Hey guys, im looking to upgrade the halogens to HID's

i saw these, i love the black background

http://www.ebay.com/itm/2002-2005-MINI-COOPER-S-BLACK-HALO-PROJECTOR-HEADLIGHTS-H1-6000K-HID-KIT-/370839595818?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item5657c32b2a&vxp=mtr
i know most ebay stuff is cheap.... and no good, but there are a few good stories

also what is the plug and play ability of doing a swap liek this? they do include the ballasts

 

We have a lighting expert on our staff now and he has enlightened (*intended*) me about the cheaper HID kits. It's actually the ballasts that don't last, not the bulbs. I did a conversion on a late model BMW in the shop and was perplexed that the lights would fail after about 4-5 months. He told me it was the quality of the ballasts. He's off today so I can't tell you what to look for in a ballast, but you can call the shop on Tuesday when he's back and talk to him. Ask for Ryan.

 

sounds good, ill have to try and remember to call you guys on tuesday, as far as plug and play, do the connections to the lights have to be completly rewired?

ive never had a vehicle with HID's so im not sure how the ballast plugs into wires, bulb sure....

 

Just look closely...
I know a while back there were tons of mini headlights, hid conversions, that were low beam only...
That kit looks to be a halogen kit with a hid conversion kit...
My suggestion...try to find somebody with a conversion kit and see what they say...
I know when I drive at night, a car with aftermarket hid's will come up behind me, blinding me looking like the sun is coming up....then as they pass me...often slowdown cause they can't see....the light is going everywhere but the road....
The fact the kit looks like a projector style kit IS a plus....seems most decent kits have projectors, rather than the chepo reflectors....

 

at that price i can't see it being anything but a cheap pos kit. the only thing for headlights you should buy off ebay are bulbs, everything else is pretty much crap.

 

2 things:
1. If you can find a "housing only" kit for less, you'd prob. be better off, then you can buy the bulbs & ballasts from a vendor with a good rep., ddm or retrofit. Plus by doing this you get to choose your bulb temp.

2. Is the hallogen low beam for our cars an H1, the OEM hid's are D2? This completely determines the "plug-n-play factor, those #'s determine the mounting base & plug design.
For example, lets say your low beam bulb is an H1, your standard hid kit will come with a bulb mounted to a specific base (in this case H1) and a length of positive & negative wires with a specific plug that matches the plug-in on the ballast, then from the ballast will be a positive & negative lead that will have the corresponding male plug. (again H1) Therefore all you need to do is plug your OEM female plug into their male. But of course if your kit doesn't match your factory plug, you're splicing stuff.

 

good things to know blwn, thanks, if somone could confirm the sockets that would be great

i figuered the ballasts and bulbes would be crap, and when they went i would have gone to DDM. i do want either the 4.5K or the 6K, i really like the crisp white look