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... because I'd like to swap mine for a clear set. Like-for-like condition, no money changing hands.

2004 SE, need to be plug and play swap, I don't want to get into changes to the electrical system.

I am assuming that the 'smoked' finish is not reversible, but I'd love to hear that I am wrong about that.

They are not smoked like people do to their headlights with films and paint which generally means reduced light output.

They physically have dark grey/black plastic inside them instead of the fake chrome in normal NB8B headlights.
The actual lens on the outside is still crystal clear.
Physically reversing it would mean pulling them apart(not so easy to do) and replacing all the internal plastics with the fake chrome parts. Not worth the time.

They are physically the same as NB8B chrome headlights, regarding fitting, wiring and bulbs used.

Quick someone take this offer up. I'm sure SE headlights are worth more than the normal NB8B ones.
This would be the first time I've heard of someone wanting to go from SE headlights to the normal chrome ones.

I think I have a set I can send you, if you're happy with them you can send the SE ones back.

I'll have to look in the shed.

I have a pair for chrome NB8B headlights, but the vertical adjustment is snapped on the driver's side (my fault) lol.

Thanks for that information Luke. I think I need to have a closer look at my lights - I thought the disappointing light output was a result of filtering by the lens, but maybe there is another issue, ye olde UV fogging perhaps, or maybe old bulbs that need replacing.

Thanks Okobi and Kiezon, but I will take your offers on notice for the moment.

I have never taken a close look at the SE headlamps but what Luke says make sense. The bezels are mouldings and the "fake chrome" is almost certainly vacuum metallised- thats the usual way to do it. Its likely that Mazda would find that using the standard lenses is much easier than perhaps only deleting the metallising for the bezel - its a cheaper part and easier to mould than the PC lenses. The second last series of Magnas had a version which used painted bezels behind standard lenses and it looked good but a real pain for spare parts - i.e. the headlamp was only serviced as a complete unit. GM might be right- the performance should be pretty good