ECS Tuning Smoked Headlight Marker Film Review

**4Rings3Liters** · 07-10-2016 09:48 PM

I bought the smoked headlight marker film and while it's not perfect it does a great job for $20 instead of $900+ for Ecodes. The film goes on easy and peels off if you make a few corrections (several times). Here are some pics before and after.

**BlownOne** · 07-11-2016 07:47 AM

Not bad for $20 and not needing to remove the headlights to take them apart or spend $1k on ecodes...looks like they should have gone a bit darker tho.

**4Rings3Liters** · 07-11-2016 08:28 AM

Originally Posted by BlownOne

Not bad for $20 and not needing to remove the headlights to take them apart or spend $1k on ecodes...looks like they should have gone a bit darker tho.

Ill snap some daytime photos. The ones your seeing have my garage lights on which are super bright. The ambers are not as noticeable in normal lighting.

**ECS Tuning-Audi** · 07-11-2016 08:33 AM

Thanks for posting up your pics and the review!

Jason

**jokingjimmy** · 07-11-2016 09:06 AM

Thanks for the post as well. Anyone have a silver, blue or other non-black/daytona that might be able to snap a pic outside? Curious as to how it sits next to a brighter paint. Thanks!

**BlownOne** · 07-11-2016 09:20 AM

Originally Posted by 4Rings3Liters

Ill snap some daytime photos. The ones your seeing have my garage lights on which are super bright. The ambers are not as noticeable in normal lighting.

Gotcha. Well the second angle looks darker than the first, but the lighting probably just gives the appearance of it being lighter than it is.

**ECS Tuning-Audi** · 07-11-2016 09:21 AM

Here's some of our pics from when we installed them on our vehicles.

Jason

**jl87** · 07-11-2016 09:51 AM

Thanks for posting.

@ECS, looks like the orange still is seen from a head on view?

Any chance of making them wider to cover it a bit more? Also will smoke or charcoal be available, or just gunsmoke? Thanks.

**ECS Tuning-Audi** · 07-11-2016 10:08 AM

Yes some of the orange can still be seen from the front. Unfortunately due to the headlight being rounded and the reflector being thick you would need to cover much more of the headlight to completely cover all the orange from every angle. We looked into this, and have decided that the thickness we went with looks the cleanest from most angles.

At the moment we do not have plans to offer them in darker shades, though if we see increasing demand it could be something we could offer.

Jason

**LordMagnet** · 07-11-2016 10:09 AM

The amber is recessed in the headlight. Increasing the size to cover the front view would either unbalance the look, or may even cover up part of the DRL.

Speaking from experience, these covers are great and well worth the purchase, but are still simply a stepping stone to getting e-codes.

**jl87** · 07-11-2016 10:22 AM

Kind of what I was afraid of. Thanks for the replies.

**SteveYem** · 07-11-2016 11:37 AM

If I were ECS or another company with adequate resources, I would be looking into making a production run of clear side reflectors either in the US-spec 'dimpled' texture or in the E-code style with the horizontal lines. I have to imagine that with the right production quantity, the margin made on those would be more than on a set of actual E-code headlights. In a world of $75 'Supercharged' badges, people would spend upwards of $100 on a pair of clear corner reflectors.

**ECS Tuning-Audi** · 07-11-2016 12:11 PM

That sounds like a good idea in theory. But it would require you to disassembled your headlight. I can't see the majority of people feeling comfortable with this. Not to mention if your reseal isn't perfect you'll get condensation. There's definitely a lot of risk involved which I don't think most would want to take. Don't get me wrong I know there's those out there that are more than capable of performing such mods, but it's not the majority. This also limits your targeted market too.

Jason

**mike907** · 07-11-2016 02:28 PM

What's the lifetime expectancy on these? Have you put them through automatic car washes or hit them with a high pressure washer?

Sent from my iPhone using Audizine mobile app

**ECS Tuning-Audi** · 07-11-2016 02:53 PM

Originally Posted by mike907

What's the lifetime expectancy on these? Have you put them through automatic car washes or hit them with a high pressure washer?

Sent from my iPhone using Audizine mobile app

I would expect them to have the same life expectancy as any other Lamin-X product. I've ran Lamin-X yellow fog light covers on my personal vehicle for years. You shouldn't have any issue with running your vehicle through an auto car wash with them on.

As for a pressure washer if I were you I would use my best discretion, likely don't need to hit your headlights full blast from a short distance.

Jason

**chopz33** · 07-11-2016 03:57 PM

I bit the bullet and just ordered this

**Pared** · 07-11-2016 08:30 PM

Not a fan.

Does it throw any codes?

**chopz33** · 07-11-2016 10:04 PM

Originally Posted by Pared

Not a fan.

Does it throw any codes?

Lol, it goes on the headlight

**Lchau1987** · 07-11-2016 10:31 PM

Anyone got them on the b8?

