Just my luck... NHTSA cracks down.

[e34Croak]

So i recently ordered a 55 watt HID kit from vvme.com
Today i receive a call and an email from the Los Angeles Hub Customs officer saying that these kits are under investigation and therefore they cannot send me my kit because the NHTSA is investigating them because these kits have been under question since 2004. All i know is i better get my money back or my dang HID kit. Thanks DOT.gov!:mad

[4500 RPM]

You should post that in the Lighting forum.

Who did you buy from?

[dansgt]

really? sh*t that sucks. i got mine in 3 days with no problems whatsoever. sorry to hear that.

[e34Croak]

VVME.COM (dansgt i was looking for you) Lucky me, due to the recent studies being done on HIDs i guess. Pretty serious stuff i suppose, BUT WHY AFTER ALMOST 10 YEARS OF STOCK AND AFTERMARKET HIDs???? Yeah i got an email from the customs office in LA saying something to this effect below...
The most awkward part was thatCustoms at the LAX Hub actually called me so, that was kind of strange..:shifty
Shipment on hold pending:
1. D.O.T. Form
2. Verify Description. Type of electronic device.

They actually spoke with me about verifying the goods or merchandise being shipped internationally because they're basically holding all shipments of products like this from other countries. DOT. gov explains it this article which is crazy because its from 2004.... so why bust my chops now? curse of the Irish.
http://www.dot.gov/affairs/nhtsa4304.htm (http://www.dot.gov/affairs/nhtsa4304.htm)

[moroza]

I'm not too surprised they're cracking down on HIDs. I like how they look and I like driving with them, but I don't care for oncoming cars with them. That goes double for idiots who don't align them properly, and for SUVs. That goes triple for idiots in SUVs, of which this continent's roads has far too many.

As for how long it took, well, that's bureaucracies for you.

[Binjammin]

I swear that sounds like a scam to me. Wicked sketchy, tell them it's for an off road vehicle, there's nothing they need to know about why you're buying it.

[e34Croak]

Good call Bin, with my profession in mind..that's actually the first thing i thought of and told the Customs guy that's what the kit was for. I said the kit was for a trophy truck application and would be used strictly off-road. He told me it didn't matter because all these different manufact. were being investigated. Sounds WAY sketch
Then VVME.com sent me this (in perfect English too i might add)

Dear customer,

Thank you for your information.
We will handle the DOT form to your custom and when clearness complete you can receive the package.
Sorry for this happened, it is the selective examination of your country.

[Binjammin]

Yeah, and remember a day or two ago when I said the VVME website looked like a sketchy, scammy type of site? There you go. It's not like they've got prices any better than anyone else, and there's plenty of other reputable places you can go through. I'd call your credit card company ASAP.

[tonyroc14]

Yeah, and remember a day or two ago when I said the VVME website looked like a sketchy, scammy type of site? There you go. It's not like they've got prices any better than anyone else, and there's plenty of other reputable places you can go through. I'd call your credit card company ASAP.
+1. dont play around with that crap.

[acet]

I swear that sounds like a scam to me. Wicked sketchy, tell them it's for an off road vehicle, there's nothing they need to know about why you're buying it.

I agree. What would dot.gov investigate? there is nothing....

and if what they say is true and they refuse to ship, def go to your bank and do a charge back. A lot of charge backs = ban of merchant account.

[attack eagle]

it is a scam.

and a well known one.

[dansgt]

doubtful its a scam, i know alot of people who've bought from them and i've bought from them with no issues. they gave you a dhl tracking number right? i'd contact dhl and see whats going on from them directly. i can see one person having an issue importing something and not someone else, they cant inspect everything and it looks like you may have just been the unlucky one to get screwed in the process. if la customs called you, why would it not be in perfect english? and yes vvme deals with their english customers in english, if you talk more you'll see that english isn't their main language.

[attack eagle]

I'm not. I know it is a scam. they are out of product, and they are going to claim non responsibility for delivery based on illegality.

[dansgt]

how you figure that? if la customs holds it how is it them scamming?
ebay they've got 98.3% positive feedback and thier verified by paypal as well. im not saying that its not possible, but if the products in la how is it a scam? going off the information given, i think its just customs bs. technically its not legal so they have the right to deny it.

[tvcasualty]

with my profession in mind..that's actually the first thing i thought of and told the Customs guy that's what the kit was for. I said the kit was for a trophy truck application and would be used strictly off-road.


You buildin trophy trucks up there in Oregon?

[attack eagle]

because I have friend who have been scammed that way.

