08_GT Posted July 20, 2015 Share Posted July 20, 2015 Hey guys I recently picked up my 08 GT and this would be my first subaru so I know little to nothing about them but I'm starting to do my research. I'm coming from toyota/lexus, have had a few sc300s. Just had some quick questions about the car .are these cars able to run 55w Hid kit safely? Or do they run to hot. I know some cars can't handle the output .I take it there motors are similar to the 09-11 wrx models, I would like to know the compatability this car had with other subarus? Thanks in advance Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
turboboost Posted July 20, 2015 Share Posted July 20, 2015 You can run 55W, but consider running a relay/wiring harness as well. Most people stick with the 35W kit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XenonDepot Posted August 12, 2015 Share Posted August 12, 2015 The problem with 55W kits is they put extra heat into the headlight housing and create more glare for oncoming drivers. All of our kits are 35W for this reason, and new vehicles with factory HID's all use 35W components. Another problem with 55W kits is they frequently pair 35W bulbs with the higher wattage ballasts which causes the bulbs to fail early. John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RJ255 Posted August 13, 2015 Share Posted August 13, 2015 55w will most likely kill your projector bowls....rendering your lights useless after some time. If you really want better output, consider a retrofit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bugblatterbeast Posted August 13, 2015 Share Posted August 13, 2015 I've been running 55w hids for about 7 years now. stock housings, no relays. I measured the startup currents and they were no worse than what one would experience with a halogen bulbs. I haven't burned a stock lighting relay yet. considering that they are only $15 or so, I don't really care if I do burn one. the measured temperature rise of the housing was less than with the stock bulbs. which makes sense given the bulb efficiency. the only issue I've run into is the life time of the bulbs, which has been about 18 months on average. I just keep a spare on hand and order a new set when I use my spares. the bulbs have been less than $20 shipped to my door so I can't really complain. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RJ255 Posted August 13, 2015 Share Posted August 13, 2015 I've been running 55w hids for about 7 years now. stock housings, no relays. I measured the startup currents and they were no worse than what one would experience with a halogen bulbs. I haven't burned a stock lighting relay yet. considering that they are only $15 or so, I don't really care if I do burn one. the measured temperature rise of the housing was less than with the stock bulbs. which makes sense given the bulb efficiency. the only issue I've run into is the life time of the bulbs, which has been about 18 months on average. I just keep a spare on hand and order a new set when I use my spares. the bulbs have been less than $20 shipped to my door so I can't really complain. What kit are you using? The problem with a lot of "55w" HID kits is that they actually don't supply 50 or 55w to the bulb, closer to 40-45w. The main concern when going without a relay harness for these situations isn't the stock relay, it's cooking the stock wiring. It varies from car to car, some need it, some don't. A relay harness is cheap insurance that helps the ballasts get clean and reliable power. Also temperature rise may be less, but there is a fair chance that the UV output is much higher, raising the risk of damage. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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