I have a 01 LSV8. Are my headlights HID and all i have to do is get a kit for 6000k headlights??? Sorry if this is a dumb question just do not know much about cars etc. I learned a lot from the sticky thread " The Real Owners Manual". And if this is the case what kind of kit would you suggest.
Nothing more than buying a kit??
- Thread starter Raines
- Start date
LeaSr77
Dedicated LVC Member
No you don't have HIDs. They weren't available on the cars until 03.
jdmans101
Well-Known LVC Member
no, you don't have hid's. But you can buy a kit and install them. I'd recommend ddmtuning.com
chris2523
93 Mark VIII
DDM is moving out of the HID section, i hear they're going to LEDs.
jdmans101
Well-Known LVC Member
There still listed on the website for sale, interesting...
jmtiseo
The Peanut Gallery
Agree with what those before me said. Didn't know the OEM HID's were rare. Glad my car has them.
Don't know if you were looking to convert them to HID but this poses a problem, not necessarily to you, but those you share the road with. Don't know much about it, but the housing is designed different for an HID light. There is a cut off line, the reflector or something that sorta projects the light out instead of scattering it. If you install HID's into your halogen housing you will have some wicked glare for oncoming traffic and it's advised not to do so. Others on here know a helluva lot more on this subject than this young pup does.
You're free to do whatever you want though so here's a suggestion to where to get them. Ebay is loaded with them. I've read around here and people throw the name DDM Tuning around for HID lights. Then again I read elsewhere that they were no more. I'm not in the market for them so I don't look for them but the company I got my Stealth Bulbs from, Stealth Auto has HID kits as well. I like their customer service for the little bit of experience I've had with them. Only set back to them is that they're a little pricey.
Hope this helps
Don't know if you were looking to convert them to HID but this poses a problem, not necessarily to you, but those you share the road with. Don't know much about it, but the housing is designed different for an HID light. There is a cut off line, the reflector or something that sorta projects the light out instead of scattering it. If you install HID's into your halogen housing you will have some wicked glare for oncoming traffic and it's advised not to do so. Others on here know a helluva lot more on this subject than this young pup does.
You're free to do whatever you want though so here's a suggestion to where to get them. Ebay is loaded with them. I've read around here and people throw the name DDM Tuning around for HID lights. Then again I read elsewhere that they were no more. I'm not in the market for them so I don't look for them but the company I got my Stealth Bulbs from, Stealth Auto has HID kits as well. I like their customer service for the little bit of experience I've had with them. Only set back to them is that they're a little pricey.
Hope this helps
chris2523
93 Mark VIII
well that's what i said.
but andrizzle got an email from them that says otherwise.
2000sport
Dedicated LVC Member
I bought the OEM bulb shields from T-Money's wrecked 06. Will be getting some gen 2 lights soon as well, and will see how the cutoff shields do on non-HID housings, since from comparing the two up close the only difference is the shape/size of the shield.
Will end up posting a new thread on this once I get started.
Will end up posting a new thread on this once I get started.
jdmans101
Well-Known LVC Member
Man that sucks, they were like the only reputable affordable hid place. To the op, stay away from ebay kits they are junk.
chris2523
93 Mark VIII
agreed
I've used umnitza kits on my ls for the past few years with no issue, other than a very rare flicker during warmup.
DDM is going to do actual led headlight bulbs? I must check this out for myself...
DDM is going to do actual led headlight bulbs? I must check this out for myself...
Andrizzle
Dedicated LVC Member
Yea, DDM leaving the HID business is a real bummer. I think it had to do with issues shipping the bulbs and parts from China.
There was a lot of controversy in the early summer in terms of the kits having to pass through customs after being imported into the US, and a lot of stuff was being turned away.
I know it is ironic, but V-LEDs actually has its own line of HID kits they sell, they have premium line and a middle line and I can attest that they are of great quality.
I spoke to V-LEDs the other day and they are planning a large sale in a couple weeks. December 12-14. They just had a huge 50% off sale on every in stock product this past weekend and a lot of stuff sold out. Just stay away from the LED fogs!
EDIT: Just to clarify, DDM is moving towards LEDs, but not necessarily LED headlights (I don't think this is even possible/practical). I am sure to compete with the likes of the above mentioned VLEDs, who coincidentally is moving into the HID business as well as having the existing LEDs.
