DRL fitting in South East Hants/West SUssex

  1. My model of MX-5 is: NC 3.75 2.0 STNav
  2. I’m based near: Portsmouth
  3. I’m looking for technical help or recommendations on: getting DRLs fitted

As above, I’m looking to get some DRLs fitted on my NC 3.75. Although I’d normally have a go myself, the extra complications of having fogs already fitted, I’d rather pay a professional to do it for me.

Could anyone recommend somewhere to get this done and an idea on price please? I’m not looking for led strips, just the indicator lamp change type and associated electrical work.

Thanks

I have a 3.75 and was going to do exactly that.
Until a great suggestion from “999to5” as follows.
Replace the fog light bulbs and side light bulbs with LED ones from ABD the Twenty20 ones.
Leave the fog light switch on.Then just turn the light switch to side lights and then off when you stop.
You will have the warning lights and buzzer to remind you anyway.
Great bulbs and transforms the day running superb.
All for £30 delivered.
Easy enough job, if you wish to do that can send you details and how to change them easily. :+1:
https://www.autobulbsdirect.co.uk/search.php?mode=search&page=1&keep_https=yes

https://www.autobulbsdirect.co.uk/501-twenty20-c3-canbus-led-assorted-colours.html (would need to select WHITE x2).

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Thanks - are these the right bulbs? And yes please for instructions!

And can you recommend any main light bulbs?
Thanks again

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Hi,
NO you need the H11’s for the fog lights as per my link above. ( H11 Twenty20 Cree LED 12V Canbus Foglight Bulb).
They are error free and work perfectly, (in mine anyway).
The 501 white LED’s are the correct ones.
(I’ll come to the H7 headlight bulbs shortly)

SIDE LIGHTS.
NEARSIDE.
While standing in front of the car doing the nearside (the right hand one as you are now looking). Remove the little plastic main wire loom retaining clip. It just pinches in and you can push the cable away from where you are working. Then get a good torch and you will see the side light bulb retaining white holder. Twist it anti clockwise from memory and pull it out. Then just replace the bulb. The Twenty20 ones are not polarity referenced, (BUT SOME OTHERS ARE). Then just test it works before putting back in the light unit.
I looked from the front and fiddled behind to see where I was putting it (so to speak!).
OFFSIDE.
You will need to undo the coolant header tanks 3 nuts lift up carefully and remove to your right to give you room to get your hand in. Then the same procedure for the nearside bulb.
FOGLIGHTS.
Undo the 3 retaining screws and remove the plastic rivet from the small panel UNDERNEATH the car directly under each fog light unit. Push the plastic flap out the way, (rewards obviously) and get your hand in there. Again twist anti clockwise and remove the bulb in tact with the connector.
Replace the LED bulb in FIRST before connecting it up. Because of restricted movement you can’t connect first and then insert and turn the bulb. Trust me it won’t work as I have scars to prove it!
Seriously, they are quite easy as long as you lie on your back with which ever hand is up there rummaging around in the dark. :joy:

H7’s HEADLIGHTS.
I have researched this to death and still not 100%.
Contacted ABD and they recommend the H7 Twenty20 Impact LED 12V 477 because they have a higher Canbus error free rate and should just plug and play.
However, I have yet to take the plunge on this as not cheap and working properly and pattern etc etc.
However, so far I have not had any issues with bulb faults on any of the ones I have fitted.
Obviously cheaper ones out there, but seem rather fiddly and have to adjust light patterns etc etc.
I might just do it soon though.
https://www.autobulbsdirect.co.uk/h7-twenty20-led-12v-55w-headlight-bulbs-pair.html

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Yes please, someone needs to take the plunge…
I’d love to do it but LED headlights, apparently, generate a lot of heat and that appears to be an issue still.
Also, 4 bulbs are required and that gets rather costly…
My 3.5 doesn’t have Canbus so this shouldn’t be a problem.

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Not even sure mine does to be honest. :thinking:
I nearly bought a second hand pair off eBay but bottled it.
You started it so I think it’s only fair you do it first. :joy: :+1:

Pick your brains time…

I was going to take the plunge and buy the DRL kit off Mx5parts (10% off currently) That’s the kit with just the change of lights and wiring etc, I already have the fogs and switch as it’s a sport.
Having read the thread I may as well just change the bulbs to those you link to and just turn the fogs on to act as DRL, save myself well over £100+ and still have enough maybe to upgrade the headlights bulbs.
Now these bulbs linked to and you own a Mk3.75 would there be any difference for a Mk3 (2007) , can I fit those to mine.

Thanks

I suppose you might be able to convince a police person that you are not contravening rule 236 of the Highway Code…

Ahh, we have got the bug! :laughing:
As we all think about it, this mod makes perfect sense.