**Chibo** · 07-12-2016 12:30 AM

So is this road legal in Canada? I think the headlight turning lamp needs to be Amber so not sure how this affects it.

**ECS Tuning-Audi** · 07-13-2016 07:41 AM

Originally Posted by Chibo

So is this road legal in Canada? I think the headlight turning lamp needs to be Amber so not sure how this affects it.

I would double check with your local laws prior to ordering if you have any doubt. It's also not a permanent solution.

Jason

**stereojorge** · 07-13-2016 12:21 PM

Originally Posted by ECS Tuning-Audi

Yes some of the orange can still be seen from the front. Unfortunately due to the headlight being rounded and the reflector being thick you would need to cover much more of the headlight to completely cover all the orange from every angle. We looked into this, and have decided that the thickness we went with looks the cleanest from most angles.

At the moment we do not have plans to offer them in darker shades, though if we see increasing demand it could be something we could offer.

Jason

I'd be ALL over this if you could make them in all black!

**Tangerined** · 07-13-2016 02:55 PM

Originally Posted by Chibo

So is this road legal in Canada? I think the headlight turning lamp needs to be Amber so not sure how this affects it.

Do you mean turn signal lights? Because that's not being covered by this.

**Powderhound** · 07-13-2016 04:09 PM

Already have xpel on my headlights...has anyone applied lamin-x over xpel? I would rather not remove the xpel for install in case I ever decide to remove the lamin-x on a future date.

**Chibo** · 07-13-2016 06:25 PM

Originally Posted by Tangerined

Do you mean turn signal lights? Because that's not being covered by this.

Sorry meant reflectors.

**14S4GWM** · 07-13-2016 07:03 PM

Originally Posted by Powderhound

Already have xpel on my headlights...has anyone applied lamin-x over xpel? I would rather not remove the xpel for install in case I ever decide to remove the lamin-x on a future date.

I'm in the same boat. I thought about cutting the xpel to the curve of the laminx.

**4Rings3Liters** · 07-14-2016 09:38 PM

Here are some more pics. I think for the price these clean up the front nicely. Excuse the filth, she needs a bath.

**ECS Tuning-Audi** · 07-15-2016 09:01 AM

Thanks for posting the pics! I definitely agree! It's so simple to install and can definitely enhance the look.

Jason

**EIAlfonso** · 04-23-2017 08:24 PM

anyone have a video of these with the turn signals on? Particularly at night

I like the look but don't want to "delete" the turn signals

**absolutarin** · 04-23-2017 08:50 PM

Thank you for putting this up. I've been planning to write one but was lazy. I got a pair of those smoked markers as well. Along with these smoked ones, I got the yellow laminx for fog lamps as well...both from ECS Tuning (thanks Jason!).
While I admit that the headlight marker could have been a bit darker, I am, honestly, more satisfied than disappointed. For $20, its bang for the buck!

**AvusPdx** · 04-23-2017 09:01 PM

Grab a heat gun, and dedicate a day to do them proper.

Sent from my SM-G930T using Audizine mobile app

**4Rings3Liters** · 04-23-2017 09:44 PM

Originally Posted by AvusPdx

Grab a heat gun, and dedicate a day to do them proper.

Sent from my SM-G930T using Audizine mobile app

A day to install these? It took me 5 minutes...

**tar** · 04-23-2017 10:16 PM

Originally Posted by 4Rings3Liters

A day to install these? It took me 5 minutes...

He's saying proper like split them and wrap reflector then reseal.

I did mine and no issues with fogging and no orange is visible. Took maybe 3 hours, while drinking and other bullshitting with friends. Would say a 2out of 10 difficulty

**Game** · 04-23-2017 10:27 PM

Originally Posted by tar

He's saying proper like split them and wrap reflector then reseal.

I did mine and no issues with fogging and no orange is visible. Took maybe 3 hours, while drinking and other bullshitting with friends. Would say a 2out of 10 difficulty

While the install may be a 2/10, the nerve-racking feeling of taking apart your 1k headlight and putting it in an oven is a 9/10.

**AvusPdx** · 04-23-2017 10:28 PM

Originally Posted by 4Rings3Liters

A day to install these? It took me 5 minutes...

I meant opening your head lights and wrapping the amber or replace them with clear.

Sent from my SM-G930T using Audizine mobile app

**tar** · 04-23-2017 10:31 PM

Heat gun and correct plastic pry tools.

Not really stressful at all. A 2nd person helps alot plus I've done it a few times on other platforms.

Sent from my VS987 using Tapatalk

**4Rings3Liters** · 04-24-2017 01:27 AM

Originally Posted by AvusPdx

I meant opening your head lights and wrapping the amber or replace them with clear.

Sent from my SM-G930T using Audizine mobile app

Gotcha, yeah I don't see myself baking my stock headlights. A $20 sticker suits my needs. I've never had someone come up to me and say what an ugly car your headlight has the reflector in it!