1998 ex Headlights / Taillights? HID's?

[dsprimal]

I was thinking of getting HID's but i've heard tons of bad news that comes with civic HID's. like they burn out to often and their just a pain to maintain?? but if anyone knows of some reliable HID's please let me know.

Headlights- does anyone know of whats the most popular kind of headlights for a 1998 civic ex? i was just thinking of smoking them out.

Taillights- i was thinking of getting SI (red on white) taillights and smoking them out as well to match my headlights.

I have a black civc so i figured smoked heads/tails and putting on these shoes http://www.tirerack.com/wheels/WheelCloseUpServlet?target=wheelCloseUp&wheelMake=O.Z.&wheelModel=Alleggerita+HLT&wheelFinish=Gold+Painted&partnum=W0185120076G would make my car look pretty nice.

thanks club civic!

 

[leothelion]

I was thinking of getting HID's but i've heard tons of bad news that comes with civic HID's. like they burn out to often and their just a pain to maintain?? but if anyone knows of some reliable HID's please let me know.

Headlights- does anyone know of whats the most popular kind of headlights for a 1998 civic ex? i was just thinking of smoking them out.

Taillights- i was thinking of getting SI (red on white) taillights and smoking them out as well to match my headlights.

I have a black civc so i figured smoked heads/tails and putting on these shoes http://www.tirerack.com/wheels/WheelCloseUpServlet?target=wheelCloseUp&wheelMake=O.Z.&wheelModel=Alleggerita+HLT&wheelFinish=Gold+Painted&partnum=W0185120076G would make my car look pretty nice.

thanks club civic!

You hear bad reviews of HIDs because people buy HID kits off ebay(which are hit and miss, I bought one for my motorcycle and it works great)

DDM tuning is a great source for good inexpensive HID kits for you car, they have a really good warranty and the best prices and a solid reputation. And Please Please PLEASE retrofit your headlights with projectors. Its so easy now, http://www.theretrofitsource.com/product_info.php?products_id=237

Most people are doing whats called a "black housing" headlight. you remove the lens of the headlight, spray the outer chrome housing black, and then seal it back up. You can also just buy a set that was made that way for about $100, This way you get a dark headlight, without the negative effects of smoking them (i.e. reduced light output)

For tail lights your on the right track, SI Red/Clears are the way to go. I have seen them smoked but IMO leaving them stock will look better, One thing you might consider is tinging the turn signal on the SI tails red, leaving only the reverse clear, one of the members on here has it that way(though his car is more gray) and I think it looks really cool.

 

[Civic Virtue]

I've seen OEM headlights lightly smoked that came out awesome but they were on a 99-00 front end. The black housing headlights found on ebay look good as well.

For tail lights if you are stuck on smoking I dig Chivas coupe with lightly smoking too.

I bought my HIDs on http://www.hidonlinestore.com/ (click it). After 3 years still working great.

 

[dsprimal]

thanks guys, i went to DDM tunings site and hidonlinestore.com but whats the exact name of the HID's you both got? I'm totally lost on which ones to get lol

 

[mymmeryloss]

Welcome to CC!

 

[UncleHonrod]

I want HIDs too... in time.. but as for 99-00 tails on a 98? Well here ya go.

I think ima find red bulbs for the blinkers and leave them as is. Looks clean. The slightly smoked idea looks good too.. but i like to see while backing up lol

 

[dsprimal]

ahhhh looks very nice man! i'm looking for si tails right now, where did you get your pair from?

 

[UncleHonrod]

ahhhh looks very nice man! i'm looking for si tails right now, where did you get your pair from?

Off a 99 EX which are the same as Sis or any 99-00 Civic coupe tails I'm pretty sure

 

[leothelion]

thanks guys, i went to DDM tunings site and hidonlinestore.com but whats the exact name of the HID's you both got? I'm totally lost on which ones to get lol

http://www.ddmtuning.com/Products/Apexcone-Raptor-HID-Kit

-35w(55 is too much in my opinion)
-H4
-4500K(most light output possible, 5000k is a nice color and still bright, anything higher than that I don't suggest...and you run the possibility of being pulled over by the cops)
-Get a HID harness...because it just makes everything easier and work better
-dont need an error eliminator
-dont need adaptor cables
-you can get mounting brackets if you want


a note on legality of HIDS....They are ILLEGAL!!!! Doesn't matter if you aim your headlights down, doesn't matter if you retrofit projectors, they are simply illegal. period. That said, its unlikely that you will ever get ticketed if you follow two rules:
1. retrofit your headlights so you don't blind other drivers/the cops will think it was factory so they won't ticket you should you get pulled over
2. Don't get any K ratting over 6000k...the bluer the headlight, the easier it is for the cops to spot and pull you over.

THIS IS ALL MY OPINION,...(except for the legal stuff...thats all legit) I'm not putting down anyones ride, I'm just saying...

 

[itsmycookie]

a note on legality of HIDS....They are ILLEGAL!!!! Doesn't matter if you aim your headlights down, doesn't matter if you retrofit projectors, they are simply illegal. period. That said, its unlikely that you will ever get ticketed if you follow two rules:
1. retrofit your headlights so you don't blind other drivers/the cops will think it was factory so they won't ticket you should you get pulled over
2. Don't get any K ratting over 6000k...the bluer the headlight, the easier it is for the cops to spot and pull you over.

THIS IS ALL MY OPINION,...(except for the legal stuff...thats all legit) I'm not putting down anyones ride, I'm just saying...