(Others I am sure will harp on about using fog lights in the day time etc etc, but in my opinion they are now not fog lights as they have been converted to LED DRL’s. They do not dazzle like halogen bulbs. Did they ever anyway? Remember that rule/law was written a very long time ago. They are not a mandatory light and indeed an optional fitment if wanted or fitted on specific models).
H11 Twenty20. “These LED Bulbs are for non-headlight applications only! They will not produce any beam pattern or light projection”.
So perfect for DRL fitment and will not dazzle oncoming traffic. :+1:

I am 99% sure all the MK3’s fitted with Fog Lights use the H11 bulb fitment.
Looked up online in a 2007 one and it states H11’s
H7 for dipped beam.
H9 for main beam? (However my main beams are HB3 bulbs).
(Hopefully your owners manual should confirm that).

I spent a few hours researching the headlight bulbs yesterday and still not convinced that LED’s are the way to go for legality, expense, pattern, brightness, whether they will work etc etc. In fact I have now discounted those.
So I have researched current Legal fitments across the board including all the main makers.
I was looking for better light on the road and indeed a “White” light as I do like the look and it’s better in my opinion.
Also it will blend in and now match the converted “DRL’s” and side lights when all on.

It’s all to do with the “Lumens” apparently!
Apparently a standard halogen bulb has a lumen rate of around 3200 which basically makes it a “Yellow” light.
The higher the lumens the whiter the light. (with me so far :thinking:).
Obviously the brighter the light the hotter they get which in due course will shorten the working average time/life. But most of us do not use it a lot at night anyway.
I picked a short list of 2.(Information taken from ABD web site) also checked direct with both makers sites which arguably state slightly different figures. Both have a beam further down the road too.

  1. H7 Osram Night Breaker Laser 150% brighter and around 20% whiter with a Lumen of 3200-3500.
  2. H7 RW1577 Ring Xenon 150% again they state 20-50% whiter with a lumen of around 3500-4500.

For me both do the HB3 (Ring RW1005) too, so in any event I will match the dipped and main beam with the same make of bulb.
Both sets i.e 4 bulbs can be bought for around £40-50 so not bad really. ABD, Amazon, Ebay etc).

Both similar price, both similar working life etc etc. :man_shrugging:
Personally, I think I will go with the Ring ones. :+1::slightly_smiling_face:

EDIT - Decision made just bought the Ring ones.

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I love all of this!

I use mine as my only car so am piling the mileage on. Have bought the side and fog bulbs - will then look to replace the headlights as well.

Thanks for all the input here!

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As I understand it, lumens is the measure of light ouput or brightness and whiteness is measured as colour temperature in degrees kelvin with infra red at one end and ultra violet at the other.

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Okay :wink::+1:
EDIT- Got me kelvins and Lumens all muddled up.
Like getting all me mords wuddled up.

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Maybe a link to the one’s you purchased please, the fog H11 bulbs.:+1:

Sorry I’m a bit confused by the various stuff I’ve looked at. Doesn’t help either today as my brain hurts, had problems trying to sort our neighbour out, he’s pushing 80 yrs old and trying do computer stuff, I feel nearly 80 yrs old now.:grimacing:

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Here you are. :+1:
I know the feeling and it’s now wine o’clock. :wine_glass: :slightly_smiling_face:
https://www.autobulbsdirect.co.uk/h11-twenty20-cree-led-12v-canbus-foglight-bulb.html

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Isn’t there going to be a problem with the MOT when the front fog lights are checked, or are people planning to change the bulbs back?

Negative waves Moriarty.
Why??
The lights work.
As do the sidelights, tail lights and “actually” any other light.
No projection, no pattern, no beam testing, job done.
IF say as an example LED lights were fitted in the headlights and the projection/pattern was tested and passed how would that be a MOT failure?
Tell me ANY Mot tester/police officer that will take the bulbs out and look at them?
Why would they need to anyway.
It will never happen in my opinion.
Not only that, their is NO type approval for any after market LED bulb.
The type approval was put into action decades ago to prevent dazzle (and other reasons) to other drivers and the legislation likewise has not been updated for decades.
Improving safety for the user and other road users should never be criticised if done properly.
If you research the subject you are allowed to convert fog lights to DRL’s.
If they mention it I will discuss the point.
Thanks for the discussion.

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The Tester will inspect:

  • all front fog lamps fitted to vehicles first used on or after 1 March 2018

Daytime running lamps

Testers will only inspect daytime running lamps (DRLs) if they’re fitted as original equipment to vehicles first used on or after 1 March 2018.

If the above is true, no worries me thinks.

I’m going to change the front fog bulbs and try using them as DRL’s.:+1:

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Thanks both, position noted.

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Bulbs on their way - will post pics of one side and then bit. Hopefully next week with new headlamp bulbs as well.
Feel a lot more confident about changing a few bulbs than playing with the electrics!

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It will be interesting to see how you get on with your whiter, brighter halogen headlamp bulbs and how you get on with fitting them too.
You rarely get something for nothing. 150% etc brighter bulbs achieve the extra brightness by over-running the filaments, so we do need to be aware that longevity is compromised as a result.