2000 camry HIDs

[Reit38]

im tired of replacing the silverstar ultras in my wifes 2000 camry. seems like they only last a year so im thinking about trying HIDs. no i have not done a search before anyone jumps me for that, but how bad is the glare in the stock housing? not wanting to do a retro fit at all. if the lights are adjusted after install

[fenixus]

go with HIR for 9006 low beams on your car.

[Reit38]

whats HIR?

[fenixus]

http://hirheadlights.com/

[pmesfun]

+1 on HIR, I just wish they gave off a whiter light.

[Reit38]

If anyone is running HIDs post some pics of your cut of lines they project thanks. Ordering HiDs for another vehicle tommorrow so I'm trying to decide asap about getting them for thw camry too thanks

[fenixus]

true. could be a tad whiter. besides that I love them. it's said they give 75% light output of xenon+projector. and considering you keep the nice reflector cut off with them and wider and further light beam, they are awesome
besides they are cheap nowadays too!

a pair of bulbs at a price of crappy HID kit from ebay.

Originally Posted by pmesfun

+1 on HIR, I just wish they gave off a whiter light.

[molson.david]

.

[molson.david]

HIRS are brighter, but in reflection headlights it is still disaster, same as HID kit.
You cannot adjust scattering in reflection lights. More light-more scattering.
One of my coworkers installed HIR bulbs in his civic, and he drove couple times behind me. I have heavy tint on my car, so I didn’t feel much. But he will blind anyone without tint for sure and for incoming traffic it would be same as HID kit.
Save some money, and make yourself retro.

[fenixus]

perhaps it depends on the lamp type and lights adjustment.

if lens is clear and reflective surfaces are in the housing (not part of lens) then there is zero problem with HIR (it also helps limiting HID kit scatter, but it's still there with a kit, tried that).

however if the lens is the old type ("ribbed") then it's a hopeless case for either HIR or HID (even with projectors) ...

not everybody has money for a full retro. pro shops charge close to $1k if you provide them with your lamps (even more more if you need new ones).

HIR bulbs are designed for reflectors and are legal and also DOT approved while HID kit with no projectors is not (in most states & countries).

Originally Posted by molson.david

HIR are brighter, but in reflection headlights it is still disaster, same as HID kit.
You cannot adjust scattering in reflection lights. More light-more scattering.
One of my coworkers installed HIR bulbs in his civic, and he drove couple times behind me. I have heavy tint on my car, so I didn’t feel much. But he will blind anyone without tint for sure and for incoming traffic it would be same as HID kit.
Save some money, and make yourself retro.

[molson.david]

not everybody has money for a full retro. pro shops charge close to $1k if you provide them with your lamps (even more more if you need new ones).

I know. been there myself.
but if you'll do it yourself and it is not really difficult, you'll ended up spending no more than $400.
Gen 4-4.5 headlights are pretty cheap, $50 a pc., projectors-150, ballasts-$100.
Bulbs, lenses-$100.

[fenixus]

nah, maybe camrys have more selection of parts for retro. I did my homework with solara and there is no decent aftermarket lamps anymore, they break apart (e.g. adjusters or brackets) from touch and OEM lamps cost $200 each.

I would be afraid messing with current lamps, because the problem is making the vacuum formed shroud to hold the projector in place (and black out housing, or at least cover reflective surfaces with something) and do this right, so there is no lens/projector fogging later. In case I screw up I wouldn't have lamps at all ...

then there is not many projectors that offer bi-xenon capabilities while fitting into stock HB2/H4 lamps on 00 solara (02 solara is 9006/9005) and they are not cheap either ...

I was actually quoted $800 from a local shop if I bring them my lamps to do it, so I abandoned the idea. Extra parts alone (excluding lamps) are like $500 alone.

I'm glad my 02 solara has 9006/9005 lamps so they can use HIR, it's a simple bulb giving similar results to HID (except for temperature/color of HID), no ballast crap, no expensive bulbs, no extra wiring, no grounds problem (which can cause flickering of xenon bulbs), no worries.

Originally Posted by molson.david

I know. been there myself.
but if you'll do it yourself and it is not really difficult, you'll ended up spending no more than $400.
Gen 4-4.5 headlights are pretty cheap, $50 a pc., projectors-150, ballasts-$100.
Bulbs, lenses-$100.