Dorman Replacement Headlights

[2002 Maxima SE]

Does anyone have experience with replacement headlights by Dorman?

I used them for the overflow/expansion tank on my 2000 Ford Taurus and found it to be a quality part. Their headlights sell for about $50 - $60 a pop which seems reasonable. I've heard of fitment issues and premature wear on non OEM headlights. Thanks in advance!

http://www.rockauto.com/en/moreinfo.php?pk=5652156&jsn=4

 

[Vern_in_IL]

optically they are [censored].

Fitment is questionable, but they are better than nothing!

Once headlights are yellowed or broken, even the junkie aftermarkets are good. However, if you can get OEM from the dealer, that is what you want.(as long as the OEM is a good design, most are these days)

The OEM will have good optics, and you should replace in pairs.

 

[2002 Maxima SE]

Thanks Vern. That's what I figured. I just replaced my LH with a junkyard OEM on ebay (out of a 2005 Taurus). It looks almost brand new compared to the lamp it replaced.

I have been using Plastx (and the Mequiars Headlight Protectant) on the lenses but after a while, the lamps would yellow by the end of the week.

 

[Wolf359]

I had a 2001. Never got around to replacing the headlights before getting rid of it. I did a wet sand on them and then just used Blue Magic headlight restorer on it. It would last about 3-4 months at which time I'd have to do it again. The bottle never ran it, did that for a few years before getting rid of the car. I'm sure there's probably other products out there, but for about $5, I couldn't really complain. There's youtube videos of people who would spray the headlight with UV protectant afterwards, but I never went that far.

 

[Ethan1]

Aftermarket lamps don't produce a beam or pattern so much as they produce a Jackson Pollack-like splatter of light. This is readily apparent if you replace 1 lamp and point the car towards a wall, or if you replace both lamps and realize later that night that there is a large triangular patch of dark road directly in front of your car (true story).

The other very common failure is adjusters which turn but don't do anything. This is especially difficult to discern when the flimsy mount tabs are allowing the whole headlight assembly to wiggle every time you touch it.

No aftermarket headlamp fits quite like OEM, but some are so far off that they won't even bolt up (this is pretty rare, thankfully).

Then, you have lamps with improper or damaged wiring. It's real cute when everything works except the turn signal. That actually happened to me yesterday day on two aftermarket lamps, different brands, different causes, same vehicle.

 

[Ethan1]

And by the way, a Chinese factory will put "Meets FMVSS 108" on a box without even asking what that means!

 

[901Memphis]

Unfortunately the oem headlights are poor to begin with, so a junky aftermarket housing certainly won't help any.

I never realized how bad the lights on my 99 Taurus were until I got my Buick Century, which was used at the time. I replaced the buick housings recently with new oem parts and some 9011/9012 and they are awesome now.

 

[KingCake]

I've never had problems with TYC headlight housings.

 

[901Memphis]

Originally Posted By: KingCake
I've never had problems with TYC headlight housings.


It's almost impossible to tell unless you put them on an optical aiming machine which reveals the poor optics of inferior housings.

 

[KingCake]

Originally Posted By: 901Memphis
Originally Posted By: KingCake
I've never had problems with TYC headlight housings.


It's almost impossible to tell unless you put them on an optical aiming machine which reveals the poor optics of inferior housings.


If it's impossible to tell then they're perfect replacements, aren't they? You're living in a dream world. Go pour some more leak stop in your old nissan.

 

[Vikas]

Frankly, if you have one after market headlight, it is trivial to notice the difference between it and the remaining OEM one.