HID recommendations

[kruuth]

Does anyone have recommendations for HIDs on the altima?

While I'm at it...where should I mount the ballasts? I read the howto but I don't see where they stuck them.

[rcboy514]

I've had 2 DDM 6000k sets installed on my car for about 3 1/2 years now and neither set has failed on me, so I would say go with them, but don't buy the "raptor" set that they sell. It's pretty cheaply made compared to the DDM version, and my brother has had nothing but problems with them on his Juke.

I just mounted the ballasts on one of the bumper supports I think.....it's not too critical exactly where you mount them, just that it would be better to mount them as high as possible just to prevent excess water form getting to them. Also use zip ties to secure them, I used double sided tape at first, but the heat of the engine will just make them fall off.

[kruuth]

Gotcha. Ordered a set.

[mattyfo0z]

I bought the raptor set, no problems so far. I mean sometimes one won't turn on when I first turn my lights on, but if I turn off then back on they both fire up no problems. What's the price difference between the two, again?

[kruuth]

It's like $10. I went with the raptors as well. Ordered the brackets as well. IDK why. Hopefully they'll get here soon and I can install them.

[mattyfo0z]

I ended up using some doublesided tap and zip ties to secure mine to my car. I took my bumper off though, which I recommend, just because when you just take off the fender liner you don't get a lot of room to work with.

[kruuth]

Yeah. I'm pulling the wheel off to do it. While I'm there I'm changing the oil too.

[rcboy514]

idk man, IMO that's $10-$15 extra bucks well spent. I mean the case on the raptor ballast seems really flimsy, almost plastic like. Also they are about twice as big as the DDM ballasts.

My brother's set was Hi/Low, but just recently they won't even turn on at all. In fact last night I had to put his stock bulbs back in because the raptors failed. For a while only one would come on until you flipped the headlight switch a few times and more than once they came on during the middle of the night and ran his battery down even though he had the lights switched off and not on auto.

Either way you already bought them and I hope my brother's situation was a fluke and it only affects the combo Hi/Low sets, good luck!

hey matt, did you have to wire yours to the batt and ground them?

[mattyfo0z]

Nope.. wired up to the stock bulb wiring harness. I did have to reverse them because of the "reverse polarity" issue, though.. which wasn't a big deal in the slightest.

[rcboy514]

thanks, it must be only the Hi/low sets that have the weird wiring. They have you ground each light and have you tap into the positive and neg terminal on the battery.

[kruuth]

So...question on this one....I've got the 09 coupe...do I need to reverse wires?

[rcboy514]

if you plug them up and they don't work, switch them.

[kruuth]

Great. Ordered them last week.....they're coming out of China? How long is it going to take them to finally get here? They never said that they were shipping out of China.

[mattyfo0z]

Yeah I was surprised too, only because before I ordered an HID kit + some bulbs (two separate times) and it came straight from their place in San Diego. I have a feeling they're starting to drop ship a lot of their products now, and act as just a middle man.

[kruuth]

Their site says it's a few days but i'm calling and talking to them.....I'm not spending a month waiting for replacement parts from them.

[rcboy514]

if I remember right it took about a week and change for my bro's lights to get here from China.

[kruuth]

Still not here....

[kruuth]

Finally got a straight answer from them....my order was placed 10/26. Didn't ship until 10/31. I'm told that I "might" see it by Saturday. I know that the ship time can be long but I'm not happy with this. I wish they'd keep at least some stock from China or something. I'd have paid extra for it to get here faster.

[QR25DE]

Too late but I run these: http://www.ebay.ca/itm/Slim-Hid-Xenon-B ... 3cb5c29a9a

Been using 2+ years in my 09 Altima Coupe. Also have the 9006's in a Civic and 9003s in another Civic for the same period of time. No blow outs, no bad ballasts, no issues.

A+ for working and cheap.

Edit: Looked up DDM... rofl, rebranded Chinese ones like I posted. Get it from the source for cheaper lol. :P

[kruuth]

Yeah I saw them. Figured the warranty from a company stateside was worth more but at this point I'm starting to doubt it. Ddm has some recommendations on this board so I went with them.

[kruuth]

Do I invert the wires going into the ballast or coming out?

[mikethemike]

I gotta tell ya, I'm starting to dislike DDM as a company.

I bought the raptor kit for my car. I shouldve gone with the DDM kit like I did with my last altima, but I just wanted to try the Raptor just to see. Well, one always misfired and I had to exchange it for another set. Its been over 2 weeks since I sent it and still haven't received my replacement ballast. And get this: WE ARE BOTH LOCATED IN SOCAL! Granted Im in LA and they are in San Diego, still you'd think I'd have gotten it by now. Now the other ballast is misfiring but only when the car starts up on auto.

Yea Raptor kinda sucks. Might just sell this kit for cheap once the other replacement comes in.