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Rant--reflector deletes/covers are the blank buttons of the exterior

DiscusInferno

Go Kart Newbie
Early E60's in the USA had blanks for where the reflector went. (The Bangled 5-series)

 
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nype

Drag Racing Champion
I dunno...I like my "blanks". They're actually the same honeycomb pattern that's on the lower part of the rear bumper. I do specifically remember some Mk3 people putting vinyl to color match the reflectors on the front and rear bumper.
I like my blanks as well.
 

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Thumper

Autocross Champion
I am not a big fan of most cosmetic mods and I'm not trying to tell anyone what to do.
I'm half ranting and half genuinely curious--do people who do this really prefer the way it looks that way?

Um.....yes.......yes it does look better.

You need to calm down about your "safety" rant. This isn't folks not wearing their seatbelts. The tiny reflectors are not the result of some massive scientific study with clear cut results. They are just some government bureaucrat (or worse, team of them lol) deciding they know better and commissioning a study to prove their whims. They look like ass, serve no real purpose, and as mentioned are a US spec. So....are our European brothers and sisters dying in constant fiery crashes for want of a simple 1"x3" reflector? LMAO? If you want to talk safety you SHOULD be ranting about why we get stupid reflectors with no purpose but do NOT get rear fog lights on many models which WOULD serve a purpose. Although, that feature does require the driver to be intelligent enough to turn it on, and since most US drivers don't even turn on their HEADLIGHTS when driving a silver car in the mist or fog, it probably wouldn't help either.

But again, to answer your question, it absolutely looks better if properly done but yes would look better if completely removed with a proper shave and repaint. (y)

Now blacked out headlights and tail lights, that's different and completely stupid. A slight deep tint on the rears is appropriate with LEDs which are bright enough to not be affected but the true blackouts are just wanna be gangsters with no sense, and a driving urge to be rearended.


Also another rant is black door handles...go back 20 years or so and black door handles were on the bottom trim levels...and now they're cool?

It's the hypocrisy of the mod spirit, we just want to CHANGE the car to look different from the standard. It's not about WHAT it is, just that it's different. Think about it, if the factory gives us color matched mirrors......we paint them black or go aluminum. If they give us black mirrors....we paint them body color. If they give us aluminum ones, we flip a coin.

Lower bumper valances.....if they paint them, we black them out. If they black them, we want them painted. Look at all the guys removing the red stripe from the GTI grille. You can be sure if they shipped them all that way people would be painting that red stripe on. LMAO
 

somerset9

Go Kart Newbie
Um.....yes.......yes it does look better.

I guess that's a difference of opinion. If it's not a smooth surface like the front side markers, then it's so clear to me that there should be an amber/orange reflective strip and the contours throw off the whole look to me, color matched or reflective red.

You need to calm down about your "safety" rant. This isn't folks not wearing their seatbelts. The tiny reflectors are not the result of some massive scientific study with clear cut results. They are just some government bureaucrat (or worse, team of them lol) deciding they know better and commissioning a study to prove their whims. They look like ass, serve no real purpose, and as mentioned are a US spec. So....are our European brothers and sisters dying in constant fiery crashes for want of a simple 1"x3" reflector? LMAO? If you want to talk safety you SHOULD be ranting about why we get stupid reflectors with no purpose but do NOT get rear fog lights on many models which WOULD serve a purpose. Although, that feature does require the driver to be intelligent enough to turn it on, and since most US drivers don't even turn on their HEADLIGHTS when driving a silver car in the mist or fog, it probably wouldn't help either.

I see a few Audi and Porsche with rear fog, and there is zero reason why anyone here in Los Angeles should have them on...

But again, to answer your question, it absolutely looks better if properly done but yes would look better if completely removed with a proper shave and repaint. (y)
For me properly done would be completely shaved. Covering it is the proverbial "bandaid on a broken leg" except it does fall under the purview of cosmetic preference more than anything else.


It's the hypocrisy of the mod spirit, we just want to CHANGE the car to look different from the standard. It's not about WHAT it is, just that it's different. Think about it, if the factory gives us color matched mirrors......we paint them black or go aluminum. If they give us black mirrors....we paint them body color. If they give us aluminum ones, we flip a coin.

Lower bumper valances.....if they paint them, we black them out. If they black them, we want them painted. Look at all the guys removing the red stripe from the GTI grille. You can be sure if they shipped them all that way people would be painting that red stripe on. LMAO

Not sure if hypocrisy of the mod spirit, but I get your point, that the point of modding is just making things different than what it used to be.

I'm just more complaining here and expressing my distaste for the particular mods.
 

Thumper

Autocross Champion
I see a few Audi and Porsche with rear fog, and there is zero reason why anyone here in Los Angeles should have them on...

