LED Replacement Bulbs
By Sean O'Hara
Many custom cars get a bad rap for being eco-unfriendly or wastes of money. Though they often do suck cash like a Vegas slot machine, that doesn’t necessarily mean they’re all eco-trashing Hummers. Some mods even save energy — like LED light bulbs. They look bad-ass, function well, and don’t kill the planet. Rock.
It you’ve just crawled out from under a rock, let us clue you in: LED bulbs are not only here, they’re completely taking over. Many newer cars are already adopting LED tail and turn signal bulbs straight from the showroom because they require less power to operate and last up to ten times longer than old-school bulbs. But if you’re driving an older vehicle, you can still upgrade. Many — like the ones pictured — are direct replacements for your old bulbs and come with a three-year warranty.
They’re cheap, too. For all the added style and hotness, a replacement LED system will only run you about $12 per bulb. Spread across the cost of a project car, the $100 you’ll spend on LED replacements all ’round your ride pretty much disappears. And did we mention they look kick-ass and modern to boot?
LED Replacement Bulbs [Super-Bright LEDS]
Street Pricing [Google Product Search]
Via Amazon
September 27th, 2007 at 5:08 pm
Another often overlooked benefit of LED lighting is how much faster they “light”. If you look on some of the older cars that still have standard bulbs in the bottom 2 brake lights but LEDs on the third brake (usually a strip), the third one always comes on faster. Although this is only a difference of a fraction of a second or so, it could mean the difference between a close call and an insurance claim. Plus, you’ll never have to replace them, probably for the life of the car.
September 27th, 2007 at 5:19 pm
The biggest challenge I’ve run into is there seems to be no standard rating for these bulbs. There are no lumen comparisons to stock bulbs or a way to tell how well light is dispersed in my vehicle’s reflectors. Due to the directional nature of LEDs, the layout of the LEDs on the assembly and how it will ultimately be positioned in my car’s reflector could mean the difference of whether or not the guy in my blind spot sees my blinker.
September 27th, 2007 at 10:32 pm
They make different styles of LED bulbs for different applications. The bulbs for blinkers have LED’s facing outwards towards the side in a cylinder shape. You probably won’t find those style at your local auto store. You would have better luck online, like ebay or performance websites.
October 1st, 2007 at 4:02 pm
If you do decide to run LED lights, make sure to switch back to normal bulbs for winter (if you live in parts that get snow/ice) because LED don’t generate enough heat to melt the snow and ice off the light lenses.
October 12th, 2007 at 6:10 pm
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