Couple of issues, Buddha.
1. The reputable brands such as PIAA, Silverstar, Philips, etc., actually do enhance your lighting output despite the blue tinting. Color is closer to white but lumens are also increased. It's not a night and day difference between these bulbs and the stock ones but it is noticeable.
2. I've always sold my cars before my PIAA's ever went bad. While I'm sure you will get bad bulbs, sometimes the breakage will be do to install error such as touching the bulb.

In terms of the HID kits, I will agree with you that you will have hotspots but they are focused straight ahead instead of being dispersed to the sides. A halogen reflector focuses more light straight ahead because the bulb doesn't put out as many lumens as an hid bulb does. With an hid bulb, they can have a little more light going off to the sides to light up the surroundings a little better. A properly rebased hid bulb will have the same focal point as the H1 halogen bulb. Therefore, it won't increase glare at all. It only increases the intensity of where the light was dispersed originally.

I put a HID kit in my sedan with great results. There was no additional glare and no need for adjustment. The lights were just brighter.

 

AL503. To answer your first question, YES I have one of the first sedans in NJ (purchased in April of 2002) without the premium package so I do not have HID's at ALL ! So with this knowledge, can someone recomend a Ballast kit to purchase so I can join the HID club??

03 Sedan, White on Black. Aero kit, Clear Corners, Stillen Exhust, Grounding kIT & High Flow box, .Z-tube, 18'' XS Style, Eibach Pro-Kit.

 

the best are the philips bulbs and ballasts (with integrated ignitor). I'd get a set off of hid-online who has the genuine stuff. They are a little on the pricey side but they have a great rep. I got my set there and was very happy.