Not sure what to do

[WastedTalent]

As I'm sure some of you have seen me around here a little, and I already posted about sound dampening since my tail light broke, I had a thought and was just wondering your guys opinion of what I should do.

Should I move my third tail light (I swear that it's gonna break again soon) inside of the cab (to the rear window) and get the hole puddied and sanded and painted and all that or should I just get sound dampening? I'm leaning towards moving the light just cause it'd be so much harder to break and so much easier to replace if it did break.

I know sound dampening would be cheaper and I should dampen no matter what, but am sort of on a budget and don't have money to do both.

So relocate the light to the rear window and fill the hole and have a custom car or just sound dampen and hope it doesn't break again?

[mbdblue]

what kind of car is it and how is the light broken? if you take it out, it will most likely leave a gap way too big to use body filler. To do it the right way, you would have to tack weld in some metal to take up the space. Also, if you moved it behind the glass, the light will reflect at night and turn the whole rear red whenever you hit the brake. It would be a good idea to make a small case for the light and seal it against the back window so you don't light up the whole inside of your car.

[WastedTalent]

it's a 2010 mitsu lancer es. i don't really know how to explain (swear I'mma get pics taken of the broken light this week), but inside the trunk, a bracket (that's glued I guess) to the light broke so had to go get the whole damn assembly (bracket and light) and fix it. The light itself isn't broke.

As far as the "make a case for the light"... I figured. I mean wouldn't copy other cars but would get some type of holder built that somewhat seals it so only position you can see it would be from outside the car. Plus keep it from movin around for corners and all without just tape and/or glue holding it. Keeps it from being ghetto fabulous haha.

But was thinkin for the hole, could use puddy (or body filler as I guess the real name is) and do all the steps from there. If that wouldn't work, then sheet metal or something similar. I've noticed this about my trunk, or at least right where the light is, the outerbody is pretty darn thin so considering we're not talking about making an entire trunk out of sheet metal and just a 1" tall, 6" long hole? Think something like that would work if it was done right. Cut the right size out, glue it on with the right stuff, then same steps as if it was body filler. Only problem would be paint.

Worst case scenerio if I moved the light would be take it to a body shop. Something like Maaco but not maaco since they're ripoffs for crap work. Maybe find a body shop that local dealers use.

Be a little more expensive but a couple hundred dollar job vs going through these damn lights at $250 a pop? That's why I'm not 100% sure on the sound deadener. It'd help for sure but would it not be more effective (maybe cheaper in the long run) to move the light? That's why I'm askin. Get ppl's opinions.

[WastedTalent]

So I got a quote and holy crap. But was suggested to fiberglass the plastic housing that holds it. My question now is, would fiberglass be strong enough? I know it's a rather strong material (way stronger than the crap the manufacturer puts on the light) but can it take a beating?