HIDs for Crown Vic - $1000, worth it?

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[ARCHIVED THREAD] - HIDs for Crown Vic - $1000, worth it?

Posted: 4/3/2006 3:19:44 AM EDT

It looks like we can get aftermarket HIDs for the 98-up Crown Vic, and the lighting makes it look like it has 100W driving lamps

but the price tag is $1000 USD.

I can get another AR-15 and load up on accessories, mags, and ammo for $1000 USD.
My current headlamps are upgraded from stock and provide better lighting, but in wet weather with city lighting it's like using a AAA maglite on your AR15 for night shooting.

Posted: 4/3/2006 3:24:25 AM EDT

[#1]

If the 1K price tag is too high, why not rewire the lamps back to the relay(s) and then to their feed / battery? Use a 12/41 TEW and you will notice a significant difference in the lamp output over the stock wire.

Posted: 4/3/2006 3:25:56 AM EDT

[#2]

$1000 is more than I've seen for HID upgrade kits. Have you looked around online?

Posted: 4/3/2006 3:28:38 AM EDT

[#3]

Quoted:
It looks like we can get aftermarket HIDs for the 98-up Crown Vic, and the lighting makes it look like it has 100W driving lamps but the price tag is $1000 USD.

I can get another AR-15 and load up on accessories, mags, and ammo for $1000 USD.
My current headlamps are upgraded from stock and provide better lighting, but in wet weather with city lighting it's like using a AAA maglite on your AR15 for night shooting.

check out candle powerforums.

there must be a better way..............

Posted: 4/3/2006 3:55:49 AM EDT

[#4]

I've already got the relays and upgraded wiring, along with XtraVision 9007 bulbs. The problem is with the crappy reflector design and poor performance from 9007-spec bulbs.

I usually see HID kits for $400-$500 a pair, but the Crown vic projector assemblies (bolt-in/drop-in replacement with the exception of the wiring and ballast install) are $1000 a pair

They also have high/low beams, which most HIDs do not have.

Posted: 4/3/2006 4:34:33 AM EDT

[#5]

Who is going to buy it when you sell the car and what do you think you can sell them for - I would ask myself those questions before buying any auto aftermarket upgrades. I am thinking they would be worth no more than $250-300 used, and that there is a small market for people looking to mod the crown vic. You are looking at a $700 loss at a minimum.

Posted: 4/3/2006 5:05:48 AM EDT

[#6]

I don't plan to sell the Crown Vic. I'm driving it until it can no longer be driven. My 1981 T-bird is still a daily driver.

Posted: 4/3/2006 5:16:10 AM EDT

[#7]

HID?

Posted: 4/3/2006 5:17:53 AM EDT

[#8]

Have you checked out the price of replacement bulbs? I know that HID lamps last longer than normal lamps, but rocks happen.

Posted: 4/3/2006 5:19:26 AM EDT

[#9]

HID = High Intensity Discharge headlamps... BMW, Mercedes, and Audi high end models all have them (Town Cars now have them as well). Think of HIDs as SureFires on a weapon, and traditional filament bulbs as AAA Maglites mounted on a weapon.

Good point about the rocks... SE MI roads suck

The Europeans like HIDs on their cars, but US DOT and FMVSS have something against properly working lights. They're limiting on-road vehicle lighting to crap like you see on normal cars today. They are worthless compared to HIDs.

Posted: 4/3/2006 5:33:28 AM EDT

[#10]

Not worth it, not even close.

I assume you are talking replacing the stock headlight system.

HID's don't neccesarily last any longer than stock headlights. Plus are you ready to spend $400 for a replacment bulb?

CV's don't have bad lights. If you are having trouble seeing them in the rain, my suspicion would be that they aren't aimed properly, or you are using highbeams. Highrbeams leave a dark spot right in front of CV's, even when properly aimed, and light up further down the road.

Get the aim checked.
Compare the bulbs you have to another CV's lights. Often the bulbs "yellow" with age. Replacing them can give a lot more light.
Mount "fog" lights. to give a wide beam of light directly in front of your car.

HID vs DOT, the aim for Euopean vs US HID's is different, I'm not sure exactly how. But I believe Euro-spec lights are more sharply focused for longer "throw". DOT has recieved bunches of compalints about HID lights, from other motorists. Since there are lots of citizen complaints DOT feels HID lights may be problematic.

Posted: 4/3/2006 5:36:40 AM EDT

[#11]

I got HID on my Infiniti Q45. Nice, but I wouldn't pay a grand....it is a novelty for the most part. High Tech bling bling......

FWIW

jj

Posted: 4/3/2006 5:40:21 AM EDT

[#12]

Get the aim checked.
Compare the bulbs you have to another CV's lights. Often the bulbs "yellow" with age. Replacing them can give a lot more light.
Mount "fog" lights. to give a wide beam of light directly in front of your car.

