Rich -
I hear ya - some people really do prefer the clears, I know, but to my eye the contrast between the dark black paint and the shocking white clearness of the corners is just a bit overwhelming. I like the touch of color the amber stripe provides. Anyway, the completely clear corners would only emphasize how faded and yellowed my headlights are!
All of this is moot anyway, because JCE's 300E has convinced me that I need to follow in his footsteps and upgrade to those Hella 500E lights.
For my checking account's sake, I really have to stop reading this forum.