DEPO vs OEM

[drivetolive]

Anyone have any pictures of depo brand clear lights (front corners, side, and tail lights) compared to OEM brand clear lights...for an E46 facelifted sedan.

Also, is it worth to spend the extra couple hundred dollars for oem?

[blackhawkimpact]

OEM will always be better than DEPO or any other brand.

[gamberroski]

OEM always better...

[drivetolive]

lol yes i know OEM is better...that's quite obvious...but that's not what my question was.

[Edison@Jlevi SW]

Typically I recommend the OEM part over aftermarket if you have the budget but we have had a lot of success and great feedback about DEPO. I really don't see the reason to spend the extra for OEM brand when DEPO offers the same level of fit and quality for the facelift sedans. Here are links to check out the various options:
Facelift Sedan Clear or Smoked Front Corners


Facelift Sedan Clear or Smoked Sidemarkers


Red/Clear/Red Non-LED Tail Lights


Clear/Red or Smoked/Red LED Tail Lights

[mimalmo]

I don't have pics but I have had my car (all OEM) side by side with a car that had all Depo and the differences were there but subtle. You have to get up close to see the differences like the fitment and the lines on the front corners. The difference in the red color of the tails was fairly noticeable though. If the money part is not a problem for you, do it right and get the OEM stuff.

Whatever you do, get some stealth/chrome bulbs to avoid that "egg yolk" look with your new clears.

[SilverBeam]

Depos are poor quality. Here is my E46 with depo lights next to my dad's old E39 with OEM xenons

E46 is on the right

[drivetolive]

Exactly the info. i was looking for, thanks a lot, much apperciated. BTW, the stealth/chrome bulbs, i know they take away that egg yolk effect, but do they also light up white at night and blink white also? Or will they be like OEM (amber colour at night).

[mimalmo]

blink amber color.

http://www.xenonmods.com/

[Edison@Jlevi SW]

You have your choice, we offer the Solaris Invisibulbs in either amber or xenon white.





Of course, both are clear when off. (OEM LEFT, Solaris RIGHT):

[dak1b]

OEM all the way!!!!!!!!!!!! =]

[danewilson77]

depo....smoked

[akhbhaat]

I've got DEPO corner lenses on my facelifted sedan. I had OEM lenses on my old prefacelift car.

My biggest complaint is the fitment of the sidemarkers; the back section has to be modified with a razor to snap into place. It's difficult to describe the difference, but if you were to compare the DEPO piece with the OEM equivalent, you'd see where DEPO screwed up (the lip that goes around the edge sits higher than the little catch at the back of the bulb holder). Because (in this case) you're only saving a couple dollars over the OEM part, go OEM on the sidemarkers.

The front lenses fit perfectly and look good. And as I recall, the rear lenses go in pretty nicely as well, though I had to do a bit more razor modding to the back of the trunk lid lenses (the two inside pieces of the four piece taillight assembly; where the reverse lights are).

Cosmetically, there are a few areas where the DEPO lenses fall short. For example, there are a few small spots around the edges where you can see some sloppy glue application. You have to get very close and pay careful attention to notice this; from a meter or more away it isn't really visible.

Still--at less than half the price of the OEM setup, they're fine. No regrets here, because I just don't see the sense in spending $400+ on a set of plastic lens covers (the OEM setup for my prefacelift car was less than $300 in 2003).

Aside: the DEPO lenses do NOT come with bulbs or bulb holders. The OEM lenses for my prefacelifted car did; not sure if that still applies to the facelifted lenses.

[Phillips0417]

The Depo corners I got from JLevi included bulb holders and they fit perfectly...

Nick won't lead you wrong.

[drivetolive]

Phillips0417, how would you say the quality was? Did you also order side markers and tail lights? If so, how was the quality and fitment?

[Silver325ci]

Anyone have any pictures of depo brand clear lights (front corners, side, and tail lights) compared to OEM brand clear lights...for an E46 facelifted sedan.

Also, is it worth to spend the extra couple hundred dollars for oem?

If we were all rich...Then OEM would be a better choice. But IMO I think depo's are a safe bet. I have smoke depo sidelights that I got off ebay for $30 and I absolutely love them(Pics below).

They match great with my carbon fiber wheel emblems and my soon to be black reflectors

Also my car came stock with pretty nice OEM tails and lights so I wouldn't know about those in Depo, but I would imagine they are pretty nice after doing some research of them on youtube . For the rears not fronts (Front depo headlights are junk) OEM headlights, but depo for everything else

I plan on smoking the red half of my tails (leaving the white), blacking out all the ugly reflectors and LED bulbs in the front.















Ps: pics are from my phone so they don't do my baby to much justice

[airjoez32]

I have purchased Depo tail light with quality issue for my E92. The surface of the shell has water drop mark. I don't know how to explain in word. I attached picture. I believe I bought the one with defect as it is. I don't think they are all with this problem. I can say the QC of Depo is bad. If you have luck, you might get a good quality one.

[All2kool]

Anyone have any pictures of depo brand clear lights (front corners, side, and tail lights) compared to OEM brand clear lights...for an E46 facelifted sedan.

Also, is it worth to spend the extra couple hundred dollars for oem?

I replaced my Front Corner and Rear Inner lights with non-OEM and they fit and function just fine. It's a light, not rocket science.

[All2kool]

I replaced my Front Corner and Rear Inner lights with non-OEM and they fit and function just fine. It's a light, not rocket science.

My Front Corner lights were factory clear but both were loose due to the plastic clips the metal retaining clips fit into were broken. The rear Inner Tail Lights had become de-laminated and allowed water to get into the spare tire and battery wells.

[Eaglesail]

Many years ago, I replaced head lamp and assembly with Depo on my 87 300D. The Depo was in my opinion as good or better than the OEM originals.

Recently, I removed the headlight lens covers, easy to do, on my 03 325xi. The covers were yellowed from 14 years of sunlight ultraviolet deterioration. I sanded each lens with machine 600 grit, (Merka) then hand wet sanded 1000 grit and then 2000 grit then 3m compound machine buff followed by 3m polishing compound machine buff..........The lenses appear now as brand new!