Is the use of "Nite Shades" on taillights legal?

"Steve" > wrote in message
> I'll wager you that a headlamp assembly for a Feces is on the order of
> $150-$200 US. The problem is that even CHEAP cars have expensive
> unique-to-the-model headlamps now.

We are exactly on the same page, Steve.

Daniel J. Stern wrote:

> In North America, the standards for UV and
> abrasion resistance are pretty pathetic, as can be seen by walking
> down any street and looking at all the yellowed, cloudy, sandblasted
> plastic headlight lenses.



Yep yep yep.

Now I have a question: Is it just my imagination, or do the lights
surrounding the headlight, and also made of clear plastic, NOT turn
yellow in the same manner as the headlamps? And if it's NOT my
imagination, why is this so and why can't they make headlight lenses
the same way?

On Thu, 5 Jan 2006, Hugo Schmeisser wrote:

>> In North America, the standards for UV and abrasion resistance are
>> pretty pathetic, as can be seen by walking down any street and looking
>> at all the yellowed, cloudy, sandblasted plastic headlight lenses.

> Yep yep yep.

Well...you and I both agree on the matter, but I know at least one person
who doesnt. Guy posts under the name of "Boxman". Over on
sci.engr.lighting for the past several months he's been telling me I'm
full of beans, that the US headlamp standards are better overall than the
rest-of-world standards, the US plastic lens degradation-resistance
standards are at least as good and probably better, etc.

Me, I find it kind of funny that he tries to argue from authority based on
his time in the employ of the US auto lighting company that put such
godawful lamps on the road as the '96-'00 Chrysler minivan
(US/Canada/Mexico) headlamps, amongst many others. To be sure, there are
plenty of points that can be debated back and forth regarding the relative
merits of the US and rest-of-world car lighting standards. But, gee whiz,
his former employer has a *lot* of bad lighting to answer for! Not really
where I tend to go for knowledgeable commentary on such matters. Not when
there are companies that put out good lamps meeting US standards *and*
good lamps meeting rest-of-world standards.

> Now I have a question: Is it just my imagination, or do the lights
> surrounding the headlight, and also made of clear plastic, NOT turn
> yellow in the same manner as the headlamps? And if it's NOT my
> imagination, why is this so and why can't they make headlight lenses the
> same way?

That's an excellent question. I've noticed the same thing you have: On
some makes and models, the front signalling lamps don't deteriorate as
fast or severely as the adjacent headlamps. Baffling, eh?

DS

In article ich.edu>, Daniel J. Stern wrote:

>> Now I have a question: Is it just my imagination, or do the lights
>> surrounding the headlight, and also made of clear plastic, NOT turn
>> yellow in the same manner as the headlamps? And if it's NOT my
>> imagination, why is this so and why can't they make headlight lenses the
>> same way?
>
> That's an excellent question. I've noticed the same thing you have: On
> some makes and models, the front signalling lamps don't deteriorate as
> fast or severely as the adjacent headlamps. Baffling, eh?

The factory headlamps on my '97 mustang clouded over and I replaced them
after getting sick of polishing them and the driver's side one developing
a crack from an impact. However, the turn/marker lights, right next to the
headlamps, having seen the exact same conditions over the years remained
like new. One has since been replaced due to the poor driving a 17 year
old and the other has a very small rock chip in it, but these lamps have
been fine.

Also the plastic taillamp and marker lamp lenses of my '73 maverick are
still like new some 30 years after they were made. Of course the
headlamps on that car are sealed beam and glass.

I've noticed that the non-headlamps don't appear to have the UV/hardcoat
either. Obviously there is a difference in the resin itself. Why that
resin does not make for a good headlamp I cannot tell. It seems to be
able to be molded with acceptable optical properties.

"Hugo Schmeisser" > wrote in message
...

> Now I have a question: Is it just my imagination, or do the lights
> surrounding the headlight, and also made of clear plastic, NOT turn
> yellow in the same manner as the headlamps? And if it's NOT my
> imagination, why is this so and why can't they make headlight lenses
> the same way?


My guess is the heat from the headlamps causes the difference. Over time
the plastic breaks down from it, I guess.