HID vs DOT, the aim for Euopean vs US HID's is different, I'm not sure exactly how. But I believe Euro-spec lights are more sharply focused for longer "throw". DOT has recieved bunches of compalints about HID lights, from other motorists. Since there are lots of citizen complaints DOT feels HID lights may be problematic.

From the factory, the headlamps are aimed 24" below spec when measured 25' away. They are now aimed properly, and I am using good/new XtraVision 9007 bulbs (dan stern recommends them), and I have also installed the wiring and relay kit.

As soon as I enter a "well lit" city area, the street lamps overpower my headlamps. It gets worse when there's rain/wet road surfaces.

Fog lights or driving lights would be good to have but there is nowhere to install them.

I'm waiting for LED headlights to hit the market, but I feel it is going to be at least 5 years or so before we see them available for aero-style US DOT approved crappy headlamps. The round and rectangular sealed beam conversions should be available soon.

Posted: 4/3/2006 12:12:54 PM EDT

[#13]

Quoted:
rewire the lamps back to the relay(s) and then to their feed / battery

That worked very well on the four new Corvettes I've done that on. Check the voltage at the light bulb. If it's below 11V, then it will make a noticeable difference. On one of the Corvettes the headlight bulbs received a little less than 9V before rewiring. Since the power is proportional to the square of the voltage, connecting it straight to the battery increased the output power by 2.5 times with the same bulb! Adding better bulbs helped even more.

The only problem is that with the absolute junk headlights GM uses on the Corvettes you end-up having to replace the bulbs several times a year. As far as I know all Fords use better headlights than the junk GM uses on the Corvette so while it will decrease the bulb life, it won't be as horrible as on the Corvettes.z

Posted: 4/3/2006 12:25:19 PM EDT

[#14]

Quoted:
Get the aim checked.
Compare the bulbs you have to another CV's lights. Often the bulbs "yellow" with age. Replacing them can give a lot more light.
Mount "fog" lights. to give a wide beam of light directly in front of your car.

HID vs DOT, the aim for Euopean vs US HID's is different, I'm not sure exactly how. But I believe Euro-spec lights are more sharply focused for longer "throw". DOT has recieved bunches of compalints about HID lights, from other motorists. Since there are lots of citizen complaints DOT feels HID lights may be problematic.

From the factory, the headlamps are aimed 24" below spec when measured 25' away. They are now aimed properly, and I am using good/new XtraVision 9007 bulbs (dan stern recommends them), and I have also installed the wiring and relay kit.

As soon as I enter a "well lit" city area, the street lamps overpower my headlamps. It gets worse when there's rain/wet road surfaces.

Fog lights or driving lights would be good to have but there is nowhere to install them.

I'm waiting for LED headlights to hit the market, but I feel it is going to be at least 5 years or so before we see them available for aero-style US DOT approved crappy headlamps. The round and rectangular sealed beam conversions should be available soon.

I have put the Sylvania SilverStars in my 929 and my Frontier and they have made a world of difference in available light. It ain't HID, but it also ain't $1000 initially and $400 to replace a bulb.

Posted: 4/3/2006 12:29:47 PM EDT

[#15]

no

Posted: 4/3/2006 12:40:10 PM EDT

[#16]

no. save the money for new cars

Posted: 4/3/2006 12:41:32 PM EDT

[#17]

I believe that there is a NHTSA rule outlawing the change of headlight assemblies to HID if not originally equipped. I'll try to find the federal register bulletin.

Posted: 4/4/2006 9:28:56 AM EDT

[#18]

It turns out replacements are $500 each. The HIDs are sealed units so if the lens cracks or the module is bad, you need to get a new assembly.

I'll probably put it towards my Charger SRT-8 funds.

Posted: 4/4/2006 11:40:33 AM EDT

[#19]

Quoted:
I believe that there is a NHTSA rule outlawing the change of headlight assemblies to HID if not originally equipped. I'll try to find the federal register bulletin.

Luckily enough, that got changed last September. Thanks to the folks at SEMA the Feds revised their opinion on the issue. As it now stands, you can change to HID lights on a vehicle PROVIDED that the new HID installation complies with all of the applicable FMVSS 108 standards that a new-from-the-factory HID installation would have to meet.

www.semasan.com/Main/Main.aspx?ID=61762

So, if you just cram some HID bulbs in your stock reflectors, illegal (and dumb, and low performing, and etc.) BUT if you retrofit complete Projectors (as the original poster suggested) or retrofit the complete HID light assemblies (imported Euro spare parts for your same model) then you should be legal.

Futuristic