drewkeen
Veteran Member
Looking for a set of these, any suggestions?
My regular vendors I use from the board don't seem to carry them.
My regular vendors I use from the board don't seem to carry them.
Where to get Glass Lenses for MKIV Headlights?
- Thread starter drewkeen
- Start date
Strider17
Veteran Member
- Joined
- Apr 5, 2016
- Location
- Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
- TDI
- Beetle(sold) MK4 Golf TDI(sold) Mk4 Jetta TDI(parted out) MK4 Golf GTI w/ALH swap (built then parted out) 2015 Passat TDI Highline (current)
amazon
Rrusse11
Veteran Member
Lots on Ebay.
drewkeen
Veteran Member
No difference in quality between those Chinese ones and others?
Celco
Veteran Member
Bought my first set of lens on vxtuning origianlly. Installed easy enough and looked good on the car. Ended up looking fine and clear until I got a stone chip. Coupled that with a bad projector retrofit (tried to reinvent the wheel mounting the projector, and got into too much modification), I just swapped them with a new set of retrofit lights recently.
This second set I think I purchased a cheap China pair on eBay. They too seem fine so far. Install did not come with the black sealer tape, so I ordered a roll of that buytl rope sealer separately. Seemed like everthing lined up, but noticed one issue on the cheap lens. One of the clips won't stay latched. Seems like there's an under-molded feature, so the latch doesn't have enough meat to grip to. 3 of 4 ain't bad though.
I'm sure some small wave imperfections we're noticed in any lens I've seen so far, but nothing hurt the fit or light projection. And at the end of the day.... SOOooo much better then plastic lens!
Conclusion, check of the vxtuning kit that comes with the sealer (don't have to mess around looking for a place to purchase). Or any should be fine.
This second set I think I purchased a cheap China pair on eBay. They too seem fine so far. Install did not come with the black sealer tape, so I ordered a roll of that buytl rope sealer separately. Seemed like everthing lined up, but noticed one issue on the cheap lens. One of the clips won't stay latched. Seems like there's an under-molded feature, so the latch doesn't have enough meat to grip to. 3 of 4 ain't bad though.
I'm sure some small wave imperfections we're noticed in any lens I've seen so far, but nothing hurt the fit or light projection. And at the end of the day.... SOOooo much better then plastic lens!
Conclusion, check of the vxtuning kit that comes with the sealer (don't have to mess around looking for a place to purchase). Or any should be fine.
Rrusse11
Veteran Member
Got an interesting comment from my guru the other day about glass lenses, "They get stone chips and/or break easily".
Now this is a guy who deals with a lot of Mennonite Amish haulers.
Yeah, it's a bit of a local industry, it does mean that they're doing a lot
of gravel roads. A point to be considered if you spend time offroad.
Now this is a guy who deals with a lot of Mennonite Amish haulers.
Yeah, it's a bit of a local industry, it does mean that they're doing a lot
of gravel roads. A point to be considered if you spend time offroad.
OlyTDI
Veteran Member
If you convert to glass lenses, follow that installation by immediately installing Laminx or equivalent protector film.
I put that over my glass lenses on my Golf a number of years ago and they're still crystal clear. I follow log trucks and gravel trucks and they've not been broken while having to replace a number of windshields...
I put that over my glass lenses on my Golf a number of years ago and they're still crystal clear. I follow log trucks and gravel trucks and they've not been broken while having to replace a number of windshields...
DonL
Veteran Member
What about for replacing with new plastic lenses? Mine are pretty bad and polishing only goes so far. VW dealer said new headlight assemblies are about $225 each. Have to remove the bumper to install. Is there a way to get the plastic lenses only? Probably still requires bumper removal.
drewkeen
Veteran Member
I would still recommend glass over the plastic. I have had the ones on my Jetta for several years and they look much better.
They are very tough - keep in mind plastic will get sand blasted and break too. This is why I was asking about the Chinese ones being decent quality.
They are very tough - keep in mind plastic will get sand blasted and break too. This is why I was asking about the Chinese ones being decent quality.
hskrdu
Top Post Dawg
IME, the glass ones from ebay are almost as good as more expensive versions from specialty vendors. I'd still get them from a vendor that supports Fred's, but that's a dwindling number. Glass is (IMO) much better than poly, and yes, cover them with some 3M or equivalent clear bra, lamin-x, x-pel, etc.
^^^ From someone who is well-versed in lighting!
I went glass on mine, with Lamin-X of course, after having pondered this for a LONG time, and also because my blue Golf came with glass lenses (I've GOT to get Lamin-X on those!), and because I had the front end pulled off following body work. I'd heard that one can put the Lamin-X over the plastic lenses and that that would keep the dulling away (from the plastic lenses); I was too chicken to test this. I'll be doing the same thing on the wife's car when I look to add fog lights (lower grill mounts- thanks again for your insights into all of this).
One of the exceptions to my buy-from-supporting-vendors position. I think i got my lenses from VXtuning as well (or was it ECStuning?).
I went glass on mine, with Lamin-X of course, after having pondered this for a LONG time, and also because my blue Golf came with glass lenses (I've GOT to get Lamin-X on those!), and because I had the front end pulled off following body work. I'd heard that one can put the Lamin-X over the plastic lenses and that that would keep the dulling away (from the plastic lenses); I was too chicken to test this. I'll be doing the same thing on the wife's car when I look to add fog lights (lower grill mounts- thanks again for your insights into all of this).
One of the exceptions to my buy-from-supporting-vendors position. I think i got my lenses from VXtuning as well (or was it ECStuning?).
Rrusse11
Veteran Member
Glass with an applied film, huh, sounds good!
Learn something every day!
Cheers!
Learn something every day!
Cheers!
jackbombay
Top Post Dawg
Polish the stock plastic lens, then apply optilens, they will never crack or break and they will stay clear forever most likely. I hit mine with optilens 4 years ago and they have not yellowed at all.
https://www.amazon.com/OPT-OLC10-Op...UTF8&qid=1511933525&sr=8-1&keywords=Opti-Lens
https://www.amazon.com/OPT-OLC10-Op...UTF8&qid=1511933525&sr=8-1&keywords=Opti-Lens