clkcadet

Hi All,

I am getting my car very soon, and my first mod will be HIDs. I already purchased the DDM (apexcone 5000k) but I am getting a little nervous as I am on a lease and I do not want to drill holes or even show up to a service appointment with HID ballasts under the hood

Since I bought the HID kit, I have heard great things about GP Thunder lights (7500k so they aren't too blueish) but can anybody post their experience?

I am not concerned with the output of the lights as I live in NYC which is well lit. I just want to have a nicer look than the usual halogens and something that looks like OEM xenons (meaning bright white with a tiny hint of blue)

Thanks in advance!

snarlingchicken

Well, the GP Thunders aren't HID, they're Halogens, so light output compared to the DDMs would be a bit lower. But seeing as you don't care about that, I'd say the GP Thunders would be a great alternative, seeing as they're so cheap. I'd give em a shot. E92-lighting has em for sale, but I'm sure you already know.

clkcadet

Are GP Thunders considered top of the line, or should I look at another brand? I don't mind going upscale on bulbs as long as they look OEM-like (color wise) and don't burn out after a couple of months.

Edit: if anyone has the gp thunders, can you please post a pic? I am interested in seeing how good they look with the c300s projectors.

Royce118

You could try Philips. Not sure whether they are better than the GPthunders but I've been using them for 6 months or so without any problems. As for pics please do a search.

snarlingchicken

For GP Thunder pics, I'd suggest making your way over to e90post.com. Many members of the BMW community use em.

clkcadet

Great thanks. I am also a member of e46fanatics, maybe they have some info as well!

clkcadet

Found some good info on the GP Thunders... I am going to try them out before installing HIDs

I am just assuming I dont get the same distance of vision which I said earlier is no big deal. I just want the OEM look of HIDs.

E92-Lighting

GP Thunders are halogen based bulbs

clkcadet

Update: I ordered both the DDM Kit & the GP Thunders. GP's came in first so I installed them in the lowbeams.

Impressions: Meh... the lights do not throw far enough, and the light coloring is a bit off. From the outside it looks nice and white, but as you can see from the photos the color from the interior is a weird color almost greenish.

When you look at the first pic, please note the driver side is blue because of a flood light, so concentrate on the passenger side. i will try taking a pic against a wall tomorrow night.





Edit: Polargs are also installed in the eyebrows for those who are curious. I will be putting the GPs in the fogs and installing the DDM kit this week

snarlingchicken

What color temp are the GPThunders? As for the coloring, try tinkering with the white balance until the color looks about right.

clkcadet

They are 7500k, and can you help me with the white balance you are talking about?

The real problem I see with the lights are that they do not throw the beams far enough, not even close to the OEM bulbs.

snarlingchicken

The lack of distance is due to the fact that if you go over 5000k, most bulbs lose output. The best color temperatures for the best lighting would be 4300k. What camera are you using? If you go into the menu for all cameras, there should be a setting for it.

clkcadet

I was using my blackberry... will go out soon and take more with my canon

SCguy08

I dunno about anyone else...but...DDM have been awesome for me. Exactly what I was looking for...OEM...with the proper adjustment...awesome beam pattern compared to halogens and that OEM HID color.

clkcadet

I hear ya, but DDM had a backorder on the h7 kit. Mine is in transit however so I will be glad to post some new pics of actual Xenons!

For arguments sake, which kit do you have (35 or 55w?) and what color bulbs?

jctevere

Sorry I haven't taken pictures of my vehicle for you. I have both 7500k and 8500k and I have to say I wasn't impressed at all with the 7500k output or color. I have moved them to the fogs to more closely match the Polarg M4 in the eyelids.

The 7500k changes colors at an angle and only from extreme angles, do they match the polarg (look pure white with a hint of blue). Otherwise they look greenish/yellow head on.

The 8500k on the other hand has a much better light output, but still not as good as the stock halogens. In the stock halogens you can clearly see where the light stops from the step-downs at night, but in the 8500k GP thunders, it more or less fades away, but occasionally in very dark areas you can see the cut-off clearly.

The 8500k are blue, and look very OEM like the P2 package, but as I mentioned, the brightness isn't there. On very well lit roads (such as a highway) it is hard to see my light output (because it comes out as blue on the street) and where the stock headlights would overpower the cars I pass, I find that when I drive past cars on the highway now their beams overpower mine. BUT this only happens on well lit roads. On dark highways with no lights they look 100% like my old G37 Infiniti Xenons in color and in output.

Which brings me to my next point, who needs great light output on well lit roads? I usually drive with my fogs on anyway and then my beams overpower anyones. Very happy with the 8500k, and would recommend them to anyone not willing to shell out the dough for DDM kits. Or people on lease like me not willing to do them.

Eventually my plan is to get the e-class hockey stick LED DRL and LED's for the eyelids so that all three, 8500k GP thunder lowbeams, DRL and Eyelids match.

I will post up pictures tonight. Except I can't get the glare not to show and they look like floded lights instead of concentrated circle like they are.

clkcadet

I know what you mean, but in no offense to you but the GP Thunders are total garbage in my opinion. The lights look awesome, but they have horrible output on the road. Lets be honest, you wont have a well lit road 100% of the time you are driving.

And regarding price, the DDM kit is 75 shipped, so if anyone does feel comfortable with installing it they should know its not a huge investment

jctevere

Yea, the 7500k output was garbage. The 8500k output was much better and acceptable, but still not as bright as factory OEM bulbs.

IMO though, I think that the light output on non-light roads is fine, but on light roads it isn't good enough, go figure... I have yet to drive in the rain at night with them, and that might be a big issue, but I will wait to see until I do before I do anything.

I took pictures with my iPhone last night, now I just need to figure out how to host them somewhere and get them on here...

clkcadet

That should be interesting to see. Also do you have a problem with the driver side having a very low output? Either my bulb is aimed low or it is just not as strong as the pass side.

PS you can load pics to your pc and host with imageshack.us

Alexwong2288

Dear Customer:

I am new with this website. I am owe a 2009 MERCEDES-BENZ E-class.
I want to change the headlight of my vehicle.
Any suggestions are very helpful.
Alex

clkcadet

www.ddmtuning.com just make sure you get the color you like. Also alot of people upgraded to a 55w kit for an extra $10

absolutleo

is the operating temperature of the 55w ballast melting any of the plastic/rubber a concern? does it actually get that hot?

kwikblkmax

Got my gp thunders 8500 in today and installed them, wow what a huge disappointment. Terrible light output, can't see anything, I didn't wanna go with hid's b/c of the daytime running lights. But first thing tomorrow morning oem hologens are going right back in. On a good note, extremely happy with the yellow gp thunder, got them in the fogs and it looks great.

clkcadet

None that I know of, most people here who buy DDM have the 55w. A friend of mine has it installed since Feb with no issues.

LOL I wish you read my response earlier. They are crap for output, but they look stunning! I live near NYC so there are well lit roads, but I only bought them until I can find the time to install the DDM kit. I still can not believe they are sitting in my trunk for nearly a month.

snarlingchicken

I hear you on the output. Even my 6000k D2S bulbs are much dimmer than stock. Not sure if it's the company's quality or the color change...but it seems kinda...not-so-helpful-with-lighting-roads. I might try switching companies or going down to 5000k. Anywhoo. Hurry up and install the DDM KIT!