Xoutpost.com - To clear or not to clear

Xoutpost.com (https://xoutpost.com/forums.php)

- X5 (E53) Forum (https://xoutpost.com/bmw-sav-forums/x5-e53-forum/)

- - To clear or not to clear (https://xoutpost.com/bmw-sav-forums/x5-e53-forum/96452-clear-not-clear.html)

I like clear too but I am not going for clear, since if I take the car out of country and then back, the US customs will not let the car back in the US. Last time, when 4.6 came to US, they marked the paperwork with country of origin Germany, in compliance with the US regulations. We all know, country of origin is here... Lol...

So, I keep it amber, even though prefer clear. Stealth bulbs is way to go - the BMW has part number for "blue" light bulbs, you would need to go into Euro version of the car in RealOEM and search for the bulbs...

Sent from my HTC One X+ using Tapatalk

Quote:

Originally Posted by TerminatorX5 (Post 987043)

you would need to go into Euro version of the car in RealOEM and search for the bulbs

if they're anything like the euro clears on my e39, its just a single filament bulb that flashes amber.

Quote:

Originally Posted by X5SND (Post 987006)

I'm kinda partial to the amber corners. I know that's pretty much blasphemy around here but all clears just look like they're missing something for a NA market car.

Stick a stealth bulb or an led bulb that has a white body (one that still lights up Amber!!!) and it changes the look of the corners enough. With all clears upfront those red tails are really going to stand out as well.

http://i598.photobucket.com/albums/t...ps8940e8c3.jpg

I never noticed that before, it does make a subtle difference. Makes the front corners more defined instead of a mass of orange. Will be doing this too, thanks! :thumbup:

ETA Oh, and I do like the clears more whch is what I voted for, but it is too much of a hassle for me to mod my housing just for that, and not worth the price for me to source euro lights just for the clears. I'll just do the stealth bulb front corners instead.

Definitley clears.

One thing we know for sure is that bianca98 likes pie

Quote:

Originally Posted by TiAgX5 (Post 987053)

I order Stealth bulbs thru here......

StealthBulbs.com - Invisible Turn Signal Bulbs For Your Car

I sprayed both the front and the rear bulbs on my E39 with high temp silver paint about 13 years ago. They've worked ever since. I even made a lil graphic about it way back then bc folks were saying it wasn't bright enough. :rolleyes: I think I may still have the silver paint. :rofl:

We even did this on my nephew's 740 when he got new tails last year. Still working great.

http://my02.com/images/amber/bigfrnt.jpg

http://my02.com/images/amber/reara.jpg

Here are some higher res images with the same bulbs about 5 years after those old pics:

http://my02.com/images/07/acs5.jpg

http://my02.com/images/07/acs2.jpg

Quote:

Originally Posted by X5SND (Post 987006)

I'm kinda partial to the amber corners.

Are you suuuuuure? :D

I DO also like amber on black, but black, silver and white are my three faves for clear corners.

Quote:

Originally Posted by PropellerHead (Post 987085)

Are you suuuuuure? :D

I DO also like amber on black, but black, silver and white are my three faves for clear corners.

As per my vote...YES, IMO... AMBERS > euroClears. **flamesuit on!!**

I've always tried to maintain an OEM-level appearance with any mod I do on any vehicle....the Clear corners have always looked too aftermarket to me to stick on my ride. They're nice...don't get me wrong...but need to be matched with appropriate theme (front, rear, paint & wheels dependent) to pull off the look. If I'm completely honest, the only X I've EVER come across that pulled off the look was an Imola Red 4.8is with HRE's (probably a former member here).

Without the ambers to break up the front end it just looks too washed out to me.

Either way you could get a set of bulbs for $30 and see what you think....if its not your style, feel free to drop them Benji's on the Euro's!

This is the pic I was originally trying to find:

AMBER CORNERS FTW!!!!!!:rofl:

http://i598.photobucket.com/albums/t...e.jpg~original

EDIT: TermX5, You can get your X back into the country with clear corner headlights so long as you have an amber reflector (with the proper FMVSS/SAE/DOT markings) on the side of the vehicle.

Here is a factory clear corner on E70 - took this picture about half an hour ago outside of my office... the car is not for the US distribution, this is a Euro model that underwent some changes at our office... I am going to make a little thread for this car, i have snapped a few pics...

@ SND - I know about ambers for the front quarters of the car, but in my situation, it would have to be a stick on or something to that effect - and since the car is traveling for a month or two and is in who-knows whose hands all that time, I am risking a chance that the stick on would fall off the car before the custoomes get to see it... I never had problems with foreign customs, only with the US - last time I brought back my OWN booze that i bought in the US, took it with me, and some of it came back (I don't drink much, but like my cognacs, armagnacs and the rest to follow me), the US customs charged me the entry duty of a couple hundred bucks... I'd rather not get in pissing match with them... lol... :D

I can live with either. Maybe I'll just get stealth bulbs for the front or spray paint them as you did, Propellerhead. I like the ACS on your E39.