HID GROUP BUY
02-27-2003, 12:25 AM
#32
Sounds interesting. So it seems that there are 2 options before us that are offering discounted HID upgrades.
Autolamps Online:
all German Phillips components, $500, shipping included.
Liteswap:
all Japanese Catz components, $400, plus shipping.
Does this sound right?
Autolamps Online:
all German Phillips components, $500, shipping included.
Liteswap:
all Japanese Catz components, $400, plus shipping.
Does this sound right?
02-27-2003, 01:03 AM
#33
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Autolamps is one of the better vendors out there, but they do not mold the bases of their bulbs. They machine them, then glue an adapter on.
The only other company I know of that remolds the bases is XenonDepot.
Catz uses Matsu****a components (parent of Panasonic) and have a seperate igniter from the ballast. This prevents the possibility of arcing. If you will notice on almost, if not all OEM vehicles, the Philips ballast unit never touches bare metal. This is because if it arcs, the unit may shutoff, flicker or be damaged.
"Truth be told that the manufacturer of the HID bulb doesn't really matter as long as it comes from a OEM source. Philips, Osram, and GE all make OEM bulbs for different car manufacturers. The majority of the hid kits out there use Philips bulbs, but Philips is not the end all, be all of hid's.
Catz makes OEM grade hid kits, which are used in Hondas, Nissans, and more in Japan. Their kits come out of the same factory as Bellof hid kits. If you look around, Bellof was one of the first to have a hid retrofit and is still one of the standards in aftermarket hid lighting. Kits branded with bellof cost $900+.
Catz was devloped to bring Bellof hid kit prices down without "staining" the Bellof name. The kits are essentially the same, with Bellof offering more varieties of hid coloring and options. Many Bellof kits are used in Le mans cars.
The factories that make both kits use bulbs from GE, Osram, and Philips. All have a life span of 2000+ hours, so it doesn't really matter who makes the bulb, as long as it's being produced by a OEM quality manufacturer.
The only other company I know of that remolds the bases is XenonDepot.
Catz uses Matsu****a components (parent of Panasonic) and have a seperate igniter from the ballast. This prevents the possibility of arcing. If you will notice on almost, if not all OEM vehicles, the Philips ballast unit never touches bare metal. This is because if it arcs, the unit may shutoff, flicker or be damaged.
"Truth be told that the manufacturer of the HID bulb doesn't really matter as long as it comes from a OEM source. Philips, Osram, and GE all make OEM bulbs for different car manufacturers. The majority of the hid kits out there use Philips bulbs, but Philips is not the end all, be all of hid's.
Catz makes OEM grade hid kits, which are used in Hondas, Nissans, and more in Japan. Their kits come out of the same factory as Bellof hid kits. If you look around, Bellof was one of the first to have a hid retrofit and is still one of the standards in aftermarket hid lighting. Kits branded with bellof cost $900+.
Catz was devloped to bring Bellof hid kit prices down without "staining" the Bellof name. The kits are essentially the same, with Bellof offering more varieties of hid coloring and options. Many Bellof kits are used in Le mans cars.
The factories that make both kits use bulbs from GE, Osram, and Philips. All have a life span of 2000+ hours, so it doesn't really matter who makes the bulb, as long as it's being produced by a OEM quality manufacturer.
02-27-2003, 01:24 AM
#34
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not to flame anyone but the gentleman from liteswap appears to be copying and pasting from his previous post.
i think it is safe to assume that given the interest in this topic we've all read the entire thread. of course any NEW information that advances this debate is very welcome...
i think it is safe to assume that given the interest in this topic we've all read the entire thread. of course any NEW information that advances this debate is very welcome...
02-27-2003, 01:49 AM
#35
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</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">Originally posted by liteswap:
<strong>If you will notice on almost, if not all OEM vehicles, the Philips ballast unit never touches bare metal.</strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">Eric
A few questions if you don't mind:
1. I thought the metal ballast case in Porsche's Litronics is screwed to the metal trunk wall. Is that incorrect?
2. Does the igniter in your kit fit into the 993 headlight assembly, and if so, where & how?
3. In your 993 install how is the igniter wired to the ballast & in turn where does the ballast pick up its + and - connections?
