HID for 5

Mr Morlock · Postby **Mr Morlock** » Tue Jan 27, 2009 12:50 pm

HID is not used for OE fog lamps. Fog lamps are optically designed for a shallow beam to get under fog-55w is standard . Most fog lamps also have bulb shields and blinding on coming drivers is virtually impossible- try looking at a illuminated fog lamp to prove it to yourself. Dazzle off wet roads is a known problem especially with poorly made aftermarket lamps. Some refuse to accept evidence that HID aftermarket is not a great idea and Daniel Stern's web site gives very good info. The leading lighting co's developed HID ( commonly known as "set makers ") and the European light source makers Philips and Osram provide the light source to the set makers. I would expect that Mazda HID lamps developed by their choice of set maker will be a good unit but bear in mind some of the reasons for these lamps are extra cost and being a bit different. Light source replacement cost more and OE lamps will cost a mozza for crash repair. A good reflector lamp or projector are adequate for most esp those with young eyes.

chatchat · Postby **chatchat** » Tue Jan 27, 2009 1:50 pm

6000k installed, purchasd from ebay under AUD100. I won't keep my car life time anyway, I don't need life time warranty. DIY installation......nearly 2 years, still working perfectly.

rjastra2 · Postby **rjastra2** » Tue Jan 27, 2009 4:26 pm

HID bulbs dont have the same light source characteristics as the filament bulb so they will never work as intended in a non-HID headlamp unit.

Best to go buy a set of the latest Philips Visionplus Xtreme bulbs (80%) and fit them. They are legal, suit the headlamp unit and give a noticeable increase in light over the standard bulbs.

Why don't manufacturers fit HID to foglamps? Because if they were really honest, manufacturers wouldn't bother fitting front foglamps at all to most modern cars. If they were REALLY a 100% must have/safety feature in cars then they would be legislated\fitted to ALL cars

Mr Morlock · Postby **Mr Morlock** » Wed Jan 28, 2009 12:12 pm

They do not fit HID to fogs as it is achieves nothing- high light output is not the function of fog lamps. I would wager that virtually all the OE stand alone lamps which are often bumper mounted are fog lamps not driving lamps.The driving lamp is taken care of by quite efficient high beam pockets on modern cars. Same as the MX5 it is just a fog lamp which is purpose built. All the Falcons up to the last couple of years have a Hella made fog lamp- clear glass lense and light shield. I agree with rjastra2 that you can get legal improvement of your lighting simply by using a Philips or Osram optimised bulb.

corners · Postby **corners** » Wed Jan 28, 2009 2:24 pm

The other reason I would say is because here in QLD you need to have self adjusting HIDs to be road legal.

For example the Minis that have HIDs are fitted with electric motors that self level the lights to not blind other drivers.

I do agree with some of the comments made regarding fog lights, most foglights would be mounted a lot lower if they were foglights and HIDs wouldnt be needed

Fuzzlet · Postby **Fuzzlet** » Wed Jan 28, 2009 2:34 pm

I think self-levelling (and headlight washers) is required in every state for HID

Mr Morlock · Postby **Mr Morlock** » Thu Jan 29, 2009 9:42 pm

Fuzzlet is right for headlamps ( HID) and all that technology ( self levelling and cleaning systems) does cost money even at OE level. If you buy a standard headlamp ( replacement) the cost is already substantial but for HID dig even deeper. You can legally buy HID driving lamps ( small and large units) which meet ADR and these do not need self levelling under the rules but no one is offering aftermarket legal HID headlamps as a retrofit as far as I am aware- the cost to develop for a specific car is a major investment for a manufacturer

Numbz · Postby **Numbz** » Mon Mar 02, 2009 6:48 pm

6000k headlight. 10000k Foglight

5.jpg

4.jpg

Mr Morlock · Postby **Mr Morlock** » Tue Mar 03, 2009 10:50 am

A photo of a lit headlamp proves very little. If it is "bright" to look at it says nothing about its light distribution and control. The manufacturers and car co engineers not only design the light for a specific beam pattern but they also do not night drives where changes are noted and can still be made before tooling is finalised. An aftermarket hid for headlamp is not legal without self levelling etc. Some still do not grasp that fog lights are not supposed to emit high light output- anyone who travels in fog know that an intense beam will leave you virtually blind.

@ndrew · Postby **@ndrew** » Tue Mar 03, 2009 11:33 am

Numbz wrote:6000k headlight. 10000k Foglight
5.jpg

4.jpg

What brand did you purchase and where from?

What you rate the difficulty of the install on the NC? Did you have to remove the bumper?

I'm really after a kit for my NC but would struggle installing it, anyone from melb kind enough to help me out

Mr Morlock · Postby **Mr Morlock** » Tue Mar 03, 2009 12:32 pm

interesting proposition on an NC - I wonder what your insurer will say when you advise them of a modification that technically renders your car unroadworthy.An informed RWC tester would fail the vehicle . If you car developed an electrical fault and burnt out ( it will never happen to me.. will it) then you might not get paid out. So the NC has poor lights?

@ndrew · Postby **@ndrew** » Tue Mar 03, 2009 12:44 pm

IMO I’ve found them to be a little inadequate at times.

Shame that Mazda Aust didn't have them as an opinion like the Euro models.

Quite a few yanks have used the following HID kit which uses a quality Philips Ballast and have had nothing but praise to say about them. Some even rate them as the BBFB modification.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=390033960053

However they should be only used on car with projector headlamps and adjusted accordingly.

Numbz · Postby **Numbz** » Tue Mar 03, 2009 1:08 pm

@ndrew wrote:
Numbz wrote:6000k headlight. 10000k Foglight
5.jpg

4.jpg

What brand did you purchase and where from?

What you rate the difficulty of the install on the NC? Did you have to remove the bumper?

I'm really after a kit for my NC but would struggle installing it, anyone from melb kind enough to help me out

There not hard to install in an NC. No need to remove the bumper for the headlights & only need to remove the inside gaurd for the foglights. I got mine off ebay $AU114.00 & u simply unplug the old bulb & plug the hid in.

As for Mr Morlock, who cares what u think. I have them on there because I can & I want 2. The headlights are not blinding for oncoming traffic because of the cut off in the headlight. The foglights do abit, but i'm not a bozo who has them on all the time.

GP · Postby GP » Tue Mar 03, 2009 1:12 pm

The foglights do abit, but i'm not a bozo who has them on all the time.

Thank god for that. I can't understand why there are so many who drive around lit up like a christmas tree

Numbz · Postby **Numbz** » Tue Mar 03, 2009 1:16 pm

GP wrote:
The foglights do abit, but i'm not a bozo who has them on all the time.

Thank god for that. I can't understand why there are so many who drive around lit up like a christmas tree

I know, tell me about it. Fords are bad for it. I only use mine for show or if its really foggy.