SL-Class (R230) 2003 -- 2012: Discussion on the SL500, SL550, SL600

SL/R230: Rear AMG (smoked/red) Taillights and Third Brake Light??

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Old Nov 8, 2006 | 08:49 PM
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Rear AMG (smoked/red) Taillights and Third Brake Light??

Does anyone know of a reputable place where I can purchase these? My local dealer quoted me $429 ea. for the rear lights and $190 for the third brake light.

Ive read on here that some got the parts and installation for $600???
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Old Nov 8, 2006 | 11:47 PM
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Plan on spending at least $800-850 for those parts, not including labor.
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Old Nov 14, 2006 | 04:11 AM
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Does anyone on here have the smoked taillights on the SL500 lights that were either sent out or done themselves? I was wondering when you signal or reverse if the lights are really dull on it? If anyone has it installed can you post pictures?
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Old Nov 14, 2006 | 05:11 PM
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My local Dealer (Keyes European) quoted me 388 each for 07 SL55 Tails, and 159 for the 3rd brake light. I got them for nearly half that when I got my car. I made them give me whatever parts I wanted for their cost as part of my deal. Find a body shop run by some persians, and Im sure they can do better on the price, cuz bodyshops get 20-30%+ off parts.
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Old Nov 14, 2006 | 07:36 PM
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Originally Posted by iBkickinit
My local Dealer (Keyes European) quoted me 388 each for 07 SL55 Tails, and 159 for the 3rd brake light. I got them for nearly half that when I got my car. I made them give me whatever parts I wanted for their cost as part of my deal. Find a body shop run by some persians, and Im sure they can do better on the price, cuz bodyshops get 20-30%+ off parts.

I tried to hit up a few local body shops and no one is willing to work with me. I found a few who said that they dont get ***** off so its going to be about retail pricing. I was just thinking of getting them tinted but wanted to see if anyone had any issues with them being painted?

Also does anyone know how to take off the side bumper lights?
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Old Nov 14, 2006 | 08:06 PM
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LOL, yea, alot are like that, and they are full of ****, because I have owned and managed body shop for 2 years now. I know what discounts we get. Ask your friends and try to find a mutual friend who works at one, and can get you a discount. Not sure where you live, but around here there are plenty of shady shops that would do it for a few bucks. Im guessing you are caucasian. I'm white to, and have worked with persians for years. If they are convinced you know what you are talking about, they will gladly bend you over and bust out the Vaseline.
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Old Nov 15, 2006 | 12:54 AM
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BMA Auto Parts in Glendale, CA. Ask for Yves or Patrick. I got the tails and 3rd light for $800 or so. Those are wholesale prices. They do have to special order them from Germany.

www.bmaautoparts.com
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Old Nov 15, 2006 | 03:18 AM
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Originally Posted by iBkickinit
LOL, yea, alot are like that, and they are full of ****, because I have owned and managed body shop for 2 years now. I know what discounts we get. Ask your friends and try to find a mutual friend who works at one, and can get you a discount. Not sure where you live, but around here there are plenty of shady shops that would do it for a few bucks. Im guessing you are caucasian. I'm white to, and have worked with persians for years. If they are convinced you know what you are talking about, they will gladly bend you over and bust out the Vaseline.

Yeah thats what I was figuring. How the hell you supposed to make money if your buying OEM parts from dealers at wholesale pricing. I know labor kills you to but come on....most body shops are crooks and if there wasnt ways to make money there wouldnt be as much of them!! Im located in Northern Cali. Ill probably hit up a few friends and see what I can come up with.
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Old Nov 15, 2006 | 03:21 AM
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Originally Posted by MMM430
Cost me about $200 bucks.....DO NOT DO IT FOR OVER $250!. Forget getting actual AMG lenses.

Dealer smoked mine at reasonable cost and they are done right. Removed from car and spayed with very even coats using Pneumatic gravity gun to my darkness preferance then clear coated.

Pics could be better.....they are not quite as dark in person. I chose to smoke entire lens. As for the rev lights....they are slightly smokey in color but still very distinguishable as rev lights. Dont believe they pose me any safty problems.

