Interior bulb replacement? Pref aftermarket..

[CharlesAFerg]

I'm wondering what types of interior bulbs would work well for my car. Has anybody used aftermarket bulbs? Perhaps "LED-filament" bulbs that fit into the same sockets as the old ones?

Where do I find quality variants of this or whatever you have used?

I stumbled upon this today...
http://www.beastpower.com/p/bmw/bimmian-xenon/BI-BE39-INT-XENON

[632 Regal]

alright I'll bite... why?

I replaced all interior, dash glove box with original and never second guessed it. Still work too, maybe nee to be replaced in 20 years.

[CharlesAFerg]

Lots of them are out. Also, they seem to dim/brighten with gas or starting the car like any old car. They're too yellow, anyway.

[Ross]

Dimming isn't a bulb fault, check your charging system. Yellow? as in dirty bulbs and lens or you are looking for a whiter light?
Be careful of using correct wattage at the risk of melting plastic lens.

[genphreak]

The LKMs are not designed to run LEDs. You lose the fade out effect and also they become too bright. It could be done well, but I think it would take a lot of effort. Shogun's freidn Taki in Japan has done some LED dimmers for e32s/e34s... those would work beautifully I bet.

[CharlesAFerg]

The LKMs are not designed to run LEDs. You lose the fade out effect and also they become too bright. It could be done well, but I think it would take a lot of effort. Shogun's freidn Taki in Japan has done some LED dimmers for e32s/e34s... those would work beautifully I bet.


Dimming isn't a bulb fault, check your charging system. Yellow? as in dirty bulbs and lens or you are looking for a whiter light?
Be careful of using correct wattage at the risk of melting plastic lens.

It's not a lot, just the usual gas pedal stomp brightening. It's annoying. My headlights do it too, but it's very minor. My alternator is fine, it just makes me notice these old, burned out, worn out half-assed interior lights even more. It's perfectly functioning 80s tech, but it's just that, 80s tech. It's worn out.

My car has no dimming function, and I'm not interested in that. I didn't realize any of e34s have that at all. I know about wattage, and I personally know a 928 guy who has done it in his car to great success, but I don't remember the name of the bulbs.

Are you guys just stuck in the "filament-age" or do you know of any quality kits?

Hell.

[BMW4LIFE]

okay mr. people are trying to help you here!

if you want LED get them...and let us know how the LEDs helped with your dimming because I am sure that the old dinosaur bulbs (remind you that 2010 cars still use) are the ONLY reason for your dimming!

Oh and when you burn your retinas from the intense light when you open your car door at night...don't tell us we didn't warn you! ;):p

[ss2115]

I replaced quite a few of my dash lamps with LED's and found quite a few of them annoyingly bright at night - such as the high beam indicator.
I ended up swapping them around so that only warning lights were LEDs and the lamps that would be on normally or for brief instances (indicators) were LEDs.
I never changed the general background illumination globes though as they would be too too bright and no dimming control if I tried to compensate.

Interior lights I'll try with LED's when/if the filament globes ever go. Don't mind the brightness for getting in/out of the car.

I also have LED's for the headlight park globes because I like the little blue glow - kind of cool.

I changed the centre brake strip of lights to high brightness Red LED's as half the globes were blown and its not a job to change them on a regular basis I'd like to do - works well.

Haven't gone down the route of park, indicator or stop globes though - too expensive and will probably give problems with the Light Module indicating faulty globes anyway.

[CharlesAFerg]

I definitely won't change the indicator bulbs, just the interior globe lights.

[genphreak]

I am pretty sure that all e32 and e34 LKMs do courtest light dimming.

I do know they all stop dimming at some point though once the capacitors break down inside, an easy fix.

Actually I like the idea of LEDs, not having to change them, low power use, low heat. However they also don't diffuse light as well and make too mch contrast for night-time use.

Consider that in these cars, they put the light is right there in front of you at night. It blinds you badly enough the way it is, so may not be such a good idea to make it really bright.