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Why is it that cars like the second generation TL and the Subaru STI come from the factory with stock HID's with no projectors and an accurate cut-off on the lights?  Is it because of the interior reflector design? 

Yes sir.

There are some cars that have their reflectors designed to work with HIDs.

:stupid:
Those cars also use D2R bulbs which are HID bulbs used in reflector housings as opposed to D2S bulbs used in projectors like mine.

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It has to do with the design of the reflector housing.  The Inspire headlights are reflector based HID housings and they use a D2S.

Yes, like tim and z are sayin.. Those reflector housings were made to house hid bulbs not like other halogen head lights that are made to only use halogens in them, so when you use hid on them you get too much glare because the bulb is not  for that type of reflector.. Best way to do it is save some $$$ for a kick ass retro..

Guess it's best if I save up for those inspires then, huh.

That's what I did. ;)

From what I understand, those don't have all that great an output. They are also for RHD vehicles so the cutoff is wrong. Sure, they look sexy but that's about it.

I understood that they can be adjusted for left or right, am I wrong?

Z Bag is right.  The output of reflector based HID's doesn't compare to the output of projector based HID's.  The flare being opposite to a LHD vehicle is something that most people have reported not being a problem.  They cannot be "adjusted" as you were told Nelson.  Whoever told you that is a motherfucking moron.  There is a guy from back in the day that modified his Inspires so the cutoff was flat.  If you're okay with opening up your $700 headlights and taking a dremel to them, then it's not a big deal to do.  

There hasn't been anybody that has retrofitted them yet, but I think a smaller projector may fit in the high beam reflector.

By the way, they do look sexy as hell in person.  Especially at night.  Fashion over function!!   ;)

Thank you Tim.  

Edit:  Even though Inspire's are not as effective as projectors, they're still better than just popping in HID's inside of our OEM headlights, correct?  So, I take it, it's like the middle ground.

Its more than a middle ground...


For asthetics its the best option, and for output its improved over stock.

I'm still not a fan of popping headlights from a RHD vehicle onto a LHD vehicle due to the cutoff being wrong and the customary flare going into the wrong direction, blinding oncoming drivers in the process just like PnP HIDs in our halogen reflectors. If I could afford it, I'd pick up a set of Inspires, retro a set of S2K projectors in the low beam with a vacuum form shroud and leave the high beam alone.

Fashion AND function bitches! Booyah!

I disagree with you. Having read alot about both setups if aimed slightly low I don't think that the cut off is an issue.

werd.  After I adjusted my Inspires, the lighting output was fantastic.  It looked great, and people didn't really high beam me after I aimed the left side slightly lower.  Granted the cutoff did flare left, but it wasn't too bad.

The flare for HID headlights isn't so big that it will blind oncoming traffic.  I can say that it doesn't equate to driving around with a PnP kit in halogen housings.  I'm going to be honest about the S2K projector being fit into the low beam reflector.  It's not going to happen.  If you haven't seen a set of Inspires in person, you may not realize how small the low beam reflector is.  I guaranfuckingtee that it will not fit.  The S2K projector is larger than the low beam reflector of the Inspire.  That's why the only thing I think would work is trying to retrofit a bi-xenon projector into the high beam reflector.  Then you retain the look of the Inspire housing with the low beams on (which looks awesome), you have the option of having a projector for better output (that can be paired with the Inspire low beam), and you keep the functionality of the high beam with the bi-xenon projector.  If it all fits, it will be magical.

I don't think that having Inspires is a drawback.  It's a slightly less expensive way of having HIDs for people that don't have the skills or coin for a retrofit.  If you're really anal about the flare being correct, then you can open up the housings and make it a flat cutoff instead with a dremel.

I'm sold Tim.  I'm just gonna save up for my inspires.

Buy Derrick's.  He's a good guy.

LoL. That's what I hear. Need to save up cash first. Arie took most of my money.