Cheap Mod: all-red "LCI" style taillight on pre-LCI E90 Sedan - BMW 3-Series (E90 E92) Forum

SAM67 · 06-11-2012, 03:32 PM

I never liked the look of the white back-up lights on my 2008 E90 sedan and decided to mimic the all-red LCI taillights using some red window tint. Pretty easy/cheap mod compared with buying black-lines -- I actually prefer the all-red look myself. Check out my photos and one I found on-line of the stock pre-LCI taillights.

I paid $13 for a 24"x24" piece of red tint (http://www.metrorestyling.com/Red-Ou...redoutfilm.htm) and $40 for the install at IDS on south Broadway. Took the IDS installer Matt about 15 minutes and it turned out much better than I could do! I had him cut out a small rectangle shape following the lines of the existing taillight so the light would shine through when backing up at night. Looks similar to the rectangle shape on the LCI taillight.

The color doesn't match 100% when viewing from certain angles but unless you are looking for it, I don' think anyone would ever notice. I have some extra tint left over if anyone wants to give it a try.

-Scott

frryy · 06-11-2012, 04:09 PM

Cool.
Technically wouldn't you get the vinyl the same color as your car tho?
To match the LCI-shape, I mean.

SAM67 · 06-11-2012, 04:41 PM

I was going for the all-red look of the LCI lights rather than the shape. I know that some people have retrofit the actual LCI taillights, but that requires swapping out the trunk lid also.

King mode · 06-11-2012, 11:01 PM

Nice mod for near nothing. I honestly like the look of the red / white older tail lights, at least on black e90s

cdavi060 · 06-18-2012, 08:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SAM67

I was going for the all-red look of the LCI lights rather than the shape. I know that some people have retrofit the actual LCI taillights, but that requires swapping out the trunk lid also.

You have some more after photos of the rear from afar? Looks great.

SAM67 · 06-20-2012, 04:29 PM

Thanks cdavi060. Here you go...

JACe90 · 07-15-2012, 06:59 AM

I've been wanting to do this for a very long time. I just haven't found any film that matches perfectly with the color of the tail lights. The film you used is the best match I've seen. I'm willing to give this a try, is it still available?

SAM67 · 07-20-2012, 01:11 PM

Hi JACe90. My offer was just for local Denver area pick-up -- sorry. But you can order the same film I bought for roughly $13 dollars shipped. The 12" x 24" size is even cheaper at $7 plus shipping. Good luck.

http://www.metrorestyling.com/Red-Ou...redoutfilm.htm

Route 16 · 09-16-2012, 02:52 AM

Any extra?

OmidHariri · 04-30-2013, 10:05 PM

Is the tint over the whole tail light, the inner light, or just the white?

OmidHariri · 05-01-2013, 11:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SAM67

I never liked the look of the white back-up lights on my 2008 E90 sedan and decided to mimic the all-red LCI taillights using some red window tint. Pretty easy/cheap mod compared with buying black-lines -- I actually prefer the all-red look myself. Check out my photos and one I found on-line of the stock pre-LCI taillights.

I paid $13 for a 24"x24" piece of red tint (http://www.metrorestyling.com/Red-Ou...redoutfilm.htm) and $40 for the install at IDS on south Broadway. Took the IDS installer Matt about 15 minutes and it turned out much better than I could do! I had him cut out a small rectangle shape following the lines of the existing taillight so the light would shine through when backing up at night. Looks similar to the rectangle shape on the LCI taillight.

The color doesn't match 100% when viewing from certain angles but unless you are looking for it, I don' think anyone would ever notice. I have some extra tint left over if anyone wants to give it a try.

-Scott

Did you vinyl the whole light or just the inners? And how much vinyl did you order

SAM67 · 05-05-2013, 11:44 AM

Only added red tint to the white part of the tail light, so didn't need much.

MountainStone · 05-15-2013, 08:02 PM

Looks good! I wanna do this same mod to my red e90. Is the tint just applied to the exterior of the lens? Did your installer remove the lights?

I wonder how durable this will be...

SAM67 · 05-22-2013, 05:45 PM

Hi MountainStone. Yes, the tint guy applied it directly to the exterior of the tail light and did not remove the lights. He was able to cut off the excess cleanly.

I had it the tint installed a year ago and so far, so good. No signs of wear or fading. Post a photo if you decide to do it.

