Ive heard good things about the glass european lenses and putting high beam bulbs in your low beam slots
C5 head lights are pathetic!!!!!!!!!!
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 2,423
Likes: 0
From: western colorado colorado
C5 head lights are pathetic!!!!!!!!!!
What are my options for updating the headlights....I put sylvania silerstars in [as i recall] but they are still not that great...Opinions appreciated
Melting Slicks
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 2,307
Likes: 32
From: Trabuco Canyon CA
Former Vendor
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 1,518
Likes: 7
From: Valencia CA
Go with an HID set-up....
You will love it. Look around online....usually can get them for around $400-$500 dollars...maybe less as its been awhile since I have been in the market for them.
Go HID or go home as they say....the BS with some of the supposed "brighter" conventional bulbs are/is a waste of money and time.
The stock headlights are weak-suck and the HID's are like stepping up from a stock engine to a 427 with twin turbo's.....its a huge upgrade in light output and makes the car alot more pleasurable and safer to drive at night.
Good luck....
Tony
You will love it. Look around online....usually can get them for around $400-$500 dollars...maybe less as its been awhile since I have been in the market for them.
Go HID or go home as they say....the BS with some of the supposed "brighter" conventional bulbs are/is a waste of money and time.
The stock headlights are weak-suck and the HID's are like stepping up from a stock engine to a 427 with twin turbo's.....its a huge upgrade in light output and makes the car alot more pleasurable and safer to drive at night.
Good luck....
Tony
Melting Slicks
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 2,989
Likes: 10
From: Columbus OH
T84 headlights.
DOT-spec headlights suck big time and it's not limited to C5s. You can shove the most expensive HID conversion kit into them and they still suck. It's about the light pattern.
DOT-spec headlights suck big time and it's not limited to C5s. You can shove the most expensive HID conversion kit into them and they still suck. It's about the light pattern.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 1,205
Likes: 0
From: Dallas City IL
Neither the stock, nor the european housings are designed to work correctly with aftermarket HID kits. The glass European housings are great. I run an 80w low, 100w high beam in them and they really put the light where you need it, not just scattered around everywhere like stock or upgraded bulbs do in the stock housings. I think parts4yourcar sells a european kit, or you can piece them together.
Instructor
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 114
Likes: 0
From: Sachse Texas
I have been looking to replace mine as well. The cheapest I found was $849 for a DOT approved plug and play install. They are at the following website, I see these sold at other palces for 1200-1500. I plan on buying a set in the near future. Check them out.
http://www.xenondepot.com/product.php?product_id=100
http://www.xenondepot.com/product.php?product_id=100
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Drifting
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 1,293
Likes: 60
From: Somewhere out there
European Glass Housings
Try here:
http://cibieusa.com
Hope I didn't break any forum rules posting a link, if I did sorry....
Thats where I got them, $89.95 per lens.
-KOZ
http://cibieusa.com
Hope I didn't break any forum rules posting a link, if I did sorry....
Thats where I got them, $89.95 per lens.
-KOZ
Racer
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 323
Likes: 0
From: Austin Texas
wow guys yall need to go to ebay and do some looking... i got plug and play hid lights the temp i wanted for 120shipped!!! they took me about 45min to install... (you have to mount each ballast) came out of california... they work great ,, i have factory housings and lenses... EBAY ,,,, this is def the way to go..
Melting Slicks
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 2,307
Likes: 32
From: Trabuco Canyon CA
wow guys yall need to go to ebay and do some looking... i got plug and play hid lights the temp i wanted for 120shipped!!! they took me about 45min to install... (you have to mount each ballast) came out of california... they work great ,, i have factory housings and lenses... EBAY ,,,, this is def the way to go..
the lights need a HID specific housing to get the HID effect. see a few posts up, and notice the 'line' for the light output. this is the correct way to do things...
Safety Car
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 4,434
Likes: 1
From: Austin TX
Cruise-In IV Veteran
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Cruise-In VI Veteran
St. Jude Donor '03-'04-'05
I went with a HID lense and bulb setup. It cost a good chunk of $, but it is much better! I've driven many night hours with the stock lights, and the stock bulbs/lenses suck. They put out a little bit of light, but it seems like anything over 30mph and you're overdriving your headlights. The HIDs make a spectacular difference.
Drifting
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 1,398
Likes: 1
From: Kingsport TN
I went through the same silverstar dissapointment too. Here is what I did:
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show....php?t=1530015
I wasn't in the mood to spend a lot of $$ on HID quite yet, maybe never. So I found this easy bulb mod perfect and clearly showing a visible benefit as you will see in my pics. Only $60 bucks for these! Definitely worth it and my friend down the street did the same.
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show....php?t=1530015
I wasn't in the mood to spend a lot of $$ on HID quite yet, maybe never. So I found this easy bulb mod perfect and clearly showing a visible benefit as you will see in my pics. Only $60 bucks for these! Definitely worth it and my friend down the street did the same.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 9,420
Likes: 8
From: Southern New Jersey, The wet part at the bottom
St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10
I recently put 9011s in all four positions and installed PIAA driving lamps in also, but haven't had the ability to "road test" 'em due to the crappy road conditions here lately. I can tell a marked improvement from the garage, but still think I'd like to see all 4 bulbs light when the highs are on. I'll be looking to check out some relays wired into the harness in the future that would do that. If anyone has a thought on this either in the positive or negative, chime in.
Racer
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 253
Likes: 1
From: Bossier city, Louisiana
i could be wrong (wouldnt be the first time), but buying HID bulbs and ballasts and putting them into stock housing = not good.
the lights need a HID specific housing to get the HID effect. see a few posts up, and notice the 'line' for the light output. this is the correct way to do things...
the lights need a HID specific housing to get the HID effect. see a few posts up, and notice the 'line' for the light output. this is the correct way to do things...
I don't know how long they will last, but so far I'm pleased. And for only $120 delivered, that beats the sh@#$ out of the usual corvette tax I've been paying. I know the high-end replacement units with the projector style low beams give a better light pattern, but not 8 times better.
Night Owl for life
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 24,725
Likes: 4,564
From: Bugs Bunny should'a made a left turn here
I have as set of these exact "ebay" HID lights in mine now....HOLY COW! What a difference! About a 20min install if you take your time. Been running 'em for a week now and nobody has "flashed" me. High beam look like you took out your flashlight and shined it down the road compared to the HID low beams. PM me if anyone wants more info.
I don't know how long they will last, but so far I'm pleased. And for only $120 delivered, that beats the sh@#$ out of the usual corvette tax I've been paying. I know the high-end replacement units with the projector style low beams give a better light pattern, but not 8 times better.
I don't know how long they will last, but so far I'm pleased. And for only $120 delivered, that beats the sh@#$ out of the usual corvette tax I've been paying. I know the high-end replacement units with the projector style low beams give a better light pattern, but not 8 times better.
Pro
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 503
Likes: 1
From: Greensboro NC
I bought the HID bulb & ballast system for $400 during a group purchase several years ago.
First 10 hours of use and a ballast went bad. Over 6 months to get a replacement, then a bulb went bad after less than 5 more hours. another 9 months to get the bulb replaced.
I'm afraid to reinstall them.
I don't want to have to worry about bulb/ballast failure and possibly police hassle on an evening outing.
First 10 hours of use and a ballast went bad. Over 6 months to get a replacement, then a bulb went bad after less than 5 more hours. another 9 months to get the bulb replaced.
I'm afraid to reinstall them.
I don't want to have to worry about bulb/ballast failure and possibly police hassle on an evening outing.