tint tail lights

**musky hunter** · 09-20-2011 11:30 AM

I have a stock 2012 A4 B8. Since it's a lease i wont be doing anything with the suspension / lowering.

I might buy a set of 18" rim / tires in the summer.

So far i have done some minor things, plasti dip grill / frame, fog lights, led license plate, and tints.

I am deciding if i should tint the red tail lights, it should look nice with the black out front grill. Not full black, more of a grey.

What do you guys think? Here are some current pics.

Similar to what i want.

**englishbay** · 09-20-2011 01:02 PM

I tinted my Iced Silver and it turned out great, I think it was only 50% but was enough to tone down the bright red that I thought stood out too much.

**b6onboost** · 09-20-2011 01:08 PM

Are you sure that Euro A4s tails are really tinted. They look so light it may just be the lighting making them look a little darker than stock.

If you do a very light shade of tint to smoke the tails, it will look good, but if you go to dark it will look cheap. Plus your car being black, too dark will lose all contrast.

**rxs1407** · 09-20-2011 01:25 PM

I'm thinking of doing the same, look so much better darker...

**Justin@FCP** · 09-20-2011 01:32 PM

It depends on how you tint them, and how dark you actually tints them. You'll find that there are a lot of people that attempt to tint their tail lights, but come out too dark. Just a subtle tint wouldn't be a bad thing so that the red doesn't stand out so much!!!!

**MilesM** · 09-20-2011 01:39 PM

Go subtle if at all. Tinted lights are played out. A deeper red will look far better than black tails in my opinion

**musky hunter** · 09-20-2011 01:48 PM

yeah..i am looking at grey tints locally.

i am seeing my tinter tonight so i'll see what he has to offer.

thanks for the advice and will post pics when i get them done.

**Okan509** · 09-20-2011 02:05 PM

Originally Posted by mmaroney

Go subtle if at all. Tinted lights are played out. A deeper red will look far better than black tails in my opinion

I like the way you think, I'd love a deeper red on my ibis rear

**OmaHahn** · 09-20-2011 02:05 PM

You'll get some people that absolutely HATE and despise tail tint for some ODD reason! But on a black car that red stands out so much and sometimes it looks almost pink-ish and cheap plastic. Therefore I did mine and love them!

BEFORE:

AFTER:

**Okan509** · 09-20-2011 02:17 PM

^ thats not fair, crap ass picture of your rear, with badges and mildly dirty. then comparing it to a badgeless rear that is nice and shiny and of better quality/lighting

**rayray** · 09-20-2011 03:12 PM

Originally Posted by Okan509

^ thats not fair, crap ass picture of your rear, with badges and mildly dirty. then comparing it to a badgeless rear that is nice and shiny and of better quality/lighting

lol, true, but lol

**tenfour** · 09-20-2011 03:13 PM

I prefer the slightly tinted tails much more than fully blacked out tails.

@OmaHahn - that looks great.

**fre2bpowerless** · 09-20-2011 04:36 PM

Here's my A4 with Lamin-x gun smoke (10% dark) phone quality pictures

I didn't like how the tail lights were blending with the body earlier

**A4A4A4** · 09-20-2011 04:46 PM

If you're going tint them make sure to go light. Skipping light output issues entirely, dark tint IMO just takes away too much contrast from a black car, loses some of its class. I had my tails tinted very lightly and even then decided it wasn't worth it, peeled them off a couple months later.

Ex. Hahn's tint up above is a couple shades too dark in my taste.

I know I drive a B7 but it is a black one so it may help ya out.

Tinted:

Stock:

**OhCheezy** · 09-20-2011 04:50 PM

Really depends on the color of the car and how dark you want the tint. I prefer smoked tail lights only on white cars.

**MiracleWhips** · 09-20-2011 07:30 PM

Tinted no more than this, and call it a day.

**Calbee** · 09-20-2011 07:37 PM

i agree with alot of the comments. making it a shade deeper than the cherry red looks good imo

This is the best pic i can pull up of my tinted tails, dont mind the damage on the bumper, its from my little parking lot accident :(

**Greg Nelson** · 09-20-2011 07:53 PM

Lamin-X has a 6% 'Tint' - I put it on my LED tails b/f installing them - screwed up the application

and removed.
IMO would look perfect on a BB - tones down the red of the tails w/o 'blocking' the lights and definitely not murder-gansta-ghetto.
Plan to attempt again with professional application.
Cheers

**OmaHahn** · 09-21-2011 07:21 AM

Originally Posted by Okan509

^ thats not fair, crap ass picture of your rear, with badges and mildly dirty. then comparing it to a badgeless rear that is nice and shiny and of better quality/lighting

HOW FUNNY! Just like your typical Marketing strategy used by businesses - they always show an incredible picture or video of their product and then you buy one and it's nothing like advertised - except for Audi of course!

