DDM Tuning HIDs - ghetto.

Brian66D · March 9, 2012

I ordered 2 sets of HIDs from DDM tuning... I won't even get into shipping time it took to receive them....

I have had previous experience with DDM with my old 3 series BMWs. I had two E46s a 2001 and a 2004, which both had plenty of parts from DDM on them. I had a few bad experiences with getting wrong parts, yada yada yada...I figured they really couldn't screw up HIDs...

I put in the kit on my low beams when I got off work tonight. I wore gloves to make sure none of my skin touched the bulbs. Install was no biggie as I have been through this process before. However once I go to turn them on...I see that one bulb I would guess-timate inbetween 6000 and 8000k. It is more blue than 6 and less than 8. I ordered 5000k so that isn't that big of a deal. But the other bulb is 4300k. One bulb is blue and one is white-ish/yellow. This looks horribly ghetto.

I guess I really don't know what to do about it being that DDM ships straight from overseas, and I'm sure there is some long drawn out process I have to go through to exchange them. Any advice?

I think from now on I'll just go with the $30 shipped ebay hid kit I bought for my KC hilites...

KMGZ400 · March 9, 2012

my freinds have had many DDM tuning kits and and i have gotten the 30 ebay hids and they are the SAME exact thing, have had 30 ebay hids in my fogs for about a year now and they have lasted through the harsh winter weather. i honestly think they are all made in the same place, with diffrent stickers on them.

Brian66D · March 10, 2012

my freinds have had many DDM tuning kits and and i have gotten the 30 ebay hids and they are the SAME exact thing, have had 30 ebay hids in my fogs for about a year now and they have lasted through the harsh winter weather. i honestly think they are all made in the same place, with diffrent stickers on them.

you're probably right.... I like how in the pictures on DDMs website they have their name engraved in the ballasts to make them look like they aren't the same bogus kits from ebay...Then when you get them from overseas they don't even have a name on them....the boxes don't even have labels.

yukon_denali_05 · March 10, 2012

DDM tuning slim balasts are crap. Their raptor ones (non-slim) seem to last better (and they're cheaper). They've been pretty good with their warranty on replacing them but they are EXTREMELY slow! The Raptors I have on right now have lasted me 2 yrs with no issues so far. I bought the kit for $26.

Brian66D · March 10, 2012

I just installed my kit for the fogs.... same thing. AWFUL. two completely different colors....I know I'm not doing anything wrong here and I've swapped all 4 ballasts around to different bulbs; it isn't the ballasts, it is the bulbs....I have installed at least 50 of these kits on all my vehicles since they came out in the early 2000s....

funny thing. I received my 30 shipped xentec hid kit from ebay after 3 days. Installed it, and they are great. No color issues or anything...

DDM is garbage and I won't ever buy anything from them again. I still have yet to hear a response from them about my original email....

KMGZ400 · March 11, 2012

I just installed my kit for the fogs.... same thing. AWFUL. two completely different colors....I know I'm not doing anything wrong here and I've swapped all 4 ballasts around to different bulbs; it isn't the ballasts, it is the bulbs....I have installed at least 50 of these kits on all my vehicles since they came out in the early 2000s....

funny thing. I received my 30 shipped xentec hid kit from ebay after 3 days. Installed it, and they are great. No color issues or anything...

DDM is garbage and I won't ever buy anything from them again. I still have yet to hear a response from them about my original email....

had the same xentec on my truck, no issues for over a year. just put zentec HID's on my ATV too. they are definatley made in the same jap sweat shop and they put diffrent stickers and engravings on them.

LongrangeLauber · March 13, 2012

the bulbs do not produce the color, the ballasts do. I have a similar kit from DDM and they have been pretty satisfactory, but have only had them for about 6 months. The sweat shop workers probably didnt throw the same ballasts in there, thus resulting in your dilema. I know what you mean about the shipping time, took them over a month to get my kit to me! Stupid customs, I probably wont order from them again anyways, I'll just get my fog HID kit from ebay since yall seem to be quite satisfied with the results

Brian66D · March 14, 2012

the bulbs do not produce the color, the ballasts do.

not sure where you are getting your information?

the bulbs have everything to do with color. the ballasts only determine how bright they are.

Like I said above....I swapped around all 4 ballasts and all the bulbs still produced the same color light...

jdubub · March 14, 2012

Yes....... the bulbs determine the color.

I have friends that have ordered kits from ebay and they have worked perfectly. They are the cheapest and shipping is the quickest.

holty · March 14, 2012

are you guys installing the kits in the factory housings? if so, have you run into issues with causing oncoming traffic to think you have your high beams on?

jdubub · March 14, 2012

are you guys installing the kits in the factory housings? if so, have you run into issues with causing oncoming traffic to think you have your high beams on?

I do not have, and will not install HID's in my current truck. I have put HID's in all of my other 6 vehicles (Including my '08 Sierra), my street bike, my four wheeler and a mower. While it's not ideal to put HID's in halogens, I have and it was always hit or miss if it bothered others or not. Hell, my Acura TL-S I had came with factory HID's and people would flash me with those.

Honestly, I'm sick of jacking with any aftermarket units. I haven't had any bad issues with them, I guess they just don't tickle my fancy all that much anymore.

I did get flashed way more than any other vehicle when they were in my Sierra, and they wern't aimed too high.

Brian66D · March 19, 2012

I did install in my factory housings...I've had countless cars that I have installed them into halogen housings and never had a problem since the kits came out in the early 2000s...I have also had vehicles with factory HID....been flashed with both types of vehicles.

Havent been flashed in this truck yet, but haven't had them that long...I didn't want to deal with the DDM process anymore so i just ordered separate bulbs from fleabay...

I will also be looking into adding the projector kit like the DIY I have seen been done here...just don't like the idea of taking a dremel to my factory lenses...

LongrangeLauber · July 24, 2012

the bulbs do not produce the color, the ballasts do.

not sure where you are getting your information?

the bulbs have everything to do with color. the ballasts only determine how bright they are.

Like I said above....I swapped around all 4 ballasts and all the bulbs still produced the same color light...

I must have misunderstood when I read this online, or maybe thats what one of their customer reps told me when I ordered my kit. Oh well, I have the 8000k and am decently happy with them. I do have a problem when I start my truck, only the driver side stays lit, so I have to push the dome override button to turn off all lights and again to turn all them back on. Works fine until I turn truck off. Anybody have a solution to this? Thanks

Ianf · July 25, 2012

I do have a problem when I start my truck, only the driver side stays lit, so I have to push the dome override button to turn off all lights and again to turn all them back on. Works fine until I turn truck off. Anybody have a solution to this? Thanks

Your problem is DRL voltage being on when you start the truck during the day. You need to install a relay kit to fix this tyhis the balasts get full voltage during startup, or remove the DRL fuse so that the lights do not come on until you turn the switch or the light sensor tells them to turn on.

860Lights · July 25, 2012

Yep, there is a special relay setup needed for the Silverados with DRL, especially the 07+ Models. DDM is in alot of heat right now for very shady business, and was found to sell 6000k kits as 6k/8k, 4300k kits as 4.3k/5k and actually buy other companies parts and resell them as their own when they run out. Also shipping directly from china... yea the kits will take forever.

Our kits ship right from CT (2-3 day eta) and I assure you, they are NOT made in the same place as DDM, Xentec or VVME other companies.