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Buying a HID kit for the first time: What to expect

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newspaperWhether or not you are a car enthusiast, it’s hard to argue against the fact that most cars look much better with a set of good quality Xenon HID lamps installed. A car can look drab and dull with standard, factory issue lamps and it’s easy to become bored by the look. The problem for most people is not knowing where to begin though or indeed where to find the best hid xenon without being ripped off. In this article we take a look at some facts about HID kits and what to look out for when you buy them.

A good quality HID kit should comprise everything you need to convert your standard gas bulb set up over to HID bulbs. It’s important to understand that there are cowboys out there and that certain “manufacturers” will leave out certain components or indeed supply very substandard ones. HID kits are available all over the place and one of the most popular places to get them is Amazon. Amazon has a fantastic reviews facility, and a simple search there will often provide a newbie with good advice on good products. However, do beware of fake reviews, a practice which Amazon is investing heavily in reducing.

Amazon reviews are generally trustworthy and one of the secrets of buying a good HID kit is to visit Amazon for a few reviews before using a price comparison tool like PriceGrabber. Another great place to get reviews of, or advice on HID kits is car forums. Car forums are full of “gearheads” who love nothing more than to sit and while away their hours giving advice on, and debating about cars. Indeed there are some forum users who will know exactly what you need for your car simply by asking you for your car’s make, model and year!

But what can you expect in the best HID kits? At the very least you should have a ballast or transformer for each bulb. It’s worth remembering that a standard gas light only needs twelve volts to power on and stay on. A Xenon HID light cannot be plugged straight into a standard socket as it needs an eighty thousand volt charge to ignite the gas as well as eighty five volts of current to stay on. There should also be the lamps obviously and you should also get zip, ties, holders and mounts. There will also be the correctly rated fuses for your kit as well as well-detailed instruction manuals.

Overall, the best piece of advice here is to do your homework. Check tech-specs, legalities, prices and manufacturer histories, and don’t forget that if you are in any doubt, pop to the local garage and ask an expert.

Contributors

Contributors

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