after market headlight vs oem? NEED URGENT ADVICE

timaishu

timaishu

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A member of a car forum I am member of is selling a brand new OEM drivers side headlight and brand new aftermarket driver & passenger headlights. My car is a 2005 Nissan Altima.

My drivers side is really yellowed and faded. It has been polished so many times that it is totally a different color now. Its beyond making clear at this point. My passenger side headlight on the otherhand was replaced in 2009. The clearcoat on this one is beginning to fail near the top. It shows fracturing and one hazy spot. The rest of it is fine though. I figure with this one, to match the new one, I could sand it down and use that new optiumum headlight opticoat stuff, or I could take it somewhere to get proper clear shot on to it.

So here are my options. For 90 bucks I can have a brand new oem headlight. Then I can refinish my other one to match the new look(and hope whatever I coat or spray on to it last as long as the OEM light). Or I could get a set of brand new aftermarket lights for half the price. I could coat these lights to preserve the clear so it lasts even longer than normal.

My only concern though is that I have never dealt with aftermarket lights before. Will the beam pattern/light output be the same? Will the clear on these last anywhere near as long as OEM/ Unfortunetly he is is unusre of the brand, but he sent me pics showing the OEM next to the aftermarket and they look exactly the same.

What do you folks think I should buy/do? He is holding them for me atm for me to decide. I dont want to wait too long though and have him sell either on to someone else.

Aftermarket left, oem right.
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Ok the only thing you have to worry about is throwing a code. Are they plug and play? If they are you should be fine.
 
On an 05 car i would go with the aftermarket and repalce them both.
 
Pureshine said:
Ok the only thing you have to worry about is throwing a code. Are they plug and play? If they are you should be fine.
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Im sure they are. I have pictures of the rear and it looks to have just one plug.
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WAXOFF said:
On an 05 car i would go with the aftermarket and repalce them both.
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Thats what I was thinking. If all things are the same(light output/cut off/clarity/durability) I would go with the aftermarket. I honestly would rather not have to deal with sanding my light and coating it. But I will if need be.
 
I found out that they are branded "Eagle Eyes". Anyone have any personal experience with these lights?
 
timaishu said:
Will the beam pattern/light output be the same? Will the clear on these last anywhere near as long as OEM.
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The light output is not determined by your headlight housing, its determined by the BULB wattage, lumens output etc. Since your only replacing the headlight assembly, nothing will change. Also, aftermarket headlight's clearcoats usually dont last as long as OEM. Like Smack said, OEM>Aftermarket.

Pureshine said:
Ok the only thing you have to worry about is throwing a code.
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A code for Headlights? As far as I know (Im an ex-ASE Certified Tech) there is no such thing as an OBDll code out there for headlight systems. OBDll codes are only for emissions, engine & drivetrain performance issues.
 
You might have to worry about the overall material quality. Aside from the outer lens coating failing, you have the inside coating, such as the chrome colored paint bubbling or peeling from bulb heat (even some OEM assemblies do this) or the housing seal leaking water a lot sooner than normal. IMO, I would go with a used factory assembly.

CM8 6MT said:
A code for Headlights? As far as I know (Im an ex-ASE Certified Tech) there is no such thing as an OBDll code out there for headlight systems. OBDll codes are only for emissions, engine & drivetrain performance issues.
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I've never heard of this on any vehicle either.
 
So a brand new light is 125. Think I should get the oem one. And wait till I can save up for a brand new replacement of the other one?
 
Man this is a tough decision. Im only doing this just because the opportunity has presented itself. I had no previous plans to replace my headlights otherwise..

So its either 55 shipped for two. Or 90 shipped for a single OEM. And I either refinish my other on or then buy the other OEM light for 125. Thats a lot of money for a college kid.
 
Pureshine said:
I know I've seen led cause problems before.
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They still don't throw codes. They might mess with your cruise control if they hyper flash from needing resistors if the vehicle in question has a brake light and signal that run off the same bulb.

For what its worth, I have aftermarket headlights and fog lights on my truck. They've been on for about three years and look as good as the day I got them. Outside 24/7 and the most I do is seal them with whatever LSP I use on the truck.
 
timaishu said:
Man this is a tough decision. Im only doing this just because the opportunity has presented itself. I had no previous plans to replace my headlights otherwise..

So its either 55 shipped for two. Or 90 shipped for a single OEM. And I either refinish my other on or then buy the other OEM light for 125. Thats a lot of money for a college kid.
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I say take the risk, I really don't think there is one anyway, with the aftermarket ones. Best case scenario, they end up being better than OEM. Worst case, they begin to fall apart and you learn a lesson. The OEM may do the same. Not trying to start a war, but I see a lot of newish (2-3 years) foreign cars with oxidized or deteriorating OEM headlights. That goes for all foreign cars, luxury, economy, whatever.
 
Chris's FX4 said:
I say take the risk, I really don't think there is one anyway, with the aftermarket ones. Best case scenario, they end up being better than OEM. Worst case, they begin to fall apart and you learn a lesson. The OEM may do the same. Not trying to start a war, but I see a lot of newish (2-3 years) foreign cars with oxidized or deteriorating OEM headlights. That goes for all foreign cars, luxury, economy, whatever.
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I know what you mean. My OEM "new" headlight started going bad last year. So it failed after only 3 years.

I am getting them for a good price too. He is selling from less than half of what they are worth new.
 
timaishu said:
I know what you mean. My OEM "new" headlight started going bad last year. So it failed after only 3 years.

I am getting them for a good price too. He is selling from less than half of what they are worth new.
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If your OEM failed after three years what can you lose by replacing both with aftermarket? Do it.
 
Even better. He said he will include all the neccessary bulbs. And smack, it was actually more like 3.5 years, but still. They didnt last very long.

I think Im gonna take the eagle eyes and just keep my other ones as backup/restoration practice.
 
timaishu said:
Even better. He said he will include all the neccessary bulbs. And smack, it was actually more like 3.5 years, but still. They didnt last very long.

I think Im gonna take the eagle eyes and just keep my other ones as backup/restoration practice.
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Go for it then.:xyxthumbs:
 
Thought Id update this..

Recieved the two headlight todays and they look fantastic.

One big issue though. He sent me two PASSENGER sides lights................... He mentioned buying these without ever using them. So I am unsure if he ever opened the second box. Regardless, I am quite upset and I hope he and I can work something out. UGH.

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