IanH26

Hi,

Has anyone upgraded there UK STI8 03 Scoob's main beam with an HID kit from PIAA. I am not talking aux spots and the like, I mean the standard lights.

If so can you let me know...

1. How easy is it?
2. What difference it made ( say compared to the PIAA extreme bulbs or similar)?

I am thinking of doing it instead of using the PIAA extremes.

Ian.

Apple

do you do a lot of country lane blasts at night? if you do a lot of town driving without using main beams you'd be better off sticking HID in dipped beam to get a big improvement

HID is a different colour temperature (4100K or 6000K - higher figure = more blue) so it takes a bit of getting used to at first but once you're accustomed to it, you can see a lot better as it reflects off plates / signs / cones etc a lot more. the beam pattern is also different on true HID systems - a wider spread with a definite horizontal cut-off so you don't tend to blind people although it's a very concentrated light source - see BMW / Audi etc small, high brightness lamps. You wouldn't have as much of the effect if you replace the bulbs in normal halogen lights with and aftermarket kit.

HID bulbs don't have a filament so have to strike-up like a fluorescent tube so could have a small but maybe noticeable "switch-on" time from cold where you see them "warm up" - mine are greenish at first but reach full temp in a couple of seconds from stone cold. Ask Chelspeed about this as he's got HID in dipped and main beams on an STi7 without problem.

I've got OE HID dipped beams in a bugeye - see below for the effect:

dipped only -


dipped & main -


Andy

IanH26

Many thanks for reply and photos.

I do infact do alot of country lane driving at night and so wanted good main beam light. I have upgraded the dipped bulbs to osrams 50%+ and was interested in whether to upgrade with the official PIAA spots thru Subaru (around £600!) or as mentioned HID on the main beam independently fitted (£700) and keep my STI looking standard.
At the moment I have upgraded the main beam bulbs yesterday to PIAA extreme Plus (60w draw 120w output). I was on the lanes last night and they are fantastic! My girlfriend has a new Audi with the HID dipped so I know what they are like - great!

Just need to think about those spots now I think.
Ian.