Steven

In the light they're too dark and the finish isn't up to my standards. Putting the factory ones back in so I can work on these aftemarket ones properly

I tried for 1 coat for only a slight tint, problem is getting it on uniformly due to how it sticks. It's a fine line between too little, and too much. I spent all night recoating and sanding the lights, but I couldn't remove the cracks which look absolutely horrid. In the end I just polished them best I could and put them back on the car. This weekend I'll need to get serious and rub them back completely to remove the cracks properly, then add a clear coat.

I can't speak for the X6, but I had a full size N97 previously and I hated it. I found it very buggy even with the latest firmware, and internet browsing was a pain. It would require a hard reset almost daily which means losing all my personal settings.

Quick update - I sanded them back with 1200 grit to prime them for the next coats, and also remove all the **** that got caught in it whilst it was drying. That worked fine, reapplied the tint (a bit thicker this time) and damn have the troubles started. On 1 light I've got paint runs, on the other 3 parts (1 main, 2 inner lights) the paint is cracking around the lip! Obviously I put it on too thick. And yes I did make sure to give them a rub down with wax and grease remover after sanding them before applying another coat. The only good news is that now I know I can always resand them back and with a bit of polish they can be saved. One thing I noticed is that if I do that, I can get past the imperfections and actually get the partially tinted look I was after. Will post further updates later tonight.

No, you're clearly losing it. Shouldn't have seen the signs (selling the TRD, buying a Falcon).... :P Can I recommend you do not do these at night like I did. First time seeing them in the light this afternoon and they clearly need another coat, it's very splotchy all over. Going to be a **** pain removing them all from the car again but I want them done right. They might get a tad bit darker but this next coat will just be evening it out a bit. Also they are a lot brighter in the sun light. More smoked than tinted.

Many Lols to be had :) :) :)

Hoping for another good turnout this week

about $16 from Autobarn. No other place (supercheap, Repco) had it. Mick - Yes that is a concern. Hopefully if I don't act like a fool on the roads I should be left alone (hopefully).

Okay tail lights are dry, on the car and polished. They only have 1 coat on them, but they've actually turned out around the darkest of the pics posted on page 3. I'm very undecided about the look; I'll need to see them out in the light tomorrow to make a judgement call on them. Main concern is the color match with my car. I tested the lights and they still come through very strongly so I doubt that will cause any issue. I took several pictures however due to the phone camera and poor lighting in my garage you can't really make them out at all. I've posted the best, but more will come tomorrow in the day light. Unfortunately I only did the right bootlid original taillight as a test. Due to the strong red color, it didn't come out anywhere near as black at all and actually looks very neat. I think if in the end I don't like these lights, I'll pop the originals back in and tint them. It's very easy to do as far as painting goes, it's just the **** that gets caught in it whilst it dries that needs to be buffed out.

Here's a teaser shot :D :D :D

You know, DJ Sundae does have a certain ring to it :P

Update - Got some VHT Nightshade spray and went to work on the tail lights when I got home. Tried it on the factory ones first and they came out dead sexy. darker but no where near enough to make you think it wasn't factory. Then dived in and did the clear lights - with only the same light coat they have come out a LOT darker. I won't know how they'll look until they dry fully and I can polish them up which should also lighten things a bit. Won't be finished until tomorrow afternoon when I cut them back and polish them a bit, but I'll try to get pics later tonight on the car.

Yep tint film would be a real pain, hence I'd get a shop to do it if it were possible. Thinking of getting some tint spray this afternoon maybe.

I've been looking into it and the various ways to do it. Being VHt nightshade and window tinting film. Vht is easiest to apply but harder to remove and has a bluish tinge. Window tint is more professional but harder to apply. Especially due to the odd shape of the lights. I think I'll get some tint film and experiment on one of the old lights first.

Would appreciate some opinions on some taillight tinting. Having a fairly dark themed front end, the back is looking a tad bright. Opinions people's?

Unless you're after a good 1/4 mile time, I wouldn't bother. You will get absolutely raped if you're ever caught with it on the street. In my own humble opinion, unless you hit the strip very often it is not worth the effort in getting a system hooked up. The extra difficult lies in the engine management of the Aurion - as nobody as cracked the ECU yet, you're only realistic option for pursuing Nitrous Oxide is to go for an aftermarket ECU and a custom tune. Otherwise you're asking for trouble, however knowing the stock ECU if you pump some NOS through the intake, I reckon it's likely to chuck a bazillion error codes and simply shut down. Just out of curiosity, why the interest in NOS anyway? Aside from top fuel dragsters, NOS really isn't a big thing here in Australia (just as DJKOR has already said)

Best get your jogging shoes on boy. What you just downed could match a small country's daily sugar intake. Even by MY standards that was excessive :o

Having driven many examples of both, the best I can do is agree with Mick - each has their own place. There is simply too much a variety of good and bad of both examples that it is entirely a personal opinion and "debates" often end in outright arguing and bitching. Anyone who makes a decision about someone solely on whatever gearbox they use is a shallow turd and should be treated with the appropriate level of respect and attention (Nil)

after today, I really need an ice cold scotch and coke. I don't care if your GPS navigator says to go this way, "No through road" signs aren't there for ****s n giggles.

well it might just be Mr. Scotch talking but I'm thinking of coming along now, But we'll see if Mr. Hangover turns up tomorrow morning and ruins things as he's been known too. I can't really offer to bring anything at this late hour as nothing's open - but are we likely to actually NEED anything anyway?

If you get pulled over and you KNOW you've done something wrong, then just man up and accept it. However I don't recommend telling a copper when he's in the wrong - heaps are on ego trips and don't take criticism too lightly. Here in QLD, they are not bound by the road rules as long as they are performing a function incidental to their current duties. There's a lot that can be argued about whether they're currently performing an active duty that required whatever road rule they breached. As for P plates? I heard of an operation over the school holidays awhile back where they'd be driving around in stock new model cars (of various makes and models), with flip/down lights on the sunvisors and the cops were allowed to wear regular shirts over their uniforms. That was tricky (and I hear was fairly successful, so expect to see it happen again). As for entrapment, I hear this word pop up all the time. In QLD, there are no entrapment laws. Furthermore, law entrapment would mean to somehow force or strongly coerce you into doing something illegal, and then charging you for it. By simply being covert in their operations, they haven't done anything as such. The closest 'entrapment' I have heard about, was traffic cops in modded cars pulling up to people next to the lights and revving the engines. food for thought.

It's where the Tow Bar was - I've removed it as I hardly ever use it anymore. Now I'm having trouble finding a neat way to fill the hole

There was once such a gentleman's agreement, but it was more about what power you advertised than what you actually put out. I assure you a great deal of the cars advertised as "206kw" actually put out a whole lot more than that.

Very good of the focal guy to give you a propery reply rather than to just give the typical "if we don't sell it then it's not legit therefore it's inferior"

Fair few changes to the car now. Exhaust and Taillights now on. I think I've spent too much money lately, so aside from washing there won't be any more mod's for a little while.