What I did to my GT this weekend.

Finally on Saturday I got around to installing the painted side reflectors. Makes a world of difference.

Cost:
Reflectors - $36
Paint - $60

Why'd you do that? What was wrong with them?

Nice - I love my Michelin Primacy shoes vs thge LS2's. Same idea, putting the LS2's back on when I turn in the lease. Good luck!

Could have as easily painted them over for a lot less than changeing them or even using vinyl.

I am not able to see what you did with the side marker light on your quarter fender. Is it painted or is there a replacement part? Did you loose the illumination? I can see why you like the "blacked out look" . I have seen M sport gray/black grilles on 5 series sedans that might carry the look you are looking for onto the front of your GT. I appreciate that you took time to share your modifications. I think that it gives us a chance to ponder the different ways to customize our GT's. I am about to order the European headlight switch to pick up the use of our rear fog lamps. I wonder if there is an LED bulb available for the rear fog lamps to see if the LED light would set the rear fog lights "off" from the rest of the rear tail lamp illumination. If you have any other ideas I for one would love to hear them! I love more lights and chrome.....that's just me. Take care.

FWIW, BMW does some weird things with the taillight fixture on the GT (and probably other models as well). There are four functions: running light, turn signal, brake light, and fog light, but there are only four wires going into the cluster (and one of them appears to be ground). SO, there must be some smarts inside to get all of those different functions to work with the available inputs. I do know (from a towing harness I installed), that one of them is dedicated to the turn signals, so that only leaves two wires for the other three functions. Now, binary logic would get that to four more functions, and that may be how they do it, but I would guess, off would take one of those values (00) and leave 01, 10, and 11 for the remaining functions. I'd asked, but never gotten an answer.

All of this to say that it's unlikely you could 'tap' off a line to run a separate fog lamp, and are relegated to what the manufacturer supplies unless you want to do some engineering. The HL switch took all of about 5-minutes to install. The trim piece has four friction posts holding it in, then unscrew it, unplug it, and reverse for the new one. Don't remember which size Torx screw it has, but you'll need one of those drivers to get the old switch out and the new one installed.

Another FWIW, DOT regulates the required brightness of marker lights...I see it frequently where someone uses an aftermarket blackout lens on say the brake lights, and they're MUCH dimmer (factory ones seem okay). Personally, unless the mod has a DOT approval, I'd have second thoughts on both the legality and safety of making them dimmer...

Wardman,
did I see you in Jenkintown 2 weekends ago? I saw a GT in a local shooping center. I have not seen another GT in my area.

Jadnashuanh-Thanks for the in-depth tail lamp info. I will be quite happy to get the rear fog lamps working with the installation of the European headlight switch, and I will just let them operate with the stock bulbs. I have been hesitant on doing anything to our GT that is not lined out in the owner's manual fearing I will upset the BMW engineers and have a malfunction light come on forcing an untimely visit to the dealer. I have not seen any photos of the rear fog lamps in the GT. Would you happen to have a shot of yours? Thanks again. I will be getting the new switch on order this week.

Originally Posted by Lars-GT

Wardman,
did I see you in Jenkintown 2 weekends ago? I saw a GT in a local shooping center. I have not seen another GT in my area.

Was probably me if it was the 535Gt blue

I posted a picture in another thread showing how the rear fog lights look once you've made the headlight switch swap, but I'll post it here as well.

Let me say thank you very much for the extra effort. I am very grateful. I think it looks great and a must have considering the nominal cost. Many thanks and best wishes

I like the orange side reflectors and can't understand why those are so universally hated. I wish these cars had many more reflectors, anything to stand out and get noticed more by scores of distracted drivers.

Nonetheless, it's your car and if you're happy with the mods, then so am I.

I hate these reflectors too. Got them out of my E89 and will do it on my F07 too. Just ordered mine from IND...

I rather leave them alone.