[Barryng]

I had a small encounter with a broken curb on the side of a parking space. Tree roots caused a cracked part of a concrete curb to project into a parking space. The concrete projection caught the bottom side of the front bumper almost punching a hole in it and distorting it so the factory yellow side marker lens at the top edge cracked. Estimates to restore, not including applying the paint protection film and ceramic coating vary from about $1,500 to $3,000, with the $3K being at a really high end body shop.

We took delivery exactly two years ago today and, from the factory, with a Feb, 2019 build date, it came with yellow side marker lights. All three shops just assumed I wanted to replace both side marker lights with clear lenses. Previously, I never gave a thought about the color of the lenses but all the attention they are getting got my attention. I just also noticed the picture of the car on the build sheet I ordered the car from has clear lenses. So now I am wondering is my yellow lensed car an anomaly?

So, what color lenses are supposed to come from the factory, yellow or clear? Did the lens color change to clear since the car was built? Also, why is the assumption I want clear instead of yellow lenses so universally automatic? My instinct is to stay with the factory configuration but I am getting vibes, including what I saw at the Pancakes & Porsche breakfast this morning, that clear lenses are much more common.

 

[MLJJ]

U.S. requires amber and Europe (all ?) gets clear. Not sure about other parts of the world.

 

[Malcolm E Cay]

U.S. requires amber and Europe (all ?) gets clear. Not sure about other parts of the world.

Why do you Yanks have Orange/amber lenses?

 

[MLJJ]

I suspect it is an antiquated regulation that predates LED technology. Orange marker and turn signals required even though it makes no difference on lens color with LEDs.

 

[Graustark]

Funny... my pal who had a 986 and 987, his dealer said that while we States folk love to replace the amber with clear, apparently lots of Euros like to do the opposite in order to make it look like a US production car. What? I have trouble believing that but maybe some of you Euro peeps here can confirm?

 

[982CS]

... apparently lots of Euros like to do the opposite in order to make it look like a US production car. What? I have trouble believing that but maybe some of you Euro peeps here can confirm?

Not that I’m aware of 😀. All clear in the UK.

 

[John_Y]

I had a small encounter with a broken curb on the side of a parking space. Tree roots caused a cracked part of a concrete curb to project into a parking space. The concrete projection caught the bottom side of the front bumper almost punching a hole in it and distorting it so the factory yellow side marker lens at the top edge cracked. Estimates to restore, not including applying the paint protection film and ceramic coating vary from about $1,500 to $3,000, with the $3K being at a really high end body shop.

We took delivery exactly two years ago today and, from the factory, with a Feb, 2019 build date, it came with yellow side marker lights. All three shops just assumed I wanted to replace both side marker lights with clear lenses. Previously, I never gave a thought about the color of the lenses but all the attention they are getting got my attention. I just also noticed the picture of the car on the build sheet I ordered the car from has clear lenses. So now I am wondering is my yellow lensed car an anomaly?

So, what color lenses are supposed to come from the factory, yellow or clear? Did the lens color change to clear since the car was built? Also, why is the assumption I want clear instead of yellow lenses so universally automatic? My instinct is to stay with the factory configuration but I am getting vibes, including what I saw at the Pancakes & Porsche breakfast this morning, that clear lenses are much more common.

View attachment 30900 View attachment 30901

Amber lenses are stock on all US Porsches, DOT mandated; replacing them with the clear “euro” versions is extremely common and preferred by many hence your dealer’s question. You should do it!! The reason the configurator images for your car showed clear is because the base images used to make up what you see on the configurator are from Euro (or RoW) market cars, since ours are the only ones that have that difference.

 

[GregW]

The USA requires tinted lenses, the rest of the world requires tinted light so they get clear lenses and yellow LEDs.
For me it would depend which went better with my car colour.

 

[Naptown]

I prefer amber on a dark blue car.

 

[jimmuller]

From the FWIW department: Some replacement bulbs of the incandescent variety for various conventional cars come/came with amber globes. The lens could be clear but would appear yellow when turned on. Curiously, if you watch the rear turn signal colors of cars on the street, US-manufacturer cars seem to have red which conflicts with the brake light red, while cars from the rest of world have amber signals which are unambiguous. I dunno' why.

I've never understood the fascination as discussed here with the side marker lens color. I've posted before that I like the amber lenses on my silver car because they match the gold in the Porsche emblem on the frunk. Otherwise it's a non-issue. Folks here go gaga over red, or yellow or green, whatever, brake calipers winking through the wheel spokes. I supposed it makes a statement "I'm ready to race! Are you?" Ooh, look at that, Brembo Brakes! Or Abarth? Or Frumsish? Or Albinoni? Or Beethoven? To me they look like an add-on, they clash with the visual package. The lens color isn't garish one way or the other, but it isn't terribly significant either.

