HIDs

[///M]

I\'m thinking of retrofitting the US market HIDs onto my 3, or maybe buying an aftermarket HID kit...but I\'m not sure as to what to do about DRLs and wiring, switches etc. What are my options?

[bluntman]

A couple of members from the TOProtege Club have wired their fog lights to act as their DRLs, maybe a similar mod can be done to our cars. You can also leave the lights on all of the time. Other than that I haven\'t heard of any other solutions.

Keep us informed if you find any new information.

[Xenon]

Generally there are 3 options... but before I get to them, take note that if you get HIDs you CANNOT leave the DRL settings as they are. Our DRLs supply a redusce power output to our bulbs. If you have this setting on with your HIDs they will flicker whenever your headlights are not on and will greatly reduce the life of your bulb.

Option 1: Foglights as DRLs - This is perhaps one of the easiest alternatives. People (see Mazda3Forums) have done it. You just totally disconnect the DRLs, rewire the Foglights to turn on whenever you want (opposed to just when headlights are on), and just keep the foglight switch in the ON position whenever you are driving.

Option 2: Hi-beams as DRLs - This involves sending the DRL relay elsewhere... to your hi-beams. From what I have heard it\'s a little more complicated, but do-able. I don\'t have too much info on this, but basically your headlights will work just like BMWs do.

Option 3: No DRLs - Sumply find the DRL relay and disconnect it. It has to be do-able since American-Spec cars do not come with DRLs.

[RedRaptor]

autoexe,

Are you planning to install the aftermarket HID kit yourself?

After driving around at night to my hockey game, I noticed that the projector headlight system of the 3 is pretty good, even with stock halogen bulbs.

I\'m not going to bother putting in aftermarket bulbs like SilverStars or CoolBlue, my other cars have them and they aren\'t that much better than stock anyways.

Going straight to HIDs. DRL issue. I don\'t mind if they re-route the DRL to Fogs. I\'m just more concerned if that will screw up our settings in terms of \"Auto\" setting.

I know of one shop that does it...which is \"Speedstar\" I believe in Scarborough. My buddy knows the owner so I can get a decent price for a 6000K HID install.

I should call and find out more information.

[///M]

Thanks, let me know.

I\'m also concerned about that will happen to the auto headlight settings.

[fat mike]

Originally posted by autoexe


Thanks, let me know.

I\'m also concerned about that will happen to the auto headlight settings.

I honestly dont think that the Auto headlights would be affected at all by a HID kit. Biggest problem though would be wiring up new DRL\'s. There is a way but seeing how the Auto fuc\\nction is on photo sensors that is controled from inside the car the wiring right around the headlights in the engine bay wouldnt affect it at all. The best way IMO would be to hook up the highbeams as DRL\'s and as soon as the headlights are turned on the HIDS kick in and the Highbeams cut out. I am sure it could be done.

[RedRaptor]

There are a few guys on this forum that have HIDs installed already from reading some of their signatures. It would nice to hear from one of these guys...but maybe they aren\'t willing to share because they want to be unique.



Question for you guys:

Which kit would you choose? 4100K or 6000K?

4100K has more usable light while 6000k has a blue/purple tint to it but has less usable light.

[bluntman]

RedRaptor, you know of XenonDepot (http://www.xenondepot.com/) right? They supply the kits that SpeedStar sells (say that quick 3 times).

[Xenon]

Originally posted by fat mike



Originally posted by autoexe


Thanks, let me know.

I\'m also concerned about that will happen to the auto headlight settings.

I honestly dont think that the Auto headlights would be affected at all by a HID kit. Biggest problem though would be wiring up new DRL\'s. There is a way but seeing how the Auto fuc\\nction is on photo sensors that is controled from inside the car the wiring right around the headlights in the engine bay wouldnt affect it at all. The best way IMO would be to hook up the highbeams as DRL\'s and as soon as the headlights are turned on the HIDS kick in and the Highbeams cut out. I am sure it could be done.

I totally agree. That\'s what I plan to do. But I have to wait until next year to get my HIDs. I don\'t have the finances yet.


Originally posted by RedRaptor


autoexe,

Are you planning to install the aftermarket HID kit yourself?

After driving around at night to my hockey game, I noticed that the projector headlight system of the 3 is pretty good, even with stock halogen bulbs.

I\'m not going to bother putting in aftermarket bulbs like SilverStars or CoolBlue, my other cars have them and they aren\'t that much better than stock anyways.

Going straight to HIDs. DRL issue. I don\'t mind if they re-route the DRL to Fogs. I\'m just more concerned if that will screw up our settings in terms of \"Auto\" setting.

I know of one shop that does it...which is \"Speedstar\" I believe in Scarborough. My buddy knows the owner so I can get a decent price for a 6000K HID install.

I should call and find out more information.



