LED Bulbs?

Apologies if this has been discussed before, I've had a quick search and can't see any threads about it.

I've seen a fair bit on YouTube regarding LED direct replacement bulbs. I was just wondering if anyone had experimented with them, or are people just heading down the HID route?

As far as I can tell, if you change to LED bulbs I don't think there's any legal issues

Anybody got any views or advice?

http://www.fiatcoupeclub.org/forum/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=1591302#Post1591302

its an 'exciting' time for LED headlights!

Just had some fitted myself - the difference is literally night and day!
My only reservation so far is about the high beam projection distance, but I suspect this all depends on the quality of your lens?

Thanks Joe, I didn't realise there was a post.

Thanks for the replies fellas

I take it the group buy has been done & dusted now?

Yes the GB price is finished but Duncan can still supply the LED kits, they're maybe £5.00 more but you'd need to ring him to confirm.

Thanks Joe, I'll give him a try

Cool

Duncan Rickards 0800 246 5678

sales@classiccarleds.co.uk

I bought mine in the group buy mentioned above and am very happy with them

I had HID's on my old Coupe, but the LED's I've put in my current Coupe are much better and instant light too, no warm up delay neither.

I come home from work at midnight, so need decent lights

The LED's are illegal though, same as HID's so you need to bear that in mind.

Personally, I think the original Coupe bulbs should be illegal instead

Superstar! Thanks again Joe

Thanks Theresa I didn't realise they were illegal, I thought they might have been ok, but now I'm aware. Thanks for enlightening me.

Thanks Joe & everyone else for your help. I've ordered a couple of sets as I didn't want to feel left out

This 'illegal' part of fitting LED's or the HID's is the power that be saying this lights must only be fitting in conjunction with head light washers, we don't have them in the UK only Europe, and to date since this new addition was added to our MOT tests I've not know anyone receive a fail, yet.

Had leds fitted to my car when mot'd 2 weeks ago. No issues. Wasn't even mentioned.

I was under the impression that the led illegal issue was also to do with type approval i.e. the original light clusters were only type approved with standard halogens. If someone designed new clusters for the coupe and had them type approved with leds fitted then all would be good. However it is possible that this is just some nonesense I read elsewhere and is only part of the issue.

you can go at the front, during dark sections of the forthcoming Northern Tour...!

Except that, being Northern, it's not going to get dark

Think someone we know might be interested in these LED's.....

I find the easiest way is just not to drive my Coupe at night!

I was like that for years, crap lights so I just didn't want to drive my LE after dark as I'm very rural over this side of the country, the LED's have made a massive difference as they've given me confidence, simply because I can see

Lol, thanks for clearing up the legality issue guys. Mine arrived today around 13.00 about 10 mins after I got home from work.

Very pleased with the ultra fast delivery & price.

Many thanks to Duncan & to you guys for your help & advice

I have a little knowledge due to my occupation prior to retirement which might help..

The issue with LED replacements is that they are not type approval marked AND don't comply with European / UNECE technical standards. Even classic status cars are not exempt unfortunately. The regs on vehicle lighting go back to the 1980s.

I believe that technically speaking you also need to inform your insurer if bulbs replaced with these so be aware in case this interferes with or negates an future claim made.

With dwindling police numbers the RPU provision is being combined regionally making traffic cops an ever rarer sight, and as I recently discovered with my first Coupe an MOT certificate doesn't necessarily guarantee you have a road legal vehicle either.

So pay your money and take your chances...

Thanks for that Pete, quite ironic that sometimes the most sensible mods are outlawed

The issue with lighting legality is that if the replacement is even slightly misaligned, or the light point source is the wrong shape or size, the beam pattern can be completely screwed up. (In general; not specifically pointing at the coupe).

Dazzling lights are a significant hazard - whether they're in front of you or behind, if you're dazzled, you can't see other stuff on the road. And there are plenty of people who have *normal* bulbs pointing all over the place, or who haven't got the sense to turn the fog lights off if it's not foggy...

There are other issues with HID - their tendency to turn off if the current is interrupted and not turn on without killing the power completely, and their slow turn-on. And their ability to scatter like mad when shining through a dirty cover, hence the requirements for self-levelling and washers on OEM equipment.

For what it's worth, last winter I replaced (on the Bravo) aftermarket HIDs with high brightness halogens. Having a light meter to hand, I measured before and after: the halogens were *four times* brighter than the HIDs.

Wow, I had a feeling it would be to do with dazzling oncoming vehicles and the fact they are supposed to be brighter than std bulbs.

Until I'd heard about the new led hype, I was considering ultra bright halogens as I didn't want to chance my arm with the law converting to hids.

The illegality has been covered before. See HERE and it's exacltly as Ballypete has said, it's non-compliance that makes them illegal, nothing to do with washers or lowering/raising mechanisms. For legal use of hid/leds in our cars the headlamp housing has to be compliant else you can invalidate insurance and type approval. But because the MOT doesnt test compliance you can still get one of those !!!!!!

Thanks for that, I've usually just put brighter bulbs such as the Rings or Night Breakers on my car, but I might try the leds as I've now bought them. I'll have to decide how I feel personally regarding the rights or wrongs and sum up what I'm happy with.

Thanks again for the input