DOT doesn;t CARE about lighting... that is nhtsa's domain.

it's all bullshit...

you bought from vvme and got product. congrats, you were lucky.

if it isn't an outright delivery scam, these guys got 'caught' and you legally don't get anything back.
an illegal transaction is unenforceable, and a transaction for an illegal item is unenforceable.
you can't go to court and sue your dealer because the post office didn't deliver your marijuana. same with these non-declared (and thus illegal) HID kits.

You gambled your money, you probably lost it. you are NOT getting a kit.
I suggest you call the CC and chargeback ASAP before the companies assets are frozen etc.


-------------Otherwise------------
it's like buying from ikesound or some other website, when they run out there are excuses, fakeries etc. I've had people order closed out stuff and be told a week later they are on 'backorder'... for something that hasn;t been made in years.

Look up the real phone number for whomever supposedly has it and ask them about it. if you want to risk it.
Don't expect to get them however, they are probably going to be crushed/destroyed.

[Jippi]

i got my hids from sharp hid.com never had any issues. kits come with lifetime warranty.

[ross1]

I'm not too surprised they're cracking down on HIDs. I like how they look and I like driving with them, but I don't care for oncoming cars with them. That goes double for idiots who don't align them properly, and for SUVs. That goes triple for idiots in SUVs, of which this continent's roads has far too many.

As for how long it took, well, that's bureaucracies for you.

I couldn't agree more. Seems most of them fall into the hands of those who can't manage to align them properly.
I hope the OP gets his $$ back but these things are a menace.

[konarider98]

“can be expected to produce excessive glare to oncoming motorists and others,”

Cause noobs put them in freeforms.

[mtg729]

i got my hids from sharp hid.com never had any issues. kits come with lifetime warranty.

Might as well just order from DDMtuning.com

[grecobeemer]

I'm not too surprised they're cracking down on HIDs. I like how they look and I like driving with them, but I don't care for oncoming cars with them. That goes double for idiots who don't align them properly, and for SUVs. That goes triple for idiots in SUVs, of which this continent's roads has far too many.

As for how long it took, well, that's bureaucracies for you.

That is best said. Real HID Xenon's have self leveling to keep them from blinding oncoming traffic.

[dansgt]

Cause noobs put them in freeforms.
not really the freeform/reflector housings causing problems, at least not out here. if you aim em right its fine. its the trucks and suv's (especially the lifted ones) that have headlights up at eye level. i have yet to get flashed by anyone for my lights being too bright. though as soon as i find a set of projector housings imma get em...

[e34Croak]

Yeah all opinions are appreciated my friends i'll deal with it all and figure it out. Too bad some people do things like this; hope it all works out. If not, i already talked to my bank/card company and i can dispute it and they'll investigated it and figure it out if not i'm only out $60 but its the hassle that gets me.
tvcasualty have you ever heard of Bend? theres a lot of desert in Ore-gon. And yes actually myself and friends do have trucks set-up for for the dunes or desert (mostly Chevy or Yotas) nothing like you guys got down there on race-deZert.com but we do know about exo-skeletons and long travel way up here.

[tonyroc14]

not really the freeform/reflector housings causing problems, at least not out here. if you aim em right its fine. its the trucks and suv's (especially the lifted ones) that have headlights up at eye level. i have yet to get flashed by anyone for my lights being too bright. though as soon as i find a set of projector housings imma get em...well my friend. Free forms do not direct light as precisely as projectors. Any car I have ever seen with freeform+hid's has been an eye sore. The only time HID's in projectors are a problem is when the road surface is at different levels. I've been flashed a few times in that situation, especially one time I was sitting in a turn lane, the angle of the road surface was just so that it was shinning in the dudes eyes across the street. He flashed his highs, I flashed mine, and that was it. But free forms seem to be just that, free, free for the light to shine where ever. When are you getting some U.S. elips?


Yeah all opinions are appreciated my friends i'll deal with it all and figure it out. Too bad some people do things like this; hope it all works out. If not, i already talked to my bank/card company and i can dispute it and they'll investigated it and figure it out if not i'm only out $60 but its the hassle that gets me.
tvcasualty have you ever heard of Bend? theres a lot of desert in Ore-gon. And yes actually myself and friends do have trucks set-up for for the dunes or desert (mostly Chevy or Yotas) nothing like you guys got down there on race-deZert.com but we do know about exo-skeletons and long travel way up here.
Hella makes some off-road lights with Xenons. It's pretty cool, my uncle has some. 55 watt, and brighter than hell!

[dansgt]

^^Imma get em whenever I can find a set. Still have yet to find any projector heads or fogs(have 1 in the trunk and 2 cracked lenses on the car)

[dansgt]

so whatever happened with this?