I\'m going to go for the 4300K that Speedstar has. As nice as that purple looks, I would prefer usable light. I was talking to Wegidas (white hatch with 6000K HIDs, Meet #3), he says the 6000K are so-so. He was actually thinking of getting the 4300K package when his 6000K\'s burn out.

(Note XenonDepot has a 4300K Package, not 4100K)

[FLIPDADY]

After looking at the Mazda 3 U.S. spec HID parts you are better off getting an aftermarket kit like the on Xenon Depot sells. The Mazda parts will run you around $800.

[RedRaptor]

4300K is what I\'m leaning towards also. I used to really like the 6000K but I saw pictures of both and the 4300K has more light and the range is a little bit further. I don\'t know why 6000K costs a little bit more but I guess its the \"blue/purple\" appeal that makes it a little bit more to buy.

FLIPSPEED:
Do you know the specifics of the OEM Mazda HID parts? Like what make/manufacter are they from?

Also, what do you think is better? Re-writing the DRLs to Fog or HighBeam?

[FLIPDADY]

Originally posted by RedRaptor


4300K is what I\'m leaning towards also. I used to really like the 6000K but I saw pictures of both and the 4300K has more light and the range is a little bit further. I don\'t know why 6000K costs a little bit more but I guess its the \"blue/purple\" appeal that makes it a little bit more to buy.

FLIPSPEED:
Do you know the specifics of the OEM Mazda HID parts? Like what make/manufacter are they from?

Also, what do you think is better? Re-writing the DRLs to Fog or HighBeam?
I haven\'t seen the actual parts yet mainly because they are backordered. Plus I don\'t want to order the parts and get stuck with them. As for re-wiring the DRL\'s I don\'t recommend anything that will void warranty.

[01AWW18T]

Thought I\'ll chime in since I have hids installed :)

DRLs: you have two options, one is to use the DRL/low beam wires as the trigger to the relay controlling your hids. What this will do is, when there\'s power coming from the DRL/low beam wire, it will act as the switching source in the relay which will send 12V to your hid ballasts.
the other option, of course is to by-pass DRL and the low beam harness altogether.

I chose the latter and this is how I set mine up:

Remove the halogen bulbs from the car, you will have a DRL/Low beam wire on each side with no bulbs connected to it. I taped up the ends with electrical tape.

I made a harness for my hid setup, if you are buying a kit that comes with a separate harness (that gets power from the battery directly) then you don\'t need to make your own. Some kits say you can connect it straight to the DRL/low beam wire for power, I will strongly advise against this as you will get lower power to the ballasts when DRLs are on which will cause flickering.

here\'s a diagram I made for my harness:
http://www.angelfire.com/linux/cscfiles/wiringdiagram.jpg
if the above doesn\'t link properly, just copy the url and open it in your browser

I ran the switch through the firewall to one of the blank spots next to the dimmer switch.

The benefit of this setup is as follows, you have numerous lighting configurations:
Let LB = low beam, F = fog, PL= parking lights (the front amber ones), BL= back lights (the red ones in the back and license plate light)

Keep in mind the hids are on a separate harness and have nothing to do with the following, they can be manually switched on or off to your liking.

- with the headlight stalk (the left one) in the OFF position - no lights
- with the headlight stalk in the PL position - just the front amber lights are on
- with the headlight stalk in the LB positon - the PL and BL are on
- with the headlight stalk in the LB positon and the F switch is in the ON positoon - the PL and BL and F are on <-- Audi style

- with the headlight stalk in the AUTO position, you\'ll get PL, BL when its dark out and if your F is in the ON position you\'ll get F as auto on as well ;)

I know some of you have paid shops (or followed the instructions on M3F) to rewire your fogs as DRLs , but that will most definitely void your warranty (if anything goes wrong anyways), Also, you will not have the advantage of being able to control your fogs

What I might consider in my setup is to tap onto the relay that shuts off the lights automatically after shutting off the car because in my setup, I can leave the hids on even after shutting off the car.

Sorry for the long write up, hopefully I\'ve made it simple enough for anyone to considering hooking this up themselves to save some $$$. Please feel free to IM me if you have more questions.
It may take me awhile to respond though as I have work in the morning and lectures at night :(

EDIT: Here are some pics, click on the link, because its saying [invalid image] when i try to link it
http://www.angelfire.com/linux/cscfiles/IMG_1685.JPG
http://www.angelfire.com/linux/cscfiles/IMG_1692.JPG:D

[fat mike]

Wow thanks for the info!

[wtom]

EDIT: removed below text... nevermind; http://www.torontomazda3.com/forum/read.php?TID=6&page=3


Originally posted by wtom
I\'m honestly interested to grab HID kit from SpeedStar some day in the next month or two. RedRaptor, have you talked to your buddy about possibly getting club pricing for us? I do not know the interest level though but if the owner is open to getting club pricing, that might drive up the interest level here.