LED Sidelights vs Philips Bluevision vs Standard Candles

driveforward

driveforward

Member
A few months back I replaced my standard 'candle-like' sidelight bulbs with some Philips Bluevision bulbs that came 'free' with my dipped beam upgrades. The difference was enormous, I couldn't believe just how yellow, dim and horrid the standard bulbs were. However, after a few months of running these, this weekend I noticed mild evidence of the sidelight 'tube' in the headlight cluster beginning to yellow on one side. I had heard of previous stories of uprated sidelight bulbs starting to burn the diffused housing within the cluster. Therefore it was time for a change before the damage became noticeable..

After a few quick searches I found a recommendation on this forum for the eBay seller linked to below, and on Sunday night I ordered me a pair of 4xLED white sidelights for £4 inc delivery. They arrived today and they're now fitted. I was slightly apprehensive that I may have to fit some resistors in line in order to prevent my DIS displaying the 'blown bulb' warning (the LEDs draw MUCH less current), however, the 4xLED bulbs that I ordered actually contain a couple of resistors and work straight out of the box :)

And, boy, do they work! Bloody hell they're good.. they make my 'enhanced' sidelights (comparison attached) and my 'Bluevision Xenon Effect' dipped beams look like amber torches..

I would thoroughly recommend both this upgrade, and the eBay seller I bought from.. for £4 you simply can't go wrong!

I think I'll be looking to fit more LED lights in the future..

Ian

eBay Shop: http://stores.ebay.co.uk/Car-LED-Lighting
 
Ian, I'm surprised it has taken you this long to fit these LED'S as I thought you had seen the one's fitted to my A2. By the way before fitting any rear LED'S refer to my post regarding knocking out my cruise control via the ECU.
Well done with your bodykit explanations!!!
Cheers, Malcolm.
 
I take it you ordered the following "bulbs"?
2X 4 LED Xenon white HID look BA9S sidelight bulbs?
 
yeah, I have a pair of very white side lights and I notice one of my tube is yellowing slowly. But I've had them installed for more than 2yrs! I still have my Philips bluevision freebie side lights somewhere, they might be a lot hotter than mine. I have been thinking about replacing them before the summer when the temperature goes up.
 
malcolmoc said:
Ian, I'm surprised it has taken you this long to fit these LED'S as I thought you had seen the one's fitted to my A2. By the way before fitting any rear LED'S refer to my post regarding knocking out my cruise control via the ECU.
Well done with your bodykit explanations!!!
Cheers, Malcolm.
Click to expand...
Hehe, indeed. I was going to buy some when I bought the Bluevision's.. but as they came with free sidelights I held off :eek:
Knocking out cruise control!? Sounds worrying!

mlarner said:
I take it you ordered the following "bulbs"?
2X 4 LED Xenon white HID look BA9S sidelight bulbs?
Click to expand...
The ones you need are 501 W5W's:
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI....MEWA:IT&viewitem=&item=230095652853&rd=1&rd=1

HTH :)
 
Yes Ian, it was worrying at the time ,it was when the brake pedal was pressed the ECU said to itself there was something wrong as the new LED stoptail bulbs were not taking the amount of current that it was programmed to take.

cheers ,Malcolm
 
Well after seeing that pic of "driveforwards" A2 ,Iwent straight over to ebay and bought a set.
Fitted them this afternoon and all I can say is WOW,they look fantastic even SWMBO was impressed and thats not easilt done.
Cheers for the info/lead on these bulbs.
 
herusix said:
Well after seeing that pic of "driveforwards" A2 ,Iwent straight over to ebay and bought a set.
Fitted them this afternoon and all I can say is WOW,they look fantastic even SWMBO was impressed and thats not easilt done.
Cheers for the info/lead on these bulbs.
Click to expand...
Excellent, glad to have been of help! I keep leaving my sidelights on when I get out of the car just to have a look at them, 1 week on and I'm still very impressed :)

Ian
 
Yes I bought a set some weeks ago, the guy forgot the order and sent two sets by way of apology. Don't know how anyone else feels, but I'm waiting to get busted - they are so blue.
Paul
 
pc759 said:
Yes I bought a set some weeks ago, the guy forgot the order and sent two sets by way of apology. Don't know how anyone else feels, but I'm waiting to get busted - they are so blue.
Paul
Click to expand...
I don't think they're 'blue', they just emit a xenon headlight type clear white light.. If you remove one of them from the headlight cluster and look at it without the light passing through the lens the LED's are pure white..

BTW: He does sell some blue ones so are you sure you have 'white ones' and not blue?
 
Ian,

I had replaced all of the bulbs in my head light unit including Philips Bluevision side light bulbs which I also got free. I was really pleased with the light emission from them, that was until ULP pointed out the problem of the plastic casing burning due to excessive heat generated by them.

So i have switched back to standard as a precaution. Really unimpressed by the standard bulbs having had the Philips fitted and I am seriously considering going the LED route.

As a matter of interest, how are your indicator plastic surrounds looking now, having had them fitted for a short while? Are they any worse?

Cheers,

Darren
 
Darren C said:
Ian,

I had replaced all of the bulbs in my head light unit including Philips Bluevision side light bulbs which I also got free. I was really pleased with the light emission from them, that was until ULP pointed out the problem of the plastic casing burning due to excessive heat generated by them.

So i have switched back to standard as a precaution. Really unimpressed by the standard bulbs having had the Philips fitted and I am seriously considering going the LED route.

As a matter of interest, how are your indicator plastic surrounds looking now, having had them fitted for a short while? Are they any worse?

Cheers,

Darren
Click to expand...
Luckily my sidelight surrounds were caught early, there's only a slight 'tinge' of yellowing where the sidelight housing is closest to the dipped beam lens. The LED ones don't use much power, so produce very little heat. I would DEFINITELY suggest that you get a set of these LED sidelights.. the only problem is that you'll want to upgrade your dipped beams to HID's as the LED sidelights make the BlueVision bulbs look extremely inferior in comparison!!!

HIDs: Another project no doubt!!
 
I will be fitting some genuine HID lights i purchased a few weeks ago in the next few days, along with some led sidelights and philips silverstar indicator bulbs.

I will try and upload some before and after pictures in a few days.
 
OK, I have been convinced and jumped on the bandwagon as well (I didn't need much convincing to jump on a £4 bandwagon! :) ). Ordered them today.

All I have to do now is search for a topic that tells me how to fit the things...
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top