# Celis look-alike tail lights



## mrogers (Mar 2, 2004)

I've seen one or two people mention these, both here and at bmw-forums.com, but when I PM'd people I didn't get any responses. Supposedly there are tail lights that look like the Celis LED tail lights, but only cost around $200 and don't require any drilling or ballast like the Celis lights do. I've seen them referred to as Euro Diamond tail lights, but I'm not sure if that's the right name or not. Anyway, I can't seem to find these, but I want to check them out before I make a final decision on my tail lights within a couple weeks. Does anyone know where I can find these, and even better, does anyone have any pictures of them in operation? Thanks!

Edit: I think these are it, but I'd like to find info on them from somewhere other than eBay.


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## PropellerHead (Jan 3, 2002)

mrogers said:


> I've seen one or two people mention these, both here and at bmw-forums.com, but when I PM'd people I didn't get any responses. Supposedly there are tail lights that look like the Celis LED tail lights, but only cost around $200 and don't require any drilling or ballast like the Celis lights do. I've seen them referred to as Euro Diamond tail lights, but I'm not sure if that's the right name or not. Anyway, I can't seem to find these, but I want to check them out before I make a final decision on my tail lights within a couple weeks. Does anyone know where I can find these, and even better, does anyone have any pictures of them in operation? Thanks!


I have seen them on Ebay. They may be assemblies, but they are really just lenses. The only thing that looks like the new ones is the clear part which is 'crystal white." As far as I know, the tail light function is the same and looks the same as regular lights.

To put it another (hopefully more clear) way, during the day, the lights would look the same as the new ones. 








When you turn the tail lights, however, you would get the same single bulb burning through that is on the old ones, not three clear bars like in CELIS.


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## mrogers (Mar 2, 2004)

I'm sure you're right that it would not look exactly like the real Celis, but the lenses themselves are different. Take a look at the regular clears, and then the Celis-look alikes (attached). I used to have a better picture of the regular clears, but you can still see that the lenses are quite different, so it is likely that the glow, while not equivalent to real Celis, is probably closer than the older tail light assembly. I'm a college student on a budget, so I'm looking to find out just how different the Diamond Celis look-alikes are from the real ones, and whether the difference is enough to convince me to spend $200 extra. 

If anyone has a picture of these Celis look-alikes lit up, PLEASE post it...I haven't found one yet!


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## PropellerHead (Jan 3, 2002)

mrogers said:


> I'm sure you're right that it would not look exactly like the real Celis, but the lenses themselves are different.


 :thumbup: That's exactly what I said...


PropellerHead said:


> They may be assemblies, but they are really just lenses.


Sorry I wasnt very clear.. :spank: I mean that the BRAKE light portion will not have the 3 bars like the Celis. The turn signal and the reverse light parts have the crystal lenses and will look like the Celis, but the brake lights will appear as bulbs when lit at night- just as the stock ones. See whutImean?


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## mrogers (Mar 2, 2004)

Yeah I gotcha 

I'd still like to see some lit, though, because I'm curious and because someone over at those "other forums" said they were pretty good. Thanks for the info!


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## vietsb (Apr 8, 2003)

mrogers said:


> I'd still like to see some lit, though, because I'm curious and because someone over at those "other forums" said they were pretty good. Thanks for the info!


I'd assume they are decent copies of the CELIS lights, but as Prop-head said, when the parking lights are on, you get a fake CELIS look instead of the 3 bars. All the other bulbs (turn, brake, reverse, rear fog?) should look exactly the same.

If you wanted to spend half the money and 1/10th the install time, I'd seriously consider those if you don't mind missing the CELIS bars.


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## spec33 (Feb 27, 2004)

These are pic that I got out of an accessory book from the BMW dealer here in Germany.


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## waapples (Jan 5, 2004)

can't you get those from the bmw dealer?

thought 2000 M5 came without the celis for the tails.


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## PropellerHead (Jan 3, 2002)

waapples said:


> can't you get those from the bmw dealer?
> 
> thought 2000 M5 came without the celis for the tails.


Nope. Celis wasn't out till '01 on all E39's in NA. 2000 M5's came with a clear, instead of amber turn signal plastic. The clear was not the same cyrstal appearance as was introduced in '01.


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## waapples (Jan 5, 2004)

PropellerHead said:


> Nope. Celis wasn't out till '01 on all E39's in NA. 2000 M5's came with a clear, instead of amber turn signal plastic. The clear was not the same cyrstal appearance as was introduced in '01.


ic thanks for the info! :thumbup:


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