And you DO realize that there are people that do exist outside of LA right? LMAO So either you think the rest of us are AI in a video game Matrix or that Porsche, Audi, etc should make different cars to sell in LA and to the rest of the world? ;)
 

Phur

Autocross Champion
Case in point, I need to get the euro switch so that I can use my rear fog. As you can see, I could very much use it around here...
1599696928864.png
1599697074369.png
 

riceburner

Autocross Champion
i just did a light tint film over mine as well as the clear parts of my tail lights. Still functional, just a little more subdued/not 'in your face' red anymore. Still glossy and looks clean as fuck IMO
 

somerset9

Go Kart Newbie
And you DO realize that there are people that do exist outside of LA right? LMAO So either you think the rest of us are AI in a video game Matrix or that Porsche, Audi, etc should make different cars to sell in LA and to the rest of the world? ;)

I never said anything about people outside LA or that different cars should be made
 

Phur

Autocross Champion
i just did a light tint film over mine as well as the clear parts of my tail lights. Still functional, just a little more subdued/not 'in your face' red anymore. Still glossy and looks clean as fuck IMO
Mine could not be any more "in your face" red. I love it!
 

Thumper

Autocross Champion
I never said anything about people outside LA or that different cars should be made

You said you've seen cars equipped with them around LA and see no reason why they would ever need them.....

If your statement was not to state rear fog lights are not needed on cars, I have no idea what the point of making your statement was. :confused:
 

StorableComa

Autocross Champion
Why people in LA are using them I assume. Granted i'm not LA centric, but we do rarely get some thick morning fog/marine layer in my neck that a rear fog would be useful for. People don't pay enough attention to things driving around here as it is, and a rear fog just makes them stare at your brake lights a little longer.
 

DiscusInferno

Go Kart Newbie
Um.....yes.......yes it does look better.

You need to calm down about your "safety" rant. This isn't folks not wearing their seatbelts. The tiny reflectors are not the result of some massive scientific study with clear cut results. They are just some government bureaucrat (or worse, team of them lol) deciding they know better and commissioning a study to prove their whims. They look like ass, serve no real purpose, and as mentioned are a US spec. So....are our European brothers and sisters dying in constant fiery crashes for want of a simple 1"x3" reflector? LMAO? If you want to talk safety you SHOULD be ranting about why we get stupid reflectors with no purpose but do NOT get rear fog lights on many models which WOULD serve a purpose. Although, that feature does require the driver to be intelligent enough to turn it on, and since most US drivers don't even turn on their HEADLIGHTS when driving a silver car in the mist or fog, it probably wouldn't help either.

Actually European regulations requires rear facing red reflectors also. For example, in the MK4 days, the Hella Magic Colours, the tail lights didn't have the required red reflectors in the assembly, so to be compliant with EU safety regulations, Hella included stick on rear facing reflectors that almost no one put on.



it's the side reflectors & side markers that are not required in Europe.

Why VW thinks their customers don't need rear fog lights? We already have enough issues of luxury European car owners running rear fogs on a perfectly clear night.
 

Thumper

Autocross Champion
Why VW thinks their customers don't need rear fog lights? We already have enough issues of luxury European car owners running rear fogs on a perfectly clear night.

Whatever, again fallacy logic in full view. By that logic why do they install seatbelts since so many people don't use them? What about turn signals? Followed a car today drove 21 miles on the highway in the left lane with their left blinker on. Clearly they don't know how to use it.......we should remove turn signals.

The fact that SOMEONE uses it wrong does not negate the positive result when used by intelligent people correctly.
 

DiscusInferno

Go Kart Newbie
Whatever, again fallacy logic in full view. By that logic why do they install seatbelts since so many people don't use them? What about turn signals? Followed a car today drove 21 miles on the highway in the left lane with their left blinker on. Clearly they don't know how to use it.......we should remove turn signals.

The fact that SOMEONE uses it wrong does not negate the positive result when used by intelligent people correctly.
Your fallacy in your argument is your examples are required safety equipment in the North American motor vehicle standards, as well as EU, if not the entire world.

Rear fog lights are not required equipment for US/Canada FMVSS.

You should be glad that at least VW gives the MK7's the ability to have the city lights on the standard switch.

Previous generations, VW thought 3 positions for headlight switch (not including fogs or automatic) is too complicated for US/Canada drivers
 

EJBGTIVI

Autocross Champion
As far as side markers go, shaved>colormatched>smoked/clear>orange.
I really don't see side markers as much of a safety feature. Now dark tinted headlights or taillights, that's another story. The worst I've seen is where kids were actually plastidipping their taillights 🤦‍♂️
 
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