A note about HID headlights on miata

[black roadster]

A note about HID head lights on miata.

I have the Moss Lo-pro headlights which uses high quality Hella projector housings for the low beams. They have a proper cut-off like modern headlights and use H9 bulbs.

I decided to put in some 4300k HID bulbs. I never felt like the lights were that great. I've since switched to the original halogens and what a difference! Yea, I have the yellowish light but the light goes where it needs to. Hella makes a HID light in the style of the Moss units but they cost five times the price of the halogen units. There must be a difference in the reflector of the housing because the HID do not perform well in the Halogen units.

So, a word to those with projector head lights with halogen bulbs. HID require a specific style housing to properly disperse the light. By switching to HID, you may be decreasing light output.

[Phatmiata]

Good info! Thanks for sharing!

Local guy here put in some HID lights get got outta the junkyard for his NB Miata, one night of driving melted his lens. :shock:

[SM16RMSM]

The filament on halogen sits in a different location vs high intensity discharged filaments basically. The reflector bowls of HID are shaped differently then halogen bowls. An HID in a halogen projection headlamp in a NB2 headlight still produces a bit of glare. I've got HID but my lights are turned down more so the glare isn't as bad. I was thinking of doing an HID projector retrofit in the housing of the NB2 headlamps but its not worth it since the projector is built into the housing of the headlamp making a swap very hard.

I've done my homework before buying my cheap HID kit.