[Spoogey]

Hi all,

I was looking into buying some of this:

http://www.demon-tweeks.co.uk/catalogue/product_detail.asp?CLS=ROAD&TLGRP=R001&CODE=FOL210 &PGRP=RC001&GRP=RC001&PCODE=FOL2150

to make my mini look like this:

http://www.mini2.com/gallery/personal/picture9649.html

In the UK if I have a reflector kit (as with clear rear lights) is this legal.

It looks so good....anyone tried this? How easy is it?

Thanks

Simon

[moorlockx]

The tinted lights look good, however, here's a point to ponder. I'll almost bet that in bright sunlight coming from behind the car, that the guy in the car following you, can't see you hit your brakes....or at least will claim that if he hits you. Some mods are better left on the show floor and off the streets. This, I think is one of them. Do you really want some idiot driving a Navigator, or even worse, a Kenworth, ass-ending you at highway speeds because your brake lights were dimmed from the tint? Even if you use a standard 35% tint, that's 65% of the original light not making it through. The car will look real cool after a 75,000 pound truck makes a speed bump out of it.

Like I said, just something to ponder.....

[addman]

I have to agree with moorlockx really... I followed a 306 home the other night with a silver tint inside her lights. It did make her brake lights noticebly dimmer... and if she'd braked hard and I hadn't stopped in time, I'd have told my insurance company.

One thing that occurs to me though if you're determined - maybe the lights and wiring loom can be upgraded to fit much brighter lights? I'm no expert on such matters, but in principle I don't see why this isn't possible - if a little pricey maybe.

It would look the mutts nuts though

[Spoogey]

I suppose particularly in bad weather this could be a problem - however couldn't the same be said of the clear rear light set? Maybe I will just need to find a good reflector kit?

Thanks for the response

Simon

[addman]

The difference with the clear lights is there is nothing to impede the light emitted from the bulb, other than a very light silver tint on the bulb itself... whereas the darkening of the inside of the cover will block a considerable amount of the light as moorlockx points out.

[BruceK]

Quote:

Originally posted by addman
The difference with the clear lights is there is nothing to impede the light emitted from the bulb, other than a very light silver tint on the bulb itself... whereas the darkening of the inside of the cover will block a considerable amount of the light as moorlockx points out.

Even so, I think the "clear" or "white" MINI taillights are lacking from a safety stand point.

Last weekend at a gathering of about 50 MINIs in Austin, TX, I drove many miles closely following a MINI equipped with the "clear" taillights though all kinds of traffic and scenic roads. More than several times I found myself getting much closer than I wanted to the car in front because I couldn't see the brake lights were on!

My wife was a passenger in my car and she felt the same way: it is simply more difficult to see the red brake lights showing through the clear plastic lens. They are just not as bright or distinctive as the stock taillights. Period.

[addman]

That's interesting Bruce - my Mini has the clear lights, but obviously I've never followed it

However they are BMW standard fit, so I'd be surprised if the difference was great... I seem to recall my dealer telling me the wiring loom to the lights also had to be modified, because the bulbs were higher wattage - maybe it's the case that the aftermarket clear ones don't have that 'upgrade'. I dunno. Speculation, at best.

I'd be interested in hearing other people's feedback on folllwing the clear lights - I certainly don't want to risk an unnecessary accident. Maybe some of the guys who have been on big UK runs could comment?

Adam.

[Linda M]

I had the BMW clear rear lights fitted at my dealers, they're great and there's 'no' problem with seeing the brake lights. I really like them. The reflector kit 'had' to be fitted and I decided to have them put on the mesh bit on the back skirt.

[BruceK]

I forgot to mention that my difficulty in clearly seeing the brake lights through the clear lenses was on a very bright sunny day. Perhaps that was part of the problem?

[StevePSB]

I can comment on being behind a white light setup in a run.
I didn't think there was a brightness issue, I personally thought the red was slightly white looking when compared with normal lamps.

[moorlockx]

Possibly the problem with the clear lens' is a perceived light situation. With a normal red lens, you see the whole lens light up. With the clear ones, all you see is the reflected bulb. This would especially be true in the day time.

[Mugami]

something that is done with the tinting job even for the filmed version. Is that there leaving the bottomm area where the Brake like comes on clear so it can be seen easly from the rear and just tinting the area covering the turnsignal and rear fog lites. So if you do tint it just tape up the bottom light and spray the rest.

[Damo]

I'm still waiting for them to do a new rear light for that effect. look at the golf mk3's they have blacked out lights which were legal

[randap]

Does anyone know if you can buy tinted light units yet (aftermarket)? I think the black MC with dark tint looks the mutts. The white lights look a bit out of place on the black car IMO.

[MiniMan7]

I think this might be what you guys are looking for.

They're from MossMini:

http://www.mossmini.com/Shop/ViewPro...eIndexID=37988

Adam

[Minty]

id have though the white lights were brighter than the standard ones?!