4. Are any holes or cuts required to the 993 headlight assembly for your install?
5. Where do you recommend that the ballast be installed in a 993 conversion?
6. Doesn't Sylvania's Xenarc HID Lighting System use a one piece ballast/igniter? Are there any advantages/disadvantages to 1 v. 2 piece systems?
Thanks for your anticipated responses.
<strong>If you will notice on almost, if not all OEM vehicles, the Philips ballast unit never touches bare metal.</strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">Eric
A few questions if you don't mind:
1. I thought the metal ballast case in Porsche's Litronics is screwed to the metal trunk wall. Is that incorrect?
2. Does the igniter in your kit fit into the 993 headlight assembly, and if so, where & how?
3. In your 993 install how is the igniter wired to the ballast & in turn where does the ballast pick up its + and - connections?
4. Are any holes or cuts required to the 993 headlight assembly for your install?
5. Where do you recommend that the ballast be installed in a 993 conversion?
6. Doesn't Sylvania's Xenarc HID Lighting System use a one piece ballast/igniter? Are there any advantages/disadvantages to 1 v. 2 piece systems?
Thanks for your anticipated responses.
02-27-2003, 10:19 AM
#38
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</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">Originally posted by 96P993:
<strong>Hey Dan some of your questions look like install questions ...</strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">Obviously, that's why I asked them. I'm interested in Eric's responses to round out the information by adding specifics for a 993 install of this conversion kit. I already have a good idea how I'd do the install - if I didn't already have HID.
BTW, out of curiosity, is this group buy an exception to liteswap's <a href="http://www.liteswap.com/repr.html" target="_blank">Referral Program:</a>
We at one point had a group buy program but decided to create a referral program instead. Now YOU can benefit from creating a group buy or generating a referal sale! Receive a check or Paypal payment in the amount of $50, with no limit to the number of referrals you bring.
or is the group discount because you are passing along the referral fee?
<strong>Hey Dan some of your questions look like install questions ...</strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">Obviously, that's why I asked them. I'm interested in Eric's responses to round out the information by adding specifics for a 993 install of this conversion kit. I already have a good idea how I'd do the install - if I didn't already have HID.
BTW, out of curiosity, is this group buy an exception to liteswap's <a href="http://www.liteswap.com/repr.html" target="_blank">Referral Program:</a>
We at one point had a group buy program but decided to create a referral program instead. Now YOU can benefit from creating a group buy or generating a referal sale! Receive a check or Paypal payment in the amount of $50, with no limit to the number of referrals you bring.
or is the group discount because you are passing along the referral fee?
02-27-2003, 11:25 AM
#39
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Eric told me about the Referral Program but I told him I would rather have a group buy, so yes I suppose this is an exception to what their site says. It amazing how suspect people get when someone tries to do something nice for a group of people.....And no that comment wasnt pointed at anyone specific
02-27-2003, 11:58 AM
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</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">Originally posted by 96P993:
<strong>It amazing how suspect people get when someone tries to do something nice for a group of people.....And no that comment wasnt pointed at anyone specific</strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">Perhaps that's because almost every scam, on or off the internet, begins with someone "trying to do something nice for a group of people." I was confused by the apparent contradiction between liteswap's stated policy & this group buy. Paranoia on the internet is not a mental disease ... it's a self defense mechanism.
And no my comment isn't pointed at anyone specific ... well, maybe Pierre or Dixon, as just recent examples.
<strong>It amazing how suspect people get when someone tries to do something nice for a group of people.....And no that comment wasnt pointed at anyone specific</strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">Perhaps that's because almost every scam, on or off the internet, begins with someone "trying to do something nice for a group of people." I was confused by the apparent contradiction between liteswap's stated policy & this group buy. Paranoia on the internet is not a mental disease ... it's a self defense mechanism.
And no my comment isn't pointed at anyone specific ... well, maybe Pierre or Dixon, as just recent examples.
