Opinions sought -- TYC headlights & Lumen LEDs

[Lewis&Clark]

I'm considering replacing my worn out OEM headlights with TYC headlights from carid.com.

I have ruled out all other aftermarket suppliers; the TYCs seem to be the closest to OEM quality, and are warrantied for the life of their install in the car as long as they're put in by a licensed professional.

Anyone have any opinions either way on the TYCs?

carid.com also lists Lumen LED bulbs right next to the TYCs. I'd love to swap out my crappy halogens for the LEDs -- I have zero interest in spending the money on a full retrofit system. So wondering if anyone has opinions about these Lumens too?

I have a 2008 Limited, V8.

dt

 

[triethylborane]

Ive used TYC illuminated side markers on other vehicles, after inspection they appeared to be at OEM quality. I cannot remark on the specific headlights you want, though I have looked at replacing mine and TYC on rockauto are probably the way I will go. Since the warranty likely does not cover UV radiation and other environmental conditions that damage the plastic, it is not a critical factor IMHO, but if its important to you, have it installed in accordance with the conditions of the warranty.

 

[1020th]

Just installed new TYC headlight assemblies on my 08 4Runner Limited. Excellent quality and fitment is perfect. Didn't even have to adjust the headlight aim. I chose CougerMotor LED low beam and high beam bulbs. Love this setup.

 

[hankd]

tyc headlamp assemblies in my 05. look great and fitment is great too.

 

[klavender1]

Have you thought about having your headlights cleaned up and clearcoated? Had that done on the Miata years ago and have held up great.

 

[LOSTR4]

Can you guys provide some photos of the results with your chosen headlight setups!? I'm rocking the TYC and thought they were great but upgrading to LED would be great too...right now, I'm using some HID bulbs for low beams and HIR for the Highs...great setup, just looking dated next to my Tundra now

 

[fefe_grn210]

Have you thought about having your headlights cleaned up and clearcoated? Had that done on the Miata years ago and have held up great.

+1, the '08 headlights already has projectors and nothing would quite beat the usable light output produced by factory-designed headlights. If the lenses aren't ruined from the inside due to condensation, I'd consider having a detailer restore the lenses then install a fresh pair of lightbulbs (check out the H11-to-H9 mod for increased output).

 

[klavender1]

We did the H11-H9 mod in the gf's CT. Great upgrade for the money!
For my 2003 4Runner, I installed 9012 HIRs. Also a really good cheap upgrade.

 

[Matthew_H]

I'm actually in the market for new headlamps since mine are incredibly foggy, so I'm glad I stumbled across this thread. I'm curious about two things:

1. Any reason you settled on the TYC over other brands? They all mostly look the same, so just wondering if there's a secret here I need to know about...
   
2. For those that have already swapped out: since new assemblies include the projector lens, do they mostly stick to the same focus pattern as the factory lens, or is it hit and miss?

I've thought about polishing the existing ones, and I still might (If I'm planning to replace them, I'm not really out much by trying to salvage these ones first), but I've had poor experiences with that in the past. The last headlamps I had polished (on an old Jeep) only lasted for a few months or so before they started fogging up again.

 

[klavender1]

I've thought about polishing the existing ones, and I still might (If I'm planning to replace them, I'm not really out much by trying to salvage these ones first), but I've had poor experiences with that in the past. The last headlamps I had polished (on an old Jeep) only lasted for a few months or so before they started fogging up again.

If you clearcoat them, they won't fog up again so soon. They originally get cloudy because the protective coating is starting to break down. When you polish them up you are removing this protective coating. So it's important to put another protective coating like a clearcoat to prevent that. I used a local body shop for the Miata headlights. They charged me $100 but they look brand new again. It's just really hard to beat OEM headlights when it comes to things like not leaking, proper beam placement, etc.

 

[1020th]

From what I've heard the TYC brand is an OEM brand. Maybe not original for Toyota but they are high quality aftermarket from a reputable company.

 

[Matthew_H]

If you clearcoat them, they won't fog up again so soon. They originally get cloudy because the protective coating is starting to break down. When you polish them up you are removing this protective coating. So it's important to put another protective coating like a clearcoat to prevent that. I used a local body shop for the Miata headlights. They charged me $100 but they look brand new again. It's just really hard to beat OEM headlights when it comes to things like not leaking, proper beam placement, etc.

Went ahead and got a polish kit from Walmart (Rain-X brand) and I'm actually quite surprised with how well it turned out. We'll see how long they last. Better than paying $100/ea for new lenses.