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Trunk LEDs for $20

7umberjackZac

7umberjackZac

Go Kart Newbie
Location
Pittsburgh, PA
Car(s)
Gti

I decided to take on some DIY work and order LEDs from Amazon. They are so cheap that if it didn't work I wouldn't bother returning.

Basically I just started from over by the OEM trunk light and worked my way over with cheap thermostat wire and plastics glue.( Be particular about the glue. Super glue will permanently burn the plastic) Super easy to remove if I wanted. I bent the wire around each end of the OEM trunk light assembly and viola.

The lights around the bottom edge have been removed they would not stay stuck with the tacky plastics glue I used. May try again in spring
 
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nype

nype

Drag Racing Champion
Location
Vancouver, B.C.
Amazingly bright. I’d imagine you will attract a decent amount of insects!

[emoji1303]
 
7umberjackZac

7umberjackZac

Go Kart Newbie
Location
Pittsburgh, PA
Car(s)
Gti
They way I had the lights angled is away from your eyes because it's blinding and to minimize bugs. Along the ridges that face toward front of car. Not had any bugs

Sent from my SM-G935V using Tapatalk
 
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darth_furious1

Passed Driver's Ed
Location
alameda,ca
looks nice and bright. The only thing I did differently on my old VW was a 3000K strip instead of a 6000K strip. I prefer a yellow look instead of bright bluish. I would recommend looking into 3000K if you don't mind a little yellow. It is easier on the eyes late at night.
 
7umberjackZac

7umberjackZac

Go Kart Newbie
Location
Pittsburgh, PA
Car(s)
Gti
V

volks6

Go Kart Newbie
Location
TheGreekFreak's mom's bed
Car(s)
GTI
Why do you need to have such bright trunk lights? Are you cooking dinner in you trunk?

What's the point?

I put groceries and other crap in there and when I get home I take them out. It's not like they get lost in some black hole.

Seems like a fix for something not needing a fix or even attention.
 
imthanick_a

imthanick_a

Autocross Champion
Location
Ohio
volks6 said:
Why do you need to have such bright trunk lights? Are you cooking dinner in you trunk?

What's the point?

I put groceries and other crap in there and when I get home I take them out. It's not like they get lost in some black hole.

Seems like a fix for something not needing a fix or even attention.
Click to expand...

Come back to this thread when you need to change a flat in the dark
 
D

darth_furious1

Passed Driver's Ed
Location
alameda,ca
volks6 said:
Why do you need to have such bright trunk lights? Are you cooking dinner in you trunk?

What's the point?

I put groceries and other crap in there and when I get home I take them out. It's not like they get lost in some black hole.

Seems like a fix for something not needing a fix or even attention.
Click to expand...

I bet the picture makes it look brighter than in real life. At least that's how my lights are. you need to do negative exposure compensation on your phone camera because the surroundings are pretty lit up and grainy and your oem yellow light looks way brighter than it should.

When you put groceries and it blocks the OEM light, it gets pretty dark I'm guessing. If you have light all along the edge, you can put things in there and if it blocks 1/2 the edge, it will still be bright enough.

Next, if you don't want it that bright, you don't have to install it. There may be some people who want it that bright and have specific use cases where it would be handy. This post would be for them. Having done something similar, I understand it's a little overkill but there have been times I was glad i had it
 
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NeedSleep

NeedSleep

Go Kart Champion
Location
USA
Car(s)
2016 Golf R DSG
Or even having a trunk full of large items. During a recent Southern California fire, we loaded luggages and small bags in my car in case we needed to evacuate. Our luggages and small bags are all either dark blue or black. When I was loading the car at night while trying to find empty spaces to do some tetris work, I couldn't see anything in 3/4 of the trunk.
Sure, needing that much light isn't always a necessity, but once you actually need it, it'd be great to have what the OP did.

Sent from my SM-G930T using Tapatalk
 
7umberjackZac

7umberjackZac

Go Kart Newbie
Location
Pittsburgh, PA
Car(s)
Gti
It's a bit overexposed. Agreed
 
7umberjackZac

7umberjackZac

Go Kart Newbie
Location
Pittsburgh, PA
Car(s)
Gti
volks6 said:
Why do you need to have such bright trunk lights? Are you cooking dinner in you trunk?

What's the point?

I put groceries and other crap in there and when I get home I take them out. It's not like they get lost in some black hole.

Seems like a fix for something not needing a fix or even attention.
Click to expand...
I keep files on my clients and cases in there. Like 12 point font. It'd be impossible to find anything in there after dark even with a flashlight. Road warrior sales agent

Sent from my SM-G935V using Tapatalk
 
imthanick_a

imthanick_a

Autocross Champion
Location
Ohio
volks6 said:
That's why they make these things called flashlights.

I still don't get having the equivalent of the sun in my hatch.
Click to expand...
To each their own. I prefer having both hands to work with instead of trying to balance a flashlight on my shoulder, but if you enjoy fumbling with an external light when you could have a bright, cheap option that is always there without excess interaction, then that's your perogative.

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk
 
D

darth_furious1

Passed Driver's Ed
Location
alameda,ca
Not to hijack, but here is my install. It's nice and bright and under $15. It's really bright but not blinding. Maybe volks6 will approve of this one. Probably not

https://www.amazon.com/YITAMOTOR-Daytime-Reverse-Backup-Parking/dp/B018G5MY5O/



Here it is with the cargo cover pulled back


Side view:


Close up of install:


I did manual white balance on my phone (cloudy wb so 5000k. Not 6000k but closer). My kids wanted to play inside. You can get a sense of color and brightness. The interior lights are definitely warmer
 
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