ok, I know this has been discussed before and I've searched and seen so many related posts but I can't seem to find my answer for it, when I say I've searched, I've searched..

I'm wanting to get my tails tinted, I have an 05 with all reds. All I've seen is everyone tint the whole tail but looking at this pic that I took from batmobile looks like the cutouts are around the led boards.. My attempt to get my tails tinted is tinting the around the signals and leaving the led parts exposed in red. Anyone ever tried doing it this way? i'm wondering if there are any pics cause everything I've seen online is all tinted tails...

Any help would be appreciated to get my answer.

 

Dont tint tails.
always open them up to customise them.

P.s. all red tails are so much more aggressive than any kind of tinted tails.

Keep them all red, unless you want to be like every other ricer out there

 

the year 2000 called; it wants its tinted tails back

 

100% agreed with Justn. Tinted tails are on the shelf right beside altezzas...

 

I dont agree with him... Tinting is personalizing ... Or you could be like everyone else ... Go for it.

 

^ yes, make it difficult for drivers behind you to see you are braking when it's super sunny out, lol.

Installing 10 foot spoilers, fart can exhausts and altezza tail lights is personalizing also, setting you apart from everyone else. Doesn't mean it looks good by any stretch of the imagination.

 

Although tinting does kind of interfere with function, do what you feel looks good to you. That's the beauty of modifications, you can really make it yours and to your own taste. You'll get judged regardless of what you do. Even if you don't mod then someone at some point will suggest you do so.

However, if you're going to ask for suggestions, better roll with the punches, cause there will be some

 

To each his own, but I wouldn't be looking to do this. "The juice isn't worth the squeeze." Function > Form

 

Thanks for the input guys.. I called my local tint shop and they were charging me around $90 bucks to do them, thinking twice, I'd rather put that money towards having AckTL build me some customs..

 

i was always under the impression that you see the red lights more when its tinted black lol.. a lot of guys on here hating on black tails, not sure how red looks more aggressive? first thing i said when I bought my car was how can i get rid of this gay ass red tails and side markers. just personal pref i guess. Locally I get lots of compliments

 

At least we aren't looking to tint our headlights

 

If you tint your tail lights black I would imagine your insurance company would give you problems if you were involved in a accident when someone else runs into the back of your car.

 

^^ i think removing the amber is sweet looking but putting that black film over the headlight looks a bit strange

 

Laws up here state tail/brake lights must be clearly visable at 200 meters on a sunny day .... Mine far exceed that ... And he didn't ask about fart cans. Everyone's tastes are different ... doesn't make them wrong.

 

Or you could get these. I got the clears and love them...

https://www.uniquestyleracings.com/i...product_id=460

 

Modded ALl red tails.


these are superior to tinted tails.

 

 

Only tint the inside ...

 

OK, so I understand the O.P. is really looking for a simple opinion but...
Please understand that when car manufacturers design vehicles there are standards in place that must be met. Tailights are supposed to be a certain area (size), have a certain reflection, etc. By tinting them, you are changing the design and depending how dark you go, you are in violation of the law. Keep in mind, if you are rear ended with tinted tail lights, the other person's insurance may have a case to not pay. I am not stating that as fact that they won't pay but as a potential.
How do I know? Second hand knowledge. It happened to a friend of mine.
I'm all about doing what you want to your car, it's your car, who am I to judge? Just consider all aspects of your modification is all I'm asking.

 

them reds do look real sick tho dammn

 

I`ll definitely do this one next summer

 

Did you have to take the taillight out to achieve that^, if not how'd you do it?

 

A lot of times when people see my car they say "Well u did everything, what about the tails?" as if my tinted tails don't count as being "modded". The Type-S started that "divided" look to the tail light and all those awesome mods that Bruce can do. I appreciate them but I like that one piece look myself. If I did any of them the ones posted above in post #17 and #18 are awesome too, I considered that look.

