There is a constant drive in the world of car lovers to find the newest, best and most efficient vehicles. The next step up from that is to take these vehicles and upgrade them. One of the most commonly used and easily installed upgrades is an HID upgrade. But, is it worth it?

My simple answer is “yes”. Once you drive a car with an HID kit properly installed, you can never be satisfied with the lack-luster output of the more standard halogen bulbs. HID stands for “High Intensity Discharge”, which means that the potential and peak lumens that this type of bulb can produce is much higher than the standard. The clarity, crispness and reach of these bulbs are all far beyond that of the standard halogens.

To expand on the subject of clarity and crispness, the spectrum of the light that is produced is much wider in HID kits than in standard bulbs. This means that the visible light that is produced doesn’t have the yellow tint that I find to be kind of jarring to the eyes and doesn’t offer really good visibility. If you have ever walked from one room where all the bulbs are old incandescent bulbs and then into a room where the only lighting is fluorescent, you know how extreme the difference is. I replace a lot of the bulbs in my workshop with CFL bulbs to decrease strain on my eyes while increasing the visibility of small details and the overall electrical efficiency of my home. Installing an HID kit should be done with the same benefits in mind.

Simply put, you will see better while driving in a vehicle with an HID kit installed and you won’t be satisfied with halogen bulbs ever again. With higher visibility and clearer light, you’ll be safer and more comfortable on even small trips. It’s worth the little bit of time and money involved.