Smoked Healights...Silverstars vs. HID?

millhouse

millhouse

Founding Member
May 14, 2002
1,985
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Simpsonville, SC
#1
Smoked Headlights...Silverstars vs. HID?

Let me say that I have in the past felt fairly strongly against throwing HID's in a non-projector housing...however, I have a strong concern for my current lighting situation. The 97 cobra I recently traded for has smoked headlights and while they are not blacked out, they certainly diminish the light output. My passenger side bulb is almost burned out (extremely dim) and quite honestly, I'm not impressed with the output at all from the working bulb on the drivers side. I picked up some silverstars from the parts store on the way home today and decided before I open them (deeming them unreturnable), I would do some searching. I found mixed reviews and no definitive answers to weather or not the silverstars are enough to make-up for the smoked lenses.

So what's the verdict, should I throw the bulbs in and say screw it?. Or, do I pick up a plug-and-play HID kit with some 4500-5000k bulbs and live with the ridiculously scattered light output...hoping it throws more light through without needlessly blinding oncoming drivers?

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#2
if you are that concerned why not get a plug and play hid foglight kit? it will almost certainly provide ample lighting to supplement whatever the silverstars lack and it will decrease the chances of blinding other drivers bc they are much lower.
 
#4
I've got silverstars in my mustang and bought an 8000k HID kit for my F350. Let me tell you, night and day difference. I will take my truck over my stang any day of the week. My lights do blind the heck out of folks I drive behind (height of truck mostly) but I can turn on the brights and it'll push the beams to the right of the road. Not as blinding, but still blinding. I have yet to have oncoming traffic flash me though. Just gotta aim them right.
 
#5
IMO go with the an hi/lo 6000k HID kit, thats what i had/have on my mustangs i ve had the 4300K and 8000K and they are no where near as good as the 6000K kit, silverstar is too weak.
 
#6
Ok, this is the exact problem I had with my car. Picked up smoked headlights for my 2000GT, along with Silverstars to throw in them since I wasnt sure my stock bulbs would be bright enough. I will say they were verrrrrrry bad in the dark, and 100% useless when it was dark AND raining. I drove like this for around 6 months, avoiding night driving and rain any time I could.

Just recently picked up 6000k HID's from DDM Tuning and I must say, they are AMAZING. I can finally drive at night, and I have actually taken night drives for no reason other than to marvel in the light I was throwing in front of me.

Also, for what its worth, 6000k HID's look perfectly white in smoked housings. I was worried about them being blue, but was pleasantly surprised.

:nice:
 
#8
Old headlamps are a lot dimmer than new. HID kits for halogen lamps are not really the answer. They throw off a lot of light, but decent headlights are designed to do the same. It's not the brightness of the light, it's where it's aimed that does the job.


I don't know what the hell some of you were driving behind, but I drive at night a lot, and the factory lights are a real step above a lot of cars. New bulbs are always brighter than old. I'm guessing those of you impressed by HID would be just as impressed by new bulbs.

I'd say just ditch the smoked lights. It's not like an HID kit is cheaper than replacement headlight assenmblies.
 
#9
40oz said:
Old headlamps are a lot dimmer than new. HID kits for halogen lamps are not really the answer. They throw off a lot of light, but decent headlights are designed to do the same. It's not the brightness of the light, it's where it's aimed that does the job.


I don't know what the hell some of you were driving behind, but I drive at night a lot, and the factory lights are a real step above a lot of cars. New bulbs are always brighter than old. I'm guessing those of you impressed by HID would be just as impressed by new bulbs.

I'd say just ditch the smoked lights. It's not like an HID kit is cheaper than replacement headlight assenmblies.
Click to expand...

Dude, a HID setup is only $40

I dont disagree that the light will be scattered...but I'm thinking at this point, even scattered light would be better than no light. I have no desire to ditch the smoked lenses either...so you can throw that one out.
 
#11
Ugh...8000K? I guess if you like purple/blue headlights...

If you want good lighting don't go over 5000K on the temp for HIDs. I've got a set of 6000K in projector housings in my GTI and that's the absolute upper limit of blue I'd accept. If I had to do it again, I'd go to 5000K to get a proper, white light. Blue just looks ricey.

IMHO...YMMV.
 
#13
You can either install the Silverstars and be done with it or you can chop wires, melt insulation, fight with crappy vendors on parts screwups and returns, puzzle through poorly translated instructions that will actually be for a neon, try to figure out where to put the ballasts, blind all the other drivers on the road, etc, etc.

Its your call man. It really comes down to how intelligent and mature you are IMHO.
 
#14
Kilgore Trout said:
You can either install the Silverstars and be done with it or you can chop wires, melt insulation, fight with crappy vendors on parts screwups and returns, puzzle through poorly translated instructions that will actually be for a neon, try to figure out where to put the ballasts, blind all the other drivers on the road, etc, etc.

Its your call man. It really comes down to how intelligent and mature you are IMHO.
Click to expand...

From what I've seen, the DDM's are actually plug and play and have clear detailed instructions. The ballast are tiny and just get taped somewhere out of the way. Blinding drivers on the road is a concern...but I really don't think that is going to be a huge concern with these smoked lenses.
 
#15
millhouse said:
From what I've seen, the DDM's are actually plug and play and have clear detailed instructions. The ballast are tiny and just get taped somewhere out of the way. Blinding drivers on the road is a concern...but I really don't think that is going to be a huge concern with these smoked lenses.
Click to expand...

You could blind anyone w/any light if they are aimed high enough, keep'em low or do the 20 feet w/tape procedure. I have the smoke headlights, the darkness does enough not to disturb the disturbed. You should be fine w/those headlights.
 
#16
Kilgore Trout said:
You can either install the Silverstars and be done with it or you can chop wires, melt insulation, fight with crappy vendors on parts screwups and returns, puzzle through poorly translated instructions that will actually be for a neon, try to figure out where to put the ballasts, blind all the other drivers on the road, etc, etc.

Its your call man. It really comes down to how intelligent and mature you are IMHO.
Click to expand...

DDM's were 100% plug n play, required none of this and they actually got to my house faster than they said it would. I have nothing but good things to say about them. Also, if your intelligent and mature, you know how to aim your headlights properly and wont blind anyone on the road.

Like I said, had brand new Silverstars and they werent nearly as good as the HID's I have now.
 
#17
I've had stock housings, dark tinted headlight covers and smoked housings along with stock bulbs, Silverstars and HID's. HID's are way better than Silverstars which are slightly better than Stock bulbs. That's a no brainer. Same thing with the housings and the tint levels. So my advice is to take the Silverstars back and get some HID's. Like EvilTurkey said, you can adjust the HID's and mine have low and high beams. 2 years and never had a single person flash me for "blinding" them. Just keep researching, buy the temp that's best for you, install, adjust properly and you'll be happy. Seems like a pretty intelligent and mature thing to do.
 
#18
Well, I went ahead and pulled the trigger on the 4500k 35w hi/low HID's from DDM. If I don't like them, I can always throw them on craigslist and re-coupe most of the money back. I'll get some before/after pics and post them up.
 
#19
Just to let you guys know. I purchased 2 sets on ebay 2 years ago and they have worked perfectly fine not one issue. They were only $50 a piece and I have some for my head lamps and fogs. They are 6000k and look great. As for the ballists. I just tip tied them up behind the head lamps and it worked. Never one issue. Same with the fogs. These are the cheap china units with no labels. Not once did i have any issues or failures. The wiring harness was plug and play.

I just realized what ddm was. They have some cheap kits as well. I'm sure these are the same ones one ebay.

DDM has some good pricing!
 
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