HID on my Corolla HELP!

[photo_wed]

A few questions that I have tried googling but still can't find the answer. I own a corolla 1999 ce and would like to add HID lights to them. So as I was researching these HID stuff some car terms come up which I have no idea what it means....What are retrofits? projectors? do I need to retrofit my corolla ce 1999? why are people on forums saying "get projectors, so you don't blind others" what are projectors? can I just buy a HID kit and plug it into my car and works like magic? or is there more stuff to it rather than just changing the light bulbs? i'm looking for 4300k - 5000k HID...if that helps. Any advices are appreciated, thanks all!

[MFCC08]

Hey Photo_Wed,

There are a lot of terms to lighting that is for sure, but lets start off with the basics:

Your car as of now has halogen light housings. The beam of light gets shot out of the bulb to that cap looking thing in the light. Then it gets reflected off of the mirrors on the inside, and shot out into the world.

The next thing you need to know are projectors. Projectors are on BMW's and Audi's. They are in the light, and look like a crystal bulb. That is actually how the light focuses on these cars, through this bulb.

Retrofits are where you take your stock headlight housing, put it in the oven to heat up the glue, and pull off the the clear plastic from the back end. Then, using that backing that you just peeled off, you buy another car's projectors and with a few cuts and slices, you insert the projector in your cars headlights. Then you close it back up by heating it up again.
There is the retrofit lol.

Now, you are probably saying...all this work for this plug and play, easy, lighting mod????

Unfortunately, yes and no. You could just get the kit, and install them in the same position and see what happens. 2 things could happen. 1. Everything works fine, and you may just have to adjust the position of the light. 2. You may need minor mods for it to fit. (Cutting that little cap to accommodate the new bulb.

The reason why people are saying to retrofit is because these lights are 3x more powerful that your standard halogens. Since halogens use a reflection type lighting, those more powerful bulbs would have so much light that you wouldn't be able to focus it. The other users are talking about glare, like having your brights on all the time.....no a better example were if brights had brights (better example )

I was actually just going through this phase, and I ended up talking with a guy named Daniel Stern all about this. I got the philips Xtreme Power!!! They are the best halogen on the market right now...

You could get xenons and see what happens. Some cars are better than others with these plug and plays.... Id strongly recommend the xtreme powers though.

If you have questions just ask!

[jay0016]

Could anyone who has done a retrofit post it w/ pics

[Crowbar911]

Im not trying to be anybody's nanny, but If you put HIDS in a car that does not come factory with them, they are not legal.

If you still choose to get HIDS, please do it correctly and get projectors so your not blinding anybody.

Im only judging by pictures, but I think Mr. Piggy (jk) might have projectors.

[Milky]

Originally Posted by hummerh2o

Thyre not illegal, you might want to get your facts straight.. hence the point of selling HID "retrofit" kits. Just make sure the projectors you are using are DOT approved and aimed correctly, no one is going to pull you over and inspect your projectors. I've done an HID retrofit before and its a big pain in the ass. I recommend researching it and checking out some DIY videos on youtube.com as they have alot of useful info on the correct aiming specs.

to be correct on the legality issue, you need to check with your states laws. because HID's are not legal in all states. there have been a few states issuing tickets for HID lighting. even for oem equipped vehicles with HIDs

[photo_wed]

Originally Posted by hummerh2o

especially on escelades and some audis your correct... here in my county cops have told me them selves they have better things to do than pull over people for head lights. So hope you dont live in rural cities were cops have nothing better to do.

i live in nyc, i always see people with blinding HID headlights and cops here don't do anything about it. but i did read somewhere in a forum that some guy did get a ticket for HID headlights. but that's like...1 out of 1000...i think cops here in nyc have way more serious things to do than check HID headlights...unless you flash them.

[Trevdawg]

I put HID's in my 99 corolla, still in the stock housing, and it's almost been a year now . . no problems with police in the chicago area. They are blinding only if the person is in front of you on a lower angel. . . like driving on the street down hill and a person is in front of you. But that is the same with halogen bulbs or if a BMW/Audi is driving behind you.
Other then that it defeats the purpose to get HIDS and keep them in the stock housing, the light is brighter but not really farther or super clear. . . i am going to get projectors soon . . but then again i have been saying that for the past year hahaha