custom taillights

[cieglo]

Am I missing the boat completely, or are there no replacement taillights for the Vibe out on the market?Do the Matrix taillights fit the Vibe? I ask because......last week I was in DC and was visiting the Tomb of the Unknowns. I'm walking through the visitor parking back to my car and there is this Matrix XR there with these really sharp taillights. Just kicking, really nice. And I'm thinking, "Man, where did that guy get those lights? They don't look factory stock." So, I'm walking by and this old grandmother looking-lady opens the door and gets in. I was too shocked to ask about the light, but walked away thinking, "Granny's got her 'Trix!"

[Raven]

Needless to say this topic has been discussed many, many times.Matrix lights don't fit the Vibe. There are no aftermarket lights available for the Vibe. The '05 Matrix comes with altezza style tail lights.

[Ponyota]

Quote, originally posted by Sunny »Needless to say this topic has been discussed many, many times.Matrix lights don't fit the Vibe. There are no aftermarket lights available for the Vibe. The '05 Matrix comes with altezza style tail lights.Sad but true... I even had someone call the manufacturer and they said no, and nothing in the works.. This was last fall.

[ArcsVibe]

Quote, originally posted by Ponyota »Sad but true... I even had someone call the manufacturer and they said no, and nothing in the works.. This was last fall. What I don't understand GM (!) is that there is a demand for parts for our cars, come on get going!! Please

[cieglo]

I got this response from a request I made to APC for Vibe parts:"As a former matrixowners.com member, I have gotten parts made for the Matrix. We make a bodykit and tailights for it. Unfortunately, sales were not very high for the aftermarket parts for it. We really havent gotten any kind of requests, until now, for parts for the Vibe."For reference, this is whom I emailed:Tree FeierdayCustomer Service Assistant ManagerAccount ExecutiveAmerican Products Company951.324.60431800.594.4272treef@4apc.net So, maybe if everyone on GenVibe sends Tree (Tree?) mail, we can get our lights!

[POLO]

Maybe a good news,in this linkhttp://www.autoanything.com/pr...ightsthey sell APC Retro 3D Euro Tails,but on right corner is a button custom fit,in this>So maybe,if we all ask them,maybe they will make one and sell for our vibe.

[POLO]

Imagine something like this as tail light

[DopeVibeGT]

I dont think I'd want chrome tails. Black ones would look good, or color matching ones.

[cieglo]

So I emailed APC and asked:"How many people/orders would it take to get you guys to make some Vibe head- an/or tail-lights? You've got some designs...like the 404708, 10, 12, 56 or the 404562TLRS, the 404526TLRS or the 404512TLCF...that would make good starting points for a Vibe taillight."And I got this answer:for vibe parts...about a thousand confirmed orders.I'm not sure if this is sarcasm or not... EDIT: So I replied: "How about 10 orders?" and 'Tree' said: "sorry...I can't help you." So I said "Too bad" and copied the address for this thread.

[Ponyota]

A thousand? Hmmmm.... ok count me in! 1, only 999 more to go...Who's with me????? ...(removed)! I can't believe that this business would make them for some of these nasty ugly cars and trucks and not make one for the coolest car on the planet! Come on APC, get you're ducks in a row AND make these things for the Vibe.. It's businesses that order them to sell and I can't imagine one business that will order 1000 units! Make them and we will buy!

[Raivis]

apc are a bunch of @s they probably don't even sell 1000 of honda tail lights but they make them for the sunfire and camry fine let them lose money they will come around when altezza makes em and they will wish they had listened

[damronjr]

I emailed Elegante by TYC today. We'll see what they say, but I won't get their response (should they respond that soon) until Monday as I emailed them from work.

[Raven]

TYC is a far superior product to APC. I have TYC tailights on my truck and they are top quality.

[damronjr]

Quote, originally posted by Sunny »TYC is a far superior product to APC. I have TYC tailights on my truck and they are top quality.Exactly why I emailed them!

[cieglo]

I emailed altezza warehouse too. But haven't got a response yet.But, from TYC (at http://www.elegantebytyc.com/) I like the volkswagen lampAnd the one for the Matrix

[Raivis]

whats the email addy for tyc maybe if a few people e-mail them we can get something done unlike apc

[damronjr]

Quote, originally posted by Raivis »whats the email addy for tyc maybe if a few people e-mail them we can get something done unlike apchttp://www.genera.com/contact.cfm?Id=General

[AKLGT]

not a fan of those altezzas. i wish that had tails more like the mazda 6 or even the 3. very nice and classy looking. not gaudy and ugly w/ lots of chrome or carbon fibre. (my opinion of course)

[Raivis]

i e-mailed tyc about lights lets see what they say

[Mr. Poopypants]

Quote, originally posted by trdvibe »not a fan of those altezzas. i wish that had tails more like the mazda 6 or even the 3. very nice and classy looking. not gaudy and ugly w/ lots of chrome or carbon fibre. (my opinion of course)I agree, the only way I would consider these lights is if the background was color matched to my paint.

[Merzbow]

I'd buy a set of carbon fiber to go with my hood or black ones but I wouldn't order chrome.

[04kvibe]

I agree... black or carbon fiber, maybe the chrome but only if they're "tasteful". I really thought someone would be making them by now. Do they want us to beg?? How is the quality of IPCW lights?

[cieglo]

Quote, originally posted by Merzbow »I'd buy a set of carbon fiber to go with my hood or black ones but I wouldn't order chrome.I'm with you there, the black/gray/carbon-looking ones are sharp. Too much chrome is just too much chrome...No answer yet from Altezza.

