Lamin-X a good idea?

[archetypaul]

I bought a 2010 Golf TDI today and am already thinking about a few customizations. First up would be the badges/lights. I really like white - black contrast so i was thinking about some smoked lights or something for my white car.

Does anyone have any experience with Lamin-X? Easy to install? durable?
Basically, will it start to peel and get ugly after a certain length of time? i'd much prefer this cheaper option to replacing the entire light housing.

thanks for any opinions ahead of time.

 

[coxmaster]

Smoke/blackout the sidemarkers. Immediately. It looks WAY better. I used plasti-dip; it actually matches the other black plastic on the car

 

[SSSnail]

Those stuffs will stay on very well and protects your clears. A few hundred dollars is much better than respraying the front end of your car after a few years. If they come off after 3-4 years, they're still much cheaper to replace than to respray.

 

[archetypaul]

follow up question: with lamin-x or plasti-dip, how well does the light shine through? i'd still like the break/signal lights to be as bright as they would be in stock. Just worried about it since i've seen some really bad DIY smoking on some riced cars and you can barely see the brake lights. not safe at all.

 

[Throckmorton]

Plasti-dip is like synthetic rubber. I don't see how any light can get through.

I wouldn't smoke anything. Why reduce visibility with all those idiots on the road?

 

[SSSnail]

You don't have to get smoked, just get the clear.

 

[coxmaster]

follow up question: with lamin-x or plasti-dip, how well does the light shine through? i'd still like the break/signal lights to be as bright as they would be in stock. Just worried about it since i've seen some really bad DIY smoking on some riced cars and you can barely see the brake lights. not safe at all.

I wouldnt plasti-dip the headlights/taillights. Just the emblems and sidemarkers. With less than 2 good coats, the dim lights in my sidemarkers were visable. Now i just disconnected the lights and it looks much much better

 

[SSSnail]

Why don't you just get a 3M clear kit? I think they make the best stuffs and they have kits that cover everything frontal, including lights and fender flares.

http://www.clearmask.com/blog/?p=84
http://catalog.vacleartech.com/partquery/search

 

[LTC8K6]

Now i just disconnected the lights and it looks much much better

I'll remeber that if I don't see you and crash into you...

 

[PhoKingGuy]

Nice car

<---- Drives a 2010 Jetta TDI

 

[coxmaster]

I'll remeber that if I don't see you and crash into you...

Are you blind? My headlights and taillights wouldn't be enough for you not to crash into me? Wow. Get your eyes checked.

If you rely on my having a 1.5 inch reflector, you shouldn't be driving

 

[rh71]

I did my tail lights (and bottom reflectors) with lamin-x... it was supposed to be specifically for my model but it didn't fit perfectly. Of course I did it in my garage with winter coming so it was only 65F so it didn't stretch like I wanted it to even with a hair dryer. There were a few bubbles initially but a week in the sun and they're all gone. Anyway, the fit looks fine from casually looking so I'm satisfied with it... $65 instead of over $250 for paint... and the satisfaction of doing it yourself.

this is the gun-smoke... I just wanted it to be subtle-enough
before: pic
after: 1 | 2

 

[archetypaul]

thanks everyone for the suggestions and the pics.

 

[JulesMaximus]

Isn't tinting your lights illegal in most states? It certainly is here in CA.

 

[BassBomb]

Isn't tinting your lights illegal in most states? It certainly is here in CA.

It should be illegal everywhere.

 

[coxmaster]

It should be illegal everywhere.

it is. IIRC modifying any lighting on the exterior of your car is illegal.

 

[PhoKingGuy]

I'll remeber that if I don't see you and crash into you...

In his defense the lights hes talking about serve no real purpose and are leftovers from an EU requirement

 

[rh71]

Isn't tinting your lights illegal in most states? It certainly is here in CA.

I think the rule is the illuminated lights have to still be visible from a certain distance. Unless you're tinting it black, it should technically still be legal for a lot of shades IIRC. I believe vehicles like the Trailblazer tail lamps already come in the shade I tinted mine at so cops might even think it's stock anyway.

Things like this, tinted front-side windows, and no front plates are all things you can usually get away with unless the cop just wants to be a dick, or tack it onto a moving violation. More reason not to be a real delinquent.

 

[coxmaster]

In his defense the lights hes talking about serve no real purpose and are leftovers from an EU requirement

Quite the opposite. Very few cars have them in Europe. Its basically just for the American cars.

 

[PhoKingGuy]

Quite the opposite. Very few cars have them in Europe. Its basically just for the American cars.

Hmph, TDIclub was wrong then, lol

I always wondered what the point of that was anyway. It just looked out of place on my GTI

 

[coxmaster]

Hmph, TDIclub was wrong then, lol

I always wondered what the point of that was anyway. It just looked out of place on my GTI

Yeah, everybody i know blacked them out, or got color matching ones. Its stupid that they are required in the US.

More on topic: I take it the TDI doesnt come with the OEM "darkened" tail lights? Mine are already pretty damn dark.

 

[PhoKingGuy]

Yeah, everybody i know blacked them out, or got color matching ones. Its stupid that they are required in the US.

More on topic: I take it the TDI doesnt come with the OEM "darkened" tail lights? Mine are already pretty damn dark.

Yeah it does actually, I actually thought about switching them to the euro LEDs but they're like 350 bucks. Not really worth it, but they look sooooooo much better. I really want to retrofit fogs in though

 

[coxmaster]

Yeah it does actually, I actually thought about switching them to the euro LEDs but they're like 350 bucks. Not really worth it, but they look sooooooo much better. I really want to retrofit fogs in though

Those euro LED tails are pretty sweet.. I still wish i had the GTI/GLI Halogens.

Just got back from the start of a VW show, saw some sweet old VWs.

 

[archetypaul]

here in Texas i believe break lights must be visible from 1000ft. I probably won't tint my heads/tails anyway since i think they look pretty nice already. However i'm definitely going to tint the side markers.

 

[coxmaster]

here in Texas i believe break lights must be visible from 1000ft. I probably won't tint my heads/tails anyway since i think they look pretty nice already. However i'm definitely going to tint the side markers.

It makes a big difference in appearance. Its really easy to do too.

Heres what mine look like after 1 coat, i did 2 more coats to make them darker.