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Dave - I agree if you are buying new ones - I tried that and the dealer deined any knowledge (I knew he was wrong but...)
I found plenty of grey ones used but not black. One of these days I may get a new black one and decide which I like best - but the grey has grown on me... maybe I have just too much black...
So: VW light = side to side activation and NO exposed connectors to ground on roof
Porsche light = front to back activation and LOTS of exposed '+' terminals to short to roof.
Other than the electrical bits, is the VW light better built than the Porsche design?
PO had jammed the old driver's light I had in the permanently dead position.
I'm using the bright multi-LED bulbs and the Porsche lights seem to throw out decent light.
Wonder how many times mechanic/PO had shorted out the interior light as I went in to replace fuse when I blew it changing to LED glove box light (31mm white) and found a 10 amp instead of the proscribed 5 amp fuse.
I got these VW lights but have a hard time fitting them in the rear hatch spot. The front light at the windshield was very tight but I got it in, the center dome light went in easily but the rear is not even close. Have you gentlemen done any trimming of the opening for fitment? I tore out the leather that might have been in the way since it was mummified anyway so that is not the problem.
yes - you need to modify the connector (on the light fixture body) for that one. I sliced it right off flush to the body - soldered pigtails to the connector traces, wrapped tham behind the unit and JB weld potted the open area - a bit ugly - I eventually cleaned it up a little from this photo.
I did also eventually convert all mine to black new stock VW versions from Roger. When I did the conversion the second time I made it a bit neater - and sprayed the JB weld area black (hardly can tell its not stock).
When I did the swap out of the fixture in the rear hatch I found there was an excesss of material folded up in to the opening. I took a new sharp exacto knife and carefully trimmed the material just to the edge of the hole. Then I bent the metal tab to the correct height (which took some fiddling) but in the end I was able to leave the plug housing intact. In all fairness to Alan though I did not use the VW plug but just soldered pigtails to the tangs directly and then filled the female part of the plug with a liquid rubber product.
Just done this today. Wow...what a difference. I used 38mm super bright leds. I got the lights from Ebay for $10.00 ea. This is with my garage lights off and the door closed at night. Without the car lights it is pitch black. The VW lights fit nicely into the door ones as well.
If you like bright for working (looks like you have some work to do) then for under the hood you need these - 3 LED bulbs to replace the dim yellow 10W bulb. Garage has no lights but these
All 3 use ~1 watt, are much brighter, cast much less shadow and are switched - easy to just leave them off when the hood is open in daylight and very easy to turn them on with the yellow illuminated switch at night
On a GTS the under hood light is always on whenever the hood is open (unlike earlier models) - so switch is more important, current is negligible with only the switch illuminated.
If you like bright for working (looks like you have some work to do) then for under the hood you need these - 3 LED bulbs to replace the dim yellow 10W bulb. Garage has no lights but these
All 3 use ~1 watt, are much brighter, cast much less shadow and are switched - easy to just leave them off when the hood is open in daylight and very easy to turn them on with the yellow illuminated switch at night
On a GTS the under hood light is always on whenever the hood is open (unlike earlier models) - so switch is more important, current is negligible with only the switch illuminated.
For anyone who does not mind making up their own wiring harness these are available for cheap, new for $4 with free shipping out of China. Same quality as used fixtures made in Germany. https://www.ebay.com/itm/Rear-Readin...ar=&hash=item0
I used the stock bulb holders and warm LED’s from Super Bright LED’s and it came out great. Parts here. I highly recommend pulling the fuse and wrapping the positive lead in electrical tape. If they move around, they easily short and blow the fuse.
I'm about to switch over to VW interior lights. Does anyone know if the fixture from a EuroVan (7D947291) will work as a above the mirror and hatch light?
11-17-2007, 05:19 PM
