DDM Tuning issues, opinions requested

Arcolog2 · May 24, 2014

Looking for opinions on what you guys would do. I've purchased from DDMTuning for HID lights a few times. Shipping has always been a nightmare. Today I received my order that I placed on April 10th, 2014. One month and 14 days to arrive. Shipping cost was $28 to NJ.

The package arrived in less than desirable condition. One end of the box was smashed in. I hoped everything inside would be ok, you know maybe they put some packing material in there, they are light bulbs after all. I opened to box to find a couple of the packages also smashed. The worst is the ballast boxes.

Talking to DDM on the phone didn't help me at all with finding my package when they didn't know where it was. They were only able to tell me exactly what I can read on my own from the USPS tracking number. Parcel posted and waiting shipment.

I am not sure I want to continue to deal with shipping problems from DDM, so their "lifetime warranty" means nothing to me at this point.

Should I keep the HID kits or request to return them? I know they wont last forever, I've had enough issues with my other 4 kits. I know they will do everything possible to not allow me to return the items to them.

I have pictures, just trying to figure out how to post them.

Dave

Big_D · May 24, 2014

So is anything actually broken inside the boxes? Ballasts are pretty tough.

MikeNH · May 24, 2014

They drop ship from China usually. Good luck getting new parts.

Arcolog2 · May 24, 2014

Nothing appears to be broken, the bulb boxes are only slightly smashed. I still have no idea why it took so long to arrive. I order Lithium Polymer batteries (hazardous shipment) from Hong Kong and they arrive in 3-4 days by normal mail, faster than stuff from even California.

Spurshot · May 24, 2014

The harsh reality is: you ordered the cheapest Chinese HID light kit you could find and you got it. If it works, what else is there? Unless you collect Chinese boxes, what's the problem?

I have one of their kits from years ago for my 99 GMC. I never installed it. Had buyer's remorse for picking a Chinese product and just tossed it in the garage.

arkenzo · May 24, 2014

Something went awfully wrong with that shipping box, I don't blame DDM Tuning for that, is anything damaged inside? Which HID kit did you buy? I have their 35w kit on my 2014 Silverado and it works flawlessly, no issues to report at all.

spurshot, that's your opinion, and you have every right to say that, however I've had my DDM kit for a while now on my truck and it has worked fine, many others have purchased DDM kits and they have worked fine, almost all the HID/LED stuff sold online is from China anyways, so what is your point? Nothing wrong with Chinese products.

2014MorePower · May 24, 2014

I just got my DDM HID kits in for my 2014 Silverado 1500 waiting for truck yet. My boxes look just like yours. I have their HID kit in my 2007 Monte Carlo SS and love them didn't need power harness at all I purchased relay and error kits for the truck. How did your install go for lows and highs.

Spurshot · May 25, 2014

[quote name="arkenzo" post="1459076"

.... many others have purchased DDM kits and they have worked fine, almost all the HID/LED stuff sold online is from China anyways, so what is your point? Nothing wrong with Chinese products.

I was a little hard on the OP but he probably read the recent posts about the capacitors popping on the DDM kits and is likely having second thoughts. My point is that if you shop for the lowest price for a type of product, you'll more often than not get the lowest quality along with it.

2016 Sierra Owner · May 25, 2014

"I know they wont last forever, I've had enough issues with my other 4 kits."

Unfortunately this line in the OPs post should have answered his own question. Assuming they all came from DDM. Hope fully they will work for you without having to send them back. No telling what they will send you in return.

Arcolog2 · May 26, 2014

Glad so many of you cant just answer the simple question of keep them or send them back. I wasn't questioning the quality of the cheap HID kit. I paid almost 30 bucks for 7-10 day SHIPPING, which took 44 days and came smashed, that's the problem here. My previous kits were not drop shipped from China, they were shipped from Cali. Granted that was a few years back.

Spurshot · May 26, 2014

Well, since we don't know how big of a decision this is to you, we'd all need more information to help you make a wise choice. Maybe W-2's for the past 3 years, checking and savings account balances for the past 3 years, any credit and loan balances and a credit rating.

Guessing that you don't want to post all that, and that you're pissed at DDM...so maybe you should try to get your money back. If they don't give your money back, you can use it, re-gift it, or trash it.

MotoMedic · May 26, 2014

Keep them, test them, and if everything works, then no problem. DDM will ship you new stuff if any of it is broken. The only drawback of DDM is their shipping times, but at the price, IMO its a fair trade.

Almost every 2014 owner with DDM's either posted in the HID topic or Messaged me directly... so far maybe 5 out of 50+ have had actual part failures. Majority of people's issues are due to improper installation.

*When you do test them, don't permanently install anything! Just lay wiring on radiator cover and temporary connect everything,

Big_D · May 26, 2014

i've ran the same 55w ddm ballasts for 4-1/2 years in 2 different trucks. the only issue i've had is color shifting on one of the bulbs, simply ordered a new pair. shipping is brutally slow but for the price you can't go wrong.

like moto said.... hook them up, test, if all is good, install.

Arcolog2 · May 26, 2014

Thanks for the reasonable responses Moto and big_D. I will be testing in the morning to make sure it all survived.

Mike1220 · May 26, 2014

I must agree with Moto and big_D. I am on my first set of DDMtuning HIDs and I'm happy with their product. The only downside in my opinion is that they do take a while to come in. I'm one of the people who had a part failure and the only thing that aggravated me was that I had to clean up what my capacitor shot out haha. But ik would still order from them again. I think my thing was that the capacitors maybe couldn't take the large amount if power produced with the 55W kit that I got and also I have an 80amp relay on mine. So I'm guessing that my capacitor failed just like any other capacitor would have. If it has too much power going through It then it eventually will fail as it's supposed to.

I'm happy with my kit and hope you like yours. A product is a product and whether it has a brand name (and a few more dollars on the cost) or no brand name, if it gets the job done it's good in my book.

PS. My shipping box from DDM looked just that when I recieved mine. Maybe someone in Cali who is accepting all of the out of the country orders smashes a box when he sees China haha.

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