Do you think you see more, less or the same number of HIDs on the road at night than say a year or two ago?

 

I actually see less. Not sure the reason, I think more people are buying the popular Nissan Altima with the lights included.

 

Do you mean factory, aftermarket, or both? I'm seeing more HID headlamps than I used to, but I just figured it was because more cars are coming with them as standard or optional equipment.

 

I believe I'm seeing more. More cars coming from the factory with them is my guess also.

 

I still notice them, so I suppose that they are not standard fit quite yet, however down here in OC, high-dollar cars are the norm, many of them have HID's.

I also rarely drive at night - ask me in a couple of months when my drive home is conducted with assistance from my HID's

 

It's still a pretty rare sight here in eastern NC so they stick out. I am seeing more silverstar type bulbs in cars with regular headlight (slightly whiter light). There ahs been some growth of MINI's in town since I got mine and most have the xenon's but when you get out of town on the highway less so.

 

More in my neighborhood, as everyone now has an Acura TL about the same on the highway.

2 of my 3 cars have them now. Personally, I like how they light up the road but hate that cut off line it creates 30/40 feet down the road.

 

My wife and I are the local social program in the neigborhood we moved to. Crappiest house, cars the whole nine yards. I'd say that the only non HID lights I see are on the motorcycles, and the old collector cars.....

And the beat Nissan pickups the gardeners use!

It's pretty much all HID now....

Matt

 

Factory OEM only.

Maybe its a regional thing but like MDSbrain (and we are in the same area) I am seeing less and less.

The fake purple colored ones are easy to spot because they dont give out anywhere as near as much light as true HIDs (in fact less than regular halogens). I see a few of those, but true HIDs ... mostly just Bimmers and Benz.
Hmm...

 

And Acura's that blind the crap out of you because they're aimed too high from the factory.

 

I had a TL/TSX facing me at 7:30 one morning. I had to cover my eyes because I felt like I was watching somone weld in front of my face. But on the other hand, I did have someone in an SUV flash me in my car with my lowbeams on. They must be bright.

 

Hang on, just so I'm clear....are HID's and Xenon's the same thing?

 

to get nerdy, the "High intensity dischare" is an arc of current in Xenon gas. That's bottled lightning to the non nerds!

Matt

 

In the MINI literature, every time you see "xenon lights", they're talking about HID, so in that case, they're the same thing.

But in general, the two terms aren't interchangeable. There are HID lights that don't use xenon, and xenon is used in lots of lights that aren't HID.

 

Yeah, the posters above are correct. Sometimes they put Xenon gas in some halogens. Its not the same thing. I'm talking about what is most commonly known as true HIDs. That is why I didn't use the word Xenon.

Just seem to be seeing less of them before but maybe its a regional thing

 

OK thanks, I have to admit the Xenon is more fun to say than HID(sounds like something you catch).