Swap in LED tail lights

[SpeedYellow02]

Swapping out 3 color incandescent tail lights for LED ones. Challenge is that polarity on tail lights are reversed, so you can't just swap out bulbs.
I did a fair amount of searching and settled on these from DEPO:
97 04 Boxster 986 Red Smoke LED Tail Lights Depo 00 02 Pair | eBay

To give you a view side by side, they look like this:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/g95tthlcs0a72i0/TailLightCompare.jpg?dl=0

Here are the steps.
To get started, you need a short socket wrench (with metric sockets). You will also need amber lights (2) for turn indicators.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/uemcuvep9wix6kh/TailLightTools.jpg?dl=0

First, go into trunk and remove the plastic nut and wiggle out the small piece of carpet.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/hu9di3uf1znefdu/TailLightCarpet.jpg?dl=0

Next, remove the 4 screws. Use a magnetic socket as these will fall, and be lost and let all your special Daddy words come out.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/u38o5ilcyeo06hi/TailLightScrews.jpg?dl=0

When removing the light, unclip the wires going into the light. Carefully remove the rubber gasket and set aside.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/rxbo4wx59r3stc2/TailLightWires.jpg?dl=0

Depress the small gray clip to remove the black wiring plate that holds the bulbs. As you can see, there is hard wiring in place, so the new LED taillights switch the polarity for you. Remove the 2 bulbs and insert the wire harnesses from the new tail light. Remove the turn indicator bulb (top outside) and replace with an amber bulb. If it's a US light, remove and scrap the tiny outside bulb.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/hpf5if11q9b8jvk/TailLightHardWiring.jpg?dl=0

Reverse the order to replace. Be careful to put and position the rubber gasket as you replace the light fixture.

Took about 45 minutes each. Makes a huge difference. What do you think?

[cbadbox]

I like it and thanks for the DIY info!

[particlewave]

Up Next: How to Start Your Car.

And tune in next week for our "How to Turn Your Headlights On" 2 hour extravaganza!

[Slate 01]

I'm waiting for the DIY on putting air in the tires. I just love that technical stuff

[happygilmour]

Do we really need responses like this to a DIY? Not interested...don't read it. Speed put time and energy into his post and then you guys pick on it like a couple of 12 year old bullies. Actions like that should have you removed from the forum.

[particlewave]

It was a joke. Don't like it? Take your own advice and don't read or comment on it. See how that works?

Maybe you should stay off the internet if you're that sensitive.

[happygilmour]

Typical response. I read the thread because I was interested.

I get that you're trying to be funny...at someone else's expense.

[particlewave]

You read because you were interested. You replied because you disagreed and wanted to be noble (that's your ego).

If you were a regular around here, you'd know that I do that a lot and it's never personal. Our members know this because I go out of my way to help those in need.
If a little ribbing between the guys hurts your feelings, maybe internet auto forums aren't a good fit for you.

[BrokenLinkage]

Jeez, did I land on rennlist by accident?
Charles, you having a bad day?
Its the guys 3rd post and he is trying to contribute, give him a break.
Its like Michael Phelps going down to the kiddie pool and making waves so the toddlers never learn to swim...

[particlewave]

Naw, it was funny.

Maybe...just maybe, the OP has thicker skin than you two and can have a laugh.

[Duezzer]

It was not funny - it was a mean spirited post.

[particlewave]

It was hilarious!

There was nothing mean about it. You see it that way because that's your perception. If you choose to see the negative in things, that's on you. I'm a happy person, so I don't see it that way.

You don't get to tell me what my intentions were. You can state your perception all you want, but I can't control how you perceive things. That's a result of your experiences.

When you're hanging out with the guys and one gives another crap about something (let's say a girlie shirt), do you jump up and call the former mean and a bully? Jeez Louise...you guys have turned this into a pity party.

It made me laugh.

Check this out. It's sure to make even the most uptight laugh.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Ks_wf1O0mA

[fridsten]

Thanks! I plan on doing this, so this is a great post.

[Black Jack]

I notice that the Depo lights are not 'in line' with the top gap of the spoiler (If you understand what I mean), but end almost 1 cm above that gap.

That would irritate me immensely; I like how the lines of the lights (front and rear) of the 986 are in sinc with the bonnet and spoiler gaps. I like the look of the Depo lights and appreciate that they are LED, but I would have liked them even more when they would have made the line between 'smoke' and 'red' in line with the top gaf of the spoiler/bonnet...

[cheese]

I like them but wonder if the clear/ red depo's would look better than the smoke on a brightly colored Boxster. Reason is mine is viper green. Also, not exactly sure the factory taillights line up with the spoiler as perfectly as they should either. The depo lights look way better than stock.

[steved0x]

Originally Posted by Black Jack

I notice that the Depo lights are not 'in line' with the top gap of the spoiler (If you understand what I mean), but end almost 1 cm above that gap.

That would irritate me immensely; I like how the lines of the lights (front and rear) of the 986 are in sinc with the bonnet and spoiler gaps. I like the look of the Depo lights and appreciate that they are LED, but I would have liked them even more when they would have made the line between 'smoke' and 'red' in line with the top gaf of the spoiler/bonnet...

It looks like the rear trunk may be open and not fully latched? Look on the right side and it appears to be raised up by several mm, maybe 5? And the panel gap between the truck and the front edge of the spoiler.

[aczyzewski]

Originally Posted by particlewave

It was hilarious!

There was nothing mean about it. You see it that way because that's your perception. If you choose to see the negative in things, that's on you. I'm a happy person, so I don't see it that way.

You don't get to tell me what my intentions were. You can state your perception all you want, but I can't control how you perceive things. That's a result of your experiences.

When you're hanging out with the guys and one gives another crap about something (let's say a girlie shirt), do you jump up and call the former mean and a bully? Jeez Louise...you guys have turned this into a pity party.

It made me laugh.

Check this out. It's sure to make even the most uptight laugh.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Ks_wf1O0mA

This sort of sounds like: it's okay to be a dick as long as you don't think you're being a dick, but if someone thinks you're being a dick, then clearly they are a dick. Of course, I mean nothing personal by this and you don't have to read it if you don't want to.