After looking at what it takes to switch to HID, I just don't think I'm going through with it. I can't stand how **** poor the stock headlights are though. The brights cast a slightly wider, but no brighter or further light. I want something better. Is there a better bulb out there that can be bought or is HID really the only way to go to get better light? I have been in many other cars that weren't HID equipped and they had similar low beam but far superior high beam projection. I'm looking to gain more in the high beam area when I don't have traffic around. Thoughts on a better option? When search I repeatedly come back to threads about swapping the HID, not so much on halogen bulbs.

 

hids are plug and play and make way more visible light. have you aimed your headlights?

 

The difference you're probably noticing is because alot of cars have different bulbs for high and low beams.
Ours however, have one, therefore it doesnt get brighter, it just tilts the light a little higher.

 

the best bet for a non HID bulb would be Sylvania silverstar's. you can get em at autozone, oreliey's or other autopart store. but seriously, HID's are plug and play.

 

To be honest ive ran multiple halogen style bulbs in my eclipse and was never happy. So in the cobalt I jumped straight to HID's and honestly I love them.

I think I spent around 260 though so its a good amount more money than just 50 for a set of good halogen bulbs. Granted that was Gen 4 projectors with 2 sets of HID's.


If your not willing to spend that much then you could do a hi lo hid kid in the stock housings though I dont support that idea as it does glare ive seen it first hand on a cobalt.

Now I will say the projectors seriously help the beam pattern. Even my Gen 4s have a massively improved pattern over the stockers.

But if your dead set on Halogen style then I recommend Piaa and Nokya (stay under 6000k)

 

there is another thread just like this, look at their answers as well

https://www.cobaltss.net/forums/loun...-bulbs-239168/

 

this is true, but its actually not as bad compared to most headlights.
theres one good thing about cobalt headlights....

 

There not bad when aimed down compared to other lights this is true. But they do still glare and the beam pattern is nowhere near as good as it could be.

But its an option for the OP none the less.

 

OP if you wanna stay cheap. use ebay.
you can find some projectors with a 6k hid kit included for around 175-200 probably.

 

silverstar ultra

 

GE HIR bulbs Or Philips x-treme

 

https://www.cobaltss.net/forums/appe...r-hids-236611/

check out that thread if u want to go the HID route. i suggest hit up buyhids.com they are using morimoto projectos that u can retrofit relatively easy into your headlights. ull be very happy if you go that route

 

I've looked at HID, but I'm honestly lost with them. I get that you don't want to put just an HID bulb in a factory reflector as it is a beast on people driving towards you. I'm not looking to blind everyone coming at me. So then you buy a projector lamp, and you install the HID into them. But do the HID bulbs just plug in to the lamp or do you need to modify the lamp to fit the bulb? Most of the aftermarket projector headlamps have looked like they have a spot for a high and a low beam light, rather than a single bulb doing both duties. Do you use a halogen bulb in the one slot and a HID in the other, with the amber light on the outside? I have heard people say the HIDs are their low beams and I have heard others say they HIDS are their high beams, and then a few who bought bi-xenon which as far as I can tell work like the stock bulb and are both high and low. Are we using a halogen bulb as the low or even the high beam and the HID as the other or are we putting basically a "fake" bulb that fills the spot but doesn't do anything in the other slot?

I'm happy enough with the low beam. It works just fine and seems like every other low beam I have used. I just feel the high beam does very little extra from the low. I'm not totally against HID. It seems there are a bunch of cheap junk kits out there that last 3-6 months and need replaced. I'm not really looking to replace bulbs/ballasts all the time. Then some of the lamps cost $90 shipped or a little less and others are running closer to $200 and I can't see a much if any of a difference in them. The HID kits do the same. I don't care about halos or LEDs, I just want a blinker, a low beam like I have, and a better high beam. I'm willing to spend on the HIDs if I don't really have another choice, but I don't want to pay a much more than $250 or so if possible and I don't want to buy the cheapest junk I can get. I look at the retrofit kits from buyhids and I'm at $450. That is a bit more than I'm looking to spend on headlights.

 

well i hear that DEPO has the new GEN 4 projectors for like $185 i think (correct me if im wrong) and you can get a set of HID's with slim ballasts for like 40 - 50 dollars from ddm tuning... its worth the investment and i will be making it shortly. I have found that there is NO bulb that will be as bright or as good as HID's. just spend the money and do it right

 

Pretty much what I have. Minus the slim ballasts

 

I've done lots of research. If you want a plain bulb that's amazing, HIR's are where its at
HIR Headlights 9011 9012 bulbs

I don't remember if they fit our cobalt. If not the next best thing is philips x-treme bulbs. They use a smilar technology to hir.

 

Here's a PIC. Hook it up like this.




With Depo Gen 4..just plug the factory harness back into the depo harness.

]

 

Ok here's the problem I have with upgrading lights. If your going to stick with the stock housing, I always don't recommend hids, because they glare a lot, despite what some people on here will claim (please don't turn this into a hid in stock housing war again, that's not the point here). The stock housing glares a lot to me with the stock bulbs too. However, I'm not a fan of upgraded halogen bulbs, because the lifespan of most of them is terrible, a few months to a year at best. And they're expensive, a set of silverstars is about the cost of a pnp hid kit. Therefore, I only recommend stock or retrofit. If you're gonna do it, do it right. Anyways, if you wanna stick with halogens, I'd get the silverstars. They're much better bulbs than stock, just don't expect them to last a long time. When I got them at autozone last time (I run them in my Grand Prix until I do a retrofit) the guy at the counter even mentioned not to expect them to last a long time. They are about 20% (guess) brighter than the stock bulbs, just don't expect them to make the beam any wider, that's just a limitation of the stock housing.

 

i text u earlier about my issue lol i ****** hate retros i swear theres always some issue with them now im gettin a yellowish cutoff and before it was blue and now it flickers

 

I put philips x-tremes in a few weeks or month ago. Brighter than stock, more white, still no hid but I'm glad I got them.

 

Good stuff

Thinking of converting to HID?


Daniel Stern Lighting Consultancy and Supply



Superwhites


Daniel Stern Lighting Consultancy and Supply

 

I'm going with these as an HID alternative in my Depo Gen 4..Low Beam only:

65W Osram Ultra High Output (2100 lumen, H9 burner on H7 base, race and special-purpose use).

Osram EAN/Product No: 4050300524399
Product Description: 64217
ECE Category: H7
Base (standard designation): PX26d
Nominal Wattage: 65 W
Lumens: 2100
Life (hours): 500



Upgrading Volkswagen Halogen Headlights to Osram Super Bright Off Road 65watt bulbs | my-gti.com

 

The real deal: $7.50 ea from Hong Kong. These retail for over $20 ea!
These are rated for 500Hrs. They use and H9 lamp (65W) into an H7 base.
2100 Lumens.


OSRAM headlamp H7 each 12v/65W Px26d | eBay

 

Our Bi-Xenon kits are what you want if you want high beams that are 10x better then stock. PM us for coupon code