Who makes GOOD replacement headlamp assemblies?

[Bottom_Feeder]

The headlamps on my wife's 2002 Corolla are fogged over and have not responded well to the usual fixes, so replacements are in order. Looking around, OEM Toyota replacements are $180 per side with aftermarket units coming in between $30 and $60 per. I've found a few brands of varying prices and I assume varying quality. TYC seems to be a popular brand and are easily availble. They make a cheap standard replacement for $30 and a CAPA-certified one for $60.

So my questions are, are TYC products decent? And are CAPA-certified parts worth paying for?

 

[SwampSurvivor]

Are there any options of a junkyard locally?

 

[Hokiefyd]

Only buy geniune Toyota assemblies. Anything else is potentially junk, with poor beam patterns and durability.

 

[Bottom_Feeder]

Originally Posted By: Miller88
Are there any options of a junkyard locally?

Not really, not around here.

 

[HerrStig]

Originally Posted By: Bottom_Feeder
The headlamps on my wife's 2002 Corolla are fogged over and have not responded well to the usual fixes, so replacements are in order. Looking around, OEM Toyota replacements are $180 per side with aftermarket units coming in between $30 and $60 per. I've found a few brands of varying prices and I assume varying quality. TYC seems to be a popular brand and are easily availble. They make a cheap standard replacement for $30 and a CAPA-certified one for $60.

So my questions are, are TYC products decent? And are CAPA-certified parts worth paying for?
I have had good luck with "1A Autoparts, a Massachusetts outfit with a big website. Side markers and lamps for Gen 4 Toyotas in my case.

 

[Bottom_Feeder]

Originally Posted By: Hokiefyd
Only buy geniune Toyota assemblies. Anything else is potentially junk, with poor beam patterns and durability.

True, but the CAPA cert is supposed to be somewhat of a guarantee of OEM-like quality. I just don't know if that's really the case.

And $360 for new headlamps on a 11 year old commuter car is a bit steep for me right now.

 

[Donald]

I would go with CAPA. Unless you want to pay for OEM.

What products have you tried to restore the lenses?

 

[Bottom_Feeder]

Originally Posted By: HerrStig
I have had good luck with "1A Autoparts, a Massachusetts outfit with a big website. Side markers and lamps for Gen 4 Toyotas in my case.

1A Auto keeps coming up in searches, but the headlamps an office friend got for his Chevy pickup (he had them shipped here) were terribly cheesy, one of which leaked water inside after the first rain it saw. That's scared me away.

 

[Artem]

Originally Posted By: Hokiefyd
Only buy geniune Toyota assemblies. Anything else is potentially junk, with poor beam patterns and durability.


I agree with this statement. My 98 Camry had perfect lights when new with amazing beam pattern and quality. It got the front end replaced the first time it was in an accident and I'm guessing it got repaired with quality lamps because the lights worked very well at night.

A few years goes by and it T-bones a Civic and I decide to do the repairs by myself. New radiator support, front engine mount, radiator, condenser, hood, fenders and of course the lights. Everything except the radiator support was purchased through a local aftermarket company with a good reputation for quality parts. Everything seems nice expect... you guessed it, the headlights. They SUCK! it's light a disco ball, shooting lasers / lines out in front of the car. I couldn't stand it and within a few months, purchased OEM lights on ebay for cheaper then the local dealership was offering (free shipping + no tax as well as a better price overall). They shine PERFECT!

Learn from my mistake and purchase OEM replacements. Some parts should just be OEM as the cheap aftermarket alternative made in China by the lowest bidder = PURE [censored]!

 

[Bottom_Feeder]

Originally Posted By: Donald
I would go with CAPA. Unless you want to pay for OEM.

That's what I'm leaning towards.

Originally Posted By: Donald
What products have you tried to restore the lenses?

A Maguire's kit which was more of an abrasive polish that did nothing, and one from 3M (I think?) I borrowed from a friend that used sandpaper which helped only slightly. I just think they are too far gone at this point.

I don't mind spending money on them to fix the issue, but I don't want to [censored] it away, either.

 

[Artem]

^Freakin' "smart" phone... replaces words I meant to type with words it THINKS i need. Oh well, you guys get the point.

 

[Artem]

Originally Posted By: Bottom_Feeder
Originally Posted By: Donald
I would go with CAPA. Unless you want to pay for OEM.

That's what I'm leaning towards.

Originally Posted By: Donald
What products have you tried to restore the lenses?

A Maguire's kit which was more of an abrasive polish that did nothing, and one from 3M (I think?) I borrowed from a friend that used sandpaper which helped only slightly. I just think they are too far gone at this point.

I don't mind spending money on them to fix the issue, but I don't want to [censored] it away, either.


I find it hard to believe that they are so oxidized that properly sanding them down and polishing wouldn't make them better. How have you been driving around all this time with the headlights looking like poop?

 

[Hokiefyd]

Originally Posted By: Bottom_Feeder
1A Auto keeps coming up in searches, but the headlamps an office friend got for his Chevy pickup (he had them shipped here) were terribly cheesy, one of which leaked water inside after the first rain it saw. That's scared me away.


Only buy OEM headlamps.

You got your first clue from your co-worker, with poor experience with aftermarket. You got your second clue from fellow member Artem above, with poor experience with aftermarket. Here's a third, from me, with a picture: guess which fog lamp below is the OEM one, and which is the "OEM equivalent" from the aftermarket.

 

[Bottom_Feeder]

Thanks for the replies, all.

 

[Vikas]

Only buy OEM headlight. My Camry has insurance replacement and even though the glass is clearer and more white, the beam is quite bad. If I had known about it, I would have insisted on OEM during the repairs.

 

[HerrStig]

What's interersting about this is the comments made by Consumer Reports about headlight quality on the new cars they test. (Yes, some of us look at more than what gadgets are on the dash)
Some are really good, some are average, and some are just poor, right from the factory.

 

[Hokiefyd]

Ironically, headlamps that are comfortable or pleasing to drive behind are those that have a wash of light right in front of the vehicle. They typically reduce down-road vision because of the foreground light. Headlamps that are more effective at putting light down the road are often characterized as "poor" because of less foreground light, even though they're actually more effective at their job.

Headlamp engineers have that fine line to dance all the time. Design a lamp that is both effective and subjectively "good". Those are sometimes mutually exclusive.