i thought HIDs were supposed to be the best in automotive lighting tech...if so, why dont a lot more cars have them as an option or even standard? Are they still too expensive for lower segment vehicles?

 

That's exactly it. Factory HIDs, as well as projector lenses, cost more in the manufacturing process.

 

There still too expensive for most automakers, thats why there only on luxury cars.

 

I don't buy the "too expensive"... aftermarket HIDs are going for $35/kit, and auto makers have much larger economies of scale.



it's an easy add-on incentive for the higher packages. I would think Bluetooth would be more expensive, but Hyundai has it in every car now (except RSpec GC).



It's just one more feature they can say, "The upgraded model has xxxx"



I've seen the same argument made for backup cameras, remote lock/unlock, proximity key start/stop



But once you start adding all of those features, the "kinda cheap" becomes a few thousand dollars. When they bundle a few extra cheap features, they can make more profit off of them. For someone who REALLY wants NAV, they may have to pay for backup camera, iPod integration, and seat heaters, too, so that $600 nav system just became a $1900 "technology package"





cliff notes: it's all marketing and profit margins

 

All I know is when the stock ballast on my coworkers S2000 went, Honda raped him for $1200 to replace it.

 

^ ouch did they a least by him a drink after raping him?

 

I'd expect a night of dinner, dancing and a reach around for that kind of money to fix a head light!

 

it's both cost and complexity, not to mention the operating costs.

oem hid's are a module composed of the headlight and ballast,ignitor together..doesn't bode well for replacement for collision parts..

 

You should see the bumper test results that the IIHS does. They hit the bumper at 5mph and price up the repair. It's amazing how expensive minor looking damage can be. I don't fancy the idea of replacing a HID headlight module or two...







Then again, dat headlight cutoff. Mmmm.

 

Over $750 for a Gen Coupe HID from the stealer.