Ng Luder

hi everyone, im new here. i own a honda prelude but i have questions regarding my families LX470.

we were one of the lucky ones to get it when it first came out before anyone else. so our LX doesnt have all those nice features the current ones have. we r particualrly interested in getting HIDs like the LXs do now (stock). we dont want to just bring it into the dealer knowing it will cost alot to buy the HID not including install. so does anyone here know where i can buy an OEM HID kit for our 97 LX470 online for cheaper than the dealer? we plan to have the dealer install though. thanks for the help!

LexRX

If you have a '97, wouldn't that be an LX450 and not a 470? Correct me if I am wrong, but I think that is the last year of the previous body style with the I-6 engine.

If so, the LX450 wasn't offered with HID. In order to get some you would have to get an aftermarket kit. The current generation LX has projector style headlights. But you are right, the current LX, 2002, does have HID.

-Nick

Ng Luder

hmm i always thought our car was 97... well its definitley the current model, not the older, more squared looking one. maybe its a 98 then.

so yes, where can i get the HIDs like the 2002s do?

matt7184

You'll be pulled over by plenty of cops. Your going to have to readjust your projectors since you will be blinding plenty of drivers since the LX is high up compared to most cars.

LexRX

Ok, for the newer bodystyle you could either go to the dealer, like you said, and pay big $$ or get an aftermarket projector HID Kit. Maybe you could find a wrecked LX with HID (if they are still working) and take them off. That would be hard to find though.

Ng Luder

actually im 100% sure the 2002 LX470s have HID stock. oh and i just checked, mines a 98. as for blinding people, thats why most HIDs are auto level controlled, or whatever the technical term is called.

so i guess no one knows a site that sells OEM lexus stuff including their HID lights?

matt7184

Did Lexus just put HIDs in the LX470? My aunt has a 2001 and it doesnt have it.

LexRX

I thought I was sure about the 2002 LX470 having HID's, but now not so much. I looked at Carpoint.com and it says, for the '02, that HID is standard equipment. Then I went to lexus.com to check to make sure and under specifications it says that they are projector halogen's.

-Nick

matt7184

I would think lexus.com would be a more credible site about this. Even with auto leveling HID projectors, you still have to deal with an SUV here. The car is much higher than other cars. Even if it was aimed down, you may still blind some drivers and you will loose some distance on the light.

Ng Luder

hmm... so i guess the ones i saw was not actualy HID...? im still not too sure yet. is there a difference between halogen projectors and the stock headlights in my 98?

LexRX

Ng Luder, your headlights should be halogen projectors too. Let me try to clarify the difference a little. Check the picture of the RX and LX on the links provided. On the pictures you should see the difference between projector and reflector headlamps. The high and low beams on the RX are reflector style and the fog light on the RX (next to the blinker) is a projector bulb.

On the LX ('98-'02)the headlights and foglights are both projector. The glass bulb projects light instead of reflecting it off the surface like the RX headlights do. Both styles are halogen bulbs.

http://www.lexus.com/showroom/model/lx_exterior.html
http://www.lexus.com/showroom/model/rx_exterior.html

The difference in halogen and HID is in the way the bulb lights, not projects. You can have a projector and reflector style HID as well as halogen. An HID bulb (also called Xenon) uses a gas filled bulb (xenon gas) and an arc of electricity to light it producing a spread of light that is close to sunlight and has a broad beam. Halogen lights simply produce an electric current through a filament that produces heat which in turn produces light. Much less efficient that burning the xenon gas - but cheaper technology.

You may know already, but you can see HID bulbs in their fist applications in areas such as lighting football fields, canopys of convenience food stores, etc. They take a while to charge up in those applicatinos. The HID's in automobiles are a modified form and charge up much quicker.

Hopefully that clarifies more than it confuses or bores you
If you do a general search online for HID bulbs you should find a picture of the bulb and see the difference b/t that and and a regular halogen bulb, but, there are some fake looking HID bulbs out there. They are acutally halogen bulbs "posing" as HID's - fakes. Cheap alternatives to get the HID look.

Sorry about the links, I was going to post pictures, but I guess that is restriced for me now.

-Nick

Ng Luder

cool, thanks alot for the explanation. i knew alot of what HIDs are, just not sure what projector lights are.

the thing is is that i see some LX470s with that HID look and spread when i drive behind one. i was almost convinced (and still a little) that they really are HID. i just need to clarify if this is now standard on 02 models from more sources i guess. i doubt the ones i saw r simple aftermarket bulbs caus ive seen all of those and can tell the difference between them and real HIDs. it just might be that the ones i saw ARE HIDs but they are aftermarket ones. anyways, ill double check this...

LexRX

your welcome