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Thread: Need help!! 98 540i celis tail light retrofit problem

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jul 2005
    Location
    San Diego
    Posts
    68
    My Cars
    Rsx Type S, BMW 540ia

    Need help!! 98 540i celis tail light retrofit problem

    First of all I have a 98 BMW 540i. I ordered the celis rear retrofit kit from Germany, specifically from Hella. My problem is that there is a 1/4" gap between the body and the light!! Also the turn signals and brake lights don't work either. The led flickers on and off when either of these are activated. I read many articles before stating that US version of the celis 2001 and up don't work correctly with the 2000 models and before so I specifically ordered it from Germany and it took about a month to recieve it. Where did I go wrong? Everything on the box is in german and it says hella on it also? Is there another version I should of gotten?

    Any suggestion would be much greatly appreciated. Pix will be up in a couple of hours once I get my car back from the body shop.

    Just moved my thread from body and styling...
    Mods done to my 1998 540ia:
    Depo Angel Eyes Headlamp w/Demon eyes conversion
    M5 Kidney grills
    M5 Front Bumper
    Mtechnic Rear Bumper
    Hella Celis tail light conversion
    Business cd retrofit
    Jl audio 5/500 amplifier
    Jl audio XR525 Csi component front and rears
    2 10" stock M5 subwoofers

    Debating on upgrading exhaust or just changing out
    the tip to fit the mtechnic rear bumper? Decisions
    Decisions

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Aug 2005
    Location
    So Cal
    Posts
    259
    My Cars
    e39
    Did you drill the correct areas to get this light to fit? If not that may be why the light sticks out slightly.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jul 2005
    Location
    San Diego
    Posts
    68
    My Cars
    Rsx Type S, BMW 540ia
    i followed vietsb's directions...http://www.bmwdiy.info/celis-rear/index.html
    Mods done to my 1998 540ia:
    Depo Angel Eyes Headlamp w/Demon eyes conversion
    M5 Kidney grills
    M5 Front Bumper
    Mtechnic Rear Bumper
    Hella Celis tail light conversion
    Business cd retrofit
    Jl audio 5/500 amplifier
    Jl audio XR525 Csi component front and rears
    2 10" stock M5 subwoofers

    Debating on upgrading exhaust or just changing out
    the tip to fit the mtechnic rear bumper? Decisions
    Decisions

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Mar 2004
    Location
    Brooklyn, NY
    Posts
    933
    My Cars
    2011 BMW 750i M-Sport
    Sorry to throw salt in your wound but this is why I decided not to do this mod. I didn't like the idea of having to drill holes to make it fit. Everything installed on my car is OEM (M5 wheels, Hella Xenon angel eyes, M-tech kit, etc..) but I've broken down and I'm going to try one of the ebay aftermarket ones. They've got to look better than the stock with the amber and if they look cheap it's only $100 and I can just put the stock ones back.

    These look better than most of the other ones on ebay. I've spent hours comparing pictures of Hella versus this particular one on ebay and they look almost identical to the Hella's so for $100 I figured what the hell. Take a look......

    http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/96-97...10914356QQrdZ1

  5. #5
    Join Date
    May 2004
    Location
    Florida
    Posts
    1,977
    My Cars
    F15, F31
    Quote Originally Posted by dagoo98
    These look better than most of the other ones on ebay. I've spent hours comparing pictures of Hella versus this particular one on ebay and they look almost identical to the Hella's so for $100 I figured what the hell. Take a look......
    instead of comparing the pics of the original Hella equip to the pictures on the ebay (that are of uknknown origin), tell us what's the difference once you get that POS ebay crap.
    2015 F15 xDrive35i M-Sport, Mineral weiss on mokka Design Pure Excellence
    2015 F31 328i M-Sport, Mineral grau on black
    REFERENCES (from buying members): ///MM\\\, Dan, nicholsonsl, nicholsonsl, babygirl, e36Silvr328i, hc1001, tommelton, mish, diffsonline, betet, DMasters,icemann633, docjavier, Iron Chef, Dan, M3Jokster, e39dream, ///Manny, killcrap, verdugo135, TheRide, 318qship, hbmike, TimeOut, z0lt3c, MechEngr, Vortec4800, asdfbunk, brandon5069, hoyabob2003 (e39 mdf 6.5 speaker panels)
    SOLD! 97 E39 528iA, Alpine white on black, H&R, Hella, Alpine 9855 run active 3-way, 7" Dayton RS woofers, LPG 25NFA tweeters, Alpine typeR 12" 2005ed sub, ED NINe.1 sub amp, ED NINe.4 comp bi-amp, box 2.5cu.ft tuned to 30Hz CLICK HERE

  6. #6
    Join Date
    May 2004
    Location
    Florida
    Posts
    1,977
    My Cars
    F15, F31
    Quote Originally Posted by dataro
    Any suggestion would be much greatly appreciated. Pix will be up in a couple of hours once I get my car back from the body shop.
    make sure that the outer (not inner) holes that you drill for the studs, are much bigger than the studs themselves. the key here is, that not only the metal stud must to go through the drilled hole, but also part of the round plastic it's coming out of. That's why the retro kit also has the bushings (one per side) that need to be installed on the outer bottom studs. hope you understand what I'm talking about
    2015 F15 xDrive35i M-Sport, Mineral weiss on mokka Design Pure Excellence
    2015 F31 328i M-Sport, Mineral grau on black
    REFERENCES (from buying members): ///MM\\\, Dan, nicholsonsl, nicholsonsl, babygirl, e36Silvr328i, hc1001, tommelton, mish, diffsonline, betet, DMasters,icemann633, docjavier, Iron Chef, Dan, M3Jokster, e39dream, ///Manny, killcrap, verdugo135, TheRide, 318qship, hbmike, TimeOut, z0lt3c, MechEngr, Vortec4800, asdfbunk, brandon5069, hoyabob2003 (e39 mdf 6.5 speaker panels)
    SOLD! 97 E39 528iA, Alpine white on black, H&R, Hella, Alpine 9855 run active 3-way, 7" Dayton RS woofers, LPG 25NFA tweeters, Alpine typeR 12" 2005ed sub, ED NINe.1 sub amp, ED NINe.4 comp bi-amp, box 2.5cu.ft tuned to 30Hz CLICK HERE

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Mar 2004
    Location
    Brooklyn, NY
    Posts
    933
    My Cars
    2011 BMW 750i M-Sport
    Quote Originally Posted by PENER
    instead of comparing the pics of the original Hella equip to the pictures on the ebay (that are of uknknown origin), tell us what's the difference once you get that POS ebay crap.

    Well I received the ebay lights and I'm satisfied. The quality of the lights are average but the looks are much better than OEM amber tail lights. They bolt right up and come with a wire harness for easy installation. Overall, I think the Hella Celis tail lights look better but I refuse to drill holes into my car to make them fit.

    I'm pleased because I got an updated look for $200 cheaper than the Hella lights and I didn't have to drill holes in my car.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Jul 2006
    Location
    Seattle, Washington
    Posts
    68
    My Cars
    1997 740iL, 1997 528i
    I am going to have to agree with dagoo98. i have a 740iL and a 528i. i put those lights on the 7 and they look great to me. maybe its because they mounted right up, no drilling, no mis-align and hundreds less. so i ordered the exact same ones for the 5. (same as the ones dagoo98 bought).

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Jun 2006
    Location
    TX school/austin home/dfw
    Posts
    9,126
    My Cars
    SC E39 M5, E92 M3 DCT
    dagoo do you mind posting pics of those lights on your car w/ the lights on and off. i have a black 540oi also and want to see what those ebay ones would look like

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