23109VC

I know I have seen pics somehwere on this forum of a fellow member who did this mod... but can't find them.

I have seen more and more cars now that have some form of an LED strip incorporated into their bumpers or their headlights.

it used to be, at least to me, an "audi thing", but now everyone is doing it.

Now, I think the LED in the headlights is a "newer" car thing.. you see it on many newer cars. it got me thinking that by adding some LEDs into the front bumper, it would give the RL an updated more modern look. heck, so few people even know what the RL is - some people might think our 05-08s are new cars,, just because they see the LEDs???

i can't imagine it would be very hard or very expensive to do.

anyone care to chime in on their thoughts? would it look cheap and tacky or would it look nice? would it affect anything by stuffing LED strips into that cutout in teh lower grill? are those meant for brake cooling / ducting.. and would putting somethign in there actaully harm anything?

anyone with pics of it - let me know.

I could see making them either come on with the DRLs... or somehow try to deactivat the DRL and make LEDs become the DRL? then not sure if I would keep them on with headlights or turn them off? o rput them on their own standalone switch?

thanks.

oo7spy

The JDM KB1 club thread has a pic and Blazing did it once. I will post the Japan pic in a minute.

Personally I dont think it looks right, but it does look better than in the headlights.

EDIT: Here ya go.

EL19

iTrader: (4)

I thought about it but it just doesnt sit well with me

oo7spy

Well, the advanced search seems to have crashed. Otherwise I would try to find Blazing's pic.

EDIT: Moar.

KB1 Spec's in the headlamp:




Blazing's pics are gone, but here is a video.

oo7spy

Someone on CarDomain:


Can't seem to find the other pic of the Audi-esque DRLs.

Tony Torque

[/QUOTE]

I think this setup looks good on the RL.

getakey

+1

The leds on volvos look stupid

oo7spy

Other stupid looking LEDs

Lexus IS250/350


Chrysler 200/300

23109VC

i actually kind of like those LEDs inside the headlamps..but that must be fairly $$... at the least it's a lot of work to pull lights out and take them apart... just wait till one of them burns out, or it goes bad and you'r epulling them out/apart again.. no thanks.

the strips that go into the vents look fairly easy to install/wire up..and if you got tired of it.. you could easily remove them.

i'll think about it...

i have a little list of "stuff" i think it woudl be fun to do... painting my brake calipers is one of them...and that is higher on the list...

M T L T L

Imo why these aftermarket leds dont look good or not as good as the Audi ones is because the size of each led die is too small compared to Audi's and they are placed too close to each other. U dont distinguish individual leds from far. They look like a straight fine line and they are too dim. If one can find the leds used by Audi, they could look good if installed properly on some cars.

I had done this on my 03 TL-S even b4 Audi rolled out their cars with LEDs. It looked good but as good as Vorsprung Dutch Technik for the reasons stated above. I ripped them off once I saw A5s on the road.

jose3031

Doesn't look right bros.

IanVS

According to my wife's cousin in Germany, it's a law over there for new cars to have LEDs (which might explain why you saw them on Audi's first). When I was there last November, it was strange seeing all the new cars with LED strips. Some were obviously done better than others, you could tell which ones were just crammed in at the last minute to meet the rules.

MyBlAcKmAAMbA

Personally I do like it but I would never do it to my car.

Jefftech

Here is a photo (i hope) of the LEDs that i installed recently.
Some luv them, some do not.

Comments?

Carbon Legend

yea not a fan. the lowers and uppers are not the same color. and around the grill it just reminds me of Xmas lights.

oo7spy

Yeah, the grill ones need to go. I would like to see a pic with just the lowers.

Jefftech

Actually they are the same colour, could be the photo? The grill lites are just under the hood and are not visible until you are at least ten feet in front. Anyway, thanks for the comments. I am considering larger die LEDs for the lower part, we'll see.

oo7spy

I think that would be much better. 6-8 LEDs max on the bottom.

BDoggPrelude

LOL. My wife just saw the picture and the first thing she said was "is it Christmas time".

