causes improper light dispersal IIRC, and thus why the cop pulled you (OP) over, b/c the light scatter WAS dazzling.

Do a proper HID kit or go back to incandescents

There is a BIG difference between throwing HID's into reflector housings or throwing them into projector housings (which we have). There is very little light scattered from our stock projector housings compared to older reflector housings (ie a 92 civic).

I've had a 5000k 35w HID kit in mine for almost a year and haven't even had anyone look at it twice.

[SirBrass]

Originally Posted by wparsons

There is a BIG difference between throwing HID's into reflector housings or throwing them into projector housings (which we have). There is very little light scattered from our stock projector housings compared to older reflector housings (ie a 92 civic).

I've had a 5000k 35w HID kit in mine for almost a year and haven't even had anyone look at it twice.

My bad.

Somehow I figured that b/c the factory FRS lights were halogens that they were reflectors, not projectors.

[frslee]

Looks like only people who hate the hid bulb in regular projector lens are all BRZ drivers... to be honest, wouldn't you use at least 35w hid if you had to buy fr-s?

It's all planned now to reduce the glare and try to get a proper cut line, but please stop commenting on how wrong it is to use hid in regular projector lens, I had enough of understanding... ours isn't bad as some other people using hid in reflector housing. You can talk to dodge or chevrolet community on those... (Charger, cobalt, 2012 below mustangs, camaros, etc etc.)

[NemeGuero]

^
I'm not a BRZ driver and I think the only way to get HID's is retrofit projectors or buy the real shit.

That being said, its not cheap and people don't really take the time to do shit properly. And even the mishimoto projectors are mediocre.

My past 3 cars I did retrofits in and after you see the difference you'll understand why its the only way to go.

Final note: INTERNETZ ARE SERIOUS!

at least he wants to fix the glare.

[SirBrass]

Originally Posted by frslee

Looks like only people who hate the hid bulb in regular projector lens are all BRZ drivers... to be honest, wouldn't you use at least 35w hid if you had to buy fr-s?

It's all planned now to reduce the glare and try to get a proper cut line, but please stop commenting on how wrong it is to use hid in regular projector lens, I had enough of understanding... ours isn't bad as some other people using hid in reflector housing. You can talk to dodge or chevrolet community on those... (Charger, cobalt, 2012 below mustangs, camaros, etc etc.)

It was my error, actually. I made the mistaken assumption that the fr-s lights used reflector housings b/c they didn't use HIDs. That was the basis of what I was saying earlier.

Mea culpa.

Since that's not the case, a proper retrofit (so that the hid bulb is being powered by a proper hid balast, etc) is perfectly fine.

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[quasi86]

FR-S has projector housings in the stock headlights. The OP just ran into some jerk cop, the reason he got a warning is because his lights are not illegal.

I've had 6k HID w/ ballasts for almost a year and never had anyone flash me.

The HID in reflector headlamps is a disease where I am at right now. It's of the 8k kind too. Trucks are the worst but the amount of Chevy colbalts with these and exhaust are truly irritating.

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[SkAsphalt]

As someone who took the time to properly retrofit in real projectors I have nothing to really add to this conversation other than this, so many people who hate on PIP HID's are feeling very vindicated right now

[Diode Dynamics]

I'd swap the 55 watt ballasts with 35 watt ballasts to lower the output slightly. It might also extend your bulb life too.

That's just my 2 cents

Nick C.

[NemeGuero]

Originally Posted by quasi86

FR-S has projector housings in the stock headlights. The OP just ran into some jerk cop, the reason he got a warning is because his lights are not illegal.

I've had 6k HID w/ ballasts for almost a year and never had anyone flash me.

The HID in reflector headlamps is a disease where I am at right now. It's of the 8k kind too. Trucks are the worst but the amount of Chevy colbalts with these and exhaust are truly irritating.

Sent from my EVO using Tapatalk

Halogen projects are NOT HID projectors.

[Poodles]

Originally Posted by quasi86

FR-S has projector housings in the stock headlights. The OP just ran into some jerk cop, the reason he got a warning is because his lights are not illegal.

