Any experience with Headlamp Assemblies from Rock Auto ?

I bought my son a 2011 Tacoma (pre-runner). Current headlights have DRL melting and some serious exterior scratches from a near accident. My son is 16 and I'm not willing to spend $600-$800 on OEM headlamp assemblies on a truck that my son might wreck in his teen years.

Rock Auto has two options -- 1) Various MFGs (Regular, Economy, NSF, CAPA) ranging from $64 to $136 and 2) TYC assemblies (NSF & CAPA Certified) ranging from $87 - $126.

Has anyone replaced their headlamp assemblies with Rock Auto parts ? Any problems, concerns or issues ?

 

FYI -- I bought 2 assemblies (NSF certified) from Rock Auto. Took 60-90 minutes to put them in. They look great & no leaks or condensation

 

I replaced the front assemblies on my Suburban with TYC from Rock Auto. Easy to swap, work great, so far so good. It’s only been a year though.

 

2001 Chevy 2500hd headlights...all good!

 

Bodyshop installed an aftermarket TYC headlight assembly on the driver's side of my truck after hitting a deer. Within about 2 years it started to show some hazing and yelllowing. The OEM headlight assembly on the passenger side is still as clear as the day I drove the truck off the lot in 2014.

 

you bought him the truck!!!! he can't fork over the money for new headlights? Can he wetsand and reseal?
not tryi g to be a jerk...for all I know your son is in a wheel chair and can't do that kind of work...just figured if he bought them with his own money he might be more inclined to take care of it , or at the least learn some maintenance skills?

Seriously I hope I am not aounding like a jerk...just figured you already bought him the truck!

 

I've bought both TYC and Depo. Both capa certified. The TYC brand I've had to replace in less than a year due to condensation inside the housing. The Depo brand is still good.

 

Depending on what kind of care you take of the housings and how long you're planning on keeping the truck, replacement / aftermarket housings might be all you need. If you keep a good coat of synthetic sealant on them, they'll resist oxidation for much longer that if you don't. If you get CAPA Certified housings, they're less likely to suffer from water intrusion. That said, the optics of virtually every aftermarket housing are inferior to OEM. You truly get what you pay for here.

 

Used several headlight assembly's from Rock Auto over the years, various vehicles. Never an issue. The CAPA's are probably worth the extra coin, but I've used the 'economy' line in some cases (work car) & the fit & finish was fine. One long term DD I still have and no hazing or moisture (4yrs). YMMV.