Headlight costs

Rickstdi · Sep 14, 2014

I'm currently looking to replace BOTH my headlights in my 2002 Jetta.
One is foggy and the other looks pretty new.
Neither appear to be factory, as no printing on the top of the lens.
Why do I want to replace both? They won't adjust and then I realized the insides are loose and not solid or attached to anything.
Does it sound like these are cheap Chinese crap?
This brings me to my main question.
The prices for headlights are all over the place. How do I know what's good and what's bad, for the price? I've seen them start at $36 and go up to $200, each!
I just want stock, no fogs headlights that won't self destruct.
I've also thought about getting used stock ones that I could buff out if needed.
Suggestions?

Das · Sep 14, 2014

What are you looking for? Stock OEM is hella but there are many others out there. Sounds like you do not have quality units.

Rickstdi · Sep 14, 2014

Das said:
What are you looking for? Stock OEM is hella but there are many others out there. Sounds like you do not have quality units.

I guess what I meant was something equal to OEM. (quality wise??)

No, mine are not that good at all.

cmitchell · Sep 15, 2014

I've had the Hella e-codes on mine since 2003. Both still look like new. (Plus the light output is a huge improvement over the OEM units.) I did put some 3M protective film on them, but no clouding or yellowing at all. When you get new ones polish them a couple of times a year with a high quality car polish that has UV protection, and they'll stay nice & clear.

jessabug · Sep 15, 2014

Get a good set of lights and then get some glass lenses to throw on. No more worrying about yellowing. I've had glass e-codes on my GTI for almost 3 years now. I love them.

maxmoo · Sep 15, 2014

jessabug said:
Get a good set of lights and then get some glass lenses to throw on. No more worrying about yellowing. I've had glass e-codes on my GTI for almost 3 years now. I love them.

YUP!
Might as well use the oportunity to improve on crappy originals.
I have a set of e-code hellas with glass lenses for 5 yrs now.
Love them except that since new the adjusters only worked up and down and not side to side.

Rickstdi · Sep 15, 2014

Looks like a lot of happy campers using the e-codes.
I guess that also means adding a new light switch on the dash and having to do some re-wiring for the fogs?

flyingtoaster · Sep 15, 2014

I would recommend glass lenses. Once I polish a poly lens, the haze will begin to return in one month.

nkgagne · Sep 15, 2014

Rickstdi said:
Looks like a lot of happy campers using the e-codes.

I guess that also means adding a new light switch on the dash and having to do some re-wiring for the fogs?

Not required but recommended. A euro light switch is the cleanest way to trigger the fog lights (if so equipped) and also adds the ability to run only parking lights (drive-in anyone?),
only parking and fog (great for the thickest pea soup if you have yellow fog bulbs), and adds the possibility to add rear fog lamp(s) to the car (again, for pea soup). You'll need to purchase the VW headlamp repair wire, x1.5 for the front fogs, x 2.5 for the rear fogs (or x2 for only one side), so get 4. The front fogs should be wired using a relay, and the control circuit should be grounded to the high-beam positive wire, such that the fog lamp relay grounds through the high-beam bulb filament, but opens when the high-beams are energized.

cmitchell · Sep 15, 2014

flyingtoaster said:
I would recommend glass lenses. Once I polish a poly lens, the haze will begin to return in one month.

I was never able to find ecodes with glass lenses for Jettas. Golfs yes, but not Jettas. My plastic lens Hella ecodes are as clear as the day they were installed after almost 12 years. They've always been sporting several coats of Zaino polish ... just like the rest of the car. I didn't mean that worthless headlight polish stuff that comes in a kit.

Just use a good quality car polish with UV protection. That will keep them from hazing in the first place. Once the hazing starts you've lost the battle.

cmitchell · Sep 15, 2014

Rickstdi said:
Looks like a lot of happy campers using the e-codes.
I guess that also means adding a new light switch on the dash and having to do some re-wiring for the fogs?

The ecodes are plug & play with the current switch, but you won't be able to use the fogs. You will need a euro switch & wiring for the fogs. Having the fogs makes the effort totally worthwhile.

flyingtoaster · Sep 16, 2014

cmitchell said:
I was never able to find ecodes with glass lenses for Jettas. Golfs yes, but not Jettas. My plastic lens Hella ecodes are as clear as the day they were installed after almost 12 years. They've always been sporting several coats of Zaino polish ... just like the rest of the car. I didn't mean that worthless headlight polish stuff that comes in a kit. Just use a good quality car polish with UV protection. That will keep them from hazing in the first place. Once the hazing starts you've lost the battle.

