LEDs installed for vanity mirrors, doors and license plate
I installed my reverse lights yesterday and that shiet was a biatch to install. It took me 30-45 mins trying to figure out how to take it off. When i finally found out, the other pair was a breeze. Everything is installed and i'm really pleased with the outcome. I'll post the pics hopefully tonight.
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Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 499
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From: San Diego
I installed my reverse lights yesterday and that shiet was a biatch to install. It took me 30-45 mins trying to figure out how to take it off. When i finally found out, the other pair was a breeze. Everything is installed and i'm really pleased with the outcome. I'll post the pics hopefully tonight.
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Joined: Jul 2008
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I installed my reverse lights yesterday and that shiet was a biatch to install. It took me 30-45 mins trying to figure out how to take it off. When i finally found out, the other pair was a breeze. Everything is installed and i'm really pleased with the outcome. I'll post the pics hopefully tonight.
Uhmm... Its the same as the DIY. First, take out the black plastic cover on top of the tail light, so you have a grip to yank it. Next, inside the trunk, you have to pull the carpet out. It is secured with two black plastic bolts that can be popped by a flat screw driver. Once the carpet is out of the way, you'll see 3 nuts that you have to unscrew. Then pull the whole tail light out from where the plastic cover was. Don't be afraid to yank it coz its only fastened with two clips by then. After that you'll see the reverse light. Let me know if you get into any snag.
More Conservative Light Change
After trying several different bulbs and temps, I decided on a goal of matching everything inside and out as close as possible to the 4300K temp of the stock HID. Here are my LED change-outs.
Vanity: Vanity Mini 3 LED SMT Festoon, 31mm x 5mm diameter, Super White
Source: http://autolumination.com/festoon.htm
Map: WLED-NW5, Natural White @ 4500K, 220 degree pattern, 12 Lumens
Door: WLED-NW6, Natural White @ 4500K, 35 degree pattern, 12 Lumens
License: WLED-NW5, Natural White @ 4500K, 220 degree pattern, 12 Lumens
Trunk: WLED-WHP, Pure White @ 4500, 120 degree pattern, 20 Lumens
Source: http://www.superbrightleds.com/mini-wedge.html
Some Things to Consider:
1. Seems like a majority of people use the Cool White LED. For the WLED-5, it is 8000K and the WLED-6 is 9600K. I did not notice this when I made my first order. When I installed them it was too blue and too dim for me. So I put them in my son’s GTI and they matched well. When I put the Natural White in I liked it much better. It gets rid of the stock “yellow” lights and I can see much better. Maybe not as “cool” at the Cool White, but better choice for me. If you are not sure, then you may want to order a couple of samples and play with them first before ordering a whole set.
2. Think about the pattern of the light and the orientation of the bulb before deciding on the 5 or 6 LED for each location. I used 5 in the Map to give a glow. The 6 in the Map gave too much of a spotlight effect. Now in the door, I wanted more of the spotlight effect so used 6. In the license I wanted better dispersion so used 5.
3. Tried the Cool White 5 and 6 in the trunk before ordering the WHP. It is much brighter than either and lights up trunk much better especially since it is 4500K.
Pictures were requested in another post. So here is my best attempt. Taken in a garage with no other lights. Used tripod so I could play with exposure to get pictures as close to actual as possible. It was real hard to get the color in the photo to match the real life. However, the first one below named "accurate color" is real close. Hope that helps.
I really like how this came out......
Vanity: Vanity Mini 3 LED SMT Festoon, 31mm x 5mm diameter, Super White
Source: http://autolumination.com/festoon.htm
Map: WLED-NW5, Natural White @ 4500K, 220 degree pattern, 12 Lumens
Door: WLED-NW6, Natural White @ 4500K, 35 degree pattern, 12 Lumens
License: WLED-NW5, Natural White @ 4500K, 220 degree pattern, 12 Lumens
Trunk: WLED-WHP, Pure White @ 4500, 120 degree pattern, 20 Lumens
Source: http://www.superbrightleds.com/mini-wedge.html
Some Things to Consider:
1. Seems like a majority of people use the Cool White LED. For the WLED-5, it is 8000K and the WLED-6 is 9600K. I did not notice this when I made my first order. When I installed them it was too blue and too dim for me. So I put them in my son’s GTI and they matched well. When I put the Natural White in I liked it much better. It gets rid of the stock “yellow” lights and I can see much better. Maybe not as “cool” at the Cool White, but better choice for me. If you are not sure, then you may want to order a couple of samples and play with them first before ordering a whole set.
2. Think about the pattern of the light and the orientation of the bulb before deciding on the 5 or 6 LED for each location. I used 5 in the Map to give a glow. The 6 in the Map gave too much of a spotlight effect. Now in the door, I wanted more of the spotlight effect so used 6. In the license I wanted better dispersion so used 5.
3. Tried the Cool White 5 and 6 in the trunk before ordering the WHP. It is much brighter than either and lights up trunk much better especially since it is 4500K.
Pictures were requested in another post. So here is my best attempt. Taken in a garage with no other lights. Used tripod so I could play with exposure to get pictures as close to actual as possible. It was real hard to get the color in the photo to match the real life. However, the first one below named "accurate color" is real close. Hope that helps.
I really like how this came out......
