*Has anyone bought new headlights from ebay?*
04-24-2018, 06:07 PM
#21
Le Mans Master
Member Since: Jul 2011
Location: Morristown New Jersey
Posts: 7,263
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Oldtimer
Hey, NJ brother! I’ve been to ECS a couple of times, so I know where you are.
I’ve tried the cheap priced HID’s from ebay a few times and have returned every one of them. They are unstable and never last more than a month. I realize you want more light, as do I, but these compromise measures never seem to work. I have problems with the high price of the forum vendor products but they seem to work.
I have 9012 and 9011 HIR bulbs in mine. They give more light but don’t approach OEM HID’s found on other cars. In my Z, I had PIAA bulbs that were pretty good. They were combined with Toshiba HIR bulbs in the highs. I know lots of people who swear by the LED bulbs they put in their cars but I question the performance from behind the wheel because our lenses are not built for them.
Wish I had more help!!
I’ve tried the cheap priced HID’s from ebay a few times and have returned every one of them. They are unstable and never last more than a month. I realize you want more light, as do I, but these compromise measures never seem to work. I have problems with the high price of the forum vendor products but they seem to work.
I have 9012 and 9011 HIR bulbs in mine. They give more light but don’t approach OEM HID’s found on other cars. In my Z, I had PIAA bulbs that were pretty good. They were combined with Toshiba HIR bulbs in the highs. I know lots of people who swear by the LED bulbs they put in their cars but I question the performance from behind the wheel because our lenses are not built for them.
Wish I had more help!!
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James2000 (04-24-2018)
04-24-2018, 06:37 PM
#22
Instructor
Always good to speak with a fellow Jersian! Heres the big question. Are u putting those bulbs in a stock housing or do u have projector housings installed. My daily driver a Toyota solara takes 9006 halogen bulb and has a stock projector housing and lights up the neighborhood. My Vette has the same bulb and has half the brightness with the stock reflector housing. BTW if you’ve been to ECS you got money in your Vette? Lol.... Since you’re local, I’ll let u in on my favorite place if u don’t know about it already for Vette parts. Contemporary Corvette in Bristol PA, it’s a corvette salvage yard, prices are really good and the owner is cool.
04-24-2018, 06:38 PM
#23
Pro
x2 - I went to the HIR's for the Low and High beams, along with the 4-way harness and it was a pretty good upgrade for less than $80 I believe.
I then upgraded my fogs, by adapting the Hella Micro DE's with the H3's into the stock mounts and that too provided a nice upgrade. My stockers were so bad, that the amber running lights were brighter - No joke.
Imho, overall the lighting is now on par with many other 'modern' vehicles. I can see much better and totally within what I consider safe, which is a big improvement over stock which was ridiculously poor.
That said, the stock head light housings really look OLD, and every time I look at them I cringe - and imagine high end ACA's in their place, especially, with the LED Halo's in back. I think that bugs me the most, but I too am really not looking to drop the big dollars, even though I know that there are performance increases to be had too. Output-wise, I'm now at acceptable, but it's just the aesthetics that bother me now. Eventually after I replace the top, and a few other upgrades, the ACA's will probably make it to the top of the list.
But to come full circle, on a modest budget, if you can tolerate the stock housings, the HIR's with the 4-way hardness is a very nice bang for the buck.
I then upgraded my fogs, by adapting the Hella Micro DE's with the H3's into the stock mounts and that too provided a nice upgrade. My stockers were so bad, that the amber running lights were brighter - No joke.
Imho, overall the lighting is now on par with many other 'modern' vehicles. I can see much better and totally within what I consider safe, which is a big improvement over stock which was ridiculously poor.
That said, the stock head light housings really look OLD, and every time I look at them I cringe - and imagine high end ACA's in their place, especially, with the LED Halo's in back. I think that bugs me the most, but I too am really not looking to drop the big dollars, even though I know that there are performance increases to be had too. Output-wise, I'm now at acceptable, but it's just the aesthetics that bother me now. Eventually after I replace the top, and a few other upgrades, the ACA's will probably make it to the top of the list.
But to come full circle, on a modest budget, if you can tolerate the stock housings, the HIR's with the 4-way hardness is a very nice bang for the buck.
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James2000 (04-25-2018)
04-24-2018, 06:39 PM
#24
Pro
Always good to speak with a fellow Jersian! Heres the big question. Are u putting those bulbs in a stock housing or do u have projector housings installed. My daily driver a Toyota solara takes 9006 halogen bulb and has a stock projector housing and lights up the neighborhood. My Vette has the same bulb and has half the brightness with the stock reflector housing. BTW if you’ve been to ECS you got money in your Vette? Lol.... Since you’re local, I’ll let u in on my favorite place if u don’t know about it already for Vette parts. Contemporary Corvette in Bristol PA, it’s a corvette salvage yard, prices are really good and the owner is cool.