[BavarianFanatic]

Technically it IS illegal to run HID in a housing that was not designed for it (and approved by the appropriate governing bodies). However, I call BS in this case. There is no way that NHTSA is going to anything at the consumer level. It IS plausible that the postal service might be involved, but really only for issues regarding counterfeit merchandise as there is a ton of stuff coming in from China that is not legitimate. For example, you can look everywhere on the net and find Hella HID retrofit kits. Hella doesn't actually market any retrofit kits...

[e34Croak]

They have been reshipped by VVME after a huge email battle between them and customs the HID kit should be here this week. If not then i'll simply dispute the charge with my card holder and everything will be fixed. I stopped being nice to them and really let my feelings be known which may have helped:mad

[dansgt]

seamed to help bein a dick with them. when i got my kits, one bulb was bad for the 9007 kit (mustang, my boss was lookin at the kit since he wants one for his f250, think he screwed up the bulb) and when i contacted them they were tellin me just ship it to us and well get a new one to you when we get it and test it which would take min 1-2 weeks. i bitched till they just finally said pay the shipping and we'll mail it out tomorrow. got it 3 days later haha.

[gophaster]

Guys the NHTSA IS going after all manufacturers/sellers/importers of HID kits. It is a HUGE uphill battle for them because there are soo many sellers. I wanted to post a few links to more info but I don't have enough posts yet. I don't get much time to frequent here but I am "gophaster" over at n54tech as well....

What the NHTSA is claiming is that any bulb that fits directly in place of any standard/existing halogen bulb (9004, 9005, H7, etc) has to use the same electrical parameters and size as the bulb it is replacing. The simple fact that an HID bulb does not use a filament is radically different so it instantly makes them illegal in their eyes.

They have a gigantic document called FMVSS No. 108 which deals with lighting on cars in the US. Here is a quote from that document...

"each replaceable light source must be designed to conform to the dimensions and electrical specifications furnished with respect to it pursuant to Part 564."....

Then this is from one of the letters they sent to a seller of hid kits....

Based on a review of the H1 light source specification filed in the Part 564 docket (#3397), it is apparent that the Thunder Beam HID Conversion kit is a significant redesign of the H1 light source.At the most basic level, an H1 light source incorporates an incandescent filament in which light is produced by a metallic wire coil heated to incandescence by an electrical current, whereas the HID conversion kit�s light source incorporates a discharge arc to produce the light and requires a ballast for operation. ......Thus, your company's HID conversion kit is not a design that conforms to the Standard and could not be certified as complying with FMVSS No. 108, nor imported into or sold in the United States.

You can see the entire letter ON THE NHTSA/DOT website. If anyone wants the link please shoot me a PM I can't post URLS as I don't have enough posts....



Here is another letter they sent to a different seller..again directly from the nhtsa website...

Same deal...pm me for the link


I can't vouch for vvme because I have never bought from them but....This is not a scam though... NHTSA/DOT are trying to eliminate these kits in the USA.

Here is some more info:

pm me for link

Several of the links are old but this is an ON GOING thing. Nothing has changed the hid bulbs still don't have filaments so they are still illegal it's just taking them a LONG time to get to all the sellers/manufacturers/etc..
________________________________________


Contact point for lighting enforcement


Michael Cole
Office of Vehicle Safety Compliance
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
Washington, DC 20590


mcole@nhtsa.dot.gov

Please don't overwhelm him with email. He and others actively search for the sources of HID kits: importers and manufacturers. Distributors and retailers must stop selling, but the importers and manufacturers or their US agents, if overseas, are responsible for recall and remedy.

To date, NHTSA has investigated 24 HID conversion kit suppliers; all investigations have resulted in recalls or termination of sales.

RM Racing
Astex USA
Kmax International
FET, Inc.
J. Liu LLC
Gourmet Garage
JC Whitney
Lighting Research
SPW Industries, Inc.
Pacific Micro-lite
McCulloch Motors, Inc.
Santeca Electronics
JF Manufacturing
Streetglow, Inc.
Outback Products, Inc.
Nu Performance
GR Motorsports, Inc.
Global Premier
New Clor
Importhookup.com
DG International
MTC Lighting
Umnitza
Liteglow
American Products Company (No. 25, not reported because they recalled on their own)

[attack eagle]

Umm. WE are all well aware they are illegal since they are not filament bulbs.
of course so are E codes, since they have a better light pattern with less glare, and thus are not DOT compliant... :) Kinda the point.

