Rear number plate lights, do later BMW's ones fit?

[Scooba_Steve]

I disagree, I've never had much luck with cheapo LEDs especially CANBUS ones. Incidentally you don't need load resistors/CANBUS for the numberplates as they're not checked.
I didn't like the extreme brightness of other LEDs and would rather get the genuine article. Same with LED sidelights, went for OSRAM as I know they are very good quality and will last but that comes with a higher price tag.

[JAD]

i just bought canbus error free leds and put them in the standard holder, lot cheaper and no more hassle than buying those full black units
(and guranteed to still fit the slot for obvious reasons)

you lads are bonkers paying £25 for those units when £3 is same result

As someone has already said, buy cheap, buy twice. I've been through many cheaper and more expensive third party LEDs. I'd rather BMW OEM ones ta.

[Ant]

i just bought canbus error free leds and put them in the standard holder, lot cheaper and no more hassle than buying those full black units
(and guranteed to still fit the slot for obvious reasons)

you lads are bonkers paying £25 for those units when £3 is same result

As someone has already said, buy cheap, buy twice. I've been through many cheaper and more expensive third party LEDs. I'd rather BMW OEM ones ta.

i think the point in this case is "buy cheap buy 5x and still cost less" for a number plate LED
if you buy decent quality leds which will still be around a fiver there's no difference, do you think the bmw oem lights are doing something magical that even your "expensive LEDS" arent?
Just because they're expensive doesn't mean they're decent being the point really.

i think some people have a case of everything oem at times which is frankly mental for certain things

anyway mine work no issues so i'm happy (or a wizard)

[Scooba_Steve]

You're right, they're a fair bit more but the 2 year warranty also helps - I just prefer OE for these and, having seen the issues some people have had, would rather pay more for the genuine article.

[hopz121]

Going to give this ago at lunch tomorrow finally have all of the bits now

[hopz121]

Just got back from doing this (only took 10 minutes)

Thanks for the write up JAD I have a feeling it would have took longer otherwise!

The eBay specials that cost £25+ were ruined after only a few months use!

One didn't work and had water ingress and the other one fell to bits when I removed it from the bumper!

I would either go OEM upgrade like this thread or use LED bulbs in existing holders.

Ash

[Scooba_Steve]

Easy job if a little fiddly with connectors but I bet you're well chuffed. Even though you rarely see them!

[JAD]

i just bought canbus error free leds and put them in the standard holder, lot cheaper and no more hassle than buying those full black units
(and guranteed to still fit the slot for obvious reasons)

you lads are bonkers paying £25 for those units when £3 is same result

As someone has already said, buy cheap, buy twice. I've been through many cheaper and more expensive third party LEDs. I'd rather BMW OEM ones ta.

i think the point in this case is "buy cheap buy 5x and still cost less" for a number plate LED
if you buy decent quality leds which will still be around a fiver there's no difference, do you think the bmw oem lights are doing something magical that even your "expensive LEDS" arent?
Just because they're expensive doesn't mean they're decent being the point really.

i think some people have a case of everything oem at times which is frankly mental for certain things

anyway mine work no issues so i'm happy (or a wizard)

Less of the childish sarcasm chap. We're all allowed an opinion. Mine is that something OEM is far more likely to last, as ££££ has been spent by BMW on R&D. Cheapo ebay sellers presume R&D is something to do with postage.

Plenty of posts in this an other threads showing failure of non-OEM parts bought cheaply. So there is method in what you call madness.

[JAD]

Just got back from doing this (only took 10 minutes)

Thanks for the write up JAD I have a feeling it would have took longer otherwise!

The eBay specials that cost £25+ were ruined after only a few months use!

One didn't work and had water ingress and the other one fell to bits when I removed it from the bumper!

I would either go OEM upgrade like this thread or use LED bulbs in existing holders.

Ash

Great stuff, Ash!

[JINGLE]

would also like to add my two pence worth....

had some bad experiences with cheap LEDs myself in the past (who knows, maybe i have just been unlucky each time??) so i was happy to pay a little extra for some OEM parts and also wanted to make sure they didn't sit proud as my Z is white so the black of the unit would be more noticeable.

used JADs pics/tutorial and made life so much easier and thanks for the links to parts as doubt i would ever have thought of looking for new connectors and even less likely i would find the correct connectors!! so for that Sir, Thanks!!!

took me about 15-20 mins but i was drinking coffee and talking to friend at the same time

will upload some before/after pics in a bit if anybody is interested or unsure of doing this themselves....

[Ant]

Less of the childish sarcasm chap. We're all allowed an opinion. Mine is that something OEM is far more likely to last, as ££££ has been spent by BMW on R&D. Cheapo ebay sellers presume R&D is something to do with postage.

Plenty of posts in this an other threads showing failure of non-OEM parts bought cheaply. So there is method in what you call madness.

It wasn't childish sarcasm it was a slight dig at elitism, over what is one of the most basic of basic parts you could put in anything nevermind a car, I think using the R&D line is stretching it somewhat for this functionality, BMW spent ££££ on a design which submerges a roof motor in watertomb as most of us have discovered at cost, things like that are more of a worry for me

Buying cheap non oem to replace core components is a different matter, for any car (and in this case i'm not talking about those entire replacement holders eg (http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/18-SMD-BMW-1- ... 1137767306).

Literally replacing the bulb in the oem holder which if you already have is the way to go imo, even if you didn't want to use cheap ebay leds, buy some branded osram or philips 501's then at a £10 a pair instead and it'll end up the same result, except about £20+ better off, and if you're really looking gurantees for a lightbulb... Osram leds come with a 5year warranty.
If they're good enough to be sidelights, they can probably cope with doing a number plate

sorted anyway i guess

[Scooba_Steve]

would also like to add my two pence worth....

had some bad experiences with cheap LEDs myself in the past (who knows, maybe i have just been unlucky each time??) so i was happy to pay a little extra for some OEM parts and also wanted to make sure they didn't sit proud as my Z is white so the black of the unit would be more noticeable.

used JADs pics/tutorial and made life so much easier and thanks for the links to parts as doubt i would ever have thought of looking for new connectors and even less likely i would find the correct connectors!! so for that Sir, Thanks!!!

took me about 15-20 mins but i was drinking coffee and talking to friend at the same time

will upload some before/after pics in a bit if anybody is interested or unsure of doing this themselves....

Pics are good, I forgot to do a before/after or even a side by side

[JINGLE]

sorry for the delay, heres some pics in case anybody wants to see....

here is the before and after pic (apologies its during the afternoon so couldnt really get dark pics):



and heres some during pics next to each other to compare them side by side:



and finally the finished article at night:



i hope that helps you guys

[Scooba_Steve]

Well done mate, they do look so much better.

[JINGLE]

now i need to get some new numberplates as it highlights the edges are peeling lol