02-27-2003, 12:03 PM
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That is understanable and probably a good way to look at the internet....But I am paying the same as everyone else and Im not getting anything on the side or any additional perks from anyone. Just in case anyone has any doubts..Im new to the Porsche world and love to do DIYs to all of my cars and I just thought others could share in the purchasing process..
02-27-2003, 01:07 PM
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Just curious about this new HID kit that got everybody all excited and wanting to jump in...
A simple question regarding installation:
Does this kit come with wires so thin and ballast so small that they can be "stuffed" inside the headlight housing? Or an exit hole still needs to be cut?
...I think Dan would know the answer to that already... <img border="0" alt="[bigbye]" title="" src="graemlins/xyxwave.gif" />
A simple question regarding installation:
Does this kit come with wires so thin and ballast so small that they can be "stuffed" inside the headlight housing? Or an exit hole still needs to be cut?
...I think Dan would know the answer to that already... <img border="0" alt="[bigbye]" title="" src="graemlins/xyxwave.gif" />
02-27-2003, 03:11 PM
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wow.. I go away for one day and look what happens! ok.. lets try to field all these questions.
First, regarding our referral policy. We changed over to that because our Group Buys in the past have fallen apart. It takes time to set these things up, allocate inventory (set them aside so when the GB is concluded, all kits are ready to ship). What happened was, lots of people would say "YES! I want in!" then when it came time to pay, they would dissapear. What could we have done? We could have charged a non-refundable deposit, but we all know how unpopular that would be. It was my decision to goto the referral program, because although the discount is not as great, we don't need to build up a certain number of people before we sell the kits. If you notice, our pricing is already well below many of our competitors. We are one of the most successful CATZ HID retailers on the internet. No scams going here. After talking in detail with Chris, I decided to let him go ahead with the posting of the Group Buy. He felt very confident of the interest here. I felt confident that you guys strive for the best!
Now, for Dan's questions.
</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">A few questions if you don't mind:
1. I thought the metal ballast case in Porsche's Litronics is screwed to the metal trunk wall. Is that incorrect?
2. Does the igniter in your kit fit into the 993 headlight assembly, and if so, where & how?
3. In your 993 install how is the igniter wired to the ballast & in turn where does the ballast pick up its + and - connections?
4. Are any holes or cuts required to the 993 headlight assembly for your install?
5. Where do you recommend that the ballast be installed in a 993 conversion?
6. Doesn't Sylvania's Xenarc HID Lighting System use a one piece ballast/igniter? Are there any advantages/disadvantages to 1 v. 2 piece systems?
Thanks for your anticipated responses.</font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">1) Like I said, most OEM do not mount to the metal frame using a Philips ballast. I have never seen a Porsche system. Do they have a casing around the ballast? Philips ballasts do not come with any mounting holes.
2) The igniter is a seperate unit which is about 2 1/4" x 1 3/8" x 1 1/8" in size. You can mount this on top of your ballast or anywhere else should you desire. It does not go into the housing.
3) The ballast has two plugs. One goes to the igniter. The other is a wiring harness that goes to ground and the + perminal which should be on your headlamp housing.
4) I will have to wait for Chris to install his kit before I can field this one. It depends on the back of your headlamp housing. Most H1 housings have a rectangular cap on the rear. On the E36 M3 Euro housings, there is such a cap. This cap needed a small hole to be drilled to run the wires through. The kit includes a supplied rubber grommet to seal everything back up. Again, we will have to wait for Chris on this one, or anyone else who has HID retrofit regardless of brand. Because of the way the HID bulb is designed, wires need to come out of there. It is a matter of whether or not the Porsche has this cap.
5) Given that the Porsche has an open "trunk" up front, you can practically mount the units anywhere.
