How much did you pay for your OEM LED headlights?

Yep made a good decision!

 

Are these lights that much better? I put LED bulbs in my factory projectors and I think they are just as good maybe better than in our Camry XSE. I do want to do the fogs but have seen other options like Rigid and Diode Dynamics

 

Just got my tracking number email!

 

Nothing. When I put in my order (allocation reservation?), I specified regular headlights. When the build sheet came back from the factory, it showed the LED lights (a $485 option). The dealer threw them in for free.

 

I just got an order being processed email.

 

Hell yeah. I’m processing. Still waiting for tracking before ordering harness. I hope Dave has plenty in stock.

 

Anyone bought harness from ebay? I've seen them go for under $30.00

 

Like Dave says, why try to save $50 on setting up $1000 headlights?

 

I got mine from @Puppypunter on here:
https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/sr-sr5-oem-led-headlight-harness-v2.736263/

SR5 to Led conversion harness

 

You get what you pay for and the harness i got is quality!!

 

Everyone, don't forget your trim plates since you already have the headlights out. Perfect time for it ~ If your color is in stock*

Headlight Trim Plates – MESO CUSTOMS LLC

 

Yes sir!! Didn’t even know these existed.

 

Get Dave's harness. Includes plugs for the unused marker socket. Also throws in some OEM flare clips which easily get wrecked even removing them once. There's a trick to putting them in though. Took me about 15 minutes of tapping on the flare to get them engaged. I love my LEDs even though there not as bright as the HIDs I had which were awesome. I got the PRO's and got no vtec 4 me to do his magic. Couldn't be happier.

EDIT : The trick with the clips is to put them in the flare first then pop them in the fender holes. Can be a little tight but you can sneak them in by putting them in the slot in the flare then turning 90* with a pair of needle nose. It stays in place in this position. Be careful not to scratch the fender. Maybe put some painters tape if you unsure.

 

By the time it is taxed and shipped it comes to almost $100.00. It's just a bunch of wires which will live under the hood. If everything is properly pinned and sealed then there is no reason for overpaying. I'd rather spent the rest on a clearbra to protect those lights from chipping, but that's me. I just wanted to hear from someone who actually used them, so far reviews on ebay are positive.
Here is one of many: https://www.ebay.com/itm/154893361259

 

Yes, I believe several people have. One guy had a situation where his interior display was doing something super strange (I think this is somewhere in the megathread but a long while back) so I actually sent him the harness out of my truck (I was sold out on connectors at the time) for free so he could get back on the road. He sent me back the eBay harness he was using. It tested out just fine on the bench. And it had nice braided sleeve. The only visual difference I could see is the obvious use of knockoff connectors and terminals which looked slightly different than the OEM terminals. Also it seemed clear that they are/were built by pushing wires in from behind. I assemble mine by feeding from the face. The difference is whether or not they slide into place and click in just the right spot or are possibly jammed into the plastic on the side and not quite flush to the inside face of the plastic front TPA.

I've since had one problem with one of the harnesses I built which I caught while testing where the DRL did not work but the pins were all good. I think it may have been just not quite right and too close / shorting with the adjacent ground. I cut and re-crimped and it worked perfectly but that's one big reason why I test every harness and every circuit. The MX-150 is an interesting style, there is much to like about it, but it's also a little finicky. I suspect, though, that you either get a good one or you don't and you'll know after a few weeks if there is some sort of problem. At the $30 price point it's no big loss if there is a problem.

I exclusively use OEM grade connectors on my harnesses to avoid problems, outside of the sidemarker caps which are generics with OEM plugs for now. Since all they do is provide a waterproof seal against the OEM female I've tried to keep that cost down, but I've recently purchased in larger quantities to the point where future sidemarker caps will actually use OEM connectors to streamline everything. I'm a bit of a stickler for having that 5 digit number on the connector, though really that's just my OCD, plastic is plastic and it fits or it doesn't.

With that said, I am not 100% problem free on these either. Most of the problems I have heard of are resolved by re-seating those pesky h9 connectors and/or properly connecting low and high with correct polarity. Frequently, a quick video chat can get people going, and I've also sent a few replacement harnesses just in case for those unable to connect in real time. With the installation videos others have posted, and the heat shrink labels, I think much of the installation trouble has subsided but it's not entirely zero. I think that's really the major difference, I'm willing to talk shop with people about things, give advice, etc. Mostly because I'm a fellow enthusiast.

I don't really see any problem with the eBay harnesses. It's a global market and that's the price point for something built overseas and mass produced for low margin sales. I don't necessarily love knockoff connectors but a wire to wire connection which doesn't short to ground is all it takes and that boils down to some form of copper and tin, it's not really any more complicated than that.

What I'm doing is philosophically different as I've attempted to describe in my little tidbit at the bottom of my storefront. US assembly, highest quality parts I can find, reasonable support for problem solving, and a few extras / helpers which are nice to have and should make the install a little easier.

I'm somewhat close to just going with cut and crimp on my own truck to save bulk, but I haven't taken that step quite yet. If you really want to save money, two MX-150 connectors and terminals and a pair of crimpers are all you need, you can get that for around $30 and have the tool leftover. The pinouts are in my DIY thread. It's not that hard at all, really it isn't.

Regardless of how you get them wired, you'll be stoked with these headlights, they really are fantastic.

 

Da FUQ?! You have a vendor badge?! How did I miss that?! CONGRATS!

 

That right there, is why you pay the extra $...

 

It's recent, an attempt to help others feel more comfortable, particularly on the headlight harness. Volume has increased a fair bit with these price cuts on the headlights.

I do dream of expanding to actually make a broader range of products. But I'll never attempt to compete with low cost stuff. That's not the game I'm after.

 

@daveeasa harness ftw