Last edited by HamstersG; Nov 20, 2008 at 10:40 PM. Reason: Add info and pictures.
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Hm.... someone else on myg37 bought the PIAA H1 6000k Fogs, they were suppose to be purple/white but they turned out yellowish/pink... and when looking at the casing it almost looks like the oem fogs.. so i'd be careful about the 4000k ones.. if your trying to rid of the yellow...
I'm getting the PIAA spark blue 8000k for my fogs, from car-gym and returning my piaa h1 6000k fogs
PIAA Part #11655 H1 Xtreme White Plus
I'm getting the PIAA spark blue 8000k for my fogs, from car-gym and returning my piaa h1 6000k fogs
PIAA Part #11655 H1 Xtreme White Plus
Thread Starter
Registered Member
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 499
Likes: 1
From: San Diego
Based on information in this forum and a number of other web sites, I finally decided to go with a combination of incandescent and LED bulbs. After trying several different bulbs and temps, I decided on a goal of matching everything inside and out as close as possible to the 4300K temp of the stock HID.
Here is what I used:.
Interior:
Vanity: Vanity Mini 3 LED SMT Festoon, 31mm x 5mm diameter, Super White
Source: http://autolumination.com/festoon.htm
Map: WLED-NW5, Natural White @ 4500K, 220 degree pattern, 12 Lumens
Door: WLED-NW6, Natural White @ 4500K, 35 degree pattern, 12 Lumens
License: WLED-NW5, Natural White @ 4500K, 220 degree pattern, 12 Lumens
Trunk: WLED-WHP, Pure White @ 4500, 120 degree pattern, 20 Lumens
Source: http://www.superbrightleds.com/mini-wedge.html
Some Things to Consider:
1. Seems like a majority of people use the Cool White LED. For the WLED-5, it is 8000K and the WLED-6 is 9600K. I did not notice this when I made my first order. When I installed them it was too blue and too dim for me. So I put them in my son’s GTI and they matched well. When I put the Natural White in I liked it much better. It gets rid of the stock “yellow” lights and I can see much better. Maybe not as “cool” at the Cool White, but better choice for me. If you are not sure, then you may want to order a couple of samples and play with them first before ordering a whole set.
2. Think about the pattern of the light and the orientation of the bulb before deciding on the 5 or 6 LED for each location. I used 5 in the Map to give a glow. The 6 in the Map gave too much of a spotlight effect. Now in the door, I wanted more of the spotlight effect so used 6. In the license I wanted better dispersion so used 5.
3. Tried the Cool White 5 and 6 in the trunk before ordering the WHP. It is much brighter than either and lights up trunk much better especially since it is 4500K.
Exterior:
Headlight: Stock @ 4300K
Fogs: PIAA Part #11655 H1 Xtreme White Plus @ 4000K (To be installed)
City Light: PIAA Part #19172 168 Xtreme White Wedge Bulb to match Fog (To be installed)
Source: www.amazon.com
Backups: 25 Led SMT Tower III 194 168 W5W 2825 (To be installed)
Source: http://autolumination.com/194.htm
I really like how it has come out so far.....
Here is what I used:.
Interior:
Vanity: Vanity Mini 3 LED SMT Festoon, 31mm x 5mm diameter, Super White
Source: http://autolumination.com/festoon.htm
Map: WLED-NW5, Natural White @ 4500K, 220 degree pattern, 12 Lumens
Door: WLED-NW6, Natural White @ 4500K, 35 degree pattern, 12 Lumens
License: WLED-NW5, Natural White @ 4500K, 220 degree pattern, 12 Lumens
Trunk: WLED-WHP, Pure White @ 4500, 120 degree pattern, 20 Lumens
Source: http://www.superbrightleds.com/mini-wedge.html
Some Things to Consider:
1. Seems like a majority of people use the Cool White LED. For the WLED-5, it is 8000K and the WLED-6 is 9600K. I did not notice this when I made my first order. When I installed them it was too blue and too dim for me. So I put them in my son’s GTI and they matched well. When I put the Natural White in I liked it much better. It gets rid of the stock “yellow” lights and I can see much better. Maybe not as “cool” at the Cool White, but better choice for me. If you are not sure, then you may want to order a couple of samples and play with them first before ordering a whole set.
2. Think about the pattern of the light and the orientation of the bulb before deciding on the 5 or 6 LED for each location. I used 5 in the Map to give a glow. The 6 in the Map gave too much of a spotlight effect. Now in the door, I wanted more of the spotlight effect so used 6. In the license I wanted better dispersion so used 5.
3. Tried the Cool White 5 and 6 in the trunk before ordering the WHP. It is much brighter than either and lights up trunk much better especially since it is 4500K.
Exterior:
Headlight: Stock @ 4300K
Fogs: PIAA Part #11655 H1 Xtreme White Plus @ 4000K (To be installed)
City Light: PIAA Part #19172 168 Xtreme White Wedge Bulb to match Fog (To be installed)
Source: www.amazon.com
Backups: 25 Led SMT Tower III 194 168 W5W 2825 (To be installed)
Source: http://autolumination.com/194.htm
I really like how it has come out so far.....
when you get a chance can you take some pics of your interior lights. the cool white looks cool, but i admit it is pretty dim. i also want to see what the 6's look for the doors. thanks for all the info so far hamdavid!