mmike325

My car, 2011 Ls 460 sports, was involved in car accident. The front end including bumper and both headlights should be replaced.

Allstate is my insurance company, and they want me to replace both headlights with old OEM parts.

My concern is that the brightness of both side can be different because they are used OEM headlights.

Should I call insurance company to replace with New aftermarket headlights?

Please give me some advice.

yyymmm31

Saw that you are in California. Per California law, you are entitled to your choice of repair shop. So, select a Lexus collision repair center for the repair. Once your car is in a Lexus shop, let Lexus technicians take over the selection of parts. By Lexus repair standards, they will give you a life time warranty for the repair (as long as you own the car) but they will need to use new Lexus OE parts for the repair. A few years ago, when my car was in a Lexus collision repair center, the insurance wanted to use aftermarket parts to reduce the cost of the repair. However, the Lexus repair shop refused to use after market parts, because they wouldn't give the life-time warranty if they used non-OE parts per their warranty policy. The adjuster tried to talk me into accepting the after market parts by waiving the Lexus life time repair warranty. Of course I didn't want to give it up. As a result, my insurance company (Costco Ameriprise) allowed the Lexus collision repair center to use new OE parts for the repair. And the Lexus shop did a great job. After the repair, the color was matched so well that few people could tell that the car had ever been repaired. The Lexus collision center technician said that few, if any, after market body parts could match the precision (the fit gap between parts) of OE parts. Try to use a Lexus collision repair center. Good luck.

mmike325

@yyymmm31 are you referring to lexus collision repair center as a local body shop that lexus dealer would recommend? is there official lexus collision repair center directly run by official lexus dealership??

I called the lexus dealer but they said I should go body shop to repair front end. I think official dealer only take care of inside parts. My car is 2011 LS so insurance company (allstate) wouldn't replace with New OEM headlights. It seems my current option is either Old OEM or new aftermarket headlights.

yyymmm31

Yes, they are Lexus Collision Centers certified by Lexus and they are usually part of a Lexus dealer. The life-time warranty (as long as you own your car) is good with all Lexus Collision Centers nationally. Over the years, I had my cars repaired at three Lexus Collision Centers, two in California and one in Florida. In all three cases, the repair jobs were good. Google "Lexus Collision Center" and you should find one near you.

mckellyb

Far SW Fort Worth had an official Lexus collision center open not that far from me, in the lasted-less-than-six-months Maserati dealership.

It's positively huge. Furthermore, after shopping around a bit, they're okay on price and what other, higher-end body shops want to replace, time, etc.

Granted, gouging the LF fender and putting shallow gouges in the bumper cover is going to cost me three grand, but this bumper cover has been re-painted, previously, and it's starting to flake/peel a little.

Of any shop, a dedicated Lexus one should be able to do the job closest to what the factory sent out the door.

Don't forget, the LS's paint is hand-sanded, TWICE. Most cars receive what appears to be about 45 seconds in a robo paint booth, making sure to get the body into the oven quickly to make certain the orange peel is preserved for the life of the car (sarcasm).

edit: BTW, the only reason I'm driving my '08 L is because cracked headlamp housings totaled my 2005 RWD, V8, Cadillac STS. $1,150 each.

I should have volunteered to JB Weld/silicone them closed...though I like the LS better.