Corollas With Hids - Corolland: the Toyota Corolla Forums

So, I was wondering if anybody else has HIDs (kit or retro) in their corolla.

Me I've got a 2000 corolla with FX35 projectors, Never going back to halogen (except to upgrade what I have now)

output of one of the projectors before I put it into the lamp:

https://i187.photobucket.com/albums/x237/bs...n14rulz/fsx.jpg

https://i187.photobucket.com/albums/x237/bs.../fsxcloseup.jpg

I wanted HIDs at first just for the look. Then I realized after researching that HIDs are much better in a projector. Now I've got (probably) the best and safest forward lighting of any 2000 corolla.

edit: so I guess img code doesn't work here, so I got rid of the img flags to make it easier to copy and paste.

good for you.

i am totally for hid.

dont let anyone tell you that they are too bright.

who cares?! as long as you can see, and those around you can tell you are there.

what intensity did you get?

I am looking to upgrade to 10k now...

tdk

Bikeman982

Thanks for blinding the oncoming drivers.

Thanks for blinding the oncoming drivers.

LOL, ditto, oncoming drivers have to see, also, or they may end up in your grill...

1,424 posts

There is a difference between HID "kits" and OEM HIDs

All OEM HID systems have a leveling control. It is either fully automatic or driver controller. This system keeps the lights aimed properly so that they don't blind anyone.

Kits have no such adjustment and adding any weight to the rear of the car or otherwise causing them to come out of alignment will result in blinding on coming drivers.

That is why HIDs are only permitted if they are OEM in some states and mine is one of them. When I had my Mazda3 I got pulled over at night once. The car has factory Euro Tails and so it looks like it has been modified. Because of this, the police officer would not believe that my HIDs were factory and was going to write me a ticket. I had to pull the window sticker out of the glove box and show him that everything on the car including the headlights were 100% as they were from Mazda. He let me go but told me that I should be careful because no one was going to believe that my car was stock with the way it looked and I would be a target for vehicle equipment enforcement.

I never got pulled over again, but I was always mindful at night to keep my fog lights off and the interior illumination turned down so there was no red glow inside the car.

TheDarkKnight,

thanks for the comments. One feature these headlights have that I don't have pictures of is a movable shield. when I flick on the high beams, the shield moves and that cutoff disappears. I use it as a weapon against idiots, but normally I don't use high beams around people, so I'm not as visible as I could be. In fact, when looking at these from the driver's seat of another car, it's probably just as bright, if not dimmer. Just a different color.

I went with 4300k for maximum output of lumens. as the color temperature goes up, actual light output goes down. For me, these are more for safety than looks.

99Contour,

Someday I might consider putting autoleveling in there, but that's a lot of work and not really needed. some cars with HIDs don't have autoleveling either (s2k has sweet HIDs but no autoleveling), why should I? I do feel, though, that I could defend the safety of my lighting if I ever got pulled over. I've been pulled over for other things, but no police have ever made mention of my headlights (knock on wood). Only if the officer were as dumb as a rock (some of them might be, you never know) would I not be able to talk, explain, and show how my lights are safer than stock.

Madar and Bikeman,

You are right, kits can be blinding in the wrong optics. I've never tried a kit so I wouldn't know what the results are in my specific corolla. I do know this, though: these headlights rock. the road in front of me is lit up like crazy! other drivers don't get blinded because their eyes are above the cutoff line.

I learned a lot from www.hidplanet.com/forums. hidplanet.com doesn't have much selection in it's store (brand new OEM ballasts and bulbs, which are normally hard to get brand new), but the forums are loaded with information and a very active lighting marketplace.

Thanks again for the comments. Someday when I have more moolah, I plan to replace these FX35 projectors with projectors from an Acura TL. These are reputed to be the best HID projectors that have low and high beams. And of course, if it goes in a corolla, I'll throw pics up on here. I'm a little embarrased about how my headlights look aesthetically, because I didn't have any decorative chrome trim put around it, so no pics of the headlights themselves.

anyways, thats enough typing for my monthly visit. keep Rollin!

1,424 posts

99Contour,
I do feel, though, that I could defend the safety of my lighting if I ever got pulled over. I've been pulled over for other things, but no police have ever made mention of my headlights (knock on wood). Only if the officer were as dumb as a rock (some of them might be, you never know) would I not be able to talk, explain, and show how my lights are safer than stock.

Nice try, but if it is illegal in your state like it is in mine, no matter how much you argue, "but its safer" to a police officer, particularily a state highway patrol officer, you're going to get a ticket.

