The standard side lights on my Mk2 are 501 Capless bulbs.

These are rated at 5 watts, and are little better than candles. If I ever think the conditions require the lights to be on, I use the dipped beam headlights. Obviously this will decrease the life of the H7 headlight bulbs.

Can anyone recommend any straight swap upgrades for the side lights? I notice that a lot of newer cars have much brighter side lights.

I don't have an issue with the brightness or colour of the dipped beam headlight bulbs.

Google searching "brighter car side lights" brings up results about headlights.

 

The best you can get https://autobeam.co.uk/collections/focus-mk2-0-2004-2008/products/performance-side

1 hour ago, AntonovAN12 said:

The standard side lights on my Mk2 are 501 Capless bulbs.

 

I have the same fitting and replaced mine with LED ones off Ebay, they've been in for nearly 2 years now and are really bright. The old tungsten ones are next to useless...

The world of motoring has moved on since the concept of using what we still generally refer to in the UK as 'Side Lights'.

Due to changes some many years ago now, (to long ago to remember) the wording regarding regulations about the use of lights when driving were amended. Such that when 'legal lighting up time' is reached each evening or in poor viability due to bad weather, it is now a requirement to use Dipped headlights. It is no longer allowable to drive with side lights at any time that the law says you need to have your lights on. Probably for this reason the term 'Side Lights' has been replaced with the words 'Parking Lights'

Old habits die hard and it will be at least another generation before they stop getting called side lights and we start to think of them as parking lights.

One point that I personally think needs addressing sooner rather than later is the fact that DRL's only operate on the front. On almost all modern vehicles the instrument cluster is illuminated all the time the ignition is on and given the brightness of some DRL's it is very common to see many vehicles (those with out automatic headlights) driving around after dark with no rear lights and only the DRL's on.

20 minutes ago, unofix said:

The world of motoring has moved on since the concept of using what we still generally refer to in the UK as 'Side Lights'.

Due to changes some many years ago now, (to long ago to remember) the wording regarding regulations about the use of lights when driving were amended. Such that when 'legal lighting up time' is reached each evening or in poor viability due to bad weather, it is now a requirement to use Dipped headlights. It is no longer allowable to drive with side lights at any time that the law says you need to have your lights on. Probably for this reason the term 'Side Lights' has been replaced with the words 'Parking Lights'

Old habits die hard and it will be at least another generation before they stop getting called side lights and we start to think of them as parking lights.

One point that I personally think needs addressing sooner rather than later is the fact that DRL's only operate on the front. On almost all modern vehicles the instrument cluster is illuminated all the time the ignition is on and given the brightness of some DRL's it is very common to see many vehicles (those with out automatic headlights) driving around after dark with no rear lights and only the DRL's on.

Yes and they blind you to death when appearing over hills 😂

Thanks for the replies.

Are the LED ones road legal?

25 minutes ago, AntonovAN12 said:

Thanks for the replies.

Are the LED ones road legal?

Yes... most now are 'E' stamped. To be honest, even if they weren't, I'd still use them - who cares??

I've used Phillips WhiteVision halogens in the sidelights on both the Mk2 Focus & the Golf.  They're not enough to see by (and aren't designed as such, as Unofix said) but they give a whiter light than the originals.  I initially tried 2 different types of ebay LEDs which were both crap and ended up refunded, but that was 7 years ago so the tech in aftermarket LEDs might have improved since.

1 minute ago, TomsFocus said:

... but that was 7 years ago so the tech in aftermarket LEDs might have improved since.

I can confirm that Tom, I was an early adopter of LED and the 1st ones were atrocious, poor light spread, and blowing within weeks. The quality now is like night & day (pun fully intended LOL)

Although mines is a MK3 it's still the same bulbs and the autobeams are crazy bright. I switch them out for basic bulbs for MOT just in case.

On 5/7/2022 at 8:58 AM, StephenFord said:

Yes... most now are 'E' stamped. To be honest, even if they weren't, I'd still use them - who cares??

I was thinking that an over keen MOT tester might.

Having to remove them for each MOT seems like a pain.

2 minutes ago, AntonovAN12 said:

I was thinking that an over keen MOT tester might.

 

He'd have to have 'superman' style eyesight, otherwise, remove the bulb for inspection (which he is not allowed to do!)

Contact Classic Car LED's direct or ebay, very knowledgable and extreemly fast dispatch, advised againt some LED's i wanted for my festoons as they would generate too much heat and recommended something different and cheaper.