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View Full Version : Buying HID?? DON'T BUY XETRONIC OR XTRALIGHTS



GrassyKnoll
04-09-2006, 06:35 PM
I have a stern warning to put forth.

I own 2 sets of HID lights (headlights + foglights) and I love them. In my opinion, a great addition to my car. However, I have had many problems with the headlight set.

I bought a pair of 10,000K Xetronic Hi/Low 9007 bulbs to replace the stock 9007 hi/lows in my 99GT. I bought them from xtralights.com. Xetronic was widely advertised as an excellent brand and xtralights.com boasted a hefty warranty. I wanted my investment into HID to be quality, so I splurged on the $469 price tag. Yes, yes, I know it is alot. But it was an investment I wanted to take. And with the wide vareity of HID problems, I wanted to do it right.

I installed them no problem. Then, 3 months later, I went to buy the fog lights from another company. I wanted Xetronic so the colors matched the headlights but I wanted to buy them cheaper. So, I went to company out of Texas. After ordering, I received a phone call telling me that the company in Texas was switching to another HID company becuase they have had problems with Xetronic. So, I started looking around online to see that many other people had ballast problems with the Xetronic. I bought the new brand and didn't think much of it.

January came along, and to my dismay, I began having problems with the right headlight. When I started the car, the light would only ignite about 60% of the time, and I found myself waiting up to 5 minutes until the light would finally ignite. The problem got better over time as the weather warmed and I adjusted to the problem. However, just last week, the left side failed. It wouldn't turn on and even after switching the bulbs, the left side remained dead. DEAD BALLAST.

So, lesson #1: XETRONIC HID KITS ARE AN OVERPRICED BAD BUY. STAY CLEAR

So, on to my second trouble. I bought my light kit from xtralights.com because of the warranty offered. I email a request for RMA for the lights and they responded with: "please send your proof of professional installation (required for warranty use) and a check for $25 for return shipping to the following address:"

OK: two problems here. Firstly, they never made it clear that professional installation is required for warranty use. A USEFUL DETAIL TO KNOW BEFORE INSTALLING! Second.... $25 for return shipping?? If you stood behind your product at all, you wouldn't charge the customer $25 to ship a defective product.

Lesson #2: xtralights.com is an overpriced retailer. STAY CLEAR

I hope I save some of you guys from the headaches im experiencing now. I would recommend www.buyHID.com (http://www.buyHID.com) for some excellently priced HID kits. My foglights have had 0 problems despite the fact they were 50% the cost of my headlights.

All I know is that I plan on checking the postage cost for xtralights.com on their package sent back to me... and if it is a penny less than $25, heads will roll :wink:

Hope this helps

NewGenSTi
04-09-2006, 10:29 PM
so wait, what brand were your foglights now? are they xetronic also?

GrassyKnoll
04-10-2006, 02:40 PM
no they aren't. they are PROMAX.

NewGenSTi
04-10-2006, 04:00 PM
And you would reccomend this brand ?

GrassyKnoll
04-12-2006, 01:11 AM
They are cheap as hell, and so far I have had 0 problems. I love em.


Plus, they are the only company to have developed 30,000LK color temp!

Check this out! (next highest ive seen around is 12,000-15,000K tops)

http://www.performancexenon.com/images/30000K2.gif

shooter
04-12-2006, 02:21 AM
nice looking, but the higher the temp the lower the light output, 5000lk is way brighter, and personally I'd rather see the road ahead.

GrassyKnoll
04-12-2006, 05:55 PM
Definately. It is a balance between looks and functionality.

Still, the 30,000K is over twice as bright as regular halogens.

NewGenSTi
04-12-2006, 09:39 PM
yeah, 30,000k is crazy. I liked the look of my stockers on my STi and they were like 4500k or somewhere around there. I am looking for functionality here not so much as looks. we have lots of deer around us and its nice too see them way ahead before they jump in front of you!