Looking to get some HID bulbs for my truck. I plan on doing projectors down the road and I understand the negatives that come from running HID's in a Halogen housing so I don't need that lecture. I'm looking at DDM tunings stuff. I plan on getting 55w 5k for headlights and 35w 5k for fogs. I want to make sure I'm choosing the right color temp. Because of the different wattages do I need to get different color bulbs?
While that may be true in most cases, in this case most people I have talked to say that HID's are all made by the same little chinese kids. DDM has a lifetime warranty as well and is less than half the price.
I'd just do it right the first time and skip HIDs and go with projectors. I eventually took my HIDs out as they didn't seem reliable enough for winter driving conditions on dark highways. I'd constantly battle with ballast failures where one headlight wouldn't fire. I added a transformer as well and that didn't help. I'd have unpredictable failures. Sometimes both headlights would work and other times, the passenger side wouldn't come on. Then I'd restart the truck and they'd work. I finally ripped them out to go with halogen bulbs and couldn't be happier. Two headlights that constantly work. Went with Piaa Xtreme white halogens.
I may have to retract my statement with DDM. I had NO problem during the summer with my sets. Now that the snow has fallen I am getting exactly the same thing happening that Alberta Advantage was having as well. Ripped them out, and threw some Silverstar Ultra from Walmat. I had to get something in there I didn't want to get a ticket. Now I hate them haha. I am coming from HIDs and these are nothing compared. I need to find something that can somewhat compare, at least half of what the HIDs did. I know NOTHING will compare, but there has got to be something that at least has a whiter color temperature and decently bright.
I think I may look at the PIAA's. I will also be putting the HIDs back in once winter is done!
I had a "Beamers HID" 6k setup. It was great at first. No issues at all until the warranty (1 year) was up. Then, it seemed like I was having issues all the time. Constantly replacing bulbs and ballasts to the point I didn't trust them enough to drive long distances at night comfortably. This was the brand that all the local performance/accessory shops carried near me. There didn't seem to be any other brands available locally. From what I remember, the kit was fairly expensive so I thought I was buying a quality product and not junk. I find the Piaa Xtreme white a bit too yellow for my liking too. Really wish there was a halogen available in a 6k.
I have the retrosolutions on my truck. The 55 watt 6k digital series. Installed back in 2011. I've put 1800 hours and 90k miles on my truck since then and still work like a charm. I do notice that on rainy nights I seem to piss more people off and plan to do a retrofit soon...
I've ordered a 2016 F350 and I'm having a set of custom lights built by Black Flame Customs... they are HID Bi-Xenon with projector lenses retrofitted into the factory housings.
Not cheap by any means, but I am hoping they are money well spent. I don't have the truck or the lights yet... just adding some options here for lights.
To help you out, and yes I also know the issues with running HIDs in a non projector housing.
I have been running DDM Tuning stuff since 2011, in my 2 '05s and now a new set with my '11. I only had 1 issue and that was after 5 years or so, the color temp in one of the bulbs started changing and they warrantied it for me. I would not second guess buying DDM. In my 05 I thought I would save some cash and get eBay special HIDs and boy was that a mistake. The DDM's went right back in. I currently have 55w 8K in the headlights and 35w 6k in the fog lights. I like this set as everything looks like a white light but the lights themselves have blue-ish hue to them.
I would not argue anything against Retro either, just forking the coin over isn't the greatest, and trying to save some money DDM is definitely the way to go. This also helps with saving for a retrofit as well! LOL
If you haven't bought yet, for what its worth, I've run the set you can buy from Recon since buying my truck and have had no issues. Nearly 3 years now.
From the months of research on HID's, this website seems to be the largest and the best quality of them all. I would give them a try.
Also you can send them your headlights and get them retro-fitted with projectors etc..
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