We are aware of FMVSS 108 as well. (Table III rocks)

I find it funny that they are finally stopping shipments from entering since they are only illegal for on road use... and not illegal at all for show or offroad use.

Import them from Canada! Or Mexico. And buy with a CC.

BTW, it would technically be legal to buy ballasts
and it would be technically legal to buy capsules by themselves as long as they were not advertised as a retrofit

And for gods sake don;t email anyone about anything, they are flucking illegal and have been for over a decade. That is a con-tarded suggestion.

[dansgt]

so did you ever get your lights?

[BavarianFanatic]

Umm. WE are all well aware they are illegal since they are not filament bulbs.
of course so are E codes, since they have a better light pattern with less glare, and thus are not DOT compliant... :) Kinda the point.

We are aware of FMVSS 108 as well. (Table III rocks)

I find it funny that they are finally stopping shipments from entering since they are only illegal for on road use... and not illegal at all for show or offroad use.

Import them from Canada! Or Mexico. And buy with a CC.

BTW, it would technically be legal to buy ballasts
and it would be technically legal to buy capsules by themselves as long as they were not advertised as a retrofit

And for gods sake don;t email anyone about anything, they are flucking illegal and have been for over a decade. That is a con-tarded suggestion.

...and there is no way in hell they'd be snatching up packages sent to private citizens at customs. Now if it was an entire container of them then I MIGHT buy it that they'd get a phone call. But no way, no how they're checking individual packages...

[gophaster]

I only posted the info because some were claiming that it was a scam and it sounded to me like they were unaware of the fact that they are illegal. If vvme or whomever else is sending the packages with their name on the label perhaps they flagged it and are trying to stop all the packages with "known" senders. All they have to do is ship under a different name. Didn't the OP say he got a call from US Customs???

I find it hard to believe that they would use this as a "cover" for scamming people that paid with credit card....EVERYONE knows all you have to do is let your credit card company know you have been scammed. It sounded to me like some guys were unaware the NHTSA/DOT is actively going after these products/manufacturers/importers. I'm not saying I agree or anything but just putting the info out there for those who might not be aware.

By the way NHTSA/DOT specifically refer to this "excuse" in their letters and specify that since they directly replace factory installed original equipment bulbs it is not an option to say they are for offroad/show use only.



they are only illegal for on road use... and not illegal at all for show or offroad use.

[e34Croak]

Nope finally had to dispute the charge; guess i'll try DDM

[attack eagle]

And I said it was a scam...

because they should have the product in the US before selling it.

to do otherwise IS a scam.

[Binjammin]

I'm betting it's a full-on scam. Cracking down is just their cover.

You go to sketchy looking website, and for some reason are convinced to buy from them for more money, over more reputable, longer established vendors and venues. Your choice, whatever.

Stuff doesn't show, then you get a call saying their cracking down. Things like that don't happen. I'm guessing someone called you from either a blocked # or a spoofed caller ID. It was someone in on the scam. They tell you how your stuff's been snagged because there's been crackdowns on importing stuff like this. Did they give you any reference numbers or phone numbers to call? Which office it was? Claims department?

The sketchy site now has your money and you have nothing. That's the scam. There was no "stuff seized in customs" because it never existed.



Think of it like a Ponzi scheme. You buy from them and you like the stuff. They take your money and ship you lights. They buy them from elsewhere for mad cheap and sell them at a huge markup. They now have someone that will bring them more traffic, and they only ship a few products, while screwing everyone else. It gets to a tipping point where so many people are complaining that they can't get enough new business, credit card companies cut them off, and they disappear with your money. In this case they have a cover story for you that a third party has taken your product. I'm sure they'd still take your money if you tried to place a new order though.

You're going to have to deal with your CC company, you've been scammed.

[attack eagle]

x2

[e34Croak]

Wow this must be the twilight zone... So upon my arrival home from work the wifey-to-be tells me she found a "Sorry we missed you" note from UPS on the door. Keep in mind that i disputed this crazy transaction with VVME.com for my stupid 55watt HID kit. Three different times over the course of a month and a half the kit was returned to the sender after being taken by US customs... finally EMS came through after all. At least it wasn't a scam, just a really $h!tty way to run a business.


http://i27.tinypic.com/24qsbrn.jpg

[Deanx2009]

HAHA.

thats for the lulz.

[attack eagle]

now run the tracking number and see if they actually shipped it before last week??? OR if it was all bullshit to cover the lack of product...

and check it for proper functioning.

[e34Croak]

Didn't run the tracking number. Had a busy day just bought an e30 then i did install them and they work great with no Low Beam error so i'm happy. I had no idea what a difference HIDs made.. Now the 5er can sit while i throw money at this e30.

