Covering Up Amber Front Light Reflectors

[paulkim510]

I don't know about everyone else, but I hate those orange front headlight reflectors. They stand out way too much and does give the car a clean look. I know its the law in the US to have amber reflectors, but I don't think a cop will pull you over just for that. I was thinking about covering up some of the amber by maybe tinting the side, but this might not turn out as well as I think. Or maybe custom-fab somthing to cover the sides like an eyelid. Don't know how it would look either since I've never seen it in person, but I think either would be better than those ugly orange reflectors.
Covering them up would be the best solution because I don't think it's a good idea to open up your headlights. I did that with my 00 civic Si headlights and it worked, but the inside fogs-up after it rains or I wash my car. And importing new headlights would be way too expensive. Here what I think it would kinda look like. Sorry for the crappy photoshop skills.

[kobezklutch]

the first pic actually looks pretty good

[mistermojorizin]

i like the car better with the ambers. but i may get some eyelids to try to make the outside corners of the lights to point up (like on the 3) or at least horizontal rather than slope down as they do on the 1.

[mrgoochio]

Your lamps fogged because they weren't sealed properly. Properly sealed lamps should not fog up.

[paulkim510]

Originally Posted by mrgoochio

Your lamps fogged because they weren't sealed properly. Properly sealed lamps should not fog up.

Yea I know, I did it with my friend and I bought some sealing stuff, I forgot what it called but it was for sealing glass and plastic. I put a whole mess on and made sure that there were no wholes, but it still ended up fogging up.

[Papethova]

Originally Posted by paulkim510

Yea I know, I did it with my friend and I bought some sealing stuff, I forgot what it called but it was for sealing glass and plastic. I put a whole mess on and made sure that there were no wholes, but it still ended up fogging up.

Its not just a tight seal its also letting moisture in before you sealed it. Basically sealing the moisture in the housing.

I am planning on eliminating my ambers too. Haven't decided what route, but a white vinyl is a possibility. Similar to your 3rd pic but I would remove the headlight to do it so the outline wouldnt be so obvious.

[Jockey]

I have to take a look at these, but there is a route to go.

The HIDs on my STi, you can "bake" your headlights. Stick them in the oven for 10 min @ 200 degrees, and you can pull the headlights apart. Be careful, DO NOT touch anything on the inside, yet remove the reflector. Buy some silicon sealant, reseal the headlights back together, bake again, then reinstall.

I had no problems with mine for 4 years and never got any moisture inside even living up in the Pacific NW.

Of course, I don't know if I want to be the first to try that method with these headlights.

[Numb3rs]

Originally Posted by Jockey

I have to take a look at these, but there is a route to go.

The HIDs on my STi, you can "bake" your headlights. Stick them in the oven for 10 min @ 200 degrees, and you can pull the headlights apart. Be careful, DO NOT touch anything on the inside, yet remove the reflector. Buy some silicon sealant, reseal the headlights back together, bake again, then reinstall.

I had no problems with mine for 4 years and never got any moisture inside even living up in the Pacific NW.

Of course, I don't know if I want to be the first to try that method with these headlights.

??

Just order a set of european headlights! Problem solved!

[BMW Dreamer]

YAH, many did that to their TL's on AcuraZine.
Called, clearing the headlights.

[InsaneSkippy]

I noticed this at the dealership. The new M3s there did NOT have amber reflectors in the headlight. Instead they're on the fender just in front of the wheel. I cant' decide which looks worse at the moment lol.


Oh and for the record, I have clear reflectors on my show car. No amber reflectors at all. I've never ONCE been pulled over or asked to change them by a cop. I even have WHITE turn signals underneath lol. I know, not very smart, but the car hardly leaves the garage these days.

Perhaps I can find someone with a Euro spec 135i that will swap headlamps lol.

[InsaneSkippy]

Here's a quick photochop I did for a clear reflector. It's not perfect, but gives a better feel of what it would look like. I left a little orange in there as you'd still have an orange turn signal bulb.

[Tuned1M]

Yeah, I wish this amber overlay could be removed!

[1LazyBmw]

Is there a way to remove the amber reflector in an ez way?

[natedog_1959]

Get Euro headlights if you can afford them. Other than that, it looks like they are in there pretty well. Nate

[ChrisK]

I must be the only guy who likes the amber LOL

[aesthetect]

maybe ask one of the guys doing European delivery very very nicely to pick some up for you?

i think it looks ten million times better. also arent the euro headlight housings darker/blacker? they look gooooooooooood...

[Italteen3]

I know someone over on e90post was taking peoples headlights and laying CF down over the amber. It looked SEXY, but expensive and costly because you don't have your headlights in the car. Eyelids seem like a good cost-effective choice instead.

[InsaneSkippy]

When I asked about using Euro Headlights (either here or Bimmerfest, can't remember). Someone told me that there was some reason why the US cars couldn't have Euro headlights. It wasn't because of the reflector but something to do with the projection of the lights.


EDIT: Here's the thread I posted: http://www.1addicts.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1104

I guess you CAN use them :iono: Maybe I should pick up a set while I'm doing ED so I don't have to pay for shipping.

[1ForAll]

If you dark tint the corners and then lightly smoke the rest of the headlight, I don't think it will look that bad.

[TagMan]

As I understand it, our requirements are that an amber reflector must be somewhere on the front/side corners of the vehicle. So, in the case of the 1-Series, it is integrated into a single unit. If the headlight unit did not have those amber sides, then a seperate and additional amber reflector would still be required somewhere on the front/side zone, usually built into the bumper.

We're all kind of stuck between a rock and a hard place on this one.

[InsaneSkippy]

Originally Posted by TagMan

As I understand it, our requirements are that an amber reflector must be somewhere on the front/side corners of the vehicle. So, in the case of the 1-Series, it is integrated into a single unit. If the headlight unit did not have those amber sides, then a seperate and additional amber reflector would still be required somewhere on the front/side zone, usually built into the bumper.

We're all kind of stuck between a rock and a hard place on this one.

Yes this is the law. You must have orange/amber reflectors on the front corners of the car. Though, with the newer BMWs it looks like they're putting them along the fender/wheel well. Makes the reflector MUCH easier to replace, however the 1 Series still has them in the headlight

That being said, on my show car I don't have any orange reflectors. I even have white turn signal LEDs. I've never once gotten pulled over for it. The main reason I want to get a set of Euro's is so I can swap them back to stock. This way if I get a fix-it-ticket I can just swap the stockers back on.

[Papethova]

Having an amber reflector is one thing, having this HUGE orange triangle the size of Texas is another.

They could have done it like the european headlights with a quarter sized orange left in the corner. That way if we wanted to cover it, lets say with vinyl, it wouldnt be as noticeable