Pics below....also check out this link
https://mbworld.org/forums/clk-class-w208/149587-smoked-tails.html

Looks good. How does your brake lights look at night when you step on it?? Does it dull it out? Just curious....looks good though. Ill probably end up getting mine done and really dont know about paying $1000 for everything. Im just afraid its going to dull the signal lights and reverse lights. Ill probably hit up a few body shops and see what there running. Thanks for the heads up. Ill keep you posted on the lights.
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Old Nov 15, 2006 | 03:24 AM
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Originally Posted by mjr24
BMA Auto Parts in Glendale, CA. Ask for Yves or Patrick. I got the tails and 3rd light for $800 or so. Those are wholesale prices. They do have to special order them from Germany.

www.bmaautoparts.com

Thats cheaper than I have found. I may try to get them painted first and see how they are and if I still dont like it Ill just buy them. Thanks for the info and Ill keep that in hand.
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Old Nov 15, 2006 | 05:49 AM
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I prefer the actual AMG lights compared to the aftermarket painting/tinting of the stock lights by far....the AMG lights look very high end IMO and are worth every penny.
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Old Nov 15, 2006 | 11:30 AM
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I second that.
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Old Nov 15, 2006 | 02:52 PM
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800 isnt bad at all. my cost is around 750 on those typically
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Old Nov 15, 2006 | 05:18 PM
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Originally Posted by MMM430
I'll put dealer "AMG" style paint job up against actual "AMG" lights and would love to see you pick out the real AMG.

Personally they would certainly not be worth every penny to me if I can duplicate the look for a 1/4 of the price. If this issue was in regard to tuning that would be one thing but its pure asthetics.
i've seen plenty of those blacked out lights on benzes, among many other cars.. it makes the car look cheap..
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Old Nov 15, 2006 | 06:39 PM
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Originally Posted by seattlecarfreak
i've seen plenty of those blacked out lights on benzes, among many other cars.. it makes the car look cheap..
I agree... blacked out tail lights are very 80's. Rememeber those cheezy headlight and taillight covers back in the Mustang GT and Iroc-z era?

Go AMG or go home.
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Old Nov 15, 2006 | 08:48 PM
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800 isnt bad at all. my cost is around 750 on those typically

Yeah, seriously, if you guys need any parts at all, go to BMA. I have been doing business with them for maybe 5 years...for all Bimmers, my Lexus when I had it, and for my Benzes. Just get them a part number, they call the Benz dealer and get the wholesale price, and you are good to go.
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Old Nov 15, 2006 | 09:04 PM
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Guess you'll be going home then....

Originally Posted by lorinserbenz
I agree... blacked out tail lights are very 80's. Rememeber those cheezy headlight and taillight covers back in the Mustang GT and Iroc-z era?

Go AMG or go home.
Lets call a spade a spade here gentlemen....AMG lenses on your SL 500......throw on some bogus Badging for good measure!

And you give me the "GO AMG or GO HOME" crap.....? Really?

Have fun droppin 800 bones on tail lights smart guy...I'll spend the $800 elsewhere I think...

Last edited by MMM430; Nov 15, 2006 at 09:15 PM.
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Old Nov 15, 2006 | 11:11 PM
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Originally Posted by MMM430
Lets call a spade a spade here gentlemen....AMG lenses on your SL 500......throw on some bogus Badging for good measure!

And you give me the "GO AMG or GO HOME" crap.....? Really?

Have fun droppin 800 bones on tail lights smart guy...I'll spend the $800 elsewhere I think...
and I suppose the AMG body kit on your CLK430 is much different.. ahh.. but mercedes installed it from the factory.. so it's OKAY..
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Old Nov 16, 2006 | 12:54 AM
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Pretty much yeah...

Originally Posted by seattlecarfreak
and I suppose the AMG body kit on your CLK430 is much different.. ahh.. but mercedes installed it from the factory.. so it's OKAY..
My beef isnt with you anyway. I was just sharing my experiences with someone that posed a question and somehow, even as a MBWorld member and CLK owner, I now am part of some eighties, cheap looking, 1980's IROC / Mustang GT club?

Well I'm a firm believer in the following;
"Opinions are like a$$h@les....everyone has one."

Mod your cars how you like but AMG lights at $800 bucks a pop dont give you more horses, make your car perform any better on the road or DYNO...to me they just say....sucker, someone is going to have a nice night out on your $800 bucks....well done. For $800 the seller should throw in the bogus badging.