I'm using good quality polish, but it is for paint (Menzerna). I'll try using a sealant afterwards. Is Zaino a polish or is it something you layer?

cmitchell · Sep 16, 2014

flyingtoaster said:
I'm using good quality polish, but it is for paint (Menzerna). I'll try using a sealant afterwards. Is Zaino a polish or is it something you layer?

http://zainostore.com/

belome · Sep 16, 2014

I have cheap chinese lights that suck. I want e-codes but I don't know where to get them that aren't imitations. [Plus, I want a good deal too.]

Where can I quality ones at a fair price?

jessabug · Sep 16, 2014

cmitchell said:
I was never able to find ecodes with glass lenses for Jettas. Golfs yes, but not Jettas. My plastic lens Hella ecodes are as clear as the day they were installed after almost 12 years. They've always been sporting several coats of Zaino polish ... just like the rest of the car. I didn't mean that worthless headlight polish stuff that comes in a kit. Just use a good quality car polish with UV protection. That will keep them from hazing in the first place. Once the hazing starts you've lost the battle.

They sell glass lenses on their own so you can pop off plastic ones and glue on the glass ones. That's what a lot of people do.

phaser · Sep 16, 2014

flyingtoaster said:
Once I polish a poly lens, the haze will begin to return in one month.

Not with Crystal View. Easy, fast, effective, and permanent.

http://www.myheadlight.com/

My lenses were terribly foggy, and after researching options, I decided on Crystal View. Best choice I ever made.

.

JB05 · Sep 16, 2014

I went with the projector with angel eye from ebay. Yes, they are from Asia, but with glass lenses. For what I paid, they are not all that bad. No problems so far after almost five years or more. They do have fogs also which I wired and used LED bulbs, and a Euro switch. Don't know if they are available anymore or who the vendor was back then, but at the time they were easy to find.

belome · Sep 16, 2014

Are Helix lights junk?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/VW-MK4-JETT...Parts_Accessories&hash=item2c86553e46&vxp=mtr

JB05 · Sep 16, 2014

Helix is what I think I have. They were a lot cheaper than Hella, and like I said; the quality is not too bad. I do like the glass lenses. I'm thinking of swapping the tiny 194 bulbs in the angle eye to LED's, but that would require head light removal. The only down side with the projector HL's is that there is very little, if any room to change any of the bulbs. I still have the original H7 bulbs, but my DRL's have been turned off for several years now.

belome · Sep 16, 2014

I need to get something soon, won't be long and my commute will be in the dark both ways... and my current headlights SUCK!

I emailed volxtuning to see if they have anything.

Rickstdi · Sep 17, 2014

I've been doing my search for some good lights, i.e. Depo's and suddenly came up with a new question.
I see a lot of headlights with black frames(?).
Does this cut down on usability?

flipper1935 · Sep 18, 2014

jessabug said:
Get a good set of lights and then get some glass lenses to throw on. No more worrying about yellowing. I've had glass e-codes on my GTI for almost 3 years now. I love them.

Hello Jessabug,

Can you share the source for your glass lenses please?

boertje · Sep 18, 2014

Had ecodes in my jetta. Quite frankly they are only slightly better than the factory stock. After having put in VW OEM HID in my bug I saw how bad the jetta lights really are so I decided to put in some real lighting. Freakwitharacket in the vendor section sells retrofitted jetta and golf lights to HID with choice of glass or plastic lenses. They are plug and play. Jeff has done a tremendous job with these lights. They are 55w with AC type ballast. No way I would ever go back to stock nor e-code lights. They are as good as the stock HID units in my bug.

Rickstdi · Sep 18, 2014

boertje said:
Had ecodes in my jetta. Quite frankly they are only slightly better than the factory stock. After having put in VW OEM HID in my bug I saw how bad the jetta lights really are so I decided to put in some real lighting. Freakwitharacket in the vendor section sells retrofitted jetta and golf lights to HID with choice of glass or plastic lenses. They are plug and play. Jeff has done a tremendous job with these lights. They are 55w with AC type ballast. No way I would ever go back to stock nor e-code lights. They are as good as the stock HID units in my bug.

Thanks for the tip.
I just sent him an email.

Headlight costs

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