Right so time to start buying all the wee bits for the taxi, I know what bulbs I need, fitement wise,

So 501 sidelights non error, what led's do you recommend?

Reg plate, festoon non error led bulbs, what do you recommend?

Interior lights, front has 2 501 & another festoon, rear has a festoon, glove box & boot are 501's I think?

What you guys using? Links please

Car is a pre facelift 58 plate elegance

G

Interested to see the responses to this as there doesn't seem to be much definitive out there...

I think you may struggle with the sidelights and number plate bulbs on a facelift. They're very picky it seems.

Another one you haven't mentioned is puddle lights. Does the car have them? Or the lights in the bottom of the doors.

Phil

I would be interested to hear about anyone using led in the headlights. I know they make the bulbs, but bet they cannot be very bright, can they?

lots of canbus error free led 501 on ebay, as I was looking for some too....

sent via Playbook and Tapatalk

OP said pre-facelift (which a 58 plate would be). I believe that the problem of sourcing error free LEDs is much less of a problem on pre-FL cars.

Need to get a list of all the lights I want to replace to Fizzmo (? regularly linked to on here via their eBay store) and see what they can do.

Ooops.

I missed the "pre" bit and thought it was a facelift.

In that case then I bought these for my number plate:

230872128815

I then changed the coding in VCDS to disable license plate monitoring even though they are canbus I wanted to be sure.

The puddle lights under the mirrors are just 501 wedge bulbs and so are the ones in the bottom of the doors.

Phil

replaced all my interior lights with bulbs from FIzzmo, cant recommend them enough, arrived very fast and all work perfect.

regards to the boot. You want 501's which have the led on one side only. You can get plenty of these on ebay.

One bulb NOT to get is this one:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/290684880820?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2649

They work and are very bright BUT due to their size and the heatsink on the back they only just fit. I've managed to go through 3 fuses and pop one of the bulbs as it shorted on the metal holder in the carpet

I believe that the sidelights and plate-lights are a problem because of the heat generated coupled with the time they are on. I was running w5w 5LED Fizzmos in my sidelights, quite well for about 3 months, then I noticed some flickering. I took one out and plugged it into the interior light. 3/5 came on and 2/5 flickered. Also, within a few seconds the unit itself was quite hot. I moved to a set of single LED units. Been ok.........so far.

I used a pair of in-line resistors to deal with the canbus issue.

Also, you missed puddle lights off the list: also w5w/501, and front door lights (festoon). Upgraded to LED they work very well together.

Guys thanks for all the replys, think fizzmo wins tbh, but there's a massive choice lol

Will be back with updates ;-)

G

replaced all my interior lights with bulbs from FIzzmo, cant recommend them enough, arrived very fast and all work perfect.

Any chance you could let me know which bulbs fit which fitment as there are soooooo many different types on their website/ebay....

Any chance you could let me know which bulbs fit which fitment as there are soooooo many different types on their website/ebay....

You need 501's for sidelights, map reading lights, puddle lights, glove box & boot

You need festoon type bulbs, prob 39mm for reg plate lights & also interior dome lights.

G

My glove box light is a festoon bulb. Thought it would be a 501 but it's not.

Phil

My glove box light is a festoon bulb. Thought it would be a 501 but it's not.

Phil

Ill need to check mines, not got it home yet

G

AS someone mentioned the LED headlamps, which are just making their way into the posh end market now. The blurb I read was saying you had a choice, a HID fitment to enable you to see furthest and best or LED for a smaller more compact appearance but poor light output. Form OR function, not both.

Does that imply the two are not interchangeable? The LED unit itself was quite bulky, even though the light source was small.

For me, more R&D required.

I fitted some LED GU10's into some kitchen downlighters, but took them out because of the poor light spread. Its was like the stupid TV detectives who go into some pitch black cellers with a tiny maglight, (why don't they have a mega bright lantern?).

I bought a couple of 501's to fit in the side lights but so far not got around to fitting them. If they don't look good I've also got a couple of bikes to try them in. Its too cold at the moment to go fiddling around outside

AS someone mentioned the LED headlamps, which are just making their way into the posh end market now. The blurb I read was saying you had a choice, a HID fitment to enable you to see furthest and best or LED for a smaller more compact appearance but poor light output. Form OR function, not both.

Does that imply the two are not interchangeable? The LED unit itself was quite bulky, even though the light source was small.

For me, more R&D required.

I fitted some LED GU10's into some kitchen downlighters, but took them out because of the poor light spread. Its was like the stupid TV detectives who go into some pitch black cellers with a tiny maglight, (why don't they have a mega bright lantern?).

Where did you read that?

The Merc's which use LED's have fantastic headlights, they aren't the SMD's you see advertised on ebay. Philips make them and have spent loads on R&D. There is an entire section on their website about it.

As its a taxi and you will be carrying fare paying passengers, would you not be best changing the interior bulbs only and leaving the exterior ones, thus keeping the car 100% road legal? Just a thought as you have a public liability issue more than most on here.

Nothing illegal about led number plate/ side lights

Nothing illegal about led number plate/ side lights

it is an offence to fit a non filament bulb in a lamp holder designed for the fitment of a filament bulb.

Odd. Ive had led bulbs in for countless mot's and even asked police officers to make sure they were ok.......

it is an offence to fit a non filament bulb in a lamp holder designed for the fitment of a filament bulb.

Correct also... they never bloody last long lol.

I have ones in my reg plate and granted they have lasted years i did pay £30 for them from germany they look awesome lol, have a little heatsink etc and lasted ages, LED sidelights havent lasted more than a year i'm sick replacing them so went back to normal filament 501 bulbs.

Odd. Ive had led bulbs in for countless mot's and even asked police officers to make sure they were ok.......

I once had a random spot check by police at the side of the road in my Felicia. I had LED number plate bulbs and they were fine with them.

They didn't like the LED's in the front sidelights though. They were about to slap me with a fine but I said I had some spare bulbs in the car and could I just pop them in. They were very pleased to see I had a full set of spares of evey conceivable bulbs on the car.

Her scrapped the fine... which was nice!

Phil

it is an offence to fit a non filament bulb in a lamp holder designed for the fitment of a filament bulb.

So, for example, you replace the bulb and holder for an LED bulb and holder (from one of the newer VAGs) all is good?

What about "non-road" lights, such as puddle-lights?

Id have thought you could do whatever you wanted with your interior lights, puddle lights etc