Why are HID headlamps so expensive?

[mcarney]

Headlamp assy Left - W/hid - W/hid
2010 $808.36

[2SSARMY]

Because they are HID.

The ones on my benz were like $1,200 a piece, so consider yourself lucky lol

[The Jerk]

If you think that's expensive, just go to SEARS and buy a lot of maglite flashlights with LED in them and replace your HIDs.. cheaper and plus it just looks cool changing your lights out with AA batteries every couple of days.

[justincase_2008]

plus hids last a lot longer then regular bulbs so cost to time is about the same a little more but i like the fact i can see a lot better at night

[solo40oz]

because they are made out of a special material that you can only get from the moon....shipping costs are a bitch.

[elcamino85]

Has anyone had to replace these halos yet? What is the average life span of them?

[emin7]

Originally Posted by solo40oz

because they are made out of a special material that you can only get from the moon....shipping costs are a bitch.

[Shuffler]

Originally Posted by elcamino85

Has anyone had to replace these halos yet? What is the average life span of them?

The HIDs and Halos are seperate items.

I just had the 8000K ORACLE Bi-Xenon Conversion Kit and SMD 5202 Fog Light bulbs installed on my daughter's camaro.

[chicagojoe16]

I will admit...shamefully...that I had an accident in my Camaro. She's all better now (really she is!) but I will never forget looking at the bill and seeing that the lamp cost $800. Total damage was $5000, the lamp was more than my deductible!

[HuecoDoc]

They are true HID, not just a blue bulb. They create a plasma arc and require a sophisticated ballast that creates high voltage alternating current. Almost everything you see sold as HID, xenon, etc, is really just a blue filament bulb and those are $20-50 a set.

Originally Posted by mcarney

Headlamp assy Left - W/hid - W/hid
2010 $808.36

[Shuffler]

Originally Posted by HuecoDoc

They are true HID, not just a blue bulb. They create a plasma arc and require a sophisticated ballast that creates high voltage alternating current. Almost everything you see sold as HID, xenon, etc, is really just a blue filament bulb and those are $20-50 a set.

Oracle Bi-Xenon is a true HID with ballast. Xenon is the gas used in the light where an arc is made. It is not a colored halogen.

[HuecoDoc]

I just mean that if you google xenon HID you will mostly find filament bulbs. Marketing is flooded with those terms for non-HID. It looks like Oracle is an official sponsor here, and is true HID.

Originally Posted by Shuffler

Oracle Bi-Xenon is a true HID with ballast. Xenon is the gas used in the light where an arc is made. It is not a colored halogen.

[Rollin Thunder]

Originally Posted by HuecoDoc

I just mean that if you google xenon HID you will mostly find filament bulbs. Marketing is flooded with those terms for non-HID. It looks like Oracle is an official sponsor here, and is true HID.

The bulb and ballest may be true. But the housing is not. THe other part of that expense is the projector, Which projects the light correctly with out blinding other people. Sticking HIDS in your halogen housing is just stupid.

[phenixdragon]

Originally Posted by Rollin Thunder

The bulb and ballest may be true. But the housing is not. THe other part of that expense is the projector, Which projects the light correctly with out blinding other people. Sticking HIDS in your halogen housing is just stupid.

Have to disagree that it's just stupid. Done it to a few previous cars and depending on the car, it can still look great and was never blinding. Depends on on the car and the lamp housing.

But generally speaking, the ballast and bulbs are pretty cheap now. I remember like 10 years ago when trying to get a kit for my 95 M3 was over a grand or so. Just a couple of years ago I had an RSX and a kit was about $100. When I put in a HID into my Gixxer it was like $70, being it's just 1 balast and bulb. What can be expensive is OEM or high quality housing, such as the projector. All depends. Depending on who you go with, there can be a huge markup on various parts.