Yes definitely the really DARK tails are a safety hazard. I myself have nearly rear ended idiots with rear blackouts. But there is a limit and extreme when it comes to these things. Just like window tint. I have 30%. Is it illegal in most states? Yes. But is it 5% and unreasonable? No. So I avoid most tickets because going extreme always fetches you negative attention. My tails have a light tint, you can easily see the marker and brake lights in the daytime.

By saying the tinted tails are against manufacturer design to meet DOT regulations, true. But so are ANY of the mods that many of us do by opening them up. By saying they are against the law? Not exactly. I got a ticket once, told the cop he was wrong. Got it dropped in court. Why? Read the law. In my state the brake lights need to be visible 500ft. away. State laws vary so know yours. Ever wonder why old Jag XJ6s, old Pontiacs etc. all the cars with dark tail lights are OK? Because of this law. It is a misconception to think your tail lights have to be red in order to output red brake lights. And now of course we have the RX350 etc. with clear lenses. Again the color doesn't matter, the output does.

So I say, all a matter of taste, but don't affect functionality and safety. Don't go too dark.

 

Yea yea, admittedly it is an old skool look, no doubt. Blame us old fellas that watched one too many episodes of Knight Rider. lol. I swear EVERY car I've owned has had the blacked out/smoked look. I can't help it. At least on a German car there is an excuse to make it look "European". With a TL? Yea, it's just an old fad. Old is gold I guess.

These Gen-Y kids nowadays. They just won't understand. It's OK because I don't understand them either.......Hey Forever 21 called, they want their skinny jeans back.

jkidding Justin hehe.

 

Represent us older fogeys

I used to rock the rockblockers myself, but I did get tired of them. When my car got backed into, I took it as a sign to upgrade.

 

I didn't expect many to know what Rockblockers are. Yea I'm with u, I've gotten sorta tired of the look, that's why I did consider the look mentioned in the above posts. Then I just said meh....I'm done modding whatever, lazy. lol.

BTW for anyone wondering how to maintain them; Plast-X makes them look like brand new again. Mine are 8yrs old still look brand new.

 

Those are modified 2007-2008 base TL tail lights.

You can't do that with 2004-2006 tail lights.

Honestly you can't really modify 2004-2006 tails much at all besides blacking them out.

Buy a pair of base or Type-S 2007-2008 tail lights. You will have a lot more wiggle room when it comes to customizing them.

 

I have 2007-08 base taillights.......

 

well, like you said it's a fad.
fad's never stay relevant.

remember big ass wing spoilers in the '90's?

growing up in Houston with a big hip hop culture, i remember seeing spinners every where.

they dont stop, Erkkk! they keep spinnin'

any way, the point is fad's dont stick around.
tinted tails was a fad in the early 2000's and it should stay there.

its tacky, unsafe, and just plain easy to do. be creative and do something amazing instead of just blacking out tails like every other ricer out there.

 

Yea I understand what you mean that tail-lights that have been opened up with mods are more creative and unique. That's why I said I can appreciate the work involved and understand why people like them. I always see new materials and combos being done. The only thing is that it makes the tails stand out a bit too much. It creates a lot of contrasting lines that looks busy when you look at the car as a whole. The stock reds or tinted look maintains a more sleek clean look.

Mine are overlaid but light enough to be safe. There are a few others that have sprayed them and did them even lighter. I see no problems with that. You just have to use common sense and restraint. Some people just do overkill on everything. Like that "murdered out" fad from a few years ago. Black everything. That's too much.

When I see my car I don't see tacky or ricer, maybe someone else does? That's fine. I'm happy with it, to each their own.

 

Acktl05 did these tails for me.

yes, the tails needs to come off the car.
no, they do not need to be taken apart... just sprayed from back/inside area

PM him, he'll do a swap for you...they were cheap

 

They look good, check out the super reds/red strips that can be modded that justinspace posted, they are nice looking as well if you didn't want to buy the 07-08s to mod (if you have the 04-06).