Xenon Bulbs/Head Light Kit?
Tech Contributor
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 19,384
Likes: 87
From: Horncastle Lincolnshire, England
2023 C5 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
I've heard some members fitting PIAA and Silverstar bulbs to the stock inits with mixed success. Can't remember the bulb numbers.
The most popular fit seems to be the Euro headlights (T84s). I have the kit from PFYC which includes a harness. The kit comes with PIAA high wattage 135/90 bulbs and makes a big difference on light levels. The kit is about $300.
Then of course you could fit HIDs but that runs to $1500 last I saw.
The most popular fit seems to be the Euro headlights (T84s). I have the kit from PFYC which includes a harness. The kit comes with PIAA high wattage 135/90 bulbs and makes a big difference on light levels. The kit is about $300.
Then of course you could fit HIDs but that runs to $1500 last I saw.
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 6,660
Likes: 828
From: FORT LAUDERDALE FL
let there be light
Originally Posted by KD-Columbus
Has anyone replaced the stock C5 head lights with xenon. I just disappointed with the stock light levels.
Burning Brakes
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 850
Likes: 0
From: Green Lane Pennsylvania
I simply went with PIAA 9005 & 9006. They are much brighter than the Silver Stars and my Vette is now lights up the streets much better than my other cars. The cost for the four bulbs was a little over a hundred bucks.
Silver Star Low Beams
PIAA Low Beams
PIAA High Beams
Silver Star Low Beams
PIAA Low Beams
PIAA High Beams
Drifting
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 1,921
Likes: 1
From: Torrance California
i used the silverstars for a while and it was improved from the stockers but i still wanted more light. So i got the revxtreme 5000k HID kit and it is so much better. You can see pics here:
http://community.webshots.com/user/z28style23
http://community.webshots.com/user/z28style23
Le Mans Master
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 5,811
Likes: 31
From: Minnetonka MN
St. Jude Donor '06
get HIDs, forget those bulbs... the lighting of HIDs is the best u can do! i can get u any kit u want for 300 shipped! pm me for details... also, go thru my website pics below, there are a ton of shots with HIDs to show the improvement over stock..
Aj
Aj
Burning Brakes
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 850
Likes: 0
From: Green Lane Pennsylvania
Originally Posted by 1 BAD BURB
get HIDs, forget those bulbs... the lighting of HIDs is the best u can do! i can get u any kit u want for 300 shipped! pm me for details... also, go thru my website pics below, there are a ton of shots with HIDs to show the improvement over stock..
Aj
Aj
Norm
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
Every 2027 Corvette Engine Explained
Joe Kucinski
Designer Imagines A Corvette That Looks More Like a Corvette Than the Corvette
Verdad Gallardo
10 Ugly Corvettes That We Still Kinda Love
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 Most Expensive Corvettes Ever Sold on Bring A Trailer
Brett Foote
10 Things Every Corvette Owner Needs (2026 Edition)
Michael S. Palmer
8 Most "Only Corvette Owners Understand" Quirks and Problems
Pouria Savadkouei
10 Reasons the C6 Z06 is Still A Performance Benchmark After 20 Years
Joe Kucinski
How Much Horsepower Every Corvette Engine "LOST" in 1972
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 DOs and DON'Ts for Protecting Your Convertible Top!
Michael S. Palmer
Le Mans Master
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 5,811
Likes: 31
From: Minnetonka MN
St. Jude Donor '06
I am actually unsure of the legality of the kit, however, i know there are a million people using aftermarket HID kits. i have yet to hear someone getting pulled over and ticketed for it...
As far as blinding oncoming traffic...this is a common misunderstanding. Yes, u can blind traffic, but that is mainly b/c your headlights are out of aim. re-aim them when you put the kit in and your golden. i have yet to have someone high beam me or flick me the finger... Currently, i have the HIDs in the C5R headlights so the projector headlights control the light output precisely. But i did have them in my stock flip up housing, and they were a vast improvement over stock. i didn't keep them in long enough till the bulbs were lighting at 100% (takes 50-75hrs of use to full ignite), but i could easily tell a great improvement over stock bulbs OR Sylvania Silvertars.
Trust me, you will never go back to stock bulbs!!
on a side note, the Silverstars are absolute craptastic bulbs. i swapped my fog light bulbs for those, i can honestly not tell a difference. i wasted $40 on that crap...
pm me if u want details to buy or more info...$300 shipped is the price, and that is actually a pretty competetive price these days... do a search for other kits and their prices...you'll see...
Aj
As far as blinding oncoming traffic...this is a common misunderstanding. Yes, u can blind traffic, but that is mainly b/c your headlights are out of aim. re-aim them when you put the kit in and your golden. i have yet to have someone high beam me or flick me the finger... Currently, i have the HIDs in the C5R headlights so the projector headlights control the light output precisely. But i did have them in my stock flip up housing, and they were a vast improvement over stock. i didn't keep them in long enough till the bulbs were lighting at 100% (takes 50-75hrs of use to full ignite), but i could easily tell a great improvement over stock bulbs OR Sylvania Silvertars.
Trust me, you will never go back to stock bulbs!!
on a side note, the Silverstars are absolute craptastic bulbs. i swapped my fog light bulbs for those, i can honestly not tell a difference. i wasted $40 on that crap...
pm me if u want details to buy or more info...$300 shipped is the price, and that is actually a pretty competetive price these days... do a search for other kits and their prices...you'll see...
Aj
Drifting
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 1,921
Likes: 1
From: Torrance California
Originally Posted by Blue Lightening
I was wondering two things...Are those HID's street legal???...How brutal are they on people comming in the other direction??? They look very impressive but I wouldn't want them if people driving in the other direction are running off the road because they can not see.
Norm
Norm
Race Director
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 11,308
Likes: 1
From: The Beautiful Greater Bay Area California
Originally Posted by Z28STYLE23
i used the silverstars for a while and it was improved from the stockers but i still wanted more light. So i got the revxtreme 5000k HID kit and it is so much better. You can see pics here:
http://community.webshots.com/user/z28style23
http://community.webshots.com/user/z28style23
Amazing lighting difference. 
Le Mans Master
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 5,811
Likes: 31
From: Minnetonka MN
St. Jude Donor '06
Originally Posted by VinnieR
Do HIDs require that the headlights be "up" all the time and covered with the bubbles or can they still be used with the stock pop-up mechanism?
Aj
Drifting
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 1,406
Likes: 0
From: Dallas Tx
All you need to find is an HID kit for the bulb that you want to replace. I believe that the vette's is tha standard 9006. Those kits are all over the place and are plug-n-play. After i pick up a cat-back thats going to be my next mod.
Shane
Shane
Safety Car
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 3,802
Likes: 0
From: monroeville pa
St. Jude Donor '04-'05-'06-'07-'08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13
Originally Posted by KD-Columbus
Has anyone replaced the stock C5 head lights with xenon. I just disappointed with the stock light levels.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 5,811
Likes: 31
From: Minnetonka MN
St. Jude Donor '06
Originally Posted by charlene
I wanted to get new bulbs for my C5 and the service dept where i go told me some states the brighter bulbs are not legal.Wonder if this is really true because i really dont care for the bulbs that are in my c5 not that i take the car out at night that much but it is harder to see in the dark with the bulbs that are in my 03 C5.
Trust me and Z28STYLE23, get the HIDs and you will be very impressed!!!
IT is well worth the 300.
Aj
