AMGAffalterbach

This is something I have been wanting to do for a while, first off due to visibility when I do night driving and secondly I love the 5000k or 6000k color temperature versus the very yellowish standard bulbs in the halogen setup. I plan to get the matching parking lamps from AZNOptics as well.

I've searched the forums extensively and looked at the stickied thread on here, but have three questions:

1) The low beams are projector housings, what do I do with the high-beams? Can I get a different halogen bulb to match the HID color in the low-beams, or do you convert these too? I'm guessing I don't convert these due to the warm-up time with HIDs. Same question with the fog lamps.

2) What is best kit for a decent price? I've heard Auto Platonium, FlashTech, and DDM tuning are good.

3) 55w vs 35w? I'm guessing 55w is more commonly used here, just making sure there isn't a reason to go 35w.

AZN Optics

1. You can go HID high beams, but it's not advised because you'd lose the quick flash feature with high beams due to the warming up cycle you mentioned. If you're not concerned with that, then it's fine to go hid high beams. Otherwise get whiter halogen bulbs like Philips Diamond Visions etc.

2. I'd recommend Morimoto kits from theretrofitsource.com. Those are quality kits at reasonable prices, just a step under mtec, but a fraction of the price.

3. 55w is fine for lows. It's when you get in small enclosed areas like fogs where you worry about heat and go with 35w.

harshybar

I used the ddm tunning HID on my Audi, they were good quality in my opinion. You can try those out. That is what I will be doing.

boardboy330

Another for DDM Tuning. Have them in all the Benzs

AMGAffalterbach

Is the DDM tuning kit just lowbeams? If so how do I do a 55w configuration from them?

Thanks for all of the advice by the way.

Tschuss_Bill

+1 for retrofit resource.

If you want d2s based bulbs, you'll need to change out the projector. This requires headlight removal and dis-assembly which involves heating the headlight assembly in your kitchen oven. Not as bad as it sounds. You'll get bixenon function, ie high beams and low beams on the outboard headlight. The inboard headlight remains halogen. I did this conversion, and happy I did. Don't even try to match colors (besides the real issue is the yellow city light in the inboard reflector).

If you're ok with xenon low beams only, get H7 rebased HID bulbs. The guys that do DDM kits are doing this. It's an inexpensive way to go.

As for d2s bulbs I like the 85122+ Philips, the brightest 35w bulbs out there. Under $100 for the pair. You can get aftermarket 5k and 6k. I've tried 5k. 6k is way too blue and not as bright. 85122+ is the best choice for me, anyway.

A word on 55w. You will not have the reliability of 35w bulbs, 55W bubls fade and burn out sooner. You may get scorching in the projector as well. If you change your mind about 55W, you'll junk the 55W ballasts and buy new bulbs as well. Also, after market bulbs do not hold up to osram or philips.

Wiring harness guage etc. don't let anyone tell you that you need to replace the wiring harness. The Halogen setup works fine for retrofit.

Good luck!

AMGAffalterbach

A lot of excellent advice, thank you. I will probably be going the DDM tuning route with the H7 bulbs - as much as I like the idea of the bixenon function that isn't exactly what I am going for. I might go 5k HID 35W low-beams from DDM, match the high-beam as best I can with Diamond Visions, and also get the yellowish parking (city) lights swapped out. Not sure if I'm going to leave the fog lights yet or get just a whiter halogen bulb.

So what I am gathering from this, it's much better to go with the 35W lowbeams for reliability and the issue of scorching?

Also, have any of you gentlemen experience the dashboard error with the DDM tuning kit? Any flicker I need to rectify with a capacitor?

boardboy330

Get the error eliminators from DDM. I also would go with 4500K as the colors are more blue than they should be in my opinion. They are white - but I can see the blue in them.

I run 55w in all the vehicles...no scorching issues.

No flickering - the errors are just a message on the screen - the eliminators take that away.

btv94

I had canbus hid xeon installed on my fog light last year but never work right, until last weekend when i did service D. I also replace hid fog light with DDM Turning HID Kit with Slim Ballast plus Error Code Eliminator (PAIR). It works perfectly.

desired_speeds

don't get ddm, get the morimoto kit from theretrofitsource.com. you won't be dissapointed

boardboy330

Is there a reason to pay more money for the same thing? I ask because I am seeing quite a few threads where people make similar statements - but give no reasons why. Curious why folks are advising to pay more - for what seems like - the sake of paying more.

