I used the DDM Tuning kit. The entire system fits inside the headlight. The lighting is amazing. Here's picture of the unit inside the bucket. The nice part is no modification and completely reversible

 

Yeah - HID is one of the best upgrades.
That ballast is pretty small - what did the kit set you back ?
I used the Beamboy 8000k lumens - great for driving up and down The Peak in Hong Kong.

 

$60. I'm thinking of upgrading my VW since it's so cheap.

 

How easy was it to remove the headlight housing? What K rating did you choose and did you select the 35 or 55W system?

I just installed the LED driving light bulbs which leaves the HID conversion next on the list.

As a general question, is one aftermarket kit better than another? I know Gert sells a kit, is there a cheaper alternative sourced from the US, that still has a quality build. I see lots of kits on Ebay but not sure if they're safe or durable.

Thanks

 

The was the 55W kit. It's so simple on 993 to remove the headlight. There is a lever on the inside of the trunk under the carpet to release the bucket. The complete unit then slides out. The electrical connection disconnects (and connects) automatically.

Several on rennlist have used the DDM tuning which is the reason I used this kit.

http://www.ddmtuning.com/Products/Po...ID-Upgrade-Kit

 

I've read member comments about Catz HID, Gertz system, Apexcone, Retro Solutions, and now the DDM kit. Seem that all are happy with each choice, most all are simply plug and play.

This DDM kit at $60 is by far the cheapest I have seen.

Stupid question here, but...you need two HID ballasts to take care of both low & hi beam, right? Do any of these aftermarket kits provide both? I guess I never really paid much attention to that issue.

 

Don't know if this is relevant but I've heard its better to leave the high beam stock due to the ignition time needed to activate the element.

 

One of my retro-solutions balasts "locked out" after less than a year of use. Retro replaced it under warranty and indicated the following:

"The power management protection on the ballasts protects the vehicle from high amperage loads when input voltage is low. Its first step of action is to halt operation under ignition and ramp-up if voltage swings too low on the supply. There is also a lock out that engages whenever halting is a chronic condition and the lights are being forced on by repetitive on-off of the controls or more commonly the ballast overheats while in steady state and voltage drops too low. Of particular concern on your vehicle is the over heating, because generally the ballasts are stuffed into the headlamp bucket where the ballasts are exposed to a high temperature environment."

This was a slim ballast 55W unit. The lights been great, but wondering if others have had lock out problems with installations in the headlamp cans.

 

Magdaddy, the DDM HIDs are so effective, my high beams pale in comparison. Therefore, I never use them anymore except to "flash' at somebody. There IS a kit for the high beams made by somebody, but I honestly don't think it is an efficient upgrade. YMMV.

 

Better to go 35W (stock) or 55W. Is there a risk of higher temps melting the light housing/lens or more stress placed on the electrical system due to the greater pull of current?

 

Another reason NOT to use the HIDs for the high beam is the reflector lens for the hb is not ideal - to much scattering of the HID light beam. The low beam, by contrast, uses a projector lens--more ideal.

Flash factor is also a consideration.

I used the 55w with the ballast in the light assembly and to date, no heat build up concerns......

 

Isn't the projector different on Litronic-equipped cars, though? My understanding is that a projector designed for a halogen bulb is different than one designed for HID. Does anyone have a picture of the DDM beam spread and cutoff line - on, say, a wall or something?