Most car customizations focus on a vehicle’s curb appeal. While auto enthusiasts usually focus on exterior looks, drivers spend most of their time inside the vehicle.
A pair of racing seats or a thumping sound system are common interior enhancements. But an often overlooked but super-fast upgrade is a car’s interior lighting.
It’s easy to work on the lighting inside the car—and it can go a long way toward adding personality, splashes of color, and greater utility.
Swap the Lamp
The interior of most modern cars is illuminated with incandescent or halogen bulbs cast through a simple lens. Fortunately, there are many alternatives to using the existing light-bulb sockets.
11-piece white LED interior kit
A simple swap of the light source can make a big difference. LEDs provide a more intense light without the risk of overheating the light fixture. Many are available in colors to match your interior. eBay Motors offers a wide range of interior LED light kits containing all the bulbs you’ll need for a specific make and model.
Another option is to place a set of LED light strips in the cabin. Then, you can use a phone app to control the color choices and lighting intensity. You can even link some strips to the audio system—for a disco effect.
LEDGlow, an eBay store, offers LED tubes in either a fixed color or multicolor option. These lights use a built-in control box to avoid needing the app.
A strip of OLED lights adds a line of color.
Another striking interior-lighting effect is to add a continuous flow of colorful light. A strip of OLED (organic light-emitting diodes) lighting can be slim enough to tuck into the seams of your dashboard padding or along the floorboards.
As Easy or Complex as You Like
Solar-powered cupholder lights
Most of these devices are powered by an auxiliary power port (or cigarette lighter) for a temporary effect. Or you can hardwire them using the car’s electrical system. Because these devices are low power, nearly any circuit can be accessed as the energy source.
Finally, perhaps the easiest, and least expensive way to change the nighttime atmosphere in your car is to drop in a pair of solar-powered cupholder lights.