Jefftech, you should seriously consider removing the LED's in the grill below the hood. I know we all have our own styles, likes, dislikes, blah blah blah...but we are also here to support each other and let somebody know when they've maybe stepped over the line and gone from nice to rice. Sorry, it just looks way overdone.

russianintrigue

Not to be rude but you have turned your car into an abortion by doing that to the grill. It makes no sense, it follows no design philosophy, it detracts from the vehicles purpose. The LED's look very cheaply done and just don't flow with the car. They look like a bunch of cheap lights strung out on your grill. At the very least remove them, however I would suggest moving away from the LED's entirely. It makes the car look chintzy. The car has far more dignity without those useless embellishments.

Maintenanceman

It has been mandatory here in Finland to use driving lights (low beams) all the time of the day, that is why Honda dealer made mod when the car was new, my headlights are on even if the light switch is off and the car is running, when i put it on the parking light position then there will be only parking lights, everything else works normally.
Ok, now days it is ok if you have those led daytime running lights what goes off when you turn on real driving lights.
I am going to take away that "all the time on" driving light connection and install those led lights.
That is only because i dont want to burn my xenons/hids all the time at the bright daylight.
I am planning to put them in those "fake air intake holes" on the lower part of the bumper.

IanVS

Are the daytime running lights (low-voltage high beams) not good enough in Finland?

Maintenanceman

Maybe, i think that none of the European models have that low voltage high beam system.
Before there was no DTRL system allowed here but now it is possible to use them.

Jefftech

Ouch! Well okay okay, I'll try the larger lower LED's. Christmas? LOL

At a fundraiser with well heeled people attending, they liked them or were they just being polite? Abortion??? Wow, pretty strong, ouch!

BDoggPrelude

I'm assuming he meant to say abomination. Lol. Still not the most constructive criticism.

steve807

I hate 'em. But if they were designed such that the strip looked like one continuous light rather than individual bulbs... might be OK

oo7spy

The difference between the interwebz and real life is that people here aren't scared to tell you how they really feel. Whereas in real life, people don't want to come across as mean because they are scared of hurting your feelings.

There are no filters here, and that is usually a good thing. The strong sentiments here are coming from people who put a lot of time into making their cars look nice while most of the general public would rather be watching TV than admiring your car. Some people say it nicely, some say it bluntly, some say it with questionable typos, but like BDogg said, we are all just telling you what you need to hear because we want your car to look good too.

BDoggPrelude

russianintrigue

No I meant "abortion". But I was trying to be funny, please reread my critique. Anyway I apologize as it was probably a bit too fantastical of word to use to describe LED lights. However, I hope you remove them. They don't belong.

Jefftech

I will remove the LEDs and try larger die lowers only. Appreciate the candid comments, that's what it's all about. To make the RL look a little bit better & unique.

projektvertx

iTrader: (2)

Meh, this is one of those "Hate it or love it" things. I personally don't like the whole concept. In the words of my dad, who put it quite well: "How soon is this style going to die off?"

Draxx

I dont like the one in the middle. It looks - uneven.

BUT

If it scanned back and forth like Nightrider KIT ... I might like it then ... LOL! .... I wouldent put it on my car ... but I would like it

oo7spy

Unfortunately, it may never die off. There is word that LEDs are becoming a requirement by law in Germany for DRLs(?), and as long as the German badge is a status symbol, , brands like Kia and Chrysler will continue to butcher their head lights with this "style".

projektvertx

iTrader: (2)

I guess a good analogy to what you're saying would be the BMW halos. They kept doing them, and keep seing seing them everywhere on cars where it doesn't belong! Damn these "styles", I can't keep up with the fads anymore

OP, do what you feel confortable doing It's really up to you.

KB1Spec

iTrader: (4)

I had these on my RL back then





Actually if I didn't smoke the lens it would be pretty bright. I put it on my other car and looks bright after I got rid of the tinted smoke on the lens

projektvertx

iTrader: (2)

I'm surprised, it actually looks at home on your Scion. Works into the car pretty well. It almost looks like the new strips Fords are adding in the same location.

KB1Spec

iTrader: (4)

It SOMEWHAT blends in with my Amuse body kit but it doesn't give a good OEMish look

DeeQRL

What's up Raymond! lol found you

KB1Spec

iTrader: (4)

Lol wassup d!

MyKL

My custom.