I leave Saturday for 11 days in Spain/Germany and am thinking of picking up a set of the euro tails that blink orange instead of red while I'm there. I don't know the cost yet (waiting for an email) but I'm on the fence whether it's worth it or not...

Thoughts?

and in the case of the B7 body no less attractive than the red turn signals.

For the less attentive driver out there, the yellow lights are more obvious (such as four way flashers) when compared to the red.

Had I kept my RS4, I would have changed those out.

to my Avant if I planned on having it long term.

I'd be interested to know how much you're looking for...

Personally, I have always been surprised that the USDOT does not require amber indicators on the rear of the car, as they do on the front. Coming from England where amber indicators are the norm, the red bulbs/coverings did take a little getting used to when I first moved to the US (17+ years ago).

However, it seems like so few people actually use their indicators these days that I am less concerned by the color...

From the photos, it looks like the amber portion blends in pretty well with the rest of the light enclosure when the bulb is unlit:

<img src="http://www.penneck.com/rs4gallery/pictures/Ibis_White/ibis_14.jpg">

<img src="http://www.penneck.com/rs4gallery/pictures/Imola_Yellow/imola_15.jpg">

<img src="http://www.penneck.com/rs4gallery/pictures/Sprint_Blue/sprint_16.jpg">

These last two may have US tail-lights, it's hard to tell.

<img src="http://www.penneck.com/rs4gallery/pictures/Miscellaneous/Misc_21.jpg">

<img src="http://www.penneck.com/rs4gallery/pictures/Miscellaneous/Misc_22.jpg">

Haven't given the price a ton of thought yet but I'll shoot you an email when I get closer to making a decision.

I am not really sure if I would say they look nicer, but they are different, equally nice in my opinion. Gotta ask, if we had amber here and the reds were in Europe, would you buy the reds to be different?

If you are going for uniqueness, do it if the price is right to you, if there is some functional reason, then maybe the decision is the same but the threshold of pain to the wallet is higher??

btw, take a look at the inside docking connector, it's different to the euro version, i.e. I had to reuse the US bulb housing.

I took some pics iirc.

coming from England too.

Googling for the safety aspects of the difference, I found a few DOT links that suggested there was no safety difference.

I really find this hard to believe, I recall driving here and lots of cars braking in front, then picking out way, way in the distance a car stopped on the shoulder with the amber hazards on.

Also if the car is partly obscured it's hard to tell whether they are braking or signalling, though in the bay area, mainly it's braking, hardly anyone seems to know about signalling...

I suspect it was originally a cost issue, i.e. some of the big-three manufacturers went for the model where they just have a single dual filament bulb at the rear. This blinks completely off for signalling. Probably fearing a retrofit nightmare they "helped" the survey along.

On my A4 it seems kinda random that there's a separate space for the signal bulb, but they choose to colour it red here.

I'd really appreciate it if you could send me an email when you're thinking about selling. thanks.

Finishing my MBA in June so I just need to see what I get for work and then make sure that the RS4 is really what I want.

I'll definitely shoot you an email when the time comes.

The funny thing is, once we get a car, we want to be different. Had all our cars been with the amber, you would have seen a myriad of people 'upgrading' to all-reds for a sleeker look and better integration with the red reflector on the bumper...

I love the all-red taillights on the 911s, and I love it equally on the RS4 (especially since the US bumpers have the red side reflectors)

the fact that they are pretty much red like the rest of the housing but blink amber is what I like. Unlit, I agree that all red looks best, but when flashing I do think the ambers are more noticeable and therefore safer.

seems like common sense but the bottom line is visibility as well as signal indication...

and everyone seems to agree that when you tint/smoke the covers it makes a noticeable improvement :)

Adding lens film not only adds
style, <a href="http://www.decalfx.com/smoked_tail_light_film.html">"It lasts for years and adds protection!"</a>


so much for keeping it simple..


<a href="http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/staticfiles/DOT/NHTSA/NRD/Multimedia/PDFs/Crash%20Avoidance/2008/811%20037.pdf">DOT HS 811 037</a> -The Influence of Rear Turn Signal Characteristics on Crash Risk



<img src="http://img370.imageshack.us/img370/3913/links20gross6ke.jpg">


<img src="http://autoanything.files.wordpress.com/2008/11/plasmaglow-flexible-led-wheel-well-kit.jpg">

some of the euro **** makes sense (steering wheel in particular, and perhaps the bumper covers), some doesn't (start button, tails, etc.)

It doesn't really matter which colour is signal and which is brake, but they should be different.

you get tired of it, you can sell it probaby for a profit. Heck, I'd buy them.

Instead of hacking and prying your US lenses to get the clear corners (and risk breaking or future water condensation issues), just buy the Euro clear lights as new. You can Ebay your stock xenon light assemblies on Ebay and recoup most of the expenditure.

Now let's start a discussion whether if you replace your front amber bulbs with a clear white bulbs that causes a safety concern. LOL

Lol shameless plea, but I need one.

And yes, buy the Euro tails

I know many like the clear corner look, but it's not necessarily 'euro' to clear the corners. Coding the lights so the amber only comes on when blinking is the way to make your headlights 'euro'.

Even the global introduction RS4 had orange reflectors in the headlights...

<img src="http://gallery.audiworld.com/albums/quattronight/quattronight_083.jpg">

Swapping the tail lights is more of a safety thing as the lights look basically the same as the US ones unless they are blinking.

Oh, and yes, replacing orange blinking bulbs with clear bulbs is a safety concern. Plus it looks ricey.

<a href="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/143219/img_8585.jpg"><img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/143219/img_8585.t.jpg"></a>

<a href="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/143219/img_8589.jpg"><img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/143219/img_8589.t.jpg"></a>

Another angle:

<a href="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/143219/img_8586.jpg"><img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/143219/img_8586.t.jpg"></a>

<a href="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/143219/img_8588.jpg"><img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/143219/img_8588.t.jpg"></a>

Also anyone have any idea what this was:

<a href="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/143219/img_8590.jpg"><img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/143219/img_8590.t.jpg"></a>

And these are the differences in the connectors, iirc the one with notch cut out is the US version.

<a href="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/143219/img_8591.jpg"><img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/143219/img_8591.t.jpg"></a>

<a href="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/143219/img_8592.jpg"><img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/143219/img_8592.t.jpg"></a>

most use it inappropriately

1) turn across you before stating blinker
2) brake, then start blinker
3) get into a filter lane where there is only one way to turn, stop, then turn on the blinker
4) use the blinker when there is no one around

These people don't enjoy driving therefore don't drive considerately.

What was the question again?

We're taught mirror-signal-manoeuvre back in the UK. (manoeuvre also requires a blind spot check).

I really mean, no one around, except me watching :) Like the steering wheel won't turn without the blinker on.

(U.K. here too, so read 'indicator')