QUESTION ON Reflector to projector headlight 2014

Are you saying these lights are the same poor quality as the cheap ebay ones at 1/3 the price?

 

Use the search function here and you'll find some interesting stuff. The first thing you want to look for is actual user experience with the various lights and how they compare with an OEM light in good condition. You won't find much at all because if you spend a grand on headlights that don't really work very well, are you going to advertise that fact? The few comments you will find by anybody who actually knows what they're talking about are not complimentary.

Next, look for reviews / comments by our resident lighting expert @crashnburn80 on the lights. He's about as expert and unbiased as it gets - and he's not at all impressed.

Third, be aware that since the Chinese don't worry much about things like patents and intellectual property, the contract manufacturers that make the lights sell them out the side door to other folks for far less - and these end up on eBay. Worse yet, some of the lights are knocked off / copied by other manufacturers with even less lighting experience and they perform even worse than the poorly performing originals.

In short, go through that post from @crashnburn80 on the Ultimate Headlight Upgrade and pay special attention to the parts where he reviews the performance of actual OEM housings and why they're actually worth the extra money over aftermarket.

Hope that helps!

 

Good point about the reviews lol, I would've figured Morimoto would produce a quality light with their name on it.
I would never buy those ebay projector lights, the oem output is better. I'll reread @crashburn80 post, it's been awhile.

Thanks.

 

Depends on if you just want to replace your headlights because of hazing over. I replaced a set with some cheap aftermarket headlights in an older accord, like $80 for the pair lol. Guess what? They’ve been just fine, even came with bulbs. Sure it’s a gamble perhaps but spending a thousand bucks on a set is a waste of money and a bigger gamble if you just want new headlights.

 

Correct. Buy once right or buy twice.

 

Yep, I learned my lesson years ago that I can't afford to buy crap. That's why I drive a Toyota.

 

The large 2nd Gen reflectors are more performant than quality halogen projectors. Take a look at the post below where @daveeasa put my 2nd Gen headlight numbers in the same chart with my 3rd Gen performance numbers to easily compare, and this is using a high quality OEM projector. Using a low quality aftermarket assembly will return significantly worse numbers for projectors than shown here. If you are doing a custom retrofit, using a quality projector that is a different story, but as far as an off the shelf projector headlight solution for 2nd Gen, that would be something to avoid.

 

How bad are your headlights? You can restore them very easily if they aren't getting hairline cracks in them. Here is my process that has been working on many vehicles for close to 5 years without being garaged. I personally think this is better than the OEM coating used on many manufactures lights.

1. Remove headlights from vehicle
2. Dry sand with 340g sandpaper until you know all the factory coating is removed. You'll be able to see it pretty clearly. It doesn't take long either. I like 3m autobody grade sand paper.
3. Wet sand with 340g (for the liquid I like to add 1-2 drops of Dawn to a 32oz spray bottle, don't add more soap than that)
4. Wet sand 600g until all of the 340g scratches are out.
5. Wet sand 800g until uniform. STOP SANDING!!!! DO NOT USE ANY FINER GRIT SAND PAPER!!!!
6. Clean the lens well with Isopropyl Alcohol or Automotive wax and grease remover.
7. Prep your paint area. This NEEDS to be outside or in a garage with massive airflow. Wear a Mask, gloves and eye protection. I cannot stress how important the mask is with Spraymax!
8. Grab your Spraymax 2k Clear Glamour and read the directions!

$24 USC SprayMax 2K Glamour High Gloss Aerosol Clear

https://www.amazon.com/SprayMax-Glamour-Gloss-Aerosol-Clear/dp/B0082LJMC6
9. Follow the directions and spray your headlights. The first coat won't make them clear yet....it's ok. The 2nd and 3rd coat will. Use the whole can for the headlights, it's useless after 24hrs anyways.
10. If you get any runs or orange peel, don't worry about it, don't touch it, don't blow on it, just stare at it and keep coating the headlight.
11. After the product has dried fully you can now take care of those runs or orange peel by wet sanding with some 2000g sand paper and the same solution in step 3. Then you just get those cheap foam 3" drill polisher pads and some decent polish and polish away. I personally like Meguairs M110 and M210 compounds.

Like I said before. This process usually ends up with a better result than OEM. The reason I highlighted the importance of stopping at 800g sand paper is because the clear coat needs something to bond to. Without being able to use a primer, you are relying on the mechanical adhesion of the clear coat to the 800g scratches in the lens. It comes out crystal clear! Some people recommend going up to 1000g but seeing as the clarity between 800 and 1000 being the same, I like knowing the mechanical adhesion is that much stronger on the 800g lens.

Make sure to use ONLY Spraymax 2k Clear Glamour OR a legit automotive clear coat you mix and spray out of a gun. Any single part clear coat will not last as long as a 2 part clear like the ones mentioned.