First, I would get rid of headlight bulbs with any kind of tint to them. They may look a little brighter from the outside but actually throw out less light. It sounds as though you may have already came to that conclusion. HID's are great but very $$$. Sylvania markets a -xv (extra vision) bulb which is relatively inexpensive and are among the brightest dot legal bulbs available. Be cautious about using higher powered bulbs so you don't inadvertanly dazzle oncoming drivers. For some great reading on automotive lights and lighting systems see this website:
http://lighting.mbz.org/home.html