HID "simulating" bulbs

[Presence]

What's anyone's opinion on so-called HID simulating headlight replacement bulbs, as seen here?
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/95-02-LINCOLN-CONTINENTAL-7000K-XENON-HID-L-H_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ36476QQitemZ795812719 4QQrdZ1QQsspagenameZWD1V

Obviously I don't expect them to look true HID, but would like to hear anyone's take on them.

[Dereck]

Hi Presence

Cue Ekooke telling you how bad they are smile.gif He puts up a convincing arguement telling you NOT to use them.

At the moment I use 100/80 watt ones in my Town Car, I am considering replacing them with ordinary high wattage bulbs when they blow, they don't last very long and for the higher wattages you need a relay harness to take the load off your headlight switch or LCM.

Regards

Dereck

[ September 17, 2005: Message edited by: Dereck ]

[megaforcer]

You get what u pay for. At $14.00 I really doubt they are going to be even close to HID's, considering the fact that HID bulb goes for over $200 for a single bulb.

[OneWayStreet]

I posted a similar thread months ago, the consensus was to save your money, don't buy them.

[ekooke]

Read this: http://www.danielsternlighting.com/tech/bulbs/blue/bad/bad.html

If you want actually brighter headlights, install relays instead of the phony blue-tinted bulbs.

[Steve Moran]

What I have done to all my Contis that take 9004 lamps is I swap them out for 9007 lamps and gain 10 watts on the dim side and the way the filaments it seems to be brighter also on the high side.
It takes about 15 mins to do the change over and works like a charm.

Remove the lamp socket and as it is facing you change the center wire and the left hand wire and change places with each other.
This can be easily done by slipping the blue retainer clip out of the socket via a pocket knife or other pointed object.
The wire and connector will slip out the back side then move then to the other hole.

With the pocket knife you will need to reach in the hole where the old lamp sits and you will see three guide pins.
Cut two of the pins off, they are easy to see what pins you need to cut by looking at the lamp and seeing what pins are not in the same place on both lamps.
The left over guide pin is perfect for aligning the lamp in the fixture.

Attach the lock ring and slip the lamp socket in the back of the bulb any you will see instant success.

[pro-five-oh]

The ones you posted are crap because:

1. they have blue tint which actually makes the bulb dimmer (i.e. simulating HID means you spit out blue light, the absolute worst light color out there), clear bulbs in the same style would be fine.

2. they are substantially higher wattage (I think) than your current bulbs without having a relay and wiring kit on it to keep your wiring from melting.