[dansgt]

told you it wasnt a scam. wheres pics? lol

[e34Croak]

Here are a few pictures i snapped after i installed them and pictures at night after work...bad quality. No low beam error = win. Also there are a couple shots of my most recent $300 325es (160,xxx) haha one man's junk... well, you know the rest.

http://i27.tinypic.com/fk3ate.jpg

http://i30.tinypic.com/al268l.jpg

http://i28.tinypic.com/i2svi8.jpg

http://i29.tinypic.com/24dr61d.jpg

http://i28.tinypic.com/mlpht3.jpg

Poor wagon in the garage never gets loved anymore...

[JohnBoy540i]

E34Croak are you located in Bend? I'm seeing more and more trophy style off-road trucks there every freakin day lol. Some pretty sweet Yotas I must admit. It sucks it took so long to get your lights, I hope you don't have to warranty them or something haha

[Binjammin]

Sorry man, this thing still stinks of scam to me. How did they manage to get your package back from US customs if it was seized, especially if customs is "Cracking down". It smells like a huge load of shit to me.

[BMWheadSpence]

How exactlý did they explain customs releasing these? Or did they even bother?

This whole shinanigan seems pretty shifty

[e34Croak]

Haha yeah i hear you Bin, i don't understand it either. The first couple times vvme.com tried to send it they tried using DHL and then the LA hub contacted me directly saying that they couldn't complete the delivery because of customs. (if this part was a load of $h!t or not, i have no idea) Then finally a month and a half later, after my 30-40 back and forth "agressive" emails and phone conversations they shipped it using EMS China Courier Service at which point i figured this REALLY was a scam. So i followed the tracking # on the EMS website only to see after it came from Boading and through Beijing into the USofA that it was "turned over to customs" Then all of a sudden i get the note on my door saying come to the post office and pick this thing up. It was in some sketchy black plastic wrap and had a bunch of ching-chang-chong talk all over it. Lesson learned... Buy American. I'm not sure how it all worked out but i can tell my fellow BF members one thing DON'T BUY FROM THEM!

JohnBoy Bend is where it's at on this lame coast, you get 4 seasons and you got the desert, mountains and golf all around you. I stayed in Salem for a bit when we came out from New York because that's where my mom lives then did the college thing in Eugene then became a grown up :(
Got a good job in Bend. (a short biography of my life)

[JohnBoy540i]

JohnBoy Bend is where it's at on this lame coast, you get 4 seasons and you got the desert, mountains and golf all around you. I stayed in Salem for a bit when we came out from New York because that's where my mom lives then did the college thing in Eugene then became a grown up :(
Got a good job in Bend. (a short biography of my life)

Haha I totally agree. Salem... Salem sucks I was going to add more profanity, but figured if you've lived there you know how bad it is. Bend is awesome, except for all the Californians taking over. I got yelled at the other day trying to find a place to park to watch fireworks. A Bendite would never do that, so i told them to STFU and go back to Cali lol... Where do you work in Bend if you don't mind me asking?

[Binjammin]

Haha yeah i hear you Bin, i don't understand it either. The first couple times vvme.com tried to send it they tried using DHL and then the LA hub contacted me directly saying that they couldn't complete the delivery because of customs. (if this part was a load of !t or not, i have no idea) Then finally a month and a half later, after my 30-40 back and forth "agressive" emails and phone conversations they shipped it using EMS China Courier Service at which point i figured this REALLY was a scam. So i followed the tracking # on the EMS website only to see after it came from Boading and through Beijing into the USofA that it was "turned over to customs" Then all of a sudden i get the note on my door saying come to the post office and pick this thing up. It was in some sketchy black plastic wrap and had a bunch of ching-chang-chong talk all over it. Lesson learned... Buy American. I'm not sure how it all worked out but i can tell my fellow BF members one thing DON'T BUY FROM THEM!

JohnBoy Bend is where it's at on this lame coast, you get 4 seasons and you got the desert, mountains and golf all around you. I stayed in Salem for a bit when we came out from New York because that's where my mom lives then did the college thing in Eugene then became a grown up :(
Got a good job in Bend. (a short biography of my life)

:confused

You don't happen to have a mullet do you? I'm sure you realize that there are more people on this planet that don't speak the a language that even shares the same alphabet as you than those that share even a latin based language with you.

[e34Croak]

No sir, that was just a mild attempt at humor. My apologies to those who i may have offended; i just meant that the package had a bunch of letters or writing all over it that i myself didn't understand. Also the whole buy american bit was another thing i meant in a joking manner. I myself am the love child of poor Irish immigrants.