Round orange reflectors - us only?

K

kartman

Member
I've seen these in US mostly but on few cars in Europe also (LCI). ROund orange circles on each side of the bumper, reflectors. They don' tlook that good. What's the deal if I see it in Europe, does it mean the car is imported? Can anyone clarify this please?

see pic, this is car supposedly from germany.

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Oops loks like the cars lost a cover from the headlight washer! The orange side reflectors are as far as I am aware an 'American' traffic regulation requirement. Different markets require different specifications in relation to lights, fittings etc. It may not have been 'imported' but just purchased in this spec.
 
kartman said:
i heard the washer thingy is common, not too pricey to set it right.
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Slightly (well a lot actually) off thread BUT......

Happened to me, well my wife actually. She took the Zed out with her friend and when they stopped for lunch saw the cover was missing – PANICK. She called at the dealers on the way home and fortunately they had a matching cover and duly fitted. Nothing said when she arrived home..... . On my next visit to the dealers man in the spares department said, “Lucky we had a colour matched cover for the washer when your wife called in last week....” :!:
 
depends why it flew off...

mine came off because the housing on the washer jet broke... so had to replace the whole washer jet and take the front bumper off to put back on.

Afternoons work.

AlanJ :lol: very lucky as when I enquired they quoted an 8 week delay to get a painted one :thumbsdown: Sourced one from a local bodyshop who had just done some work for me and they sprayed it up for a few quid, worked out cheaper than the dealer... not to mention quicker...
 
I don't have those odd (fugly) orange reflectors on the front of my bumper....Maybe not US Spec?
 
the seller said it is original msport package. notice that the car has the m hood installed as well. but he insists it's from germany and that's how it came. Oh well, he is completely unreal on price, so i might let this one be for now.
 
Airhead said:
kartman said:
but he insists it's from germany and that's how it came.
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If it's from Germany, why does it have an Estonia license?
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people import cars all over EU, obviously. :) we don't have to worry about steering wheel on the wrong side. Now lots of used cars from Estonia are in Netherdlands and Belgium btw. Due to some tax and difference in prices, its a business thats very good for the banks with all their unpaid for luxury cars. ;)
 
Over here the M's have the circular reflectors on the front bumper. 3.0i and si's have the rectangular reflectors on the front bumper covers.
 
You have missed one thing, thats not the original bumpber for the car, as it's a ///M bumper.

Bumper could have come from anywhere, IIRC there was a USA spec ///M bumper on UK ebay a year or so ago
 
damn, so the dude wasn't kidding, he was trying to tell me the car has M-Roadster front bumper and hood and I was like "b.tch please". :) Oh well. :rofl:

btw, the car is 3.0si, not the 3.0i. I'll take it for a spin in a couple of weeks, its so overpriced I doubt it will move any time soon. :driving:
 
We like those orange reflectors over here so much, there's even someone who is making vinyl stick on patches (pasties?) to cover them up. He makes them for Z4M's in color to match.
I trried them on my Zed, didn't work out too well.
 
US Z4's have them after the headlights removed the amber reflectors, which I believe was in 2005 model year. In 2006, the facelift version has the amber reflector moved to the less conspicuous curve on the front wheel arch, but the M version has a different front bumper, which also has the amber circle reflectors. As others mentioned, this is to comply with a US DOT mandate. Maybe there are a few countries out there that have a similar law in effect.

I fixed mine (2005 3.0i) with a cheap 10 dollar solution from http://www.dansdecals.com. The color (titanium silver metallic) is close, but not a perfect match for my dye lot. It's definitely better than the amber! I plan to fix it for good with the aero front bumper in the next year or two, aero front bumper doesn't have the reflector hole. I'm still waiting for mine to get enough stone chips in it to warrant a new front facade.
 
yeah man, reflectors aren't too bad, easy to fix, it's the orange stuff in headlights that's weird (though I guess on black cars it looks kinda alright to my eyes).
 
iirc, the cars sold in Canada also have the orange front reflectors.

As to the car above in particular---that's a 3.0Si? M bumper and M hood/bonnet????????? If you want one that badly, just get the M.

I just don't get people who have a car capable enough on its on but have to "mod" it up to look like something it's not. Enjoy what you own and just drive it!
 
He modded it because it had cosmetic damage - and replaced parts with M parts through insurance. Hence - the slightly M-look wanna be. I grant him that, in case of small accident (some stuff fell on car i gues) it's ok. Im no fan of Mbadging either.
 
srhutch said:
You have missed one thing, thats not the original bumpber for the car, as it's a ///M bumper.

Bumper could have come from anywhere, IIRC there was a USA spec ///M bumper on UK ebay a year or so ago
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Well spotted!
 
AlanJ said:
srhutch said:
You have missed one thing, thats not the original bumpber for the car, as it's a ///M bumper.

Bumper could have come from anywhere, IIRC there was a USA spec ///M bumper on UK ebay a year or so ago
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Well spotted!
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yes, see my post above - owner replaced them after fender bender.
 
Aebous said:
I don't have those odd (fugly) orange reflectors on the front of my bumper....Maybe not US Spec?
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The 03 and 04's did not have the orange bot. Thats why when 05's replace their bumper they buy a 04 bumper as a replacement. :roll:
 
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