If people would really take advantage of this forum and the knowledge members share, it would save them money and headaches.

 

All- couple things:


1). I'm not sure the shop really screwed me. Not sure they didn't either. Unfortunately I have no buddies into trucks so I don't have many reliable sources to bounce ideas off of. The shop charges $80/hr for all work they perform. They specialize in tires and rims, but do all mods. Called Rimz One, in Mooresville, NC. Seems high, and maybe I'll try another shop, but the work they do appears solid. The trucks out on their lot are pretty sweet, and the business has been around for several years, so they can't be that bad.

2). I don't like to do the work on my truck for several reasons. First, I don't know WTF I'm doing and I don't want to screw things up. Second, while I'm certainly not rich (!) I've got more money than I've got time, especially with two kids under 3 at home. Time is valuable to me. What a shop can do in an hour would likely take me all freakin day.

3). This forum has been invaluable. As I said before, I wish I had joined prior to having the Spyders installed. Can't go backwards though. Trying to improve the lighting now with the Spyders the smartest way possible. Uninstalling, returning, buying a new kit, re-installing will take too long an cost more in the end I imagine.

I think I have the answers I need now; thanks much to your all's help. Going with Retro HID kit. Not installing it on my own though!

Thanks again. Cheers.

 

sounds like a solid plan....jsut remember....you will only need one set of HID's....for the low beams only. You're high beams will be still be halogen. The reson for this is b/c thos Spyders use TWO lens..one for high and one for low..where as the OEM headlights used one bulb that did both high and low. The reason youd be keeping your high beams halogen is b/c you dont want to have to use the higbeams quickly and have to wait for the HIDs to warm up to operating temp. Now on the same note...your going to want to wire your low beams to NOT shut off when you use your highs, otherwise everytime you flick on your highs your lows (HID's) will shut off..this constant on off of the HIDs will drmatically shorten the bulbs life. This one one reason i dindt use my Anzo headlights to d a retro fit...i ended up throwing both my anzo headlights and tail lights in the garbage...and did a real retro fit in my OEM headlights......but good luck!! mods are expensive...but cheaper when done right the first time....use this site as a valuable resource...the guys here are great!

 

Also the shop installing it shouldn't be charging more then 1 hour to install this, it's honestly maybe 2 wires per side plus the relay, having installed hid kits before 1 hour should be max time. If they try and charge you to adjust the light height then they didn't do it the first time around (which at the price you paid should have included that) hid's will dramatically improve your light output and hopefully put the mod in the completed section so you can move on to others

 

Yep, works great.

 

Ok I'm almost there, just two more questions:

1) Should I stick with 35W or go 50/55W on the low beams (not touching high beams per your all's points/recommendations)

2) Pricing:

Retrofit HID Morimoto Elite HID kit is $150.

https://www.theretrofitsource.com/pr...oducts_id=3959

OR

Retro-Solutions Digital HID Kit is $135

http://retro-solutions.net/product-i...ct/prod_id=663

 

Looks like Retro-Solutions also requires a relayed wiring harness which costs another $12-$15, bringing the cost to the exact same as Retrofit $(150). So both kits are the same cost, which is best? Am I splitting hairs here?

 

Honestly I would stick to the 35w kit just cause it should have lower temps, light output shouldn't be that different. Most high end vehicles are running 35w

 

I used 35w in my low beams, 5000k color (pure white). Light output is excellent, leaps and bounds above stock. Products from the retrofit source are excellent, and customer service is as well. When I bought my stuff, I had a ballast that was damaged in transit. I didn't notice it at first, since my wife signed for the package and it sat in the garage for a week until I could install it. It was too late to file a claim with the shipper, so I called them and told my story. The shipped a replacement that day at no cost with a pre-paid return label for the bad one, no questions asked. I was impressed that they shipped a new one before receiving the damaged unit. Made a. Loyal customer out of me. I am not sure about retro-solutions, but I have heard a few good reviews on them.

 

All, been a while but though I'd let you know I had the HID kit installed which help the Spyder's immensely. Low beams anyway. Next problem is the high beams, which suck. Is it easy to splice the high beams into the low beams so anytime the high beams are turned on the low beams stay on too?