 

[JazzCatGab]

I was weirdly shocked when I got my car and it had the orange lenses instead of like the ones on the configuator. It was stupid, but with my agate gray, I liked the clear lenses. Then I read what you said, @jimmuller about how the orange highlights the Porsche shield on the hood and I saw that was true. I've recently bought some clear lenses and put them on and I do like the orange glow when the lights are on, but I haven't taken any pictures yet of my car with the new lenses. I'm definitely going to do some before and after pictures.

 

[MLJJ]

Not to change the subject, but tangentially relevant I think. I've seen videos of 718s braking and occasionally the brake lights seem to pulse rapidly before turning on constant. My recollection is that the images came from non-U.S. cars. Now, it could have been my computer screen or image quality issues that resulted in the flicker of brake lights but wondering if that is real, a mod, an artifact of my imagination, and/or what I see after cocktail hour

 

[alfaguy]

I prefer amber on a dark blue car.

I definitly agree! It seem a lot want to 'run with the herd' and demand all look the same!
Not me!

 

[jimmuller]

I've seen videos of 718s braking and occasionally the brake lights seem to pulse rapidly before turning on constant. My recollection is that the images came from non-U.S. cars.

A race thing, I believe, though it might be standard on some non-US cars. Quite a few of the cars in the IMSA Weathertech races do that. I've seen a few cars locally do it. I don't know if it's an option or even legal technically. I'd bet my money on it being something a boy racer does by replacing a chip. But what do I know?

 

[jimmuller]

Then I read what you said, @jimmuller about how the orange highlights the Porsche shield on the hood and I saw that was true.

Ah! A vindication!! Thank you!!

I was feeling quite lonely being the onliest person in this particular universe.

 

[MLJJ]

A race thing, I believe, though it might be standard on some non-US cars. Quite a few of the cars in the IMSA Weathertech races do that. I've seen a few cars locally do it. I don't know if it's an option or even legal technically. I'd bet my money on it being something a boy racer does by replacing a chip. But what do I know?

I know you can buy aftermarket kits for motorcycles that flash the brake light prior to full illumination. I think it is not a bad idea to draw extra attention to the fact that you have applied the brakes, particularly on 2 wheels. If it would keep someone from hitting me from behind, I'm all for it.

 

[982CS]

A race thing, I believe, though it might be standard on some non-US cars. Quite a few of the cars in the IMSA Weathertech races do that. I've seen a few cars locally do it. I don't know if it's an option or even legal technically. I'd bet my money on it being something a boy racer does by replacing a chip. But what do I know?

It's not a race thing. Fairly sure it's a standard function now for many manufacturers - break lights flash under heavy breaking. Perhaps not in the US though?

 

[MLJJ]

From a limited search.

Flashing Brake Lights, BMW BFD - Are they legal?

Flashing Brake Lights - We look at BMW's Brake Force Display (BFD), are they legal in the EU and USA? Rhinocarhire.com

www.rhinocarhire.com

 

[Treemagnet]

A race thing, I believe, though it might be standard on some non-US cars. Quite a few of the cars in the IMSA Weathertech races do that. I've seen a few cars locally do it. I don't know if it's an option or even legal technically. I'd bet my money on it being something a boy racer does by replacing a chip. But what do I know?

I hadn't thought much about fast blinking brake lights until a track day a couple of weeks ago. Approximately 30% of the cars had them. Yet, I only see them on the road maybe once or twice a month. Have to admit that I really appreciate them now...they definitely increase my reaction sense of urgency. Wish they were standard on all automobiles. Unfortunately, that would take an act of Congress...which we all know...wait, wrong forum.

 

[Bob D.]

Color/style choices are very individualized, but personally I’d go amber all the way, given the color of your car. I think it lends a nice contrast. I know plenty of folks feel differently, though, because one Porsche dealer I went to kept including the (pretty modest, as I recall) cost of a clear lens “upgrade” in quotes for ordering a car.

Bad finger problems in my right hand forced my retirement from the world of two wheels, but for all the years I rode my biggest fear (justified, IME!) was getting hit from behind. I installed a module on one of my bikes that provided the blinking action described above and it gave me peace of mind. People definitely noticed and responded to it.

With the trend towards lifted trucks and other big, heavy vehicles that some people are probably piloting while also texting, sounds like a good idea for our 718‘s as well.