Looking for a new HID kit, not DDM

[Omega-Tron]

I picked up a 35w 5000k DDM tuning kit a couple months ago for my 94 R/T TT. I don't drive the car very much (especially with the lights on) and recently one of the ballasts died. I emailed DDM at the beginning of last week and still haven't received a response. I will try a couple more times and try giving them a call to see what they can/will do.

In the meantime I've also been looking at other HID kit brands. The two that have stuck out are The Retrofit Source and Retro Solutions. Does anyone here have experience with these companies? Would you recommend one over the other? I emailed both of these companies regarding options for my Stealth and they got back to me the very next morning with very helpful info so I'm pleased with their customer service so far.

I've also been doing more research on HID tech this go around. Since I don't see many 2g 3S owners converting from halogen projectors to HID projectors I'm guessing the stock projectors are pretty decent for HID bulbs? Unfortunately I didn't have my HIDs working long enough to do a lot of testing myself. I know they didn't look near as nice and didn't have near as much light output as my friend's S2000. They would make white street signs light up nicely but that was the biggest difference I noticed over halogen.

[arm0red1]

Theres no mechanical difference for the projector lens, which is just a magnified and focused bulb with a shutter inside the housing to keep the light from washing out and blinding people on the road. The main reason why you arent seeing any 2g people do it is bc theres no need, they already have the lenses. The biggest concern would be older plastics and polymers and their heat tolerance, which from my experience, seems to be fine. Ive actually got the ddm tunning raptor kit, and have been using it with great results for the last 2 years and 20k miles. Sorry to hear your ballast go, mines been great, and i personally wouldnt recommend any other brand or kit, by far the best bang for the buck on the market imo. Light quality is excellent, but bulb choice is where the lumens come in, honestly, for raw light, 6k rated bulbs are the best to get, just make sure to aim them after install to be courteous and safe for others on the road

[AudibleSilence]

DDM is big with the GTO and other domestic guys..call them or email them again. They'll do right by you.

[Macky]

I've had two DDM kits and only 1 had issues with a ballast that they shipped a replacement one. just try and reach out to them.

[DocWalt]

I'd stick with DDM, I never had an issue with mine, and they kept me up to date with shipping delays (during the winter holidays and they were moving facilities, so it was a mess)

[DrGonzo]

Check out VVME. I have had the same VVME kit in my Mustang now going on 5+ years. Also using their kits for all my 3S builds. They sell a lot of kits on ebay and I have never had an issue with them.

Best HID Kits, HID Headlights online shopping, LCD Projector/Tattoo Kits/CCTV Systems for sale (http://www.vvme.com/)

[dbest671]

I've had the retosolutions 55w 5000K for over a year on the Spyder without any issues, but it hardly gets driven. Simple plug n play, and great light output. I did do the high beam projector lens swap though, but I had extra high beam lens. The high beam lens gives a crisper cut because it's not "frosted" like the low beam lens.

[DrGonzo]

I got rid of the frost by baking them in the oven at 250 for about 45 min. Wasn't intentional it just happened. I got moisture in one of my housings on the inside due to that hole on the back with the pink paper not being sealed. So I baked them to reseal and get rid of the moisture inside. Worked great but I noticed afterwards the lens was no frosted anymore. I still have to do my other housing as they look funny now. The baked one is crystal clear the other one still has the one frosted lens.....

[dbest671]

I got rid of the frost by baking them in the oven at 250 for about 45 min. Wasn't intentional it just happened. I got moisture in one of my housings on the inside due to that hole on the back with the pink paper not being sealed. So I baked them to reseal and get rid of the moisture inside. Worked great but I noticed afterwards the lens was no frosted anymore. I still have to do my other housing as they look funny now. The baked one is crystal clear the other one still has the one frosted lens.....

It's still frosted, trust me ;). You actually need to hold it up to the light to notice, it like the lens has "micro dimples". They all are like this, except the JDM ones, they actually have two frosted lens.

If you set them side by side, you can tell the difference. I have a box full of projector lens, but it is hard to pick up the frosted part in pictures.

[DocWalt]

The high beam lens swap is definitely a worthwhile upgrade. Not so easy to track down the lenses, but so worth it.

[DrGonzo]

It's still frosted, trust me ;). You actually need to hold it up to the light to notice, it like the lens has "micro dimples". They all are like this, except the JDM ones, they actually have two frosted lens.

If you set them side by side, you can tell the difference. I have a box full of projector lens, but it is hard to pick up the frosted part in pictures.

Well it did something to the lens as I can see a big difference between the one I baked and the one I didn't. it is also a lot clearer and brighter now. Don't know what it did but It looks so much better. I still have to do the other one sometime...:)

[dbest671]

Yeah they do get some kind of build-up/haze on them for some reason. But they are still frosted. My 99's actually had a frosted lens that was grounded down to clear. Maybe I can get a picture of that one, I have one somewhere.

[3000GTPro]

I have read that most HID kits are renamed from just a small handful of original brand names. VVME is one of those original brands, and I have seen someone make a claim or review (not personally) that he had kit after kit go out on him within weeks to a month from arrival on his mazda3 or mazda6. I'm not sure I would trust that. Also, I found out DDM kits are made in China now, and the quality in my experience shows it. I don't know if they always were, but they are now. One of the key aspects I have also read from my own research to differentiate between brands is customer service. If they don't have good customer service, which from that same mazda guy, VVME didn't, and DDM's service is unacceptable to me with past experience, then you probably want to stay away. I have decided to stick with those who offer good service. Preferably someone you can talk to in person or over the phone and can get a hold of easily. I found a VERY good guy who sells them locally here, and he has put these kits on exotics, and comes highly recommended. That's what you want if you ask me.

[anyonebutme]

My "Deft" kit still works, lol. I also hear good stuff about retro solutions.

[jmandodge87]

TRS (The Retrofit Soruce) has phenomenal customer service and stands behind their product. Bulb colors not match when they arrive? Let Matt know, he'll ship one to you at no charge with no need to send the other back. Try that with DDM... you'll pay shipping both ways if I'm not mistaken (if you even get through). I've personally dealt with The Retrofit Source, and even after telling them I may not be purchasing from them they still helped me to find the best possible projector for what I wanted (compact size, bi-xenon capabilities, not too much foreground).

Do the high beam lens swap if you don't want road signs to be too bright. A proper retrofit would be best (halogen projectors put too much on the ground in front of you with HIDs in, causing your iris to shrink and thereby making your distance vision shorter than if you had halogen bulbs), but most people are okay with doing a high beam swap. Personally, I hate how deep our cut-off step is, which is why I'm retrofitting FX35 bi-xenon projectors into the low beam spot. That way, with the highs on, I'll have stock silver stars and xenon lighting, quad high beams for the win.

[Spyder]

I used to like the APEXCONE kits DDM used to sell. After they were name under DDM thats when I started to have issues, bulbs didnt fit properly, color didnt match to what I have ordered and poor customer service over the phone. In person they take care of you very quick but they only have 2 people usually to take care of customers over the phone and those 2 take care of the customer that go to them in person too.The issues with the mistmatch color bulbs wasnt just with me but with multiple friends.

So next time I wanted some hids I went to The Retrofit Source or TRS for short. Got 3 morimoto 5Five kits and never looked back. They fire up nice and smooth and customer service its extremely good. I highly recommend them for quality hid and retrofit kits.