[tjs317]

Count me in for black, carbon or even tailights like on the 05 matrix...

[NascarXprt]

Quote, originally posted by 04kvibe »I agree... black or carbon fiber, maybe the chrome but only if they're "tasteful". I really thought someone would be making them by now. Do they want us to beg?? How is the quality of IPCW lights?Same here i would get the carbon or black to go with mine.

[mcgusto82]

add my name to the order list.

[mcgusto82]

again black, or open so we can paint them ourselfs and match colors

[redlava]

I am with Hope. I like the ones that are on the Mazda 3 five door. The VW ones that were posted look very good. And I would like mine in Black, or Carbon Fiber as well.

[rcasciola]

well there isnt a reply from anyone saying they would make em...this will jus get everyones hopes up again:(...am i missing somethign...y is everyone putting what they will oreder?

[Raivis]

i wrote to a company and got no reply apparently they don't want consumer input

[rcasciola]

yea thats what we have been discovering a lot lately when coming across tails

[jbrown]

cant wait for taillights my wife is driving me nuts

[Kari]

Quote, originally posted by jbrown »cant wait for taillights my wife is driving me nutsWell you may end up nuts then because we've been waiting for three years so far and they still only make stuff like this for the Matrix, and they won't fit.

[robodoc]

All right folks, time to take this to a new level. Now this plan will take some work, a lot of inside help, and probably a huge reward for someone in the end. Here's the plan. Our tail lights are one piece molds. The machines that make them have injectors that bring in the plastic pellets in the various colors and mold them into a single unit. I was at the Delphi plant in Indiana once installing a few robots. Oh where the hell was that, Anderson I think. Anyway, they were making the older Grand Am tail lights there, 4 color molds(red, black, yellow, clear). So as the machine warms up, the lenses come out in various stages of mixed up colors until the machine reaches proper temp. I saw a couple tail lights that would have really been custom, like never to be duplicated, lol, the colors blend until the op temp is reached. Now here is where the meat of the plan is. The mold doesn't change, but you can inject any color in any order, as it is just fed from a hopper full of pellets. So, we find the plant where the Vibe tail assemblies are made. We find a contact in the plant. We wine and dine him/her until they are persuaded to help us. The do a run on a Saturday where they remove the red and yellow(maybe the black too if we want all clear) and they grab a hopper of clear pellets and run a couple hundred all clear tail light lenses for us. Sound like a plan? Anyone anyone? *tink*--the sound you hear as the needle drops.

[jeffgtx]

i always for not giving up, so i am with you. though i dont know who makes the lights.

[robodoc]

Ok folks, please bear with me, I have been working 12hr midnights for a week doing production support, which has to be the all time most boringist job in the world. I seem to remember company names being stamped or molded into most parts that are made. So, I went and did some parking lot research. The Vibe lights say Stanley on them. So I looked at the older Jimmy parked next to me. Those lights say Guide. Guide as in Fisher Guide as in Inland Fisher Guide as in Delphi!!!(way too much automotive history there). So now all we have to do is find out what Stanley refers to as an injection molding company. More caffine, must have more caffine!!!

[rcasciola]

Quote, originally posted by robodoc »Ok folks, please bear with me, I have been working 12hr midnights for a week doing production support, which has to be the all time most boringist job in the world. I seem to remember company names being stamped or molded into most parts that are made. So, I went and did some parking lot research. The Vibe lights say Stanley on them. So I looked at the older Jimmy parked next to me. Those lights say Guide. Guide as in Fisher Guide as in Inland Fisher Guide as in Delphi!!!(way too much automotive history there). So now all we have to do is find out what Stanley refers to as an injection molding company. More caffine, must have more caffine!!!wow this is gunna get intense... i give u (X 50)

[robodoc]

Can I reply to myself, is that allowed in the forum?? Ok, here's the scoop.....Stanley Co. Automotive Lighting, Battle Creek MI. They list in the awards section as being past GM Supplier of the year(we had that too, haha) and Toyota Performance award. I think we found it. Now all we need is an inside contact. Anyone here from Battle Creek want to stake out the parking lot at the plant? Is that a little obsessive? Hmm, maybe overboard a bit. Check it out: http://www.iistanleybc.com

[jeffgtx]

you don't nessecarily need an inside contact. you need someone who cares and likes a challenge on the other side of the phone. i just emailed their sales office, and will follow up with a call.worst he can do is tell me they aren;t interested.

[robodoc]

I was reading their site and it mentions that they use robotic automation in the press shop. Did a quick search of our customer database on line but didn't find them listed. So either our system sucks(BaaN...it does suck) or they use the 'other guys' robots. We will succeed one way or another. Muhahahaha. Hope their sales office is up for a challenge!!!

[damronjr]

How did I manage to miss all this?!?!? If this works out you can sign me up for a set! It won't be as cool as some nice TYC's, but if that all we can get, then I'll take it!

[jeffgtx]

spoke to one person who said i need to talk to someone else who i ahvent gotten a hold of yet.

[jeffgtx]

its not completely over, but iw ould say that this isn't looking like it will have a happy outcome... i will post if anythign develops.

[damronjr]

Quote, originally posted by jeffgtx »its not completely over, but iw ould say that this isn't looking like it will have a happy outcome... i will post if anythign develops.Gee, there's a surprise!

[Viben' round]

perhaps we can beat the dead horse some more. With the lack of aftermarket enthusiasum, i highly doubt we will ever get these elusive tail lights.