New Headlight Choices for 2003 Tacoma

For the past few years I've been replacing the headlights with cheap aftermarket pieces whenever the lens cracked up. It's time once again to replace them.

I see prices beginning at ~$58 on eBay and Amazon for a left and right headlight unit without the corner and turn signal lights. I can easily double that cost, depending on which option I choose in either eBay or Amazon, but don't know if the quality is better for that extra cost. RockAuto carries them too, and priced pretty well.

Has anyone replaced their lights with a pair that fits and functions well and holds up for longer than a year or two?

I wish we could get glass lensed headlights here in the US.

 

I got mine from Rockauto- CAPA certified. Been six months and so far so good up here in New England. Mine is a DD.

 

I find that if you apply clear bra to plastic headlights, they stay clear pretty much forever.

 

care to elaborate on this? what material did you use? thanks!

 

I purchased a pre-cut 3m clear bra off some website. This was like 9 years ago so I don't remember all of the details. It was for a Lotus Exige which were known to have issues with the headlights clouding up from UV. The fix was to sand it down and spray a automotive grade clearcoat over it. Then you let it cure for a month and then put a clear bra over it and it will last forever. After that many years it still looked perfect up until I sold it last year.

 

My memory was jogged and I remembered that I had the original headlights stuffed in a box in the garage. The one on the left is how I found them. The RH one has been sanded and polished.
Now what can I coat these with to extend their life?

 

you can spray a urethane clear but make sure you prep it right before spraying. And dont use the rattle can clears but some automotive 2 part clear that requires a hardener. Good luck

 

Unfortunately I don't have the background knowledge to do that, I wish I did. I was hoping for some rattlecan clear or some precut Clear Bra application or something.

 

Same

 

This is the stuff I have used and it's pretty much professional quality. You absolutely need to wear a respirator because this has isocyantes in it!!!!

You do three coats, let it dry a few days then wet sand with 2k grit then with a compound polish. It will remove the orange peel and be clear as glass. Because it's a automotive grade clear coat, it will last as long as the clear on your paint but throw a 3m clear bra on it and it will most likely outlast the vehicle.

$41 Eastwood 2k Paint Aerosol Spray Automotive with Long-lasting and Durable Finish 12 Oz Can | Clear Coat

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0743FCN5L?ie=UTF8

 

OP if you use this make sure you follow the instructions and give it the recommended flash times between coats