Replaced front amber marker bulbs with LEDs.
First time I see T10 LEDs that are brighter than their incandescent originals.

 

And those look like some relatively generic T10 SMD LED's.

I can't really see how the reflector housing is designed on that spot, but you should look into the "spot" LED's as well. They work better for certain scenarios.

 

You're right, format is generic yet all I've seen before was less bright.

And for this particular application using a spot LEDs is a bad idea, I need omnidirectional light not spot projection.

The lensed ones I use in my rear fogs, not bad, nice balance between power and heat:



Non-lensed LEDs like the following one are like 2-3 times less bright.



And either of them won't fit the housing.

 

Perfect! Many people are disappointed when they use the "wrong" style bulb for the job, but it looks like you tried a few solutions to be sure. I wish more people would be as thorough as you.

LED bulb technology is there. CREE makes some very thermo-efficient lamps, with incredible output, but there just aren't any major brands that make a quality automotive bulb. In the future, if you are seriously interested in using bright, quality LED's, you might consider making your own. It's not necessarily cheap, but an aluminum heat sink, a CREE chip, a little soldering, and a genaric T10/15/20/etc wedge base to attach it to the car and you will have some damn good LED bulbs.

 

with or without canbus?

 

I put in white LED's (same style). It looks great, especially at night. when you click your keyfob unlock at night, it lights up the headlights pretty good

 

When I click unlock fob at night, my HIDs kick in

 

Vadimus, how did you make your HIDs kick in ? What did you change for that to work ?

 

mine do as well, tap the HID power source off the running lights and you are good, plus you will not fry ballasts or need a relay set up when you do this

 

with the welcome lighting enabled, you unlock, the hids kick on, then when you start, do they cycle off then back on? or stay on even during starting?


I would not change it if it cycles off then on. that would hurt the life of the HID bulbs