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YOUR RESEARCHDIY de-amber smoked tint - 986 Forum - The Community for Porsche Boxster & Cayman Owners
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Use lighter smoked tint vinyl
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Performed · outcome unconfirmed · Original poster
This time round I used a lighter smoked tint vinyl with a matte black finish so that it didn't get lost in the shiny black paintwork.
DIY de-amber smoked tint - 986 Forum - The Community for Porsche Boxster & Cayman Owners
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Leading evidence: 'Use lighter smoked tint vinyl' (no explicit attributable resolution; this is a reported action or suggestion). Across 1 matching discussions, The most frequently discussed action is 'Replace back' (1 discussions). For that action, 0 discussions report a resolution and 0 report an unsuccessful attempt. No action has an explicit, attributable resolution report under the current rules. These are forum reports and suggestions, not a confirmed diagnosis.
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Performed · outcome unconfirmed · Original poster
I used smoked tint spray and then a few layers of clear lacquer before polishing up with an electric buffer, pics below...
DIY de-amber smoked tint - 986 Forum - The Community for Porsche Boxster & Cayman Owners
Replace back
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DIY de-amber smoked tint - 986 Forum - The Community for Porsche Boxster & Cayman Owners
Replace these
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Suggestion · Original poster
I think I would have left amber if the tails and side indicator covers were still amber when I got the car but since the previous owner had replaced these with clear it made the amber on the front really stand out and look out of place on a completely black car.
DIY de-amber smoked tint - 986 Forum - The Community for Porsche Boxster & Cayman Owners
Use regular tint film
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DIY de-amber smoked tint - 986 Forum - The Community for Porsche Boxster & Cayman Owners
Replace these
No successful repair reported for this finding.
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Suggestion · Original poster
I think I would have left amber if the tails and side indicator covers were still amber when I got the car but since the previous owner had replaced these with clear it made the amber on the front really stand out and look out of place on a completely black car.
DIY de-amber smoked tint - 986 Forum - The Community for Porsche Boxster & Cayman Owners
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I have now completed the de-amber dark smoke tinting on my front indicators. I used smoked tint spray and then a few layers of clear lacquer before polishing up with an electric buffer, pics below...
Before
During
After
Indicators look too good to have come out of a can!
What did you do with the side markers? Did they get a similar treatment?
Looks good! You have given me the confidence to "smoke them"!
Thanks!
cheers guys,
The side markers and tails already had clear lense covers, it was only the front that needed de-ambering. I actually surprised myself with how well the tinting came out in the end... Tempted to tint my rear window as it is really cloudy and sun damaged beyond repair!! I was going to get a new one fitted anyway so no harm in trying this i guess!! It could look really cool blacked out but I reckon the movement when the roof goes up and down may cause the tint to rub off or crack up... will let you know...
Ok, the more I look at your finished product the more I like the alternative to speding $1000 on a new set of lights. What brand spray tint did you use? Keep us posted on the durability.
you can also use regular tint film. Looks the same but easier to apply.
I've done both. The spray tint has to be done just right or when blinker is on it looks uneven.
Am I the only one that thinks it looks very cheap and "painted on"?
Hey, as long as you like it...but I think that it looked much better in stock amber.
I think I would have left amber if the tails and side indicator covers were still amber when I got the car but since the previous owner had replaced these with clear it made the amber on the front really stand out and look out of place on a completely black car. I can't justify paying for new headlights so thought this would be the most affordable option to de-amber and I am really happy with how it came out.
I agree. Also, without the curve at the bottom of the headlights the lines no longer make any sense. I would have left it amber as well, but it's not my car.
The more I looked at the lights with the dark black shiny smoked job I did, the more I agreed with Squozen and particlewave's comments...
I decided to try and get the lines back and get rid of the "painted on" look so I removed all the tint spray and re-did the job.
This time round I used a lighter smoked tint vinyl with a matte black finish so that it didn't get lost in the shiny black paintwork. I have also chromed the headlight corner units for more contrast and to give it a newer look which ties in nicely with the silver and chrome wheels, chrome exhaust and silver decals.
Sorry about rubbish pics but my phone is all I have at the moment...
one thing i've come to realize on here is that you really can't please everyone lol!! But that's all good, we all have our own tastes which makes everything much more interesting!!
Maybe i'll go with one in each style...
Not digging the new look either....how about just a lighter tint on the amber, where they don't get lost in the black but don't stick out so much.
They would also look sick red, but not sure how legal that would be.
