I want to replace the headlights in the C5 with something that actually illuminates the road.

As I've looked for info on this I find it is almost as confusing as HDTV. Tons of threads but much conflicting info. Is there a headlight FAQ anywhere?

I look on eBay and find replacement HID bulbs for $15. But I see other threads where these can overheat or screw up the electricals.

I see BlingLights, a Forum vendor, has a kit that includes replacement bulbs and ballasts and might require a relay. Why does this need a ballast but the stuff on eBay does not? What's the deal with the relay?

And then I see mray is prototyping projector beams in halogen and HID and they'll be anywhere from "lower than $600 to over 1200" when he gets them done this summer or fall.

I'm going nuts. Can someone please enlighten me as to what is what and advantages and benefits of these systems so I can make an apples-to-apples evaluation?

I just want to be able to drive the car after dark.

 

First off, let me start by saying there's a link in the C5 General Sticky that has lots of lighting information...just scroll down to post #30 or so.

You will not find HID bulbs for $15. You must be looking at xenon bulbs, which are just the gas in the bulb, but not HID. HID actually changes the way that electricity gets to the bulb, and how the light is generated. With real HID, nothing may overheat, but the lenses in the stock housing is designed so poorly that it won't put light down on the road very well, will probably **** off other drivers, and probably **** off cops too. The Euro light housings are much better. You can get high/low HID's now for around ~$500, or lows only for $400.....just remember that euro housing only has one bulb where the stock housing has two bulbs.

Mray's popup light kit will almost certainly be much better than stock, and probably the brightest option out there. I think it will be far and away brighter than anything else that's ever been on a C5. The nonpopup kit will face the obstacle every other kit has faced: shallow buckets. This means it's very difficult to position the lights so they can effectively point down at the road. We'll see what happens with that kit...

For ~$60, you can get HiR bulbs in your stock housings. To learn more about those, check out the material in the sticky.

Silverstars are a waste of money, but they are whiter. It's been proven over and over and over that Silverstars are not brighter than stock lights, but some people just can't get over the placebo effect.

If you want good info about lighting, just check out the sticky, especially David Sterns articles.

 

A thread from 2001, but still applicable:

Headlamp/fog lights for DUMMIES!!!!