jtsporsche

so really all one would need (from Rennbay) is the headlight relay harness and the (E-code) Hella H4 Headlight Housing w/ Bulb???

is there any risk in just changing bulbs??? it be alot cheaper

Jfrahm

Silverstars are OK but here is a pic I took just after installing one 6000k HID in my old S2, the other lamp is a stock wattage silverstar. I had not adjusted the lamps yet.

Wipeout

Correct!

If you're talking about changing bulbs with another sealed beam bulb, there's no issue, even with a harness. Installing e-code lenses and stock wattage bulbs also is fine. E-code lenses with higher wattage bulbs is a bad idea without a harness.

jtsporsche

you just confused the hell out of me, thats actually not very hard to do.

what is a sealed beam bulb? are these the H4s?

Wipeout

Sealed beam bulb - the default, stock 944 bulb. Bulb and lens as one unit.

The recommendation that most of us have is that you should replace that with the lens (the e-code lens) and a bulb of your choosing.

H4 is a standardized size, like a metric socket.

MAGK944

^ what he said, the bulb is replaceable in the e-code, so you can choose the wattage you want. The e-code refers to the euro spec lamp which directs more light towards the front of the car as opposed to the US version which directs some light to the side.

However, IMO you cannot beat HID's, there simply isn't a comparison between the best Halogen and HID. My BMW's HID's outshines the 996's 'relatively modern' halogen units by a big margin.

If you have the money and really want to update your system, get the harness, e-code lenses and a HID package.

Scootin159

Sealed Beam = stock bulbs, the stuff you get @ wal*mart
H4 = similar to sealed beam, but allows you to replace the bulb without replacing the lens (like most new cars)
E-code = (as opposed to DOT) special beam pattern (common in Europe) which puts more light where YOU need it, and less into the eyes of oncoming cars. Technically illegal in the US, but often overlooked as they're actually better than DOT.

the hierarchy is (IMHO):

Your current (old) sealed beams
eBay "HID"
New sealed beams
DOT H4 + stock wattage bulbs
DOT H4 + stock wattage bulbs + wiring harness
E-code H4 + stock wattage bulbs
E-code H4 + stock wattage bulbs + wiring harness
E-code H4 + high wattage bulbs + wiring harness
true HID

As has been said before, the harness is only *nessesary* if you're going to high-wattage bulbs... but it does make a big difference in light output (even with stock bulbs), and once you have it you might as well run high-wattage bulbs.

Some typical mistakes I would avoid:

1) Do not get painted "HID-Look" or "Xenon" bulbs, these bulbs essentially only have a blue paint on them that makes them look like HID's. They may *look* brighter, but in fact they often make it harder to see.
2) Do not put higher-wattage bulbs on a stock harness, you'll have DECREASED light output at best, or a fire at worst
3) Do not put higher-wattage bulbs into DOT-spec lenses, you'll blind everyone else on the road
4) Do not run misaligned headlights (especially true with E-codes), you'll blind everyone else on the road
5) Do not run HID bulbs in a lens designed for a halogen bulb. This would be like sticking a florescent tube into a flashlight, you won't get the intended effect as the lens has the wrong shape to focus the light correctly.

marksportcts

Sounds like someone installed a system with no fuse or using the factory wiring harness. I've known more cars shorting out from bad stereo install than a headlight kit. Anything poorly done can be hazardous.

All current HID kits come with a wiring harness for a reason. Everyone knows that HID run lower current consumption at 35 watts, but most probably don't know that the start up arc can be nearly 4 times that. That is why HID are the brightest when you turn them on. You will notice the light change color as the system warms up and drop down to the rated color for the bulb. Most harness are built with the proper fuse for what it is being used for.

If you have the skill and knowledge, you can build your own kit using Philips ballast packs and bulbs, and assemble your own wiring harness. This option allows you to use the best components but cost is somewhat higher as the cost for the parts would be close the price of 4-5 HID kits off ebay. You can also buy complete kits that use Philips ballast packs, but most use asian bulbs and cost the most.

On my q45, I run 2 factory ballast packs, 4 Philips ballast and 2 ebay ballast.
I have yet to see another car that can generate as much usable light as my car does. My 944 won't have the 2 infiniti ballast as the headlights are bi-xenon. The projectors are the Hella DE Xenon.

Paseb

do you see a really big difference with the harness and hella e code lenses?

also, is it better to get the Hella Yellow Star H4 Bulbs 130/90W or Hella H4 80/100W High Performance Xenon Bulbs if i move on with the harness and code???

thx

8744S

I would just go with the 80/100W because the higher the wattage the hotter the bulb has to burn as well as the filiment being fragile. Just my opinion!

Paseb

thx for the advice , anyone else?

roman944

DUDE! that is my next upgrade. Seriously, I didn't know they had these!

I had a 12k kit on my A6 which had projectors - LOVED IT!

I can't even imagine how a 944 would look with one of these. Only wished it had a projector in it now :cry:

Paseb

if i go hid, i need to get e-code kit?
also, do i need to change the wiring harness?

hid + e-code kit = 350$
i think its a lot of cash hehe

rennbay harness, 2 xenon bulbs, 2 e-code = 250$

you think i should spend the 100$ more or with the rennbay stuff, id be fine since
the lighting is really better,,, what i see from other users...

Jfrahm

the vvme HID kits are down to well under $100, and a pair of decent E-code lamps can be had for under $20 each. The nicer lamp assemblies are probably better, but I had excellent results with the inexpensive ones from (gasp!) JC Whitney. My first S2 had these:

http://www.jcwhitney.com/autoparts/I...D:100000165791

My second S2 got these, a bit nicer:

http://www.jcwhitney.com/Headlight-C...2824_10101.jcw

I put the HID kit into the second ones but they'd work in either.
-Joel.

roman944

how good is that vvme kit though?