In article ich.edu>,
Daniel J. Stern > wrote:
>On Thu, 5 Jan 2006, Hugo Schmeisser wrote:
>
>> Now I have a question: Is it just my imagination, or do the lights
>> surrounding the headlight, and also made of clear plastic, NOT turn
>> yellow in the same manner as the headlamps? And if it's NOT my
>> imagination, why is this so and why can't they make headlight lenses the
>> same way?
>
>That's an excellent question. I've noticed the same thing you have: On
>some makes and models, the front signalling lamps don't deteriorate as
>fast or severely as the adjacent headlamps. Baffling, eh?

Isn't heat more of an issue in the headlamp? Both heat and UV can
turn plastic yellow.

--
There's no such thing as a free lunch, but certain accounting practices can
result in a fully-depreciated one.

On Thu, 5 Jan 2006, Matthew Russotto wrote:

>>> Is it just my imagination, or do the lights surrounding the headlight,
>>> and also made of clear plastic, NOT turn yellow in the same manner as
>>> the headlamps? And if it's NOT my imagination, why is this so and why
>>> can't they make headlight lenses the same way?

>> That's an excellent question. I've noticed the same thing you have: On
>> some makes and models, the front signalling lamps don't deteriorate as
>> fast or severely as the adjacent headlamps. Baffling, eh?
>
> Isn't heat more of an issue in the headlamp? Both heat and UV can turn
> plastic yellow.

Not really, no -- the bigger issue is UV from the headlamp bulbs. Heat's
secondary.

In article ich.edu>, Daniel J. Stern wrote:
> On Thu, 5 Jan 2006, Matthew Russotto wrote:
>
>>>> Is it just my imagination, or do the lights surrounding the headlight,
>>>> and also made of clear plastic, NOT turn yellow in the same manner as
>>>> the headlamps? And if it's NOT my imagination, why is this so and why
>>>> can't they make headlight lenses the same way?
>
>>> That's an excellent question. I've noticed the same thing you have: On
>>> some makes and models, the front signalling lamps don't deteriorate as
>>> fast or severely as the adjacent headlamps. Baffling, eh?
>>
>> Isn't heat more of an issue in the headlamp? Both heat and UV can turn
>> plastic yellow.
>
> Not really, no -- the bigger issue is UV from the headlamp bulbs. Heat's
> secondary.

Considering the damage is the outside surface of the head lamp, I would
say the issue is UV from the sun. If it was UV from the bulb, the inside
surface without the hardcoat would yellow and all the polishing in the
world wouldn't make a difference.

"Daniel J. Stern" > wrote in message
oups.com...

> >From the dealer, probably so. There may exist aftermarket options you
> aren't yet aware of. What year and model Jaguar is this?

It is a 99 Van den Plas. Any clues for the owner?


> In practice, of course, if you start out with good quality
> clear/untinted guards and keep on top of them, cleaning them when they
> need it, replacing them when they go cloudy and get scratched, then
> you're not too likely to run into legal trouble.

In fact, we used to buy a handful of the things and replace them whenever
they got dirty. They were only a couple of bucks each.

Police here are very unlikely to notice a minor infraction like this. Heck,
they don't even notice major infractions unless their 'Boss Hogg'
nature comes out.


> DS
>

"Steve" > wrote in message
...
> wrote:
>
> >
> > A little judgement, used when buying certain automobiles, would go
miles.
>
> If there was much choice, then yes. Have you priced replacement "aero"
> headlamps? Even for "common" cars? Or "cheap" cars?
>
> >Or buy a Ford Feces,
>
> I'm going to remember that one... :-)
>
> >or something else within his ability.
>
> I'll wager you that a headlamp assembly for a Feces is on the order of
> $150-$200 US. The problem is that even CHEAP cars have expensive
> unique-to-the-model headlamps now.

You are not too far off. For a 2003 Ford Focus the list price on the
headlights is $161.00. Fordpartsonline will sell you one for $120.75. Of
course this is still pretty cheap comapred to say a Toyota Camry ($253 list
/ $190 discounted).

Ed