sizzlin07
2/12/2008 3:55:37 PM
Has anyone here ever used the LED-bulb replacements for the OEM bulbs, whether it be the dome light bulb, license plate bulb, etc??? If you're not sure what I mean or I'm not explaining it well, they usually look similar to this:
http://www.amazon.com/Without-Factory-Intensity-interior-upgrade/dp/B000LLEEOG I have seen them for years online but never seen them in or on a car. I'm thinkin it would be cool to change, for instance, my dome light to a bright red so it would match the dash red theme. They are supposed to swap in place of the factory bulb and they look pretty bright. Of course, a colored license plate light would be pretty sick, but that is one of those moves that might draw a cop to ya real quick!
sizzlin07
2/12/2008 3:59:19 PM
Years ago I thought of purchasing color gels (the transparent sheets) and trying to create the effect myself, but from what I can guess, to truly make a white bulb appear a rich color --like blue-- would take a dark blue gel, and would probably suck up the majority of the light... making your nice white light into a very dim but blue light! Kinda pointless then...
virgin1
2/12/2008 5:28:31 PM
There are plenty of ppl that have done this. I myself have LED bulbs in the rear tail/running/brake lights in my car as well as a XenonMod.com LED third brake light.
I've been wanting to put LED's on my car. On the inside and outside. I put the LED third brake light in and it looks good. I just need to put LED tail lights on, my next mod. I was looking for LED dome lights, but i don't know which ones fit. Once i find out i will get them, I just don't know which color, white or blue. Probably white so i can actually see around the car, but if anyone has pics of what the inside looks like with blue LED's then i might reconsider. I would like to change the map lights also, but again i don't know what size and the number of LED lights that would be sufficient, 4,6,8. While we are on the topic of changing lights, my glove compartment light is out, how do i go about changing it, and can i put LED's in there as well?
I found the size and im going with blue. I am ordering the map lights from
http://www.thexenonstore.com/ledbulbs.php . The dome light is there, but it only has 6 LED's. Since I'm gettting the blue i want 9LED's so there is more light. $20 seems pretty high so I'm not going to use the site from the original post. I have discovered someting pretty cool in my search for the 9 LED's. For those with fog lamps and the Canadians with DRL's, you can put LED's in. Here's the site
http://www.v-leds.com/Shop/Control/fp/cat/122226/SFV/32481/set_num/1/menu_num/3 . I was thinking about putting these on for my fogs, pretty cool. I see people that waste money and blind people by putting HID's in there fogs. I don't have my fogs turned on because there is no need to have them on, but if i get these, the fogs will look great with my HID's. Once they arrive I will post pics.
sizzlin07
2/13/2008 10:28:54 AM
What is the advantage of LED tail lights? Is it for looks or just so you won't ever have to replace a bulb? Tail lights usually last so long and the bulbs are so cheap... Seems like a lot of money/work to put into something that already does it's job and looks good...???
Lev, I know it's $20, but that light I found has 9 LEDs and looks like it'd be real bright for a dome light, even for blue. I want to replace my map lights as well.... someone should create a post for part/bulb numbers...now that would be handy!!!
quote:
ORIGINAL: sizzlin07
What is the advantage of LED tail lights? Is it for looks or just so you won't ever have to replace a bulb? Tail lights usually last so long and the bulbs are so cheap... Seems like a lot of money/work to put into something that already does it's job and looks good...???
Lev, I know it's $20, but that light I found has 9 LEDs and looks like it'd be real bright for a dome light, even for blue. I want to replace my map lights as well.... someone should create a post for part/bulb numbers...now that would be handy!!!
I bought that same dome light for $7. here's the site:
http://www.v-leds.com/Shop/Control/Product/fp/vpid/4481163/vpcsid/0/SFV/32481 . The advantage of LED tailights is that they are brighter and have a faster light up time than regular bulbs. I already had to replace one of my brake lights, so longevity is also a plus. I'm buying them because they look cool. These were the ones i was considering
http://www.thexenonstore.com/mazda_led_tails.php I'm still searching around though.
Here's a site where you can find out all of the bulb sizes.
http://www.sylvania.com/ConsumerProducts/AutomotiveLighting/LampReplacementGuide/
^ I feel the same way. That's why i didn't get them yet. I like the way the brake light looks with all of the LED lights, but I'm not a fan of the reverse light or the signal. If all of those components were LED, that would be great. Do you know of any other after market LED tail lights for the 3? I was looking on google and was finding these and ones for other cars. I remember a post where a guy had quite a few different ones that looked better, but i can't find it. I also put the LED third brake light in. When i press the brake at night, that's the only brake light i see because it's so bright. It is definitely worth the money. I can't wait for the LED fog lights to come in and my blue LED interior lights too. Now that I know how to post pics, I will be posting them ASAP.
sizzlin07
2/19/2008 12:03:45 PM
Let's get some LED pics in here fellas!
I just got the LED's today and installed them a few minutes ago. My folks went away and took both cameras

. I will use my phone but the quality wont be as good.
I was stuck between white or blue LED's. I thought since they're LED's they would be bright, which they are, and blue would do. The map lights are almost the exact same color as the blue in the 2.3's gauges. I want to drive with them on bc it looks cool. I can still see around but it is a little more difficult.
virgin1
2/20/2008 4:20:09 PM
Yeah, the blue looks great and even the 194's were a very close match to the dash/instrument lighting. I know what you mean. 'Been there. Done that.
When i constantly can't find something because of the lights, i will buy white LED's, but until then, blue it is

.