I have DDM - and have been happy for years. Curious if this other set is "better" other than price.

harshybar

DDM has them in 55watts!!!! ; I got 4300k because that is close to factory. Since I will be swapping out the projector to TSX ones (best in the industry, IMO) Plus as you increase in K value you will get LESS lumens. Next is to get 3000k for my Fogs.

Skeet Skeet

btv94

I agree with you on this, i paid $100 for my first canbus Hid fog light kit that never work. $50 kit from DDM and i'm happy.

AMGAffalterbach

Excellent thread, thank you for all of the suggestions. I am probably going to be picking up a DDM Tuning 55W hit for low beams with 5000k bulbs. Matching the brights with some Phillips Diamond Visions if I can, and getting the LED parking lights as well to match. Thank you all for the suggestions, I like the pricepoint and good feedback on the DDM kit as I know a LOT of members have used it. Just need to make sure to pick up the error eliminators from them as well. It's the H7 bulb for low-beams correct?

Within the next few weeks I'll try to pick this up, I am sort of in the (maybe) process of buying up a second super cheap track car with a close group of friends - probably looking at a Miata MX-5 that we will convert with a Flyin' Miata turbo kit or maybe even do an LS1 swap, so that's where my money is going. =D hope this finally happens.

boardboy330

H7 is correct.

If you need help on the Miata info...let me know. I owned both a turbod via Megsquirt and Devils Own - as well as a Monster.

AMGAffalterbach

Excellent.

And ohhhh yes, going to be asking you a lot of questions. For now what is the best forum out there for non-turboed Miatas (which I want to do the Flyin' Miata turbo kit eventually)? Maybe I'll start another thread about this somewhere else or PM you.

Anymore suggestions on the HID lights are definitely welcome, think I have a decent game plan though. Thanks again all.

desired_speeds

Between my friends and I, we have gone through many sets of HID in the past few years. Morimoto was the only kit that stuck out to me. I swear their 35w shines like most 55w kits on the market. They also offer the 50w ones which I'm assuming are even brighter. (I haven't tested their 50w yet)

AMGAffalterbach

Both seem like a good option to be honest. It isn't that much more expensive so I might consider it, but either way a lot of valuable advice here.

boardboy330

That is fair. I haven't had issues with DDM and have never heard of the other option. I will say DDMs color temp is slightly off - so IMO 4500K looks like 5000K. As for quality...I have been running the same set in my ML for 4 years. Speaks to quality for myself. Not sure why you had to swap so many time.

Ill check out Morimoto in the future, thanks.

forcefed4door

I've gone through about 4 ddm kits. They used to be better quality ballast on the 35w kit. Now they seem to be the typical China ones everyone uses. I don't reccomend them. There 55w kit still use there own style higher quality ballast. So if you use them I recommend to not get 35w. They are hit or miss.

boardboy330

FWIW, I only use the 55w


EDIT: I checked out the kit as suggested. I noticed the wiring setup is identical, the ballast looks VERY similar, the bulbs are wired with the same ends - wire colors - and look identical (where plastic vs metal is used). They may be different/better - but they look identical.

desired_speeds

DDM uses the same bulbs for 35w and 55w. They send you the same bulb if you order 4500k or 5000k and same bulb for 6000k or 8000k. Their 55w use to be much better quality about 2-3 years ago.

AMGAffalterbach

So should is steer clear of the DDM kit and just go with Morimoto to avoid these issues? Some conflicting information above though I tend to believe forcefed4door about the 55w ballasts. When you say quality issues do they just burn out?

desired_speeds

I've used their 35w back in 09 and one ballast burned out after 1 day of use. I used 2 pairs of 55w on my friends W210 when I did a retrofit and 1 of the ballasts burned out within a few months. I noticed that quality of the casing going down and warmup time increasing on DDM products over the last few years. My friend has a set of 55w from 09 and they're still fine, but he rarely drives the car. I would personally spring for the morimoto 35w. But if you decide to go DDM, make sure to get the 55w.

AMGAffalterbach

Alright understood and clarified, thanks a million.

By the way - off topic - but your E55 O_o wow. Love seeing your signature never knew I'd like that color so much especially with black wheels.