06-11-2012, 03:32 PM	#1
SAM67 Cars & Guitars Drives: 2008 335i E90 Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Highlands Ranch, CO Posts: 80 iTrader: (0)	Cheap Mod: all-red "LCI" style taillight on pre-LCI E90 Sedan I never liked the look of the white back-up lights on my 2008 E90 sedan and decided to mimic the all-red LCI taillights using some red window tint. Pretty easy/cheap mod compared with buying black-lines -- I actually prefer the all-red look myself. Check out my photos and one I found on-line of the stock pre-LCI taillights. I paid $13 for a 24"x24" piece of red tint (http://www.metrorestyling.com/Red-Ou...redoutfilm.htm) and $40 for the install at IDS on south Broadway. Took the IDS installer Matt about 15 minutes and it turned out much better than I could do! I had him cut out a small rectangle shape following the lines of the existing taillight so the light would shine through when backing up at night. Looks similar to the rectangle shape on the LCI taillight. The color doesn't match 100% when viewing from certain angles but unless you are looking for it, I don' think anyone would ever notice. I have some extra tint left over if anyone wants to give it a try. -Scott Attached Images __________________ 2008 E90 335i >Blue Monaco, Lemon/Aluminum, 6MT, Sport, Prem, Cold, iPod, CA, Sirius >European Delivery in April 2008
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06-11-2012, 04:41 PM	#3
SAM67 Cars & Guitars Drives: 2008 335i E90 Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Highlands Ranch, CO Posts: 80 iTrader: (0)	I was going for the all-red look of the LCI lights rather than the shape. I know that some people have retrofit the actual LCI taillights, but that requires swapping out the trunk lid also. __________________ 2008 E90 335i >Blue Monaco, Lemon/Aluminum, 6MT, Sport, Prem, Cold, iPod, CA, Sirius >European Delivery in April 2008

06-11-2012, 11:01 PM	#4
King mode First Lieutenant Drives: 335xi Join Date: May 2012 Location: Denver Posts: 300 iTrader: (0)	Nice mod for near nothing. I honestly like the look of the red / white older tail lights, at least on black e90s __________________ 2008 335xi AT Cobb AP stage 1, drop in filter, the rest stock 13.10@106.01 w/ 1.86 60' (5,800' altitude)

06-20-2012, 04:29 PM	#6
SAM67 Cars & Guitars Drives: 2008 335i E90 Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Highlands Ranch, CO Posts: 80 iTrader: (0)	Thanks cdavi060. Here you go... Attached Images __________________ 2008 E90 335i >Blue Monaco, Lemon/Aluminum, 6MT, Sport, Prem, Cold, iPod, CA, Sirius >European Delivery in April 2008

07-20-2012, 01:11 PM	#8
SAM67 Cars & Guitars Drives: 2008 335i E90 Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Highlands Ranch, CO Posts: 80 iTrader: (0)	Hi JACe90. My offer was just for local Denver area pick-up -- sorry. But you can order the same film I bought for roughly $13 dollars shipped. The 12" x 24" size is even cheaper at $7 plus shipping. Good luck. http://www.metrorestyling.com/Red-Ou...redoutfilm.htm __________________ 2008 E90 335i >Blue Monaco, Lemon/Aluminum, 6MT, Sport, Prem, Cold, iPod, CA, Sirius >European Delivery in April 2008

06-11-2012, 04:09 PM	#2
frryy Private First Class Drives: 2008 AW e92 Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Los Angeles Posts: 174 iTrader: (1)	Cool. Technically wouldn't you get the vinyl the same color as your car tho? To match the LCI-shape, I mean.

07-15-2012, 06:59 AM	#7
JACe90 Private Drives: e90 335i 2007 Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Chino Hills Ca Posts: 53 iTrader: (0)	I've been wanting to do this for a very long time. I just haven't found any film that matches perfectly with the color of the tail lights. The film you used is the best match I've seen. I'm willing to give this a try, is it still available?

09-16-2012, 02:52 AM	#9
Route 16 I got lei'd Drives: '07 E90 328i Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: BayArea Posts: 2,517 iTrader: (10)	Any extra?

04-30-2013, 10:05 PM	#10
OmidHariri Enlisted Member Drives: 2006 BMW 330i Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: San Fernando Valley Posts: 33 iTrader: (0)	Is the tint over the whole tail light, the inner light, or just the white?

05-05-2013, 11:44 AM	#12
SAM67 Cars & Guitars Drives: 2008 335i E90 Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Highlands Ranch, CO Posts: 80 iTrader: (0)	Only added red tint to the white part of the tail light, so didn't need much. __________________ 2008 E90 335i >Blue Monaco, Lemon/Aluminum, 6MT, Sport, Prem, Cold, iPod, CA, Sirius >European Delivery in April 2008

05-15-2013, 08:02 PM	#13
MountainStone Private Drives: 08 335i Sedan Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Vegas, baby Posts: 54 iTrader: (0)	Looks good! I wanna do this same mod to my red e90. Is the tint just applied to the exterior of the lens? Did your installer remove the lights? I wonder how durable this will be... __________________

05-22-2013, 05:45 PM	#14
SAM67 Cars & Guitars Drives: 2008 335i E90 Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Highlands Ranch, CO Posts: 80 iTrader: (0)	Hi MountainStone. Yes, the tint guy applied it directly to the exterior of the tail light and did not remove the lights. He was able to cut off the excess cleanly. I had it the tint installed a year ago and so far, so good. No signs of wear or fading. Post a photo if you decide to do it. __________________ 2008 E90 335i >Blue Monaco, Lemon/Aluminum, 6MT, Sport, Prem, Cold, iPod, CA, Sirius >European Delivery in April 2008

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