Worth converting to HID considering insurance implications?

**aaronng** · 03-01-2008 08:35 PM

Originally Posted by Danese

i can't help with ins, but if you do change to HID the excess heat can melt the light manifold. and any problems that are a result of light directly will be void of warranty.
Dealers don't pay for warranty issues but they do get auditted by honda for all warranty claims.
I am putting them in my FN2. don't buy anythink thats not german or jap. including fittings.

HIDs run cooler than halogen bulbs.

**dmx** · 03-01-2008 08:58 PM

for me, insurance is for body panel repair.
warranty is for engine.
so if u got accident, just go to panel beater and fix. i don't think they gonna check ur HID. My brother car just claimed insurance for hitting the tree, just go to NRMA center, check all the damage, and ask to go to our repairer, and that's it.

**SaBReT00tH** · 07-01-2008 02:49 AM

i've been waiting for this thread for a while now, I'm glad it's began. Someone just a few posts ago said HID can melt the housing. Are you saying that The Accord Euro for example has a stronger plastic for the housing, or a different heat resistant material?

Wilkie, you said you bought a new HID housing, I'm assuming this was a premade retrofit off ebay, probably with angel eyes, is that correct? If so, I'm tempted to buy one myself as premade HIDs with projectors already retrofitted seem to be hard to come by in Oz. I have heard there have been some problems with them being poorly retrofitted without a waterproofing sealer properly and of them getting fogged up very easily, as well as fuse blowout problems due to the HIDs using a higher voltage without upgrading the fuse.

I agree with DMX though, as I've thought about this topic long and hard. Body repairs would be fixed by someone at a repair shop without needing to analyse your lights. I think properly retrofitted HIDs with projectors would probably be the stealthiest part of an illegal mod for a car if properly fitted (as they look stock), unless water got into the High voltage lines and screwed the engine bay system, in which case you'd have to go through that engine/warranty nightmare with the Insurance company or Honda specifically if the engine is covered by them instead.

**wilkie** · 07-01-2008 09:12 AM

HIDs do actually run cooler than halogen bulbs, so there is no need for a different heat resistant material for the housing. The housing I bought is actually not a dodgy retrofit but a proper replacement unit and has the same waterproof sealing as my stock headlamps.

I haven't fitted mine yet, but a friend bought the same housing and HIDs and it looks real schmick and he has had no water issues at all. properly fitted headlights would definitely be the stealthiest part of an illegal mod and the power lines to the HIDs would need to both be protected well and hidden well. I have seen some excellent jobs done where you just cannot find the cabling or even tell they aren't stock (without considering the fact u know the vehicle manufacturer doesn't supply that option for headlights) so you do need to either do a good DIY job or have someone do it for you really well.

**minix33** · 07-01-2008 09:43 AM

if you dont report it to insurance, if you ever do need to make a claim i highly doubt they will void your insurance because of bulbs. the only thing you should worry about is if it stuff up your electronics [which happened in my friends 350z] which will then void the warranty on the car electronics.
it shouldn't be much of a problem but.

**howy** · 11-01-2008 11:23 PM

hmm if i have a '07 civic vti would i need to get a housing unit or projectors or m HIDs?

**wilkie** · 12-01-2008 01:55 AM

Originally Posted by howy

hmm if i have a '07 civic vti would i need to get a housing unit or projectors or m HIDs?

well what are you after howy? if you want projector headlights, you will need to replace the current housing with a housing that has projector lenses etc. if you just want HIDs you can buy HID conversion kits that will let you run them through your existing headlight units

**howy** · 12-01-2008 07:44 PM

ahh ok.

well i've got a set of HIDs as a present from my cousins in china.

do you need special connections to connect them up to the existing headlight units?

they didn't bring the box either but from what i can figure out, there's 2 bulbs (series 9006 not sure what that means), 2 boxes (i think those are the starters or ballasts) and 2 other cables.

**wilkie** · 12-01-2008 08:37 PM

Originally Posted by howy

ahh ok.

well i've got a set of HIDs as a present from my cousins in china.

do you need special connections to connect them up to the existing headlight units?

they didn't bring the box either but from what i can figure out, there's 2 bulbs (series 9006 not sure what that means), 2 boxes (i think those are the starters or ballasts) and 2 other cables.

well first you have to make sure they are the right sort for your car. read the manual about what your low and high beam bulbs are for your vehicle, because if they are the wrong sort on the HIDs you have, you may need special connectors or they may not even work at all (someone else will have to clarify this).

sounds like you have pairs of everything, so you would be wanting to replace your low beams with the HIDs you received (assuming they are the right size)

**howy** · 13-01-2008 05:13 PM

so what's the legal aspect of installing HID's?

I thought you could install any headlights provided that it doesn't annoy on-coming traffic.

**wilkie** · 13-01-2008 06:29 PM

Originally Posted by howy

so what's the legal aspect of installing HID's?

I thought you could install any headlights provided that it doesn't annoy on-coming traffic.

haha nah it's not that simple, because what "annoys" oncoming drivers is very subjective. HID headlights need a full washing system and need to be auto levelling, without those two things they are flat out illegal. people get around it by tilting theirs down so they dont blind oncoming drivers, and im sure there are some other tricks so they aren't caught out.