Has anyone Tinted their Taillights is it worth it?

It really depends on what mods you have or plan to do. Personally, I'd get the smoked SB lights if my BP had gunmetal rims (like the pic below) or machined face black rims (like NineScorpions' Prius).



If I had other style rims or were to keep the stock wheels, I'd spring for the HC model. Here's a video of an otherwise stock Prius with the HC units.

 

i would get the sb's too, they just look sick on the blizzard pearl !!

 

Just did mine with cheap ebay film. Hope it holds up. I would hate to redo them.













I also installed yellow tinted fog lamps earlier thi week.

 

3rdgeargrndrr,

Do you have a link to where you bought the tail light films? I get the impression from your post that they were pre-cut, but my Ebay searches are coming up empty for that... just a bunch of universal rolls. Maybe you cut them yourself?

 

Nope, just bought the cheap universal rolls. I dont think that this can really be Precut as there needs to be some stretching and fitting to the corners. there are a few odd angles to the tail light to wrap around, so used a new blade on the xacto knife and trimmed it up along the borders of the light.


BUT I was driving down the freeway today and GASP! I think I made mt car into a Dodge Caliber clone!!

 

17% Lamin-X

 

Those tail lights looks perfect.

 

thanks! I wasnt sure if the 17% laminX was too dark, but i think it turned out decent on the winter gray. If the car was lighter i would have gone with the light tint. This was my first time working with laminX and even though i was worried as i applied it, cause of ,,many air bubbles...and the precut pieces seemed too small....so I heated them with blower and voila, they stretch easily and covered perfectly...i trimmed them and after a week or so all the bubbled worked themselves out....this material is breathable apparently so bubbles work out with no worries.

I just hated the clear tails stock...so ugly IMO.

Here is a comparo pic in dark....the tails shine through nicely....

 

Those SB tail lights interest me BUT, those technically aren't legal in CA...correct?

 

That looks excellent. I wish Lamin-x is not so expensive. Anyone know cheaper but good quality smoke film/vinyl? Thanks.

 

All Valenti taillights have fully exposed rear reflectors so you're safe in that regard. However, they lack the side reflectors that are required in the United States so even the red HC models are technically illegal (unless you go the trouble of adding side reflectors to the rear of the car). Smoking/covering the rear reflectors with film like most people are doing in this thread is also illegal so it's really a toss up. You'd be safer with the SB lights than if you were to smoke or black out the stock taillights as the rear reflectors are fully visible on the SB and cops are more likely to shine their lights at you while behind you than perpendicular to you.

 

i definitely won't tint them myself. Based on the photos I've seen on the SB they dont appear to show any red during the day unless you have your lights on or you step on the brakes. If that is true, I guess I'll just leave them stock and save myself a headache. Thanks for chiming in.

 

I thought 59 bucks was really cheap!

Dan

 

Dont see how this LaminX can be illegal, I pulled up behind my car , put headlights on and could see very easily the reflectors in the lights. I then tried it with a small flashlight and could still easily see reflectors. Side ones same can see them great.

I have seen LaminX on cars for along time and never heard of any inspection issues ever.

Dan

 

Plenty of pics in Calvin's (HI MPG) album:

You're unlikely to get pulled over as long as they can see the rear reflectors. It's not until you black them out completely that catches the cop's attention in no time. Really no different from driving around with 50-70% tint on front side windows in California which is technically illegal but not noticeable enough to trigger a fix-it ticket.

 

Yeah I hear ya.....I got pulled over a few yrs ago for 20% tint on front windows, and had to remove it...NY state law is 70% but the typical cops here seem to let 35% go by.....Ive had 35% on sides for a few cars now no probs.

I think with the tails/reflectors it is more when people use a vinyl material or maybe a super dark tint....I know this 17% seems dark in certain daylight, in these sunny pics it doesnt look to dark. I think most tints allow headlights to easily light up the reflectors though for the most part. If i did it again i would go the next step lighter at 12%.

Here is LaminX breakdown...(mine is 17% SMOKED)

Tint 6% (12 mil)
Gunsmoke 12% (12 mil)
Smoked 17% (12 mil)
Charcoal 30% (12 mil)

 

I did not like the clear look of the OEM taillights but didn't want to spend the money on new ones either so I just wrapped them.....

 

update! so my cheap ebay film is NOT holding up to the Summer sun ( now autumn). they are fading to a purplish pink - more like a fuschia-pinkish color. They are coming off soon, I will probably go the VHT niteshades spray route. Ive done that before and its held up for years until I sold it. If you are going the vinyl route, make sure you use some good quality stuff, like 3m.

 

I had the guy who did my tint on my windows tint my tail lights with a nice red tint and they've help up for a year now.

 

TOYOTA G's｜G's PRIUS｜エクステリア（専用装備）