**musky hunter** · 09-21-2011 07:37 AM

Here are two samples of light and dark from a local vendor. i will see another vendor today and decide on what to go with.

**hender** · 09-21-2011 09:01 AM

post the pic without the MS-painted lines! they're making it difficult to get a good idea. or just wait for your tails to be completed, but certainly get comparable before/after shots please :D This is one mod I'm waiting to try.

**musky hunter** · 09-21-2011 11:04 AM

Here is the image taken off my iphone.

**hender** · 09-21-2011 12:01 PM

i like the darker, as it is. but that could change once the whole thing is done....only ONE WAY TO FIND OUT :D

**BLK0UT** · 09-21-2011 12:30 PM

I love the tint on the taillights...mine are dyed and also a 2012 A4 Brilliant Black

**aznpxdd** · 09-21-2011 03:33 PM

Gotta cut out the reverse light to look clean IMO.

**musky hunter** · 09-21-2011 03:34 PM

Originally Posted by BLK0UT

I love the tint on the taillights...mine are dyed and also a 2012 A4 Brilliant Black

Looks too dark to me. I'd be pulled over like crazy. Did you cut out the reverse led slots??

**NPuter** · 09-21-2011 04:03 PM

Originally Posted by A4A4A4

If you're going tint them make sure to go light. Skipping light output issues entirely, dark tint IMO just takes away too much contrast from a black car, loses some of its class. I had my tails tinted very lightly and even then decided it wasn't worth it, peeled them off a couple months later.

Ex. Hahn's tint up above is a couple shades too dark in my taste.

I know I drive a B7 but it is a black one so it may help ya out.

Tinted:

Stock:
IMAGE REMOVED

Wow that is perfect! Brand/style?

**musky hunter** · 09-21-2011 08:57 PM

Originally Posted by A4A4A4

If you're going tint them make sure to go light. Skipping light output issues entirely, dark tint IMO just takes away too much contrast from a black car, loses some of its class. I had my tails tinted very lightly and even then decided it wasn't worth it, peeled them off a couple months later.

Ex. Hahn's tint up above is a couple shades too dark in my taste.

I know I drive a B7 but it is a black one so it may help ya out.

Tinted:

Any issues backing up with tail lights tinted and tints?

**A4A4A4** · 09-21-2011 09:30 PM

Originally Posted by NPuter

Wow that is perfect! Brand/style?

Honestly, I have no idea. I just went to my tint guy and said as light as possible, I assume it's similar to Lamin-x "gunsmoke".

Originally Posted by musky hunter

Any issues backing up with tail lights tinted and tints?

No, not particularly. I don't usually drive in dimly lit areas so I never really noticed but I'd venture a guess that this light of tint affects light output very little.

**musky hunter** · 09-22-2011 06:57 AM

Good info, that helps.

Originally Posted by A4A4A4

No, not particularly. I don't usually drive in dimly lit areas so I never really noticed but I'd venture a guess that this light of tint affects light output very little.

**musky hunter** · 10-03-2011 08:33 AM

Finally got my tail lights done...what you guys think?

**coolwater** · 10-03-2011 08:44 AM

I like the original look more.
But I guess this is the right darkness if you are going to do it.
Then again I haven't done any tint on my car.
Too many officer hard-asses around here.

-cW

**rxs1407** · 10-03-2011 09:01 AM

Like them loads and love the dark ones posted by BLKOUT...Need to check if the UK have rules on blacked out lights... sure we do, as we seem to bitch about everything else..

Nice touch, so wots next for the motor?

**hender** · 10-03-2011 09:07 AM

lol the second pic is way better, and i'm partial towards light-tail-tint... but your tint pic is not doing anyone any favours. gloomy, wet, straight-on vs. bright green scenery.

that's like asking blonde or brunette w/ the blonde having a model shot and brunette making some duckface halfway through the bottle.

**A4A4A4** · 10-03-2011 09:09 AM

I actually like those tinted tails, glad you didn't go too dark. Now time to debadge.

**DavidB8** · 10-03-2011 09:48 AM

Looks good. I think you picked the right shade for sure.

**Speycaster** · 10-03-2011 10:34 AM

Originally Posted by musky hunter

Finally got my tail lights done...what you guys think?

Why do people block out the license plate in a picture, when you drive around all day with it exposed? Just asking...

The tint color looks just right by the way. I really like it!

**Cody Maverick** · 10-03-2011 11:05 AM

I actually think it looks good tinted, Usually I am the person that always says that tinted tails look terrible (or tinted headlights) but yours is clean, I probably would have gone alittle lighter.. but it still looks good