Do you recommend the genuine AM Vantage clear tail lights or the RSC version? Prices seem close, but i read the original ones need a system restore. Advice please from someone that has gone either route. Thanks.

 

Umm, the RSC taillights are the genuine AM taillights.

 

thx for the info karl

 

any recommendations which dealership to order from? my local dealer in southern california is charging $2,200 for the lights without installation. is it true the 2007 models will need a system update/restore?

 

You do need a software update if you want the car to be able to tell you that a bulb has burned out. BTW, I put clear AM tail lights on my '07 V8 a couple of years ago and the dealer charged me less than $1,700 installed, with the software patch.

 

Racer_X thanks for the info. Which dealer did you get them from? I may just order them from another dealer and have a local dealer install them. My dealer just quoted $680 for installation only! yikes.

 

Unfortunately, that dealer is no longer an authorized Aston dealer. Aston requested that they build a brand new multi-million dollar facility to sell Aston's cars and the dealer said "no thanks." They now just sell Ferraris.

Regardless, I would call around to other Aston dealers. $2,200 just for the lights seems high, even for AM.

 

$680? Wow! I bought mine from RSC and just installed them myself a few weeks ago. If you drop your car off at my house, I'll give you a discount and install them for $500!

 

karl-franz how did you do the system upgrade/restore/configuration? Dealer lowered price to $180 without the install lol

 

The software update for the clear taillights only enables the ability to alert you on the Message Center when one of the LEDs is out. The lights still work properly without the software. I'll just ask the service tech at my dealer to upload the new software whenever I bring in the car for warranty service next time.

 

anyone of you can tell me if these taillights, brake very hard to increases in light of the LEDs

 

Remember that AM parts are still priced in GBP - the reason for the price increase over what you might have paid a couple of years ago is the drop in value (some would say deliberate) of the US Dollar.... can you say Quantitative Easing...? LOL

 

there are a procedure to change the taillights? It's difficult or easy?

 

Ah yes, good point. Didn't think of that.

 

There are no instructions for installing the taillights. Whether you consider it easy or hard is a relative thing dependent on your skill level regarding automotive work.

I will say that, so far, my observation of AM owners is far different than the typical Esprit owner. It is surprising how many Esprit owners come from an engineering or other technical background. They like to tinker and work on the car themselves. The fact that there are several independent Lotus parts vendors also helps.

AM owners, on the other hand, tend to be the kind of people that will pay the dealer to fix even the most trivial repairs. Based on what some dealers charge owners for some services such as oil change or installing some taillights, I suspect that the dealers are taking advantage of this. For example, looking through the service records of my car, I saw that the original owner actually took the car in because the power outlet/cigarette lighter in the center console was not working. The problem turned out to be a blown fuse and his repair bill was one hour of labor for $120US!

Again, these are generalizations and i'm sure there are exceptions, but they are my perception thus far.