Retroshop - A year later review.

[RamWagon]

So. After being on the forum for quite some time. And seeing alot of posts regarding lighting. I've decided to make a little review on Mr. Jeremys gear. First and foremost. The guy is steller. If you want what you want. You will get it. You have questions? He will answer them quickly and in an understandable manner. A grade A seller/professional with what he does. So let me get on with his gear. I'm running the morimoto 50w @ 6000k. From a drivers view. A crisp white light. The projectors cut a clear beam of light. You can actually see a solid line where it begins and ends. With a light hint of blue along that line. You can only really see the blue hue if you get out and look at the front end of your truck. When I first installed them. I couldn't believe the distance of sight gained. It when from 30-50 ft. To about 100. Before adjustment I could see the light reflecting off stop signs 8 light posts away. Roughly 50' between each post. I do alot of county road driving due to where I live. Hunt/fish. And traveling between service calls. And alot of you guys know deer just pop out of know where. On 2 occasions the extra light have stopped me from destroying my front end. And around here 300 pound bucks are not uncommon. I'm not saying buy these lights just so you don't run into critters. But it helps. Not to mention the custom cool factor you get when you get to build your own lights how you want them. So far. No issues with the lighting itself. No moisture issues. No burnt bulbs. They have functioned flawlessly. The added halos gives a look that will set you apart from the rest. At the end of my rant. I can say I was a bit worried about dropping x amount of money just on lights. But ide rather spend the money once and have a great product I can rely on. Without having another brand cramp out leaving me to spend more. All in all. Would buy again. And for those people out there sitting on the fence. I wouldn't. Not for professionalism like this.

And here's a video of a quick on off. Doesn't look like much. But it's alot further than the video makes it out to be.

https://youtu.be/Tr1-UKTVOXo

 

[bryan28]

Good review. I'm not currently in the market for new lights but if I were your review would at least make me check him out.

 

[GP4L]

I'll second this review.

I'm about 8 months into my ownership of Retro Shop HID's in the lows and fogs, 35w 5000k. I had to be mindful of the light output, as I'm driving in very urban areas 99% of the time, but was still pleasantly surprised with how awesomely bright and crisp they are! Especially compared to halogen bulbs. Only issue I've had was a fog canbus getting (assuming) water logged and failing. Jeremy had a new one sent to me in a couple short days.

I actually recently did a light smoke on my fog lights, because they are apparently too bright - as I was getting flashed constantly by oncoming drivers. The smoke film doesn't stop, or really tone down, any of the direct light that's actually useful, as far as I can tell atleast. But it definitely tones down the scattered light enough to where I think I'm not driving everybody oncoming crazy anymore. Lol

Great guy with great products!

 

[DanC]

I tried to figure this out on my own. But who is the person that does this ? I bought some aftermarket lights and they are awful so I want to put the stock ones back in but not till they are modded. Or if I find someone that sells modded ones

Thanks in advance

 

[DCFCE]

JJ at The Retroshop great guy, great products

 

[dkmesa]

I'll second this review.

I'm about 8 months into my ownership of Retro Shop HID's in the lows and fogs, 35w 5000k. I had to be mindful of the light output, as I'm driving in very urban areas 99% of the time, but was still pleasantly surprised with how awesomely bright and crisp they are! Especially compared to halogen bulbs. Only issue I've had was a fog canbus getting (assuming) water logged and failing. Jeremy had a new one sent to me in a couple short days.

I actually recently did a light smoke on my fog lights, because they are apparently too bright - as I was getting flashed constantly by oncoming drivers. The smoke film doesn't stop, or really tone down, any of the direct light that's actually useful, as far as I can tell atleast. But it definitely tones down the scattered light enough to where I think I'm not driving everybody oncoming crazy anymore. Lol

Great guy with great products!

Lol - you have committed my biggest automotive pet peeve! HIDs with no projectors. Blinding every single oncoming car...

A secondary part of my pet peeve is when people get 8000k+ HIDs, so thank you for at least running white light.

 

[adrianp89]

He never said he didn't have projectors? He has a 14 Sport - pretty sure he does have them.

 

[RamWagon]

Thank you gents. And thinking forward. I don't think I could own any vehicle without HIDS the output is too easy to get used to. The bikes getting a projector next

 

[Hemi450hp]

Can I get an AMEN!! I have had the same experience when dealing with Jeremy as well. I've had 3 sets of custom lights now, and at least 10 HID kits for my own trucks and friends and family members cars/trucks.

 

[Graygoose]

Nothing but the best. Had tinted 3rd and tails on my 2011, and 2013 projectors on it...loved it.

Now with my 2015, have his LED Sport tails...love them!!

 

[Ricks Ram]

I too have had great results with Retro Shop. I ended up getting the adaptors to run the 13 and up factory projectors on my Express. There was a problem with one of the wires that shorted out one of the resistors he walked me through the whole thing and help me figure it out and fix it. I also bought the TYC Laramie style tail lights they have been on my truck for a year-and-a-half they look exactly like the factory item and cost half as much very happy with everything going to do the HID fog lights next just been busy.

 

[RamWagon]

Another thing. I understand. Not everyone has budgets for truck things but i can breAK it down lIke this. Living in canada. We overpay for literally everything. Dealer wanted 800-900 per OEM sport headlights w/projectors. No HID kit. Luckily for me. I managed to get mine from Jeremy before our dollar went to ****. Custom. W/ halos. Projectors. HIDs. And my own colour scheme. For waaaay less than what it would have cost from the dealer.

 

[hankRam2015]

I just got a retro set of projectors from Jeremy. Would never have attempted to spend that kind of money with anyone but Jeremy. Especially with lightning where there are always questions and issues. +1

 

[misuracaf10]

I got some custom painted tails from him. So far so good with them. They seem to occasionally get moisture in there but knock on wood they are still working great. I also have custom heads from PlainAnSimple, which I have no complaints about and they look amazing. Jeremy sent me the first set of fails and for some reason the color didn't match my paint. So he sent me a new pair free or charger after I sent the first pair back to him. Good to work with and good customer service !


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[GP4L]

Lol - you have committed my biggest automotive pet peeve! HIDs with no projectors. Blinding every single oncoming car...

A secondary part of my pet peeve is when people get 8000k+ HIDs, so thank you for at least running white light.

With the smoked film it's not bad at all. Believe me, I had concerns about that at the beginning. I also had concerns about how bad the factory lights sucked - and not seeing something jump out in front of me in time. But even without the smoked film, it wasn't terrible. The situation that is probably inconvenient for oncoming traffic would be when I was cresting a hill or something like that. But it's still the headlights aimed directly at their faces in that situation, not the fogs.

And yes, depending on the manufacturer of the HID, the diminishing return begins above 5000K. Above that, you're probably blinding yourself as much as other drivers.

 

[TestPilot57]

He never said he didn't have projectors? He has a 14 Sport - pretty sure he does have them.

It's the Fogs that were blinding people, because they are not projectors.

I will second the OP - I also have the Retroshop Morimoto 50W upgrade (with C-Bar Halos - awesome!). The light they give off is amazing.

I've had mine for maybe 4 months now, and there have been absolutely no issues. The only thing that I'm not keen on is that, on High Beam there is a "concentration line"* from the extreme outer edge of the beam to about 45°.

*don't know what it actually is or how else to describe it. It's like the lens is not smooth and you get a bunch of refracted light - not really a rainbow, but a similar effect, at right about the vertical midpoint, just above where the cuttoff for low beam is. I keep meaning to get a pic but it's never the right time.