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It doesn't hurt that we have good taste in colors, and it hides dirt pretty well for a dark color. I haven't done any of the mods you've done and I've lost track. I'd love to change out the puddle lights, but afraid of cracking the housing, base or mirror trying to get at it. I don't care to change out the interior lights since I want to keep the dimming feature and don't like the higher kelvin color LEDs. I may change out the trunk light and fogs, but I'm too lazy right now.
What have you've done and kept so far? How is the plastic dip holding up on your front grill with the washes?
Love the side mouldings on your car, they look good on a darker color.
The trunk light is literally a 1 minute job - just pop the diffuser cover, pull the connector and change the bulb. I put on a huge cross-shaped LED that spews light everywhere and makes the trunk a lot brighter.
As for the mirror puddle lights, be prepared to get your fingers covered in mirror grease and your fingertips sliced to ribbons... I used a screwdriver to pry the lower mirror tab away (20 minutes!!!), then it was a 15 minute job unscrewing the mirror housing and changing the bulb. The only scary part is the creaking the mirror gears make when you're popping the mirror on or off.
Love the side mouldings on your car, they look good on a darker color.
The trunk light is literally a 1 minute job - just pop the diffuser cover, pull the connector and change the bulb. I put on a huge cross-shaped LED that spews light everywhere and makes the trunk a lot brighter.
As for the mirror puddle lights, be prepared to get your fingers covered in mirror grease and your fingertips sliced to ribbons... I used a screwdriver to pry the lower mirror tab away (20 minutes!!!), then it was a 15 minute job unscrewing the mirror housing and changing the bulb. The only scary part is the creaking the mirror gears make when you're popping the mirror on or off.
Thanks, I like the body side moulding. I think it breaks up the large sheet metal of the doors.
So is the LED for the trunk the same T10? Do you have specific part info for that and the door lights? These are the only ones I'd change at the moment, and maybe the fogs like Dave's.
With my luck on the mirrors, I'd strip the plastic gears or crack the housing or mirror trying to pry it out. It'd be an expensive repair and upgrade
Dave, that's sounds a little strange, but whatever floats your boat . I actually seen auto shoots under the Golden Gate, but at a better vantage since they can take the whole lot. I was just lucky to park in front of the old fort and with the bridge in the background.
yeah thats nice location, i thought you were the bridge security guard for a sec by where you were parked, seems like an exclusive spot.
the Plasti Dip is holding up surprisngly well. I have washed the car about 4 times since i bought it (not personally) and it still looks like the first day i sprayed it. And one time i ashamly admit i ran it through a drive thru car wash i know dont hold it against me lol. I have to say i really like the blacked out grille with the Nebula Gray we have, resembles a non F Sport GS from the front. Since i traded my GS for the ES, ive had friends and family ask me if i painted the GS lol. But anybody thats knows cars obviously can tell its an ES.
The mods that i have done are:
All the bulbs i did myself, super easy
- H11 5000K LED fog lights (love it)
- Full interior LED swap, 12 bulbs inside, 1 in the trunk
- Replaced reverse lights to LED, however i tossed the stock ones back on because they cast a broader beam.
- Lightly smoked the clear upper section of the tail lights, over turn signal and reverse
- 15 % tint all around, and 55% tint on front windshield. (my legs and lower body would burn when the sun was strong which it usually is in L.A. This was a life saver, keeps my car much cooler and it is light enough to not interfer with the visibility at night time.
Arty, the trunk lights are T10. See the pic below. I used the cross-shaped LED on the right, it seriously brightens up the trunk. You don't need to use an LED light bar if you have a bright enough bulb.
As for reverse LEDs, you need a big one like below that shoots light out on all sides because the reverse reflector is designed for a filament bulb's dispersion pattern.
Chrome- yeah, I read and saw your install, and them rear backup LEDs look humugus. And now I know what you're talking about on the cross shaped led for the trunk. I thought the T10s were flat, to fit all the other interior lights. So if I order from Amazon, what exactly is the spec and type of each? Wattage and number of led elements per element? I thought I was looking for 5w T10s.
Dave- thanks for the summary. I was getting lost on the stuff you did, and removed so I didn't know what was finally done to the car. I'm surprised CHP or LEO haven't pulled you over for the tinted fronts. Maybe they're more common in SoCal.
Truth be told, I've been a little too lazy and have brought my baby thru those combo hand/machine drive thru. That's why I was wondering how the plastic dip was holding up. Otherwise, I think your mods look sharp. .
Thanks bud, they are inexpensive and simple mods but they make my vehicle stand out from other ES on the road. I doubt i will do anything else to my ES, im just going to change the oil, brakes and drive it til the cows come home.
Also i would highly suggest buying the OBD2 device with the Carista app, not only can you check faults, you can clear service lights and check engine lights. But the main reason to get the device and app is it allows you to customize over 50 options on your vehicle, absolutely love it.
55% is the lightest tint you can get, it kinda looks like how the Mercedez S Class front windshield is, you can tell its not clear but you can see inside, even at night. Cops here are pretty cool with tints, and if i do happen to get a ticket i just peel it off and put it back on. True rebel lolll
Yeah, +1 on the OBD dongle, I've got one coming so I can do quick diagnostics with Carista. I might even set use an old phone as a HUD unit.
For the interior and trunk bulbs, T10 just specifies the power connector design - they should have a positive and negative strip or wire at the bottom. The stock filament bulbs are 5W while replacement LEDs are 1-2 W because they're a lot more efficient. I would get one that lights up on all 4 sides radially and downwards axially for the interior with at least 5 chips, that way you'll get nice even illumination. The cross-shaped 3W one I got for the trunk fires only radially with 16 chips.
The reverse bulbs are T10 at 16W stock. The LEDs I got are supposedly 10W so they're crazy bright... I don't have a multimeter to test the figures though.
Thanks Chrome. Good stuff. Your explanation on the LEDs was easy to understand, but the two LEDs for the trunk and backup lights look like they have much different connectors. I guess they'll all fit at the plug, but not necessarily fit the fixture due to their size.
So do the LEDs dim slowly and smoothly like the oem incandescent bulbs?
Also, what do you plan to monitor with the OBD2 dongle, app and phone while driving? I don't plan to make any other changes to my customized setting, and hope I don't need to reset any check engine lights since its under warranty and I'll let the dealer take care of any issue. What other use is there?
I'm planning to use the OBD dongle for customizing settings without having to go to the dealer and for hacking a HUD into the car. Once you start modding, you can't stop...
The LEDs all use the same wedge or T10 connector. LEDs with plastic fairings use wires for power, naked LEDs use exposed copper strips. They're all the same size at the base but large LEDs would be too long for the interior light housings. As for dimming, most good LEDs will dim properly so it looks almost like the original lighting.
05-07-15, 05:27 PM
. I actually seen auto shoots under the Golden Gate, but at a better vantage since they can take the whole lot. I was just lucky to park in front of the old fort and with the bridge in the background.
i know dont hold it against me lol. I have to say i really like the blacked out grille with the Nebula Gray we have, resembles a non F Sport GS from the front. Since i traded my GS for the ES, ive had friends and family ask me if i painted the GS lol. But anybody thats knows cars obviously can tell its an ES.
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