HID light kits are a great way to customize your vehicle and to give you a brighter view of the road, but with so many to choose form it can be daunting proposition to try to figure out which kit to buy. There are several sets and types available, and it is very important to choose the one that fits your vehicle and your needs best.
Although most people opt for HID lights because they look cool and better illuminate the road ahead, there are some kits that are actually too bright and may, in some regions, actually be illegal as they can potentially blind other drivers. Before you make a purchase (especially online) be sure you know the laws in your area.
Most kits come in the following wattages:
3,000K, 4300K, 6,000K, 8,000K, 10,000K, 12,000K and 30,000K.
These numbers are essentially just an indication of the brightness of the lights. The lower the number, the dimmer the light. In many regions, using lights that are brighter than 8,000K is against the law.
In addition to the brightness, HID lights come in different colours of light, typically green, purple and blue. The choice here is largely a matter of preference. Blue lights are very bright and impressive-looking at night, but purple and green are less common and likely will turn my heads in the direction of your vehicle, so if that’s the goal, go for those choices.
Bulb size is another consideration when purchasing an HID kit. It’s important to know your bulb size before you head to the store or online to buy new ones. Generally, bulb sizes will look something like this: H1, H7, H10, 9005, 9006, etc. If you aren’t sure, check your vehicle’s manual or ask your dealership. Failing that, you can even go a quick online search for the bulb size for your car’s make, model and year. You should be able to find that information quite easily.
Changing out your headlights for custom HID lights can add to the functionality and “cool factor” of your vehicle, but it’s important to know what you should buy before you go shopping. Otherwise, you can easily become overwhelmed by the sheer number of choices out there. But, if you go to the store (or online) armed with as much information as you can, including the colour, size, wattage of bulb and your vehicle’s make and model, you should be able to find just the right kit for setting your vehicle apart from the rest. HID light kits are a great way to customize your vehicle in a way that isn’t just aesthetic. HID lights can actually make driving at night safer, because they cast a brighter, more illuminating light on the road ahead of you. Just be sure the ones you are considering are actually not too bright, and that they are within the legal limits in your area, or you could find yourself with some unwanted attention from the authorities.