Seattlecarfreak on the other hand actully bought the car and I think you will agree that the very last reason you bought it was for the stupid tail lights.

Last edited by MMM430; Nov 16, 2006 at 12:57 AM.
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Old Nov 16, 2006 | 02:34 AM
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look at the link to my post #57 and #58 for the tinted AMG tail light. I think it looks pretty good, not cheap at all! Sent it out to be done. Excellent job!
https://mbworld.org/forums/showthrea...=131130&page=2
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Old Nov 16, 2006 | 04:02 AM
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I didnt start this thread to have a war over taillights!! It was a simple question. All people have there different opinions on what looks good and doesnt. We really dont need to bag on people for getting them tinted or not. Personally I think both factory AMG and tinted look good.
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Old Nov 16, 2006 | 06:01 AM
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I fail to see the connection between getting AMG tails and trying to pose it as a SL55? That was just a shot at us because someone said smoked tails are 80's. Smoked tails look good on some cars, I like them on your CLK.

I don't think $800 for SL owners for tails is really that huge of a deal. $2k put into these cars won't get you any faster on a dyno.....you will have to spend $3k just to get anything performance wise for these cars. I didn't get an SL to race and I don't think that is why people buy SL's. Besides, isn't a stock SL quite faster than a CLK? I didn't get a 55 for the simple fact that I am still in school and put way too many miles on my car (25k-30k/year) and it would be pointless to do that to an 55. It would crush the value in a year, which is important to me because I don't keep cars more than 2-2.5 years.
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Old Nov 16, 2006 | 08:55 AM
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Originally Posted by erichen
look at the link to my post #57 and #58 for the tinted AMG tail light. I think it looks pretty good, not cheap at all! Sent it out to be done. Excellent job!
https://mbworld.org/forums/showthrea...=131130&page=2
Your lights look great, but werent they factory AMG lights that you had tinted even more?....thats different than trying to achieve the AMG tinted look by tinting stock R230 lights (which always look cheap IMO).
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Old Nov 16, 2006 | 01:03 PM
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While I am not part of this conversation, I can't help but find fault in what you speak about.

You have a CLK430 with the "amg sport package"? Do you know how many THOUSANDS of dollars Mercedes charged for ontop of the retail msrp for that body kit? Why is that any different than rear lights? According to your logic, it doesn't do anything you say matters... so why spend the money?

My porsche has a "wooden steering wheel and gear shift" option which is $2,500 ontop of the retail price for the leather parts. While I bought it used, and didn't pay that, does that make anyone who paid that a "sucker"?

We aren't dealing with individuals buying honda civics or accords. These are $100k cars and if someone wants to put less than 1% of their investment into a part which they feel looks aestitically better.. then why not?

Money is relative. For some $800 is "alot" of money, for some $800 is made in a minute. If someone made $150 a week at a job, maybe it would be excessive, but for someone making $500,000 a year, it's just something to add on to their car which they feel will make it look better.

It has nothing to do with trying to be an AMG. I don't think anyone will disagree that the AMG lights look much better, so why not?

Many people put AMG wheels on their benz, including the sport package from Mercedes, which incorporated them as "stock" on the cars. Is having those being a "poser" as well?

Wouldn't the same statement you made apply below.. expect.. add a few thousand dollars to the amount you specify when it comes to "your car"?

I fail to find any of your logic reasonable.

Originally Posted by MMM430
Mod your cars how you like but AMG lights at $800 bucks a pop dont give you more horses, make your car perform any better on the road or DYNO...to me they just say....sucker, someone is going to have a nice night out on your $800 bucks....well done. For $800 the seller should throw in the bogus badging.

Seattlecarfreak on the other hand actully bought the car and I think you will agree that the very last reason you bought it was for the stupid tail lights.
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Old Nov 16, 2006 | 01:46 PM
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LOL, its funny how kids are happy to pay 200 for a part in a 20k car, but think its unreasonable to pay 800 for an part in an 90k+ car. I bought the 07 AMG tails for mine because I personally enjoy the way they make my car look. The badging comment is just retarded. I personally am getting a set of sl500 badges for my 600, just to keep people guessing how my "500" is running mid to low 11's. I don't want a nice car that looks fast as much as I want a fast car that looks nice. Thats why I am spending the 6 grand for the Renntech chip.
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