There was a lot of controversy in the early summer in terms of the kits having to pass through customs after being imported into the US, and a lot of stuff was being turned away.
I know it is ironic, but V-LEDs actually has its own line of HID kits they sell, they have premium line and a middle line and I can attest that they are of great quality.
I spoke to V-LEDs the other day and they are planning a large sale in a couple weeks. December 12-14. They just had a huge 50% off sale on every in stock product this past weekend and a lot of stuff sold out. Just stay away from the LED fogs!
EDIT: Just to clarify, DDM is moving towards LEDs, but not necessarily LED headlights (I don't think this is even possible/practical). I am sure to compete with the likes of the above mentioned VLEDs, who coincidentally is moving into the HID business as well as having the existing LEDs.
joegr
Dedicated LVC Member
Not true. The reflector is different too. I have two gen II LSes, one with HIDs and one with Halogens. Side by side, you can see that the reflectors are different, as well and the shields.
2000sport
Dedicated LVC Member
Ok. Well we will see how well the shields reduce glare. What exactly is the difference in the reflectors?
In response to the led headlights being impossible, several cars are currently using LEDs for forward lighting (Audi a8, r8, Cadillac escalade, Lexus LS, Toyota prius [japan only I believe], etc)
Audi currently uses Lumileds Altilon line of power multi-die led modules. They only require 18W max vs 35W for HIDs. But they require a driver circuit, big heatsink, and optics. Datasheet link below for your reference.
http://www.philipslumileds.com/uploads/39/DS66-pdf
In response to the led headlights being impossible, several cars are currently using LEDs for forward lighting (Audi a8, r8, Cadillac escalade, Lexus LS, Toyota prius [japan only I believe], etc)
Audi currently uses Lumileds Altilon line of power multi-die led modules. They only require 18W max vs 35W for HIDs. But they require a driver circuit, big heatsink, and optics. Datasheet link below for your reference.
http://www.philipslumileds.com/uploads/39/DS66-pdf
You beat me to it.
I wish I would've saved a picture I found comparing how a halogen reflector and hid reflector are designed/made. Halogen reflectors scatter the light all over the place, but the hid reflector has each section placed to aim light to a certain area.
Not 100% sure if the ls HID reflectors are like this, but the picture I found showed it like this. Think of the HID reflector as 200 little reflectors put together to make the one big HID reflector. Each reflector is placed in a certain place, a certain way so they dont shine light past a certain height, helping with the cut out, as apposed to projectors having an acutal shield blocking the light. This must have been a pain to do, but I see why it cost a lot more.
jolinc01
Dedicated LVC Member
VVME makes a decent HID kit, and I've always had good luck with Xentec off ebay too. My current kits are DDM, but I just had a raptor ballast fail....
G-RELL
FULLY DIPPED LS
I've had my HID kit from HIDWORLD.com for 3+ years will no problems... good prices too.
2000sport
Dedicated LVC Member
Bullschmidt and I pulled my headlights apart today and I got the shields installed. Still a bit of light escaping from the base of the shields but it is night/day compared to the glare before. I pulled the orange lens out as well on my corners, but I'm not sure I like it yet.
The silicone is currently curing overnight. I will get pics of everything tomorrow
The silicone is currently curing overnight. I will get pics of everything tomorrow
2000sport
Dedicated LVC Member
Not terribly. bake headlight, pry lens off, either make your own shields or aquire a set of OEM HID shields, then it's all guessing as to how you should mount them. I made a bracket and uses the factory glare shield mounting hole on the reflector bowl.
But I was in a hurry to get everything back together, and didnt check to make sure the shields hit all the way to the reflector bowl, so I still have light escaping out the base of the shields. I will probably pull the lights apart again and add some length to the base of the shields to get it all the way.
The HID shields, even in their current unfinished state, have dramatically reduced the glare and "all over the place" light output compared to stock. and I gained a nice cutoff line as well.
Been busy all week/weekend so I havent had time to shoot pics.
Maybe tonight.
But I was in a hurry to get everything back together, and didnt check to make sure the shields hit all the way to the reflector bowl, so I still have light escaping out the base of the shields. I will probably pull the lights apart again and add some length to the base of the shields to get it all the way.
The HID shields, even in their current unfinished state, have dramatically reduced the glare and "all over the place" light output compared to stock. and I gained a nice cutoff line as well.
Been busy all week/weekend so I havent had time to shoot pics.
Maybe tonight.