Hid Headlight Kit

[SteveLS400]

Hi chaps

Since she past her MOT, she's had clear front indicators fitted, some trim replaced, a clay rub-down, a wax and an air-con recharge.

I am now considering HID lights. I have read previous posts on here and done some interweb research. I particularly like the content of this site http://www.hids4u.co.uk/

and although they are motorcycle specialists, they are helpful.

Following email dialogue, they are offering me "if the fitment is the H4 you will need 2 kits, eg 35 watt kit 2 x £99 + £198 and i will include the car loom."

This appears to be a lot of money but I would like to be as close to plug & play as possible with both full & dipped working (this was posed to them in my original email). The questions therefore are

i)Are HIDs good with reflector headlights?

ii) Is what I'm being offered reasonable?

[lexynik]

wow must feel like a new car again now !! - regarding hids i dont know much about them really but i have read quite a lot that many people dont have them as a high beam as they dont react or ignite instantly for flashing people etc,, i see a lot of people have gone for uprated type high beam bulbs - i would also want highs and lows to match if i went down the hid route though and also foglamps-which would work out pretty costly for 3 sets

[steve2006]

I purchased a set of hi-low (hid dipped beams/normal main beams) off Fleabay for around £50.00 about 3 years ago and they have been fine, the headlight aim needed adjusting at MOT time but that was all.

See my avatar picture with them fitted and working.

The kits come with the 3 pin connector that fits into the existing loom connector but may need the pins moving to work correctly on a Lexus ( there is a post somewhere on this)but it is almost plug and play.

I would say the price quoted is excessive they can be had for a lot less and you have the choice of colour temperature on the bulbs.

[Mybikesacx500]

Hi chaps

Since she past her MOT, she's had clear front indicators fitted, some trim replaced, a clay rub-down, a wax and an air-con recharge.

I am now considering HID lights. I have read previous posts on here and done some interweb research. I particularly like the content of this site http://www.hids4u.co.uk/

and although they are motorcycle specialists, they are helpful.

Following email dialogue, they are offering me "if the fitment is the H4 you will need 2 kits, eg 35 watt kit 2 x £99 + £198 and i will include the car loom."

This appears to be a lot of money but I would like to be as close to plug & play as possible with both full & dipped working (this was posed to them in my original email). The questions therefore are

i)Are HIDs good with reflector headlights?

ii) Is what I'm being offered reasonable?

You can get much cheaper kits from eBay. There are also quite a few ways to use HID, depending on the lamp setup you have. I have a dipped/ full beam headlamps and separate full beam headlamps on my '92 LS400

I replaced the dipped/ full beam bulb with a dipped only HID. Most of my driving is within street lighting and I hardly ever use main beam anyway, so "normal" high beam is fine for me

The other main thing is Lexus use a different way to power the bulbs- normally the common terminal on a bulb is grounded, and 12 v positive is applied to the main or dipped terminal to power the appropriate filament.

Lexus make all 3 terminals 12v positive, and ground the main or dipped terminal to power the appropriate filament.

In practice with a single beam settup, this means reversing the 2 wires going to the HID ballast

i) Yes, the beam pattern from an hid bulb is fine with reflector headlights,

ii) Seems a bit pricey too me

[SteveLS400]

Thanks guys.

I was of the view that these were expensive but wanting confirmation that the cheaper ones on fleabay were satisfactory.

[BHT]

Hi chaps

Since she past her MOT, she's had clear front indicators fitted, some trim replaced, a clay rub-down, a wax and an air-con recharge.

I am now considering HID lights. I have read previous posts on here and done some interweb research. I particularly like the content of this site http://www.hids4u.co.uk/

and although they are motorcycle specialists, they are helpful.

Following email dialogue, they are offering me "if the fitment is the H4 you will need 2 kits, eg 35 watt kit 2 x £99 + £198 and i will include the car loom."

This appears to be a lot of money but I would like to be as close to plug & play as possible with both full & dipped working (this was posed to them in my original email). The questions therefore are

i)Are HIDs good with reflector headlights?

ii) Is what I'm being offered reasonable?

Your question's already been answered but they're very dear at that price. I got some in my dads Camry about 3-4 years ago and no probs with them at all. I think they cost around £80 then for HB4 bulbs which do both low and high.

6000k is the most popular colour temp. but personally I'd go for 4300k. I would've had 4300k fitted if I kept the 2002 gs300, but LS was the one for me as a lot more comfortable and without the air suspension of the LS430

[TeamDax]

i fitted HID dipped beams to my mk1 LS400..... it made one hell of a difference to visability, so i Strongly recomend them.... i paid about £60 on eBay for the kit (couple years ago)

I would be careful about fitting them as full beam tho, as pointed out, they take a while to warm up, so would be pretty useless if you wanted to flash with them

[SteveLS400]

i fitted HID dipped beams to my mk1 LS400..... it made one hell of a difference to visability, so i Strongly recomend them.... i paid about £60 on ebay for the kit (couple years ago)

I would be careful about fitting them as full beam tho, as pointed out, they take a while to warm up, so would be pretty useless if you wanted to flash with them

That sounds more like I was looking for. Did you keep the instructions?

[TeamDax]

i fitted HID dipped beams to my mk1 LS400..... it made one hell of a difference to visability, so i Strongly recomend them.... i paid about £60 on ebay for the kit (couple years ago)

I would be careful about fitting them as full beam tho, as pointed out, they take a while to warm up, so would be pretty useless if you wanted to flash with them

That sounds more like I was looking for. Did you keep the instructions?

afraid not steve.... they were very easy to fit tho..... after i worked out how to remove the headlights