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James2000 (04-25-2018)
04-24-2018, 06:52 PM
#25
Le Mans Master
Member Since: Jul 2011
Location: Morristown New Jersey
Posts: 7,263
Received 914 Likes
on
721 Posts
Oldtimer
Always good to speak with a fellow Jersian! Heres the big question. Are u putting those bulbs in a stock housing or do u have projector housings installed. My daily driver a Toyota solara takes 9006 halogen bulb and has a stock projector housing and lights up the neighborhood. My Vette has the same bulb and has half the brightness with the stock reflector housing. BTW if you’ve been to ECS you got money in your Vette? Lol.... Since you’re local, I’ll let u in on my favorite place if u don’t know about it already for Vette parts. Contemporary Corvette in Bristol PA, it’s a corvette salvage yard, prices are really good and the owner is cool.
When I had my Z, I talked to Doug at ECS during Carlisle. I was very impressed and I went to him about a week later and I’m a believer. I took my current coupe to him a few months after I got it and continue to be pleased. That’s all I’ve done with them, since I’m not interested in further mods.
Never heard of Contemporary, but I will check it out.
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James2000 (04-25-2018)
04-25-2018, 10:46 AM
#26
Instructor
HIR's
How do u think HIRs would work in a projector housing? HIR's seem to be a pain to find online.
x2 - I went to the HIR's for the Low and High beams, along with the 4-way harness and it was a pretty good upgrade for less than $80 I believe.
I then upgraded my fogs, by adapting the Hella Micro DE's with the H3's into the stock mounts and that too provided a nice upgrade. My stockers were so bad, that the amber running lights were brighter - No joke.
Imho, overall the lighting is now on par with many other 'modern' vehicles. I can see much better and totally within what I consider safe, which is a big improvement over stock which was ridiculously poor.
That said, the stock head light housings really look OLD, and every time I look at them I cringe - and imagine high end ACA's in their place, especially, with the LED Halo's in back. I think that bugs me the most, but I too am really not looking to drop the big dollars, even though I know that there are performance increases to be had too. Output-wise, I'm now at acceptable, but it's just the aesthetics that bother me now. Eventually after I replace the top, and a few other upgrades, the ACA's will probably make it to the top of the list.
But to come full circle, on a modest budget, if you can tolerate the stock housings, the HIR's with the 4-way hardness is a very nice bang for the buck.
I then upgraded my fogs, by adapting the Hella Micro DE's with the H3's into the stock mounts and that too provided a nice upgrade. My stockers were so bad, that the amber running lights were brighter - No joke.
Imho, overall the lighting is now on par with many other 'modern' vehicles. I can see much better and totally within what I consider safe, which is a big improvement over stock which was ridiculously poor.
That said, the stock head light housings really look OLD, and every time I look at them I cringe - and imagine high end ACA's in their place, especially, with the LED Halo's in back. I think that bugs me the most, but I too am really not looking to drop the big dollars, even though I know that there are performance increases to be had too. Output-wise, I'm now at acceptable, but it's just the aesthetics that bother me now. Eventually after I replace the top, and a few other upgrades, the ACA's will probably make it to the top of the list.
But to come full circle, on a modest budget, if you can tolerate the stock housings, the HIR's with the 4-way hardness is a very nice bang for the buck.
04-25-2018, 07:39 PM
#29
Instructor
I bit the bullet!
I pulled the trigger and ordered the ACA real projectors, they come with halogens in them. I will run them with halogens till I get some more cash in the next month or two and put some HIDs in them. I figured it's like building a house, u gotta start with a good foundation?
04-25-2018, 07:51 PM
#30
Instructor
Lol
I’m a wise-*** too, I probably would have said the same thing, if I didn’t live in this S-hole state. Lol, but in 6years and 11months when I retire to the sunshine state, I have all the NJ jokes stored away in my head. I will unleash them on all my friends that stay here. Haha....
04-25-2018, 08:22 PM
#31
Drifting
I pulled the trigger and ordered the ACA real projectors, they come with halogens in them. I will run them with halogens till I get some more cash in the next month or two and put some HIDs in them. I figured it's like building a house, u gotta start with a good foundation?
04-25-2018, 08:46 PM
#32
Le Mans Master
Member Since: Jul 2011
Location: Morristown New Jersey
Posts: 7,263
Received 914 Likes
on
721 Posts
Oldtimer
I’m a wise-*** too, I probably would have said the same thing, if I didn’t live in this S-hole state. Lol, but in 6years and 11months when I retire to the sunshine state, I have all the NJ jokes stored away in my head. I will unleash them on all my friends that stay here. Haha....
04-25-2018, 09:43 PM
#33
Instructor
I’m sure every state sucks in its own way, but I work for the state and I’m somewhat closer to what goes on behind the scenes and it really stinks. I’m not saying FL is any different behind the scenes, but ignorance is bliss. Lol....
04-25-2018, 09:47 PM
#34
Instructor
I’m not going that far, I just need to see the deer not the moon. Lol.... but thanks for the info.