soccer05

Alright, I am thinking to change my low beams to HIDs and I need your guys suggestions. I have a 2010 black C300 with black tinted windows all around. What would you guys suggest for a black car, 6000k or 8000k?

Thanks

alexlev

Keep it classy - 6000k

Knightmare69

6000k is the highest you should go, OEM temp are 4200k-4500k for most usable light output.

snarlingchicken

Alex, your sig makes me lol. I personally like 5000k. Lol, it doesn't have any hint of yellow but is at that pure white level so that it still retains proper lighting (somewhat. Not on par with that of 4300k of course). But if it's between 6000k and 8000k, I'd go for 6.

soccer05

Snarling, do you have a picture for 5000k? I am leaning towards 6000k but I am still confused haha

Knightmare69

It's hard to go by pics as many kits usually have coloring slightly different from the actual temp. Some will advertise 5000k but may be closer to 6k or vice versa. For the safest bet, go 4300k as even if it's "bluer" than 4300k it'll still be below the 6k mark.

venchka

You can't go by images on a computer monitor either. Few, if any, are properly calibrated for correct colors.
The photo industry has been treating 5000k as daylight since forever. Digital cameras use 5000k as daylight.
5000k would be a good place to shop.

6000k-8000k is approaching the hideous blue that drives me crazy when the lights are shining in my mirrors. That's when I wish I had a James Bond car.

http://www.3drender.com/glossary/colortemp.htm

Wayne

soccer05

Would you guys suggest 35w or 55w for my low beams? I don't want anything to melt.

Boris0126

I have 6000k on my headlights and foglights but it doesn't exactly match cause of the projector in the headlight so I just order 8000k for the headlights and I'm gonna stick with 6000k in the fogs. I have seen different cars with 8000k headlights and 6000k foglights and it matches good. That's what I've seen in different cars but is up to you.

Knightmare69

35W will be fine, you may or may not need a HID canceler, it's hard to say, I think some ballasts may have them built in or being "digital" or something negates the need for the canceler but some ppl have needed to add them where as I didn't.

Also, I recommended 35w because 55w is so much brighter (not that that's a bad thing usually) but in this case it is. I've compared xenon packaged projectors and halogen projectors for our W204 and there is a difference in the lens which if you get 55w will be VERY annoying to other drivers, it may in fact be too much light. I've adjusted the headlights after installing a pnp kit to the best I can without interfering with other drivers but it's not optimal which is why I plan on either a retrofit later on or actual xenon packaged headlights.