C5 HID projection headlight system
Le Mans Master
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 6,266
Likes: 156
From: Galloway Twp. NJ
Cruise-In VII Veteran
nice guy.............
you're going to ask him use the highbeams and help kill his HID bulbs sooner!
Those obviously are the halogen low beams and the HID kit low beams.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 6,266
Likes: 156
From: Galloway Twp. NJ
Cruise-In VII Veteran
see what you started!
troublemaker!
hey, welcome to the forum!
as you can see, HID lighting is a hotly debated topic.................
Last edited by RPOZ4Z; Feb 9, 2007 at 09:02 AM.
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 124,398
Likes: 288
From: .... NJ
Cruise-In VII Veteran
St. Jude Donor '05 thru '19
Race Director
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 10,233
Likes: 21
From: Baltimore suburbs Maryland
I have one of the cheap bulb replacement HID kits. 5000k. The glare on these kits is ridiculous. The only reason I haven't deinstalled them is because I'm lazy and just don't drive the car that much at night.
The problem is that even if you point the lights down, they don't shine down the road far enough to be useful and the glare is still there. The meat of the beam is exceptionally bright and more or less in center, but the "glare cone" is very broad. So you can really move the bright (useful) part of the beam around but it has very little effect on the problem glare. I think of taking them out often and will eventually, they really are a safety hazard. If you are driving dark twisty two lane roads at night, you will eventually met up with a 70+ year old driver coming the other way, and you will blind the hell our of them for a dangerous amount of time, no matter how low you have the bulbs pointed. That is a fact. I'm a moron and have done stupid stuff like remove my airbag to enjoy a cool MOMO steering wheel and add half a$z HID kits. While it may seem nice and you can really see down the road well, installation of these kits on a street car is really a bad idea. The problem is that you are risking other peoples lives, not just your own. I don't want to sound like a "square", but the projector HIDs are worth the extra coin for more than just asthetics...
Just because no one flashes you/me doesn't mean you/me are not impairing someone's night vision in a dangerous and unnessesary manner. BTW, I avoid driving the C5 at night and hop in my M3 primarily because of this.
I really hope you guys don't take this as a slam to your personal choice and give it some thought if you are running or planning to run one of these cheaper kits.
Dave "no affiliation with any of the HID kit builders" DeBuhr
The problem is that even if you point the lights down, they don't shine down the road far enough to be useful and the glare is still there. The meat of the beam is exceptionally bright and more or less in center, but the "glare cone" is very broad. So you can really move the bright (useful) part of the beam around but it has very little effect on the problem glare. I think of taking them out often and will eventually, they really are a safety hazard. If you are driving dark twisty two lane roads at night, you will eventually met up with a 70+ year old driver coming the other way, and you will blind the hell our of them for a dangerous amount of time, no matter how low you have the bulbs pointed. That is a fact. I'm a moron and have done stupid stuff like remove my airbag to enjoy a cool MOMO steering wheel and add half a$z HID kits. While it may seem nice and you can really see down the road well, installation of these kits on a street car is really a bad idea. The problem is that you are risking other peoples lives, not just your own. I don't want to sound like a "square", but the projector HIDs are worth the extra coin for more than just asthetics...
Just because no one flashes you/me doesn't mean you/me are not impairing someone's night vision in a dangerous and unnessesary manner. BTW, I avoid driving the C5 at night and hop in my M3 primarily because of this.
I really hope you guys don't take this as a slam to your personal choice and give it some thought if you are running or planning to run one of these cheaper kits.
Dave "no affiliation with any of the HID kit builders" DeBuhr
Intermediate
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 48
Likes: 0
From: Dallas Texas
Corvette Garage sells a HID projection system for the C5.(http://www.corvettegarage.com/produc...-corvette.html) Their cost is $1,000. Has anyone purchased their system, or something similar? I have a 2006 C6, and I love the headlight system. I also have a 2002 C5. I can't believe the difference the HID in the C6 makes!
Robert Potter
Robert Potter
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 44
Likes: 0
From: West Covina CA
Your HID Lights
Just installed these tonight from Corvette Garage. For me, it was about a 4 hour install. Now knowing what I know, feel like it could be done in 2-3 hours. But ny God... what a WORLD of difference over the stock C5 lights! 200% better and can actually see the road now. I feel like I'm driving C5 with C6 headlights! Every C5 owner should invest in a set of these!!!!
Robert Potter here. I originally posted this question on Corvette forum.Corvette Garage sells a HID projection system for the C5.(http://www.corvettegarage.com/produc...-corvette.html) Their cost is $1,000. Has anyone purchased their system, or something similar? I have a 2006 C6, and I love the headlight system. I also have a 2002 C5. I can't believe the difference the HID in the C6 makes!
Robert Potter
I am about to take the plunge and purchase this HID system. I am left with the impression you are quite happy with it!
Can you give me an idea:
1. Where the instructions complete?
2. Was it a plug and play system (did you have problems with the wiring??)
3. What did you ended up paying for the HID system?
Thank you for any feed back you can provide!!!
Robert Potter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 840
Likes: 1
From: Oakland CA
Hi Robert,
I hope kevin does not object if I pipe in here.
I installed the Corvette Garage HID system from Nate on his last group purchase offer. I found the instructions very good and detailed. And was as plug and play as I could of hoped for. The only issue I ran into was the positive lead on the main harness had a crimped on ring connector that was just a hair to small for the positive accessory terminal stud. A quick cut and crimp and all was good. Great improvement over the factory headlights, and the customer service from Nate is excellent! I've gone down the route with most of the other headlight options. This system is by far the best. 
I hope kevin does not object if I pipe in here.
I installed the Corvette Garage HID system from Nate on his last group purchase offer. I found the instructions very good and detailed. And was as plug and play as I could of hoped for. The only issue I ran into was the positive lead on the main harness had a crimped on ring connector that was just a hair to small for the positive accessory terminal stud. A quick cut and crimp and all was good. Great improvement over the factory headlights, and the customer service from Nate is excellent! I've gone down the route with most of the other headlight options. This system is by far the best.
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
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
Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!
Joe Kucinski
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter
Joe Kucinski
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Le Mans Master
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 6,266
Likes: 156
From: Galloway Twp. NJ
Cruise-In VII Veteran
Hi Robert,
I hope kevin does not object if I pipe in here. I installed the Corvette Garage HID system from Nate on his last group purchase offer. I found the instructions very good and detailed. And was as plug and play as I could of hoped for. The only issue I ran into was the positive lead on the main harness had a crimped on ring connector that was just a hair to small for the positive accessory terminal stud. A quick cut and crimp and all was good. Great improvement over the factory headlights, and the customer service from Nate is excellent! I've gone down the route with most of the other headlight options. This system is by far the best.
I hope kevin does not object if I pipe in here.
I installed the Corvette Garage HID system from Nate on his last group purchase offer. I found the instructions very good and detailed. And was as plug and play as I could of hoped for. The only issue I ran into was the positive lead on the main harness had a crimped on ring connector that was just a hair to small for the positive accessory terminal stud. A quick cut and crimp and all was good. Great improvement over the factory headlights, and the customer service from Nate is excellent! I've gone down the route with most of the other headlight options. This system is by far the best. so good you had to say it twice!
