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2005

Jaguar XKR Coupe - Onyx/Ivory 20" BBS "Monteal" Wheels "Victory Edition" LED Tail Lights
[img]https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/xk8-xkr-x100-17/full-led-drl-headlights-tail-lights-aftermarket-manufacture-soon-216234/page2/xk8-xkr-x100-17/full-led-drl-headlights-tail-lights-aftermarket-manufacture-soon-216234/

I have a 2005 XKR Coupe and I have done a couple or three things to the Lights, as I had been disgusted with the Headlights since way back when I had my 1998 XK8 Coupe... The Headlights were almost worthless on the Highway...Even on bright! The 2000 XKR was better as it had HID low Beams but still Halogen High Beams; the same as my 2003 XKR! After the Lady totaled it and I got the 2005, I promised myself that I would find a way to "Brighten-up the Night".. I did this by installing an LED Kit in the stock High Beams! Wonderful Light came out of those same stock Lens! A couple months ago I updated the High Beams again with a different LED Bulb that shines on the reflector better and configures the Light even better than the original ones.....But they still look Stock! The only thing I've done to change the looks of the frontend has been to install the Osram DTDL's in the lower grill of the 2005. I think they both look good and provide a safety factor at the same time...and I like them!

I suffered through those first Taillight Lens on the 1998 and the 2000 cars and was very happy with the newer Jeweled Lens on the 2003 and the 2005 when I first got it....and I was happy, until I saw the "Victory Edition" Lens for the first time. Now those Lens are perfect for the XKR and I had to have a Set....Talk about "Good Looking" now that is the best! Then, Charlie told us how to fix them so that they would accept LED Bulbs.....So I did that and now they are very modern looking as the Lenses are Beautiful and the LED's are very modern looking and bright....

Now in answer to your announcement that someone is going to make a better Light for the XK8/XKR Cars. I don't see how they could possibly make a better looking set of Lights or Tail Lights than those which Jaguar has already made.....Our Front Lights with the LED changes can't be beat and the "Victory Edition" Tail lights are just plain Beautiful! What they could do for the 1996 thru 2002 cars, is make a Tail Light for them that fits the Car and model them after the "Victory Edition" Tail Lights! They would sell a bunch of those!
Oh! I forgot...I've got a set of Regular 2005 Tail Lights for sale...the Jeweled type...Cheap!!

Billy Clyde

 

Have to admit I agree with the above regarding the original headlights being rubbish.

I installed the most powerful, legal, dipped headlights I could and installed HID's in the main beams. MUCH better. Should have been one of the first jobs I did on the car. Hindsight is wonderful.

Take a read to see the mod I did. click me to read

 

Agree 100%--this is exactly what I was getting at in my prior post. The tail lights on my 97 really date the car--I would strongly consider buying ones modeled after the victory edition if they fit the early cars. But, alas, they don't exist.

 

While you are enjoying your Sandwich, you might want to look at this:

Go to: www.XK8-parts.com clk on Lighting; then clk on Rear Lamps and then, Lighting upgrades...

Dave has the answer for your upgrade, TODAY! Read it, Buy it and Be Happy! While you are visiting with Dave, you might ask him if he has any "Victory Edition" Tail Lamps that you could buy rather than the "Standard Jeweled" Lens.....You could go from.....Jaguar's first try, all the way to their last one all within a minute or two!
All this appears to be around 400Lbs. or so. Don't have any idea how many Dollars that is , but "what the Heck"! Dave has solved your problem!

Check it out!

Billy Clyde

 

Yeah, I had seen those before (I think it might've been you who first referred me!), but I really, really, don't want to cut out the existing mounting plate and fit the new one. I'd love if there were a tail light that fits the old, original mounting plate but had the jeweled or victory edition look.

 

The project may soon be on the way by Summer

 

Mr, Sandwich,

Think of it this way.....you cut off a small piece of Metal that can be welded back on if need be...It's going to make your XK look like it came out of the dark ages and after you do it you wouldn't even think of changing it back! You get all the Parts needed and if you don't know how to do the job......any Body Shop can do it for you in a couple hours!

But, It's up to you...…..?

BC

 

Update:

So I talked with the company and they have already ordered XK8 headlights and F-Type headlights to perhaps come up with a 3D concept of the headlights. I am so excited right now that we may finally be getting full LED modernized headlights for our XK's soon.

 

Shame you did not buy a BMW. I cannot see you selling more than 3 or 4. Who wants to spoil a classic.

 

I don't care about tail lights, but if a high quality set of LED headlamp assemblies ( not just bulb conversions - I have those ) were available; and they were fully "plug & play" into the existing wiring, I might consider them.

 

These will be fully LED headlight assemblies plug and play into our existing harness. However the DRL feature you tap into acc in fuse box.

 

Something that is not clear to me so far is whether this replacement assembly will include the lense. If it does include a lens, will it be of same materials as OE which never "fogs"?

 

Next someone will want to modernize the Mona Lisa. All kidding aside, I'd welcome an aftermarket headlight that looked EXACTLY like the original. But a modernizing look ? No thanks. If I wanted a modern look I'd buy a modern angular car, devoid of curves.

Z.

 

Hey...what's so bad about that?

I give you...the MattaLisa. Original redone with my old boss Matt's face.

Printed it full size and hung it in the office for a while. Never got a pay raise after that....

 

The lens is incorporated it would be fog resistant.

 

Well that would probably be a deal breaker for a lot of folks if the lens was plastic and just resistant to fogging instead of not capable of fogging.

Something to consider about your choice of materials. If it is the same crap that is on "modern" cars it will be a step backward regardless of how sparkly the LEDs are.

 

The LED output would be 2x-3x better than oem so thats a lot to take into consideration

 

Update:

OEM parts have been ordered. Question do you guys prefer the washers or do you want the headlights to be without the washers ?

 

I could not care less about the washers.

 

Not really getting a good vibe from this thread. After-market mods that modernise a car is great if you want a modern look. However I don’t and IMHO our elder statesman BC has done the best job so far in an understated way that doesn’t detract from the car’s elegance.

I would be more concerned with durable glass fronted lenses rather than fog resistant plastic.

The headlight power washers only come on once every 5/6 cycles, so losing it won’t affect performance but removing it from the car will be a hassle to fit an after market part.

Good luck with the business side, competition is always healthy, but I won’t be considering it, as www.dcrautoparts.com seem to have already anything I may want to improve my lights.