Dectane E38 replacement rear lights mini-review

[mLiL]

Hi Guys
So yeah, I recently bought a 1996 pre-facelift 740 (about 185K miles) that had really badly worn rear light clusters. They just looked really bad. Even non-car persons remarked on them. Despite my intention to keep things stock looking outside I decided to buy some inexpensive aftermarker rear lights as apparently original BMW ones are quite pricey. I did not want any type of LED stuff that would not fit the rest of the car.

The old lights


After a bit of Googling around, I decided to go for this light as they are very low-key and were inexpensive as well. The were sold by a local re-seller here in Finland and are manufactured by Dectane. The price I paid was 114€ for the pair. They arrived in a non-descript cardboard box wrapped in bubble plastic and included the lights themselves but only indicator light bulbs.


Old and new comparison from behind. They felt quite good and sturdy when held in my hand and has the same type of rubber seal as the OEM light so leakage should not be an issue.


Detail of the back of the new one. Note the traditional wiring compared to the OEM lights plate.


Installation was a breeze, access was good but, according to Timm of Meeknet, if you have goodies like satnav and DSP and phone the left hand side will be quite crowded. For me it was not an issue, just undo four 8mm nuts. It can be quite dirty under there, mind you.


Old vs. new


Done! Tadaa! Takes maybe 15-20mins per side (includes swapping over the light bulbs) and I personally think it really lifted the look of my car.




Hopefully someone will find this short writeup useful. I will update here if I find any leakage has occured, but I feel confident it should be OK!

Now to find some amber colored aftermarket front indicators...

[maddoggyusa]

wow, they look really nice. I like how it looks OEM but newer. Are these available in the US?

[danb1979]

You just need some silver indicator bulbs or LED's bulbs that flash orange for your rear indicator to get rid of that 'fried egg' look

[pizzaman09]

Looks great! Nice little writeup too.

[318 Gear Head]

Dont mean to jump on anyones question. But how do i ask a question i am new here. Wanted to know if the exhaust system from a four cylinder e36 could fit on an m3 e36. If anyone knows. Or can direct me on how to post a question. Thank you

[mLiL]

maddoggyusa

wow, they look really nice. I like how it looks OEM but newer. Are these available in the US?

I think so, these look to be the same maybe? http://spyderauto.com/product.php?id...95-RC&t=spyder

danb1979

You just need some silver indicator bulbs or LED's bulbs that flash orange for your rear indicator to get rid of that 'fried egg' look

Thanks, yeah I will consider that. I actually wished the indicator part was colored amber like the original. Call me old school

[Rhein Amacher]

Wow! So are these the only aftermarket LED tails that come with a gasket seal to prevent water seepage destroying the electronics?

[carnut1947]

I think if you re read the first post, these are not LED.

[wutanec]

do these look any different from facelifted oem ones? from the pictures it almost seems too clear?
I just got a facelifted e38 and want to replace the taillamp assembly.
I was going to get oems but they were a bit pricey so looking for alternatives.