Show us your interior led lighting.

[DropTopKingM3]

As much as I’d like to keep my car original during my restoration project, I had to upgrade my lighting a bit. I love bright interior lights.

Show everyone what you’re working with.

Here’s mine on a convertible kit. Dome and map lights in front, footwell, and glovebox.

[Obioban]

I had LED interior lights back in 2006-2008… and went back to stock, because the warm, not blinding light is just nicer to get into at night.

[tnord]

I had LED interior lights back in 2006-2008… and went back to stock, because the warm, not blinding light is just nicer to get into at night.

Agreed in general. But LEDs for home usage have come a long way since then and the color temperature of the GE Relax series 2700 I think is just right. I wonder if there is now something available for automotive also that matches as well?

To be honest, I kind of expected a lengthy answer from you about how LEDs reduce the power draw by XYZ and allows more power to the headlights and a more consistent spark to the engine or something.

[Obioban]

Agreed in general. But LEDs for home usage have come a long way since then and the color temperature of the GE Relax series 2700 I think is just right. I wonder if there is now something available for automotive also that matches as well?

To be honest, I kind of expected a lengthy answer from you about how LEDs reduce the power draw by XYZ and allows more power to the headlights and a more consistent spark to the engine or something.

Ha. The house we're constructing will be entirely 2700-3000k LEDs. But, I'm trying to make the house power self sufficient. Power draw on the car is pretty meaningless, especially power draw that isn't on 99% of the time (or almost ever when the car is on) like interior lights.

[usdmej]

leds for car interior applications have improved drastically over the years. they aren't as harsh and excessively bright as they used to be. I purchased a complete interior bulb set for the family car off amazon and it's a definite improvement over stock (although if you look directly at the center dome light it's a slightly different color temperature than all the other ones for some reason).

if i drove the M3 more at night i'd put in some legwork to find a nice set of interior bulbs, agree with OP that it'd be nice to see what other people here are running and how they look

[usdmej]

https://www.ecstuning.com/b-ziza-parts/master-led-interior-lighting-kit/e46coupeled~kit/?gclid=CjwKCAiA4veMBhAMEiwAU4XRr_fe2BzWS2q2dPGFfuXzVLHn1TeO5-yK08c4bvUp85C00D7u_AVahBoCizgQAvD_BwE

here's a kit i've been eyeing since it's complete and you don't have to go around procuring all the correct sized bulbs

[DropTopKingM3]

I had LED interior lights back in 2006-2008… and went back to stock, because the warm, not blinding light is just nicer to get into at night.

The “led” kits in 2006 were just basic xenon or hyper bright kits from JLevi, modbargains, and Umnitza lol. Technology has come a long way since. I’ll admit, cheap led kits look horrible but when you have the right kit they look very nice.

[jet_dogg]

I've never gotten into my car and thought "you know what, I need to change these bulbs". The warm light is pleasing to the eyes just like sodium street lights unless you've conditioned yourself into thinking it's not. This is not unlike pointless bright led license plate lights that I commented on in the past.

I don't want to get into a bright blue led lighted interior that dazzles the eyes. I don't like bright, harsh, sterile lighting in any way, shape or form. Sitting in front of a campfire or a sunset induces melatonin production whereas blue light does the exact opposite. I don't know about you guys but I'm trying to get a good night's sleep and I'd rather my interior cabin lighting not affect that by the time I get home.

[dukeofchen]

Perhaps the stock bulbs all those years ago were dim, but at least for the center dome light I find the extra brightness afforded by LEDs can be quite useful when you need to fumble around with things at night. Although I suppose changing that one requires going all the way so as not to have mismatched color temperatures.

[DropTopKingM3]

Perhaps the stock bulbs all those years ago were dim, but at least for the center dome light I find the extra brightness afforded by LEDs can be quite useful when you need to fumble around with things at night. Although I suppose changing that one requires going all the way so as not to have mismatched color temperatures.

For this reason, I put them in one of my other cars as well. I'm always dropping my phone and misplacing items around the car. Then when I get home I would have a hard time finding stuff. No more issues now.


2021 Nissan Altima SV.. I had the dimmest interior lights before the led conversion. Now theyre BRIGHT! This pic was taken at night during a rain storm.

[galin90]

Nice, upgrading to brighter interior lights can really freshen up a car's interior, especially if you're working on restoring it. I went through a similar upgrade with my own ride. Swapped out the dull stock bulbs for some LEDs, and it made the interior look so much sharper at night.

If you're thinking about adding even more lights or looking for different options, leds.to has a pretty wide selection. I've browsed their stuff before, and they have all sorts of LED lights that could give your car that extra glow you might be looking for. Your convertible kit sounds awesome with those dome, map, footwell, and glovebox lights.

[9kracing]

Y'all drive your cars at night??

[maw1124]

Y'all drive your cars at night??

😂🤣😅

I'd have to think there are some warmer color LEDs out there these days but I don't have the time to research that one.

maw

[LSB4Me]

In the Porsche world, LEDs are offered with the proper warm (low) temperature outputs. I have them behind my gauges and they look like stock bulbs on the best day . . . every time. In fact, two temps are offered: http://carmagic.us/instrument-911.html

Too bad someone hasn't figured out that the e46 guys don't want overly bright, high temp (read: cheap and tacky) stuff.

[cobra]

I don't see what's wrong with an incandescent bulb. It feels cozy