Will a bodyshop install side markers? And if so, how much would it cost just for them to drill/dremel the hole? And how long do you think it'd take?

I'm looking to install some Aspec or BMW side markers, but I'm wayyy too afraid to take a dremel to my fenders. I can do the wiring myself, but man.. fear of an unsteady hand makes me willing to shell out a hundred dollars to not risk messing up a fender.

 

I get all my work done through a friend of mine who owns a body shop and he charged me $25 for both sidemarkers on my previous car...which is dirt cheap. He normally charges about $50 for both & it takes him about an hour.

 

hey do you have any pics of some good looking sidemarkers installed on the 2nd gens. I've been wanting to get them also but can't figure out which ones to go with. The 3rd gen TL sidemarkers are too tiny and don't flow with the 2nd gen tl.

 

i feel the same way. i want to get side markers but dont know which ones to get. and would it be better to do yourself or do it at the shop? hmm which ones would people prefer to get for side markers

 

Too late he already installed them

 

7 series and the 330ci side markers seem to be very popular unless u can get your hands on an ASPEC sidemarker from canada

 

7-series on my TL

 

Acura dealers in Canada sell A-SPEC sidemarkers (last 2 i called anyway).

Now getting them shipped into the states maybe another story.

gl

 

I do not dig the side markers on A-Specs.. Wish they were white..... Not Orange

 

these are the ones I put on they're not A-Spec but they are JDM





and oh ya my BBK

 

difficulty and time? does it take long and how long will it take. is there a diy on this site on installing side markers. they look sick!

 

There is a DIY somewhere

 

diy

https://acurazine.com/forums/showthr...ht=sidemarkers

 

Sounds like a lot of work for something that doesn't even look that cool.

 

I went to three different body shops to get price qoutes. All of them were unwilling to even put in the side markers unless I Agreed to pay to either repaint the fender or refinish the area that they punched the hole in for the side marker. All three said there was a risk of scratching the paint around the cut out, and even if not, they said that the paint might peel.

My ass. The paint does not peel, and yeah I can see why they might scratch the area. Dremeling is a tedious process: one wrong slip of the hand and you have a scratch so deep in your paint that you can see the silver of the metal in your fender. Luckily for me, I scratched inside the cut out area, so I was ok.

I would suggest also having a touch up paint pen to paint the edges where you cut out the side markers. I haven't yet put on the clear coat for that part yet, but I'll do that in a week or so. Been too lazy to work on the car for the past few days.

For those that want it professionally done, the cheapest qoute I got was $175 per side marker. And that wasn't without wiring. That was just for punching/drilling/dremeling the holes. The most expensive I got was $265 per side marker.

Took me 2.5 hours. I took ALOT of time dremeling and making sure I cut the holes precisely so that the Markers would fit tightly. If you cut the holes too big, you're markers won't fit and you're screwed.

As for difficulty, I say anyone with a steady hand and balls could do this mod fairly easily. I used Dark Shear's DIY for the dremeling part, but I had to get my own measurements.

Here's a tip: Get a sheet of plastic to pre dremel a cut out. I got old tupperware, and measured out the holes to see how if it would fit. I would then fit my side markers onto the tupperware with the hole and see if the side marker would fit correctly. After I got the perfect cut out, I used it as a stencil to put on my fender for the cut out. After that, it's fairly easy.

Also, Dark Shear's DIY suggests that you jack up your car and get underneath the splash guards. I didn't want to take off my splash guards because with the OEM lip kit on my 03 TL-S, it meant having to take of the front Lip off. So here's what I suggest. If you look in your owners manual, in the back they'll tell you how to replace turn signals and indicator lights. All you have to do is:

1. Jack up the car so that you have enough clearance to fit your arm in the fender well. If your car is lowered, you will need to give yourself about 4-6 inches between the tire and the fender to stick your arm in. I don't know how big the average person is.. but if your forearms are thicker than 6 inches.. then yeah, just follow Darkshear's advice of opening up the splash guard under the bumper.

2. Take off 3 plastic tabs/gromets so you can pull back the fender well splash guards.

3. Stick your hand in and rotate the turn signal bulb and pop it out.

4. Do the same for the indicator light, which is located right below the turn signal bulb.

5. You can now pull both of them outside the fender well, just enough to replace the bulbs.

6. Get an exacto knife and cut the electrical tape that encapsulates the wires.

7. Using Dark Shear's DIY, use tap in connectors to the correct wires to get the desired function. (Black + Green = turn signal operation for the side markers) (Black + Red = stays on all the time when you turn on your head lights like your indicator bulbs)

8. Replace the plastic tabs/gromets and voila, you now have turn signals.

Actually... I'll post a DIY for the 330 side markers in a few days. I guess explanations with words is just too hard.

Eh. It's subjective. I like it alot. Besides, I'm one of a select few to have side markers on a 2nd gen TL. 2.5 hours for a clean mod that looks like it was built in by the dealer was well worth it to me. I've gotten quite a few stares by people who drive the 2nd gen TL when I lane change and they happen to see my white LED turn signal go off. Maybe some think it's rice, maybe others think "Gee, why didn't get that option at the dealer?"

 

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Post #14

Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Las Vegas
Age: 23
Posts: 18