How much to pay mechanic to install DDM HID Kit? (yes noob)

[oksk89]

Got my HID kit from DDM yesterday, and the plan was for my friend to install them for me..

Turns out he wasn't expecting to have to make holes in the housing to let the wires run through.... and now he doesn't really want to install them unless I'm fine with installing them without having to cut holes (don't know if that's even possible). I also don't have the dremel cutting tool..

SOOO... I was wondering whether a mechanic would be able to do this for me? And if so, how much would it cost? 1 labor hour?

[ECS Tuning-Audi]

You are in Mass, offer to buy someone on the forums a beer or lunch and I'm certain they will come to your rescue as there are tons of AZers in your area. Also, the average mechanic is 65 an hour. So if you estimate 2 hours to do the whole project, you could have bought a dremel and done it yourself.

Just some food for thought, GL!

[Sales@RAI]

you have to cut holes. HID kits are EXTREMELY straight forward, everything is plug and play. Just cut some holes, run the wires, and zip tie the ballasts somewhere out of sight

[oksk89]

You are in Mass, offer to buy someone on the forums a beer or lunch and I'm certain they will come to your rescue as there are tons of AZers in your area. Also, the average mechanic is 65 an hour. So if you estimate 2 hours to do the whole project, you could have bought a dremel and done it yourself.

Just some food for thought, GL!

Thing is I really want to get this done today.. and I don't know if anyone would be willing to do it on such short notice.

I also go to college so I don't have a garage or a proper place to align the headlights.

And TWO hours to install these? I thought it was a 30-minute job!!

[ECS Tuning-Audi]

Thing is I really want to get this done today.. and I don't know if anyone would be willing to do it on such short notice.

I also go to college so I don't have a garage or a proper place to align the headlights.

And TWO hours to install these? I thought it was a 30-minute job!!

It is, but good luck finding a Mass mechanic who can do this in 30 minutes and not rake you over the coals. Not to mention, this isn't a normal job, this is a custom job.

Perfect DIY job for a beginner in college.

[Seerlah]

Just do it yourself. I am assuming you have the facelift 1-peice headlights. Drill a 1" circular hole in the back peice of each headlight that is in front of the low beam. After that, there is only one place each wire has to go. Purple is posotive and brown is negative. Hardest part is finding a place to mount the ballasts. But the DDM ones are so slim, you can just 3mm double sided sticky tape (or industrial strength velcro) them to the bottom of the headlights. It really isn't that difficult and you don't have to go by the DIY on here.

[oksk89]

It is, but good luck finding a Mass mechanic who can do this in 30 minutes and not rake you over the coals. Not to mention, this isn't a normal job, this is a custom job.

Perfect DIY job for a beginner in college.

True.. I guess I'll try to tackle this by myself.

Friend said (I THINK) that he can acquire the tools (including the dremel) to cut the hole. So I'll try to install it myself if need be lol.

Thanks for the super fast replies!

[lotusgardener]

Whatever happened to making holes with a drill? Everybody's got one of those.

[ADNpro]

Its really simple to do honestly. I did mine on my own in probably about an hour, and most of the time was figuring out what I was doing since I had never done it before.

If you know how to use a drill and or dremel and plug things in than you already know how to do it.

[biketsai]

You don't need a garage, your headlights should already be aligned. Its all about working in parking lot man!

[oksk89]

Whatever happened to making holes with a drill? Everybody's got one of those.

Don't have one of those either lol.

[rAphb0y]

First time I installed HID's were on my 04 Ram 1500 (low/high/fogs), thought it would of been harder but wasn't @ all. There is absolutely noway to mess it up man. GL

[rAphb0y]

Oh & I'm from MASS, if you need some help.

[BlurredRings]

Pay a mechanic? Save your money instead. If you're daring and don't have a drill, you can make the hole with a switchblade (Sounds funny as hell, but that's how I did my install for my lowbeam HID kit). Just make the hole a sufficient size to fit all the pertinent connections (except the ballast, of course) into the housing. When there's a will, there's a way!

P.S.- After you're done, use the money you've saved to by a small meal, and some liquor for the weekend

[oksk89]

Oh & I'm from MASS, if you need some help.

Do you have the tools necessary to install everything?

Apparently my friend's friend who's supposed to have all the tools does not have a T30 torx bit with him.

I go to Tufts Univ. if that's nearby you.

[userbob0001]

You don't even need to take the light out. Just drill into the back cap. That way if for some reason you decide against the HIDs or go back to stock to sell, you can sell the HIDs to someone on here and include the caps for theirs. That big back cap is a perfect place for a hole too. And if you really mess it up, even Audi cant charge more than $15 for that, can they?

Edit: by light I mean the housing, obviously the bulb has to come out.

[discontained]

Its pretty easy. took me 10 min. Just cut the hole, mount the ballast plug and play! all you need is a drill to put a hole in the cap so the wiring can run out the back. No torx needed unless im wrong

When you remove your old light bulbs, make sure to remove the clip, otherwise its a PITA to get the light in the housing and clamp on it.



Good luck.

[audi til I die]

Apparently my friend's friend who's supposed to have all the tools does not have a T30 torx bit with him.

You don't actually NEED it. But you should start buying tools if you plan on building or working on your car whatsoever. I drilled my holes with a wood drill bit. Took 25 seconds each side, no joke

[Seerlah]

I used a dremel for mine, to cut the 1" hole on the back cover of the low beam area. Then sealed it with silicone just in case moisture gets in the situation. Only reason you would need a torx is to get the headlights out to mount the ballast underneath the headlight housing or to gain easier access to the bulbs.

[JumboBlack1.8]

Do you have the tools necessary to install everything?

Apparently my friend's friend who's supposed to have all the tools does not have a T30 torx bit with him.

I go to Tufts Univ. if that's nearby you.

Dude, I'll help you out. I graduated from Tufts two years ago and I'd love to help out a fellow Jumbo and audi tuner. Got all the tools. Shoot me a PM

-Justin


PS
Used to roll around campus in this:
summer mode

winter mode


engine


Sorry for all the pics.....damn, I miss my B5, haha