I've had 6k HID w/ ballasts for almost a year and never had anyone flash me.

The HID in reflector headlamps is a disease where I am at right now. It's of the 8k kind too. Trucks are the worst but the amount of Chevy colbalts with these and exhaust are truly irritating.

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HID kits are illegal, period. Unless you're using an HID bulb that you can walk into a real autoparts store and buy (D2S, D2R, D1S, D4S) it's illegal at the FEDERAL level.

Originally Posted by NemeGuero

Halogen projects are NOT HID projectors.

Exactly. Entirely different design and standards for halogen and HID.


It's funny I had a huge conversation (or some would see it as a fight) in another thread about this very thing.


Also: aiming your headlights down is just plain stupid. Let's sacrifice actual visibility just so we can get away with HID for the look. Not only is this dangerous, it's the definition of rice.


There's tons of options to run a real HID setup in the FR-S (Series 10, BRZ, retro-quik retrofit).


(also, any blue coated halogens are crap, and there's plenty of places you can find out exactly why)

[86-tundra]

Projectors or bust...

learn to retrofit. it's easy. it's not that expensive.

if I was a cop I'd pull OP over too. blinding people with a 55w kit in crap projectors is dangerous, period.

definitely not as bad as someone who has reflectors and drops an HID kit in, but still.. avoid at all costs ($300 cost to retrofit)

[l0aded]

IIRC even with a retrofit option like the ones from retrofit they are still technically illegal (correct me if I'm wrong since I can't remember a source). If you want a "legal" HID you would need to spend ALOT more money. That being said you were extremely unlucky. Here in socal there are plenty of FRS' and a majority of them have HIDs and they look perfectly fine infront of me and behind me. I doubt they are all "proper" retrofits. You were just extremely unlucky or maybe 55w is just really damn bright (never seen a 55w).

[cdo221]

FACT: ALL retrofits are illegal, at least California. Doesn't matter what kind of projectors you are using, FXR, Retroquik H1 Minis, TSX, S2k, etc. California law does not allow ANY modification with the headlight units. HID kits are of course, also illegal.

FACT: A retrofit is going to be better in terms of cut off and beam pattern no matter how you look at it.

FACT: HID PnP kits inside a FR-S with squirrel finders bent + 35 watt kit produces LESS glare above the cutoff line than many OEM halogens in OEM halogen reflectors.

Use a light meter, or just your eyes. The amount of light projected above the OEM FR-S projector is minimal and is clearly less than many factory halogen setups - 2013 Ford Focus, 2005 Corolla, just a few examples of factory halogen setups that has tons of light reflected/projected into the face of pedestrians and other drivers. The FR-S with squirrel finders bent reflects less light than these two examples, and I'm sure less than many other DOT approved cars on the road.

FACT: I'm blinded and can't see shit when a TSX or G37 is coming up a hill and my face happens to be below their cutoff. It doesn't matter that the real HID projectors are producing an even beam pattern without any hot spots - I'm blinded anyway.

My personal opinion is that the hotspots/dark spots/uneven beam from a HID kit doesn't really matter that much. What matters is the amount of light spilled above the cutoff - the FR-S OEM projectors is not so bad in this case.

If I really wanted to be a jackass, perhaps I would argue that it's actually safer with the FR-S projectors. If you're below the FR-S cutoff, at least there's a chance you're in the dark spot and wont' be blinded... with the TSX you're always gonna be blinded since there's no dark spot... ??? haha just kidding...

Also my personal opinion, the FR-S with squirrel finders bent does not cause unsafe glare to other drivers. Situations that would blind other drivers, well TSX's will also blind other drivers in the exact same situation.

My last opinion - it's a hell of a lot easier to get a fix-it ticket written off with an HID kit than a retrofit. But, retrofits are better than HID kits in terms of functionality, for sure.

[frslee]

Well well well, I put the regular halogen bulbs for now. This should make some people happy right? The light out isn't bad at all. I'll drive like this for now and think about some other alternatives.