Going to put some fogs in my 2000 corolla. Noticed that the bumper beam has 3 or 4 holes on the bottom of it in two spots. I'm thinking these might be where fogs are supposed to attach, but not sure. Anybody have pics or description of how or where or even if this corolla has fog mounts that I can use?

I'd like to be able to just make some OEM fog housings fit instead of custom-fabricating everything. It usually turns out better.

Yeah, there are holes for OE fogs, but good luck on fabbing something that will fit an aftermarket into it.

I ended up making a spacer/stay out of scrap metal (or plastic) i had lying around and using longer bolts to fasten my PIAA Denos.

lets see some pics when you are done!

tdk

I just had HID put on my car (10K I believe?). Had a friend install it for me, it was rather simple. Looks great, I'll post some photos once I get out of work here.

Going to put some fogs in my 2000 corolla. Noticed that the bumper beam has 3 or 4 holes on the bottom of it in two spots. I'm thinking these might be where fogs are supposed to attach, but not sure. Anybody have pics or description of how or where or even if this corolla has fog mounts that I can use?
I'd like to be able to just make some OEM fog housings fit instead of custom-fabricating everything. It usually turns out better.

00 have no fog mounting points, sad but true. That's why I'm going to 01 front end as well when I install my retroed headlights and why I'm retroing into a 01 headlight instead.

The lower grille is only 1.5" tall. So your fog choices are very limited if you don't want to cut anything.

00 have no fog mounting points, sad but true. That's why I'm going to 01 front end as well when I install my retroed headlights and why I'm retroing into a 01 headlight instead.
The lower grille is only 1.5" tall. So your fog choices are very limited if you don't want to cut anything.

Hey Buurin, just saw you over at HIDP about your retro!

I don't exactly know what a fog mounting location looks like. What do they usually look like? Is it a bracket that doesn't hold anything or do they leave holes in the bumper beam in a certain configuration or something? I might end up drilling holes in the top side of the bumper beam above the holes already there (Kinda don't wanna sacrifice integrity of the bumper, but this seems ok...) and just use some long bolts to secure a bracket. Unfortunately, this project is on hold until I am more able to aquire needed spare parts.

On the 2001-2002 Corolla - they added provisions (cutouts in the bumper) for fog lamps. The S trim came with fogs, the other trims I believe had plastic filler panels in place of the fog lamp.

On the early models - you have to fabricate something to hold a fog lamp, cut into the existing bumper (make a big hole), or stick them in some opening in the bumper (lower grille area, even as high up as the center grille area). Some end up mounting the fogs directly to the front of the bumper - ala Rally style.

I'm partial to OEM locations - as adding an available OEM fog lamp makes the installation look clean, factory installed like finish. Though I have to say - the glass fog lamps for the later 8th gen are pretty expensive. I had one blown out by a rock - the lamp assemblies are little more an a $100 each for OEM. Might be able to find DEPO ones much cheaper. I might pickup another set, just to have. As the other one is starting to cloud inside a bit - moisture is starting to corrode the reflector back there.

On the 2001-2002 Corolla - they added provisions (cutouts in the bumper) for fog lamps. The S trim came with fogs, the other trims I believe had plastic filler panels in place of the fog lamp.

How did the fogs attach to the car? Were they held on only by the bumper, or were they mounted to the big metal bumper beam? Sorry for all the super-specific questions. There are three holes on the underside of my bumper beam, pretty much exactly where I would put my fogs. They are (IIRC) in this pattern{ :. .: } Although I see no way of running a bolt through it w/o drilling or cutting a hole, I thought I'd ask how exactly the OEM 01-02 fogs are mounted. Thanks for your infos =)

There are held on by tabs on the outside edge and a single screw on the inside edge. The screw ran through a metal grommet, if I recall correctly, so they don't pull through the bumper material. But this would only apply to the 2001-2002 Corollas. The 1998-2000 Corollas have a different design of bumper and lamp assemblies - so fogs would have to be retrofitted in a different matter.

There are held on by tabs on the outside edge and a single screw on the inside edge. The screw ran through a metal grommet, if I recall correctly, so they don't pull through the bumper material. But this would only apply to the 2001-2002 Corollas. The 1998-2000 Corollas have a different design of bumper and lamp assemblies - so fogs would have to be retrofitted in a different matter.

You just gave me the best idea yet on how to mount my fogs! Can't believe I didn't think of that! Thanks fish =)