LED replacement for OEM bulbs...???
 

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-Factor.../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!

RE: LED replacement for OEM bulbs...???
 

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 trulymake a white bulb appeara rich color --like blue-- would take a dark blue gel, and would probably suck upthe majority of the light... making your nice white light into a very dimbut blue light! Kinda pointless then...

RE: LED replacement for OEM bulbs...???
 

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.

RE: LED replacement for OEM bulbs...???
 

Got pics?

RE: LED replacement for OEM bulbs...???
 

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. Iwas 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 andthe number ofLED 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?

RE: LED replacement for OEM bulbs...???
 

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 soI'm not going to use the site from the original post. I have discovered someting prettycool 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/f...m/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 fogswill look great with my HID's. Once they arriveI will post pics.

RE: LED replacement for OEM bulbs...???
 

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 has9 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!!!

RE: LED replacement for OEM bulbs...???
 

Attachment 6904


I bought the tails several years ago now... one of my first mods.I was hoping they would be brighter (15 LEDs) than the tungsten bulbs. They're not really, and they don't really look any different either, but do have a much faster reaction time which is the big plus.
LED bulbs have come a long way since then and brighter ones (20-24 high powered LEDs/bulb) are now available. I will change them out one day.
I've never liked that the tails are not easily seen by others in these cars.They are not the best design to be seen.I've had truckers stop to tell me my lower brake lights were out when they were working just fine because they can't see them from up there, especially during daylight hours. The third helps out a lot though. 60 LEDs pretty much fill the lens.

RE: LED replacement for OEM bulbs...???
 

I bought that same dome light for $7. here's the site:
http://www.v-leds.com/Shop/Control/P...id/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'mbuying 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/ConsumerProd...lacementGuide/

RE: LED replacement for OEM bulbs...???
 

I like that first link. (Saved to favorites.)
The LED tails can be had cheaper (<$180/pr. shipped) on eBay though. I will probably do these one day too, simply because the OE's, which I prefer, are so damned expensive and hard to get. But I've never been a fan of the way the reverse lights look on these. They appear to be too big and are made to look even bigger by the smaller turn signal reflector. I may just keep the OE reverse light and swap out the outers.
The Xenon store is where I got my third, high mounted brake light from and it's worked flawlessly for me.I did install a resister inline with it to avoid bleed-over from the turn signals. It's hard to beat for <$40. I love it!!

Attachment 6903

RE: LED replacement for OEM bulbs...???
 

^ 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 thatI know how to post pics,I will be posting them ASAP.

RE: LED replacement for OEM bulbs...???
 

Let's get some LED pics in here fellas!

RE: LED replacement for OEM bulbs...???
 

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.

RE: LED replacement for OEM bulbs...???
 

Attachment 6890
Attachment 6891

Attachment 6892

Attachment 6893

Attachment 6894

Attachment 6895

Attachment 6896

These are the pics of the LED fog lamps. There is less light output than the halogen and are better for aesthetics. The low beams are HID's.

Attachment 6897

Attachment 6898

Attachment 6899

Attachment 6900

RE: LED replacement for OEM bulbs...???
 

Looks good, Lev!!
I tried the 194b bulbs in my map lights for about a day and a half (a cheap, under$3way to test the theory,) but discovered that while I like how it looked I just needed more light output for the things I regularlydo. Plus one of them blew out during that time, so I took them back for a refund.

Kind-of a nice moon light glow to them though. Very moody. :D;):D

RE: LED replacement for OEM bulbs...???
 

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.

RE: LED replacement for OEM bulbs...???
 

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.

RE: LED replacement for OEM bulbs...???
 

When i constantly can't find something because of the lights, i will buy white LED's, but until then, blue it is[&:].