6) The Xenarc to my knowledge only has 7 applications. Mostly for SUVs and trucks. Their system uses a one piece Ballast/igniter similar to Philips. The disadvantage to doing this would be the possibility of arcing. The Catz (Matsu****a) ballast is the lastest generation released (as opposed to some other 2 peice designs out there). They have a saftey shutoff feature within 1 second in case of no or low voltage (accident, etc). There is more than 20,000V running through those ballasts.. without this, there could be a potential fire hazard. They also have the one of the fastest startup and hotstrike (turning on and off) times in the industry. Cold start: 60% output in (4) seconds; Hot restrike: 50% output in (1) seconds.
I hope this has answered most of your questions, but if it has generated more, please feel free to post away! I will try to visit this forum as often as I can, but If I can't get to your question right away, please be patient and not immediately yell SCAM! I think that is a little unfair to both me and Chris.
First, regarding our referral policy. We changed over to that because our Group Buys in the past have fallen apart. It takes time to set these things up, allocate inventory (set them aside so when the GB is concluded, all kits are ready to ship). What happened was, lots of people would say "YES! I want in!" then when it came time to pay, they would dissapear. What could we have done? We could have charged a non-refundable deposit, but we all know how unpopular that would be. It was my decision to goto the referral program, because although the discount is not as great, we don't need to build up a certain number of people before we sell the kits. If you notice, our pricing is already well below many of our competitors. We are one of the most successful CATZ HID retailers on the internet. No scams going here. After talking in detail with Chris, I decided to let him go ahead with the posting of the Group Buy. He felt very confident of the interest here. I felt confident that you guys strive for the best!
Now, for Dan's questions.
</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">A few questions if you don't mind:
1. I thought the metal ballast case in Porsche's Litronics is screwed to the metal trunk wall. Is that incorrect?
2. Does the igniter in your kit fit into the 993 headlight assembly, and if so, where & how?
3. In your 993 install how is the igniter wired to the ballast & in turn where does the ballast pick up its + and - connections?
4. Are any holes or cuts required to the 993 headlight assembly for your install?
5. Where do you recommend that the ballast be installed in a 993 conversion?
6. Doesn't Sylvania's Xenarc HID Lighting System use a one piece ballast/igniter? Are there any advantages/disadvantages to 1 v. 2 piece systems?
Thanks for your anticipated responses.</font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">1) Like I said, most OEM do not mount to the metal frame using a Philips ballast. I have never seen a Porsche system. Do they have a casing around the ballast? Philips ballasts do not come with any mounting holes.
2) The igniter is a seperate unit which is about 2 1/4" x 1 3/8" x 1 1/8" in size. You can mount this on top of your ballast or anywhere else should you desire. It does not go into the housing.
3) The ballast has two plugs. One goes to the igniter. The other is a wiring harness that goes to ground and the + perminal which should be on your headlamp housing.
4) I will have to wait for Chris to install his kit before I can field this one. It depends on the back of your headlamp housing. Most H1 housings have a rectangular cap on the rear. On the E36 M3 Euro housings, there is such a cap. This cap needed a small hole to be drilled to run the wires through. The kit includes a supplied rubber grommet to seal everything back up. Again, we will have to wait for Chris on this one, or anyone else who has HID retrofit regardless of brand. Because of the way the HID bulb is designed, wires need to come out of there. It is a matter of whether or not the Porsche has this cap.
5) Given that the Porsche has an open "trunk" up front, you can practically mount the units anywhere.
6) The Xenarc to my knowledge only has 7 applications. Mostly for SUVs and trucks. Their system uses a one piece Ballast/igniter similar to Philips. The disadvantage to doing this would be the possibility of arcing. The Catz (Matsu****a) ballast is the lastest generation released (as opposed to some other 2 peice designs out there). They have a saftey shutoff feature within 1 second in case of no or low voltage (accident, etc). There is more than 20,000V running through those ballasts.. without this, there could be a potential fire hazard. They also have the one of the fastest startup and hotstrike (turning on and off) times in the industry. Cold start: 60% output in (4) seconds; Hot restrike: 50% output in (1) seconds.
I hope this has answered most of your questions, but if it has generated more, please feel free to post away! I will try to visit this forum as often as I can, but If I can't get to your question right away, please be patient and not immediately yell SCAM! I think that is a little unfair to both me and Chris.
