Basically I did something stupid and ended up crashing the whole headlight assembly. I need to replace the whole assembly. Lexus quoted 90 for labor and Toyota quoted 150 for labor. The Lexus part (ordered from Lexus) is 560; aftermarket parts are available online for $300 approx.

1) Do I buy OEM or aftermarket? I have asked irontoad if they have the part and waiting for a response. Is the difference worth it?

2) Is the replacement something I can do or should I leave it to the dealer?

3) Any online retailers you can recommend?

Thanks

Senthil

For those who are curious- I overestimated road width and took U turn, mistook a tree for a shrub and scratched against it

 

I assume you don't want your insurance company to be involved in this?

I would buy the OEM headlight from whichever dealer/company with the lowest $$$.

Next, you have 2 options:

1) find the dealer charging the least amout of labor $$$.

or

2) do it yourself.

It's a pretty simple job. You'll remove the front bumper cover by unscrewing from the bottom.
Unplug and remove the broken headlight assembly. Plug in the new headlight and test it
by turning on the low/high/fog beam and also the turn signal light. Screw everything back
together...

I had done this before and it took me roughly 1 to 2 hours.

----------------

 

I wouldn't buy aftermarket. I would either buy brand-new or used (recycled from junkyard) OEM.

For $90 labor, I'd leave it to the pro.

 

Does anyone have the instructions for replacing the headlight? I see sleepy's comments, but am just wondering if anyone has the instructions with diagrams.

Thanks!
Eph

 

replacing the headlight is definately do it yourself. it's just 2 10mm nuts and 2 phillips screws.....I believe. I did a how to about 4 years ago I think. I'll see if I can find it.

I would buy one off ebay for 30-90$ save some money, there are plenty of used oem ones floating around on ebay.

 

correction......five years ago =)

https://www.clublexus.com/forums/rx-1st-gen-1999-2003/60691-clear-front-blinker-bulbs-headlight.html

 

I recently checked out replacements for a rear tailight housing on my 2002 RX300. Maybe because '99-'00 owners want 2002 tailights, I couldn't find a used one. Surprisingly, the price of an aftermarket was about the same as an OEM one from Irontoad.com. I know it's from the opposite side of the car, but I thought my experience might help.

 

I would go (and did) with brand new aftermarket TYC. I think they are better than OEM (the clear lenses don't fade). $77 for each, which includes all the bulbs.
Installation takes ~30 mins. New headlights come with primed metal stripes (black) -- you can paint it to match color or just migrate them from the original headlights.

 

Junkyard all the way. While your at it, swab some alcohol in the light assembly to get rid of any yellowing.

 

Are you serious? OEM headlights are made of polycarbonates coated with UV absorber. The polycarbonate is not UV stable.

Most of UV absorbers are organic and that thin layer usually will disappear within 5-7 years. The coating is turning yellow because it is shot, once the UV absorber begins to breakdown you get yellow. The layers of coating stuff off the outside as the UV absorber breaks down and then you have exposed PC, which weathers much worse than the coating.

The information that one can clean degraded polycarbonate with alcohol is BS. All polycarbonates have very high resistance to alcohols, alkaloids, oils, and even Peanut Butter. On the other hand, some organic UV absorbers can be dissolved with 95% methyl alcohol. People keep stating they polish headlights and fix them. If you are able to polish them up, you are removing the coating, they are dead after the coating is gone.

Alternatively, aftermarket TYC headlights are made of semi-tempered Polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA or just Acrylic Glass). Those don’t have any coatings. PMMA molecules have great UV stability compared to polycarbonates. Yes, PMMA is softer and less scratch resistant that PC, but it is polishable.

 

I have had my oem's for over 5 years......they came off of an early 2001 model so I'm sure they are close to 7 years old now and don't have a hint of yellow to them yet................oem should be ok unless he plans to keep his rx for another 10 years.

 

He said "swab some alcohol ... to get rid of any yellowing."

 

I stand corrected Stacey Augman; I say this because you two should share the same nickname.

 

lol........meetya is definately up on his plastics.

 

got ya.........missed that part. i was just stating that used oem is a good choice as they have lasted me 5 + years with no hint of yellow, now buying used ones that are already have the yellowing is no good.