The fitting of HID conversion kits (which include HID lamps that fit into original headlamp units in place of the original bulbs with no change to the headlamp's lens, reflector or housing) generally results in extremely high levels of glare, and is illegal throughout most of the world. However, complete halogen headlamp units can be replaced with complete HID headlamp units, provided that the replacement headlamp units comply with the applicable standards

 

[leothelion]

The fitting of HID conversion kits (which include HID lamps that fit into original headlamp units in place of the original bulbs with no change to the headlamp's lens, reflector or housing) generally results in extremely high levels of glare, and is illegal throughout most of the world. However, complete halogen headlamp units can be replaced with complete HID headlamp units, provided that the replacement headlamp units comply with the applicable standards

true...but you cannot buy headlamp units that were designed to work with HID's for civics...all of them will say "for show" or "for off road use only." furthermore retrofitting your headlights is also illegal...because it simply is.

Its just the law, like i said, don't do the stuff I mentioned and your good.

 

[JohnS.]

Retrofitting headlights is illegal but I personally have never heard of anyone getting pulled over for it.

Don't use HID's in stock headlamps with the halogen reflector. Go here: http://www.clubcivic.com/board/showthread.php?t=208090 to read why.

Which head lights & tail lights being the most popular depends on who you ask. Ask the "ricers" and they'll say eBay projectors or altezza's. Ask most CC members and they'll tell you OEM. It's all based on personal preference. Do what you want, it's your car. Someone out there is going to not like something, no matter what you do.

 

[dsprimal]

Retrofitting headlights is illegal but I personally have never heard of anyone getting pulled over for it.

Don't use HID's in stock headlamps with the halogen reflector. Go here: http://www.clubcivic.com/board/showthread.php?t=208090 to read why.

Which head lights & tail lights being the most popular depends on who you ask. Ask the "ricers" and they'll say eBay projectors or altezza's. Ask most CC members and they'll tell you OEM. It's all based on personal preference. Do what you want, it's your car. Someone out there is going to not like something, no matter what you do.

Yeah I understand. I definitely wanna go the OEM route. the ricer route is not even worth talking about lol. I just want my car to look stock but nice if that makes sense. just a nice set of rims, some springs, tints/hid's and SI tails and i'll be more than satisfied.

 

[cuetip]

s**t guys i have green hids, on my civic i just put them in and didnt even bother adjusting them, and i havent got pulled over yet and had them and my yellow fogs in for almost 3 months

 

[dsprimal]

I looked at black housing headlights like these http://d3d71ba2asa5oz.cloudfront.net/40000489/images/hd-jh-hc96-bk+gri-hc96-tr+fl-hc96-sm.jpg

but i feel like they might be too dark and tacky looking.....so i surfed around and noticed that these are the headlights i would prefer. I'll list off the pictures below. Anyone know the exact name of those headlights or what i must do to getting them like these? I want them "smoked" but not that dark like the above link.

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7045/6924183577_0d805b4a98_o.jpg

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7057/6924185823_3595931713_o.jpg

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7187/6778072644_178cabffc5_o.jpg

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7019/6551337461_4884fb3418_o.jpg

Thanks!

 

[JohnS.]

Those look like OEM CTR headlights to me. They usually cost $400+.

Or you could paint your own with a gunmetal-ish paint color.

 

[dsprimal]

Those look like OEM CTR headlights to me. They usually cost $400+.

Or you could paint your own with a gunmetal-ish paint color.

yeah I believe you're right. ahhh oh well. the black housing will be fine.

on another note can anyone break down by the year of compatibility for headlights? will 1996 headlights fit 1998 civic ex's? etc.

i believe its 96-98 and then 99-00........

because i'm about to buy a pair of headlights off ebay that comes with a mesh grill and fogs. the title says "96-98" but the compatible years list only 1996....so i'm iffy on pressing the buy button.

Thanks!

 

[itsmycookie]

you have it right. 99-00 are different front ends than 96-98.

the black housing thing is pretty ez to do and if you have a shitty pair of aftermarket with all clear lens u can swap that over the stock headlight. like this.

the stock lens are uggo imo

but yea 96 fits on 97 and 98

 

[smitty5150]

Painting the stock headlights and adding projectors is the best way to go imo. Especially if you are able to do it yourself. It sets apart the look of any car. Cops hassle more for light output than anything else. Staying with a 35w ballast and staying under 5k for the bulb temp is a pretty safe bet most places.

 

[dsprimal]

you have it right. 99-00 are different front ends than 96-98.

the black housing thing is pretty ez to do and if you have a s***ty pair of aftermarket with all clear lens u can swap that over the stock headlight. like this.

the stock lens are uggo imo

but yea 96 fits on 97 and 98

those look nice! I just bought the black housing headlights last night. My current stock ones are getting pretty old. My right headlight is fogged up like crazy and the other one is beginning to fog up around the edges. so I figured i mind as well just go with new black housed ones rather than trying to rebuff my old ones etc.

Painting the stock headlights and adding projectors is the best way to go imo. Especially if you are able to do it yourself. It sets apart the look of any car. Cops hassle more for light output than anything else. Staying with a 35w ballast and staying under 5k for the bulb temp is a pretty safe bet most places.

yeah 35w sounds about right. but i was thinking of going with 8k bulbs xD. idk ill post pics up of the black housing once i get them installed. HID's im still deciding. now that u brought up staying below 5k....hmmmmmmm