Tail Light Customizing 101 ?'s
 

So I have a Mazdaspeed Protege. I like the euro "dark" or smoke look on tail lights. My friend has a GTI who has smoked lights. He says the best way to accomplish this look is by using spray paint... sounds kind of bizarre to me but he might be right.

Any other suggestions? Possibly buying a new set of lights so as to keep it stock if needed?

I absolutely hate the clear light look on MSP's. Some people like it, I always thought that clear lights look kind of cheap. Some cars can rock those lights and it look good (Lexus IS300) but some don't.

What you are looking for is either an overlay film in smoked, to tint it, or a spray product called 'Niteshades'.

Niteshades is a spray, but its a tint, not a paint. You do NOT want to spray paint your lights black!

This is niteshades (lights comes through fine, like a tinted window):
http://www.oznium.com/gallery/photos/full/14726.jpg

And this is with an overlay film, such as rockblocker:
http://www.msprotege.com/members/red...20(Medium).jpg

or, just buy then tinted already...

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/99-03...spagenameZWDVW

True, but that can be a bit more pricey.

Light doesn't at all come through 'just fine' after applying nightshades or a film. It makes it significantly dimmer. To give it the black look, you're talking eliminating 70 percent or more of the light output! crazy

Well, this is what Rockblocker says:

Kit Number # 149924 - P5 Tail lights
Smoke-Out Kits allow 83% light output- Dark Smoke Kits allow 70% light output

Did you mean 30% reduction in light?

Maybe just a 30% reduction but that is really significant (and any at all is enough to make it illegal most places). It's enough that brake lights on a tinted light look like normal running lights on a non-tinted. Plus the black film makes the taillights more reflective, which is an issue during the daytime.

Hmm, never thought about the film actually being reflective. I guess I've never noticed.

Myself, I only tinted the signal/reverse section of my tails, mainly because of the fact that a tinted brake light may be seen as a regular running light. Dangerous, even with an LED 3rd brake light.

However, my signals and reverse lights seem fine, and can be seen through the tint without an issue.
It's like shining a flashlight through a tinted window, or looking through your rearview mirror with the back window tinted - it still works.

Yeah, just the turn signals is a bit different. With the brake light also covered.. you run into a problem if people can't see your lights (well... the problem runs into you)

There is always this option for the Protege sedan taillights..

Attachment 10050

That's pretty much what I have, but I'm a ricer, so it looks like this:

Attachment 10049

or just get a friend to paint 'em w/ automotive paint ;)

let me take some pix of mine...

blah, i waited to late to get a day pix, here is a night picture for now (not the greatest, i know)

Really, just regular paint? I'd think it would be too opaque for light to get through properly.

yeah that's nice and light. tough to do, easily one coat could cover way more.

http://memimage.cardomain.net/member...51_72_full.jpg

I later just went to covers that were on with velcro.. on for pics, off 95% of the time

better picture (starting to wash car, figured.. hey, snap a day pic of lights haha) - and I had the velcro ones on my '94 toyota p/u ;)

yah.. i didnt want them too dark