Ebay Projector upgrade kits?

Neodeuccio

Addicted to boost...
Sep 30, 2006
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Schenectady NY
So I was poking around on ebay the other day and I saw a number of these kits that are advertised as HID projector upgrade kits that are supposed to be amazing in every way. I unfortunately know practically nothing about lights except that mine suck. Does any know anything about these? Do they work? Are they really superior to your run-of-the-mill Silverstars?

Here's an example:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1000...pra|Make:Toyota|Year:1988&hash=item4aa7ccb6cc
 

mecevans

Supramania Contributor
Jan 18, 2009
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M-bay, cali
I wouldent use those housings. I think the euro ones have a removable bulb. I forget the brand of good ones but there like 60 a piece.
 

Poodles

I play with fire
Jul 22, 2006
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Fort Worth, TX
NOT projectors. They don't have a cutoff, they don't have a proper lense. The only thing they'll do is blind people. You then stuff a cheap chinese made HID kit (that will fail within a year) and you blind people worse.

Also, silverstars suck. Stay away from bulbs with a blue coating.
 

xzeror

Active Member
Oct 18, 2009
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Miramar, FL
are there any projector housings for our cars that can be bought? or will they have to be made? and what is a good hid kit?
 

Poodles

I play with fire
Jul 22, 2006
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Fort Worth, TX
Some people do make them (I was considering doing it, but it's expensive). To get a proper HID projector setup, you're looking at about $400 as a minimum in supplies alone to make them.
 

Poodles

I play with fire
Jul 22, 2006
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Fort Worth, TX
Actually, those are E-code, which aren't DOT approved. They're better though from a technical standpoint. DOT lenses are designed to shoot light up to overhead signs as well as signs on the side of the road, this causes glare. E-codes aren't designed to light up overhead signs.

Adding HID's to those will be the same POS rebased bulbs from china that suck...
 

Neodeuccio

Addicted to boost...
Sep 30, 2006
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Schenectady NY
So is there a decent headlight upgrade out there that doesn't require buying a bunch of shit and trying to figure out how to put it together? I'm not against doing things by hand, but in this case I'd be working on something I don't really understand when I could be spending time on the engine.
 

jrot

New Member
Apr 11, 2010
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knob noster, MO
@poodles...whats wrong with silverstars? i have them in every car ive ever owed and they are amazing....they only look blue to you in the driver seat and just a hint of it anyway. they look clean white to everyone else (oncoming)....last as long as a standard bulb but are expensive...i would appreciate a link to where you get the info that they suck. i would also appreciate a link to where you get the info on this E-code stuff as it sounds like an interesting read...

@bioskyline....why are projectors only good for 4x4 at night? is that why all the new cars have them stock? because thats all their good for?

@ everyone...my wifes murano has projectors on it factory and they are amazing...and since they suck so bad is that why there are multiple threads on this forum and all other supra forums of people going to great lengths to fit fog/projectors to their cars in place of the factory bulbls?......

im calling shenanigans
 

Neodeuccio

Addicted to boost...
Sep 30, 2006
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Schenectady NY
jrot- I agree that silverstars are pretty good, but we all know they're not the best. I've had them on a number of cars, but for the supra I want something better. Personally, if I'm driving well above the speed limit at night, "pretty good" isn't good enough. I want "fucking astounding". I think that's what Pood is saying.

Pood- If I've misinterpreted what you wrote, please correct me. Also, the $400 you mentioned for a decent setup, you mean that guys who design and build their own will spend $400 on parts, then hours of labor to get them up and running, right? I wouldn't shy away from the price, but having to figure out how to make all that shit work would kill me.
 

bioskyline

New Member
Oct 21, 2010
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powell river bc
casue they dont have the focus to avoid blinding passing cars. they newer cars with hids have a different shaped lens to reflect the light right, where the projectors dont. and as far as i know, there no longer street legal in bc where i live, except for off road use, unless they came factory on the car. but even so, i have a hard seeing as a car with hids pass me.
 

SC61 MK3

New Member
Apr 4, 2005
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FL
So the light output would be good from behind the wheel, its just the blinding other drivers part is why people say not to use them???
 

jrot

New Member
Apr 11, 2010
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knob noster, MO
bio you and i might be misunderstanding each other....a "true" projector i.e. my wifes murano are not blinding at all to oncoming traffic....im sure the ebay drop ins do suck....but i think if you do the proper work and use the right parts they will work just like the factory nissan, acura ect....the fog/projectors i could see being an issue though if thats what you meant...

@canuckrz and poodles....if that is what was meant i would agree they are as good as you will get for a "stock" bulb but i know their are kits out there that are great...thats why im so interested here cause my long long drive to work is through deer filled country roads...very rural...but it was stated stay away from blue coated bulbs...which makes it sounds like cause the glass is blue they are junk when in fact they are slightly tinted and installed and running they are hardly blue if at all....


there was another thread about converting and they recommend this site http://www.theretrofitsource.com/index.php lots of really good info here.....
 

bioskyline

New Member
Oct 21, 2010
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powell river bc
jrot yes. they ebay ones are alot like the kc daylighters for offroad is my experiance on them. maybe they have changed in recent years. but your wifes vehical is also a DOT approved headlight, most of these cheap chinesse ebay kits are not DOT approved.

Neodeuccio yes they will. the mr2, corolla, firebird, probe, etc use the same stock bulb). the back bracket may have to be moddified, but it will fit in the retaining ring yes.