At Car Specialist Customs, we are proud to offer a wide variety of options when it comes to making your car a unique expression of who you are. We are excited to share with you the option of our Starlight.
The UK automotive aftermarket industry is thriving, ranking fourth in Europe and ninth in the world in terms of size, and turning over an annual £21.1 billion.
The sector supports 345,600 jobs and contributes £12.2 billion each year to the economy. And it is growing: the sector’s value is set to rise to £28 billion by 2022.
Starlights are the latest in a long line of aftermarket customisation, and one of the most intricate and unique options you can choose.
In this blog, we will be exploring the question ‘Can you drive with Starlights on?’
This is a valid question to ask, as anybody seeking car customisation should follow the laws of the road in order to protect the driver, passenger & other road users.
What are Starlights?
The Starlight Headliners (also known as Starlights) offered by Car Specialist Customs offer the unique factor of NOT being from LED lights, instead, they are made from fibre optic lights. These are lights that are refracted through fibre optic cables.
What colours are Starlights available in?
The true depth of customisation for our Starlights is massive, available in a wide range of colours with up to 500+ options! You can choose white, several base colours or different variations.
Additionally, you can even also control how the lights twinkle, or if they stay on. The car Starlight Headliner can be optimised to twinkle at its own rate.
To add an extra layer of personability to your Starlights, you can download an additional app to control the rate of twinkling to a level that you see fit. The Starlights are controlled wirelessly through Bluetooth.
Can you drive with Starlights on?
Yes, you can drive with Starlights on. Starlights are legal to use as they do not cause an obstruction to the driver as they are out of the driver’s field of vision. Additionally, Starlights are ambient lighting as opposed to functional light like your overhead interior lights.
Can you drive with interior lights on?
It is not advisable to drive with your interior light on, the reasoning for this is during the night time, having your interior light on can create a reflection on your front & back windscreen, causing an obstruction.
The difference between ambient and functional lighting in a car?
Both styles of lighting are functional but use their light differently to serve separate functions, here is the difference.
Ambient lighting
- Ambient lighting is subtle, it does not distract the road user by being too bright.
- It is used to highlight key features that should be easily identifiable for a driver so they aren’t distracted looking for them.
- Examples of key features include the speedometer, buttons (air conditioning, etc)
- Areas such as the footwell, door handles and some trimmings can contain this lighting
- Ambient lighting can be adjusted manually in most modern vehicles.
Functional lighting
- Functional lighting on the interior of a car is much stronger and is used for the drivers and passengers to orient themselves before driving, eg locating & wearing their seatbelts, and placing belongings.
- Functional lighting is generally limited to being in 1 or 2 areas of the area.
- Functional lighting generally can’t have its individual brightness limited.
Installing Starlights in a car
Starlights can be added to almost any vehicle. It is possible for you to install it manually, however, you run the risk of damaging the wiring and other internal components in your vehicle. It is best to leave this to professionals with years of experience like Car Specialist Customs, the process of installation is as follows.
- The process starts by disconnecting all dome, map lights and other trim pieces and removing the vehicle’s headliner.
- Hundreds of small holes then need to be drilled or pinned in the top of the headliner mould, to fit the fibre optic lights, which are individually carefully placed just above the headliner fabric.
- These lights are then attached by adhesive and then stranded together to be run to the location of the Light Source, typically in the trunk, rear seats, or under the vehicle’s dash, wherever you choose.
- The process can take many hours, depending on the number of lights you’re installing.
How long does it take to install Starlights?
With our installation process, Starlights usually take a number of hours to install, this, of course, is dependent on your vehicle and the state of the areas of installation. Rest assured, the time we take to install any of the products and services we supply is to ensure their functionality.
Are Starlights necessary?
Starlights are an optional customisation option, they provide no hindrance to the driver, or the vehicle’s function. They are not necessary in the sense that they are a legal requirement, however, for anybody who loves their vehicle or for anybody who wants to personalise their vehicle, Starlights are an understated and sleek option.
Will a starlight fail MOT?
Cars that have Starlight Headliners which have been installed correctly by professionals, will not fail their MOT.
Can any car have Starlights?
Convertible top cars, whether soft or hard hood, are not able to have Starlights installed, due to the retracting and folding of the roof will potentially damage the wiring and lights. The same applies to sun-roof windows
However, cars with sunroofs are able to have Starlights installed. Our expert technicians can install starlights to your desired specification. As long as your roof is not convertible, it can be done.
For complete peace of mind, there is a lifetime warranty. So if one or more of your lights burn out, we can replace them for you under warranty, or if anything else should happen.
Our car roof Starlight technicians know how to dismantle and remove the roof lining to install the lights, then reinstall it back in place perfectly. We are experienced in working on a wide range of different vehicles from different manufacturers.
Buy your Starlight Headliners today
Our team members at Car Specialist Customs are extremely passionate and proud of the multiple services and products we provide for the people of Greater Manchester and beyond.
As a fully insured and approved installer, catering to the needs of vehicle owners of Greater Manchester and beyond, we are proud to let you know that we offer services for the following:
Personalisation:
Protection/Security:
Featuring the brands, Pandora, ScorpionTrak, Meta Trak & SmarTrack, we’ve included affordable, and premium products to suit the needs of our customers. With finance options available, and the option of installation, head to our website to get your quote!
We always will go above expectations to make your car feel special to you. With even more services and options becoming available in the future, Car Specialist Customs is the home of making any car unique, secure and special.
See what we can do for you today, we hope our Starlight service has helped you decide to take a step forward in personalising your vehicle with our unique service.
We hope to have answered the question ‘Can you drive with Starlights on?’ whilst providing supplementary information that can help you make an informed choice when it comes to investing in the best security system for your vehicle.
Want to get in touch? You can find us here:
WORKSHOP:
Unit 30
Caldershaw Centre
Ings Ln
Rochdale
OL12 7LQ
OPENING TIMES:
Monday – Wednesday – 10 AM – 7 PM
Thursday – Closed
Friday – Sunday – 11 AM – 7 PM
TELEPHONE:
07523 971347 (Mon – Fri: 8:30 am – 6:00 pm)
EMAIL:
info@carspecialistcustoms.co.uk