Painting Tail lights
Junior Member
Scikotics
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 1
From: Elk City, Ok
U dont want light to shine through? If u want them to still work but look red, u can always put a couple light coats of a pearl red on em. I did that once w/ a purple car i owned and it looked pretty cool. A body shop would also probly do it fairly cheap.
Senior Member
SL Member
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 1,109
Senior Member
Scikotics
SL Member
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 631
From: Minneapolis, MN
Originally Posted by Max2k
The overlays aren't worth the insanely inflated price he charges for them. Paint them, trust me.
Putting on overlays and leaving yourself the option to go back to stock or change it up down the road without having to buy another set of tail lights is cheaper. Trust me.
Senior Member
Scikotics
SL Member
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 631
From: Minneapolis, MN
So you got a deal on tails, good work, you get a cookie.
The point here is that it's only $35 for overlays, thats not expensive. Then down the road if you want to remove them you can and it costs you nothing to go back to stock.
The point here is that it's only $35 for overlays, thats not expensive. Then down the road if you want to remove them you can and it costs you nothing to go back to stock.
Senior Member
SL Member
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 332
From: Adult
I got mine "candy coated" and love them! I don't know why, i just can't imagine doing the vinyl overlays...seems like it would fade a lot faster then paint after a while, I could be completely wrong though, so don't hold me to that...but 35 dollars for a vinyl overlay, i have to admit, that is kinda price, a sheet of that transparent vinyl is pretty cheap too...
Senior Member
SL Member
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 2,650
From: Sipping haterade.
Trust me on the vinyl. I got some overlays from blue batmobile, looked at the brand on the back of the vinyl, and hit up google. It's like $35 for a 1' x 30' roll of the vinyl he sells. You're getting ripped off when you pay that much. And it's just as time-consuming to get the supplies since he doesn't have an online order system.
The vinyl overlays don't even look good. When you paint them well you get a nice clear red that you can see through. It looks OEM. When you get the vinyl ones you get red vinyl made for backlit signs cut roughly in the shape of your tail. What you end up with is a SOLID RED tail that you can't see through.
Installation is difficult, too. You have to peel it off, position it perfectly, then bust out the hairdryer to make the edges go down. It takes a long time and a lot of effort that isn't worth it.
Trust me on this, I've worked with both methods. I know what works here, and I'm telling you to paint your tails. I came up with the method because I wanted tails that look good and didn't want to waste a bunch of money. Hit up the FAQs to learn how to do it.
You can get another set of stock tails for insanely cheap these days if you want to go back to stock.
The vinyl overlays don't even look good. When you paint them well you get a nice clear red that you can see through. It looks OEM. When you get the vinyl ones you get red vinyl made for backlit signs cut roughly in the shape of your tail. What you end up with is a SOLID RED tail that you can't see through.
Installation is difficult, too. You have to peel it off, position it perfectly, then bust out the hairdryer to make the edges go down. It takes a long time and a lot of effort that isn't worth it.
Trust me on this, I've worked with both methods. I know what works here, and I'm telling you to paint your tails. I came up with the method because I wanted tails that look good and didn't want to waste a bunch of money. Hit up the FAQs to learn how to do it.
You can get another set of stock tails for insanely cheap these days if you want to go back to stock.
Senior Member
SL Member
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 2,641
From: San Diego, CA
Originally Posted by ctruss
Originally Posted by Max2k
The overlays aren't worth the insanely inflated price he charges for them. Paint them, trust me.
Putting on overlays and leaving yourself the option to go back to stock or change it up down the road without having to buy another set of tail lights is cheaper. Trust me.
It's all about personal preference. Alot of people want to change the look of their car in time, the great thing about Vinyl, is that it allows that with relative ease.
Bat™
Senior Member
SL Member
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 2,641
From: San Diego, CA
Originally Posted by Max2k
Trust me on the vinyl. I got some overlays from blue batmobile, looked at the brand on the back of the vinyl, and hit up google. It's like $35 for a 1' x 30' roll of the vinyl he sells. You're getting ripped off when you pay that much. And it's just as time-consuming to get the supplies since he doesn't have an online order system.
The vinyl overlays don't even look good. When you paint them well you get a nice clear red that you can see through. It looks OEM. When you get the vinyl ones you get red vinyl made for backlit signs cut roughly in the shape of your tail. What you end up with is a SOLID RED tail that you can't see through.
Installation is difficult, too. You have to peel it off, position it perfectly, then bust out the hairdryer to make the edges go down. It takes a long time and a lot of effort that isn't worth it.
Trust me on this, I've worked with both methods. I know what works here, and I'm telling you to paint your tails. I came up with the method because I wanted tails that look good and didn't want to waste a bunch of money. Hit up the FAQs to learn how to do it.
You can get another set of stock tails for insanely cheap these days if you want to go back to stock.
The vinyl overlays don't even look good. When you paint them well you get a nice clear red that you can see through. It looks OEM. When you get the vinyl ones you get red vinyl made for backlit signs cut roughly in the shape of your tail. What you end up with is a SOLID RED tail that you can't see through.
Installation is difficult, too. You have to peel it off, position it perfectly, then bust out the hairdryer to make the edges go down. It takes a long time and a lot of effort that isn't worth it.
Trust me on this, I've worked with both methods. I know what works here, and I'm telling you to paint your tails. I came up with the method because I wanted tails that look good and didn't want to waste a bunch of money. Hit up the FAQs to learn how to do it.
You can get another set of stock tails for insanely cheap these days if you want to go back to stock.
Bat™
Senior Member
Scikotics
SL Member
Team N.V.S.
Scion Evolution
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 1,164
From: The Godfather
tru that, despite the cost to some, thers preference on learning to diy, or rather going with a proven finish, or its just worth their money (even if it may not be worth yours)