Yellow fogs and my sad PIAA story (updated)

About this time last year, I did something stupid. I spent a lot of money on light bulbs. But not just any bulbs, these were super bright, 110 volt Plasma Ion Crystal Yellow Ion PIAA H11 fogs. You know these bulbs when you see them on the road - they are very bright, very yellow, and don't look like anything else out there. They draw attention, but in classy way, yet retain their functionality. I loved the way they looked, and the only other cars with them were F1 and ALMS race cars. I felt unique. I felt cool. They looked really good with a black car and HID's, and they made me very visible to other cars on the road, which made me feel safer.



In the last year, I have also started to get pretty annoyed with the amount of ricers seen rocking the yellow fog set up on their Civics and Corollas. It is like the yellow lights are becoming something of a new trend. I guess since Lexus started putting them as OEM's, they are migrating to the masses. While it’s a classy addition, it pains me to see it on something with a primed body kit and huge wing.

But all of that came crashing down this morning, as I looked at my car and saw that my driver side had burned out. My heart skipped a beat. Will I have to replace one of the bulbs with an off brand and have two different intensities? What’s more white trash, rocking two different bulb brands, or having one side burned out? I searched my mind for answers:  Now I know I didn't mishandle them, because I wore latex gloves when I installed. They aren't installed wrong, because they are in the OEM housings. What could have gone wrong?

Will PIAA honor their warranty? Can I have it submitted before the year deadline is up? Tune in next week for the exciting conclusion.

UPDATE: Wow. In a refreshing bout of effortless customer service, I called PIAA to ask about how to get the warranty process underway, expecting mounds of paperwork and long wait time. The friendly guy on the line just said fax the receipt and they'll send a replacement. I am floored to see customer service of this high caliber in this day and age.   Guess I'll continue to buy PIAA's and recommend them to everyone.