Took out the jag out of the shed yesterday getting her ready to prowl the streets again. Now the OCD kicks in as we detail for the first ride of the year. And it's headlights again, while I have been a fan of 3m's headlight restoration kit and have used twice with outstanding results without respraying the lens with some sort of UV protectant it just fads again over time. My headlights are the only thing on the exterior that needs attention that my eyes can pick up. Also have a few other issues, passenger side headlight is no longer working. Main bulb out. Drivers side headlight has a puddle bulb? that has melted the area around it and dropped about an inch in the housing?? Still works but obviously needs attention.
So just did a quick price check with forum sponsor SNG Barratt on a new O.E.M. set and that took a lot of wind out of my sails. $4600.00 to $5000.00 ish depending on the vin number for the pair.
We could go with used but have no idea if what I would be buying has not been polished in the past giving me essentially what I already have, tired lights that look ok. I will check with nearest dealership to see what that price would be. Any ideas anybody has would be appreciated.
If necessary I will pay the 5 grand to make my cat shine but I sure don't want to have that conversation with the wolf.

 

A body shop?

 

They could give me the uv coating I need to prevent fading but even after polishing at best my headlights are 5 footers as some of the cracks in the lenses are too deep to polish out. That and one of my housings has issues so I at minimum need to replace one headlight complete and put in a new bulb and polish the other... Again.
One new headlight and one used polished will not fly with even my eyes.
Anyone know off hand if the main bulbs interchangeable left to right?
I need a set off used headlights off a car that was stored inside everyday until its last day. Tough to do when most likely I will be unable to view in person before purchasing.
Salvage yards use a number system to rate some parts for condition/pricing. Would I be looking for a pair of number 1's or 5's? Not sure which way it goes.

 

these are the kits myself and others warn people about. after two uses your plastic housings are probably severely compromised. take it to a professional. they will apply a clearcoat that can last a couple of years and they will do it in as best conditions as anyone can, short of the factory itself.

without that factory-impregnated coating, because of those cheap kits, UV is clouding up an increasingly greater thickness of the plastic. it's not just a couple microns on the surface it's worse every time. so, the sooner the better.

 

ah! you posted just as i was writing my reply. yeah, in that position i would get the replacement assemblies. unfortunately i can't speak to the process of part-pulling reasonably good used ones, i think i would just pay the $5k.

 

These headlights are super easy to remove off the car. I had to do one and fix the wiring for the AFS on my drivers side. I'd pull them, get the exact part number and look on ebay. I also had my headlights professionally redone during a ceramic coating of the car (they got $50 for the pair and put a UV clear coat on it); so I'd buy on function and on ones that can be redone.

For Salvage Yards, use Car-Part.com; you'll see photos and then you can literally contact the junkyard; I've done this over the phone and gotten more info and pictures before for parts; sometimes finding diamonds in the rough. I am not associated with car-part and its literally like ebay for junkyards. Maybe find a pair of lights on a car that got hit in the rear. I would absolutely not be putting out 5k for headlights on a X150 and would wait for the right deal to pop up.

 

5K can get you a lot of goodies/upgrades.

I would save the money and go with a restoration job or used ones if available.

Consider a 'new' unit was probably built years ago anyway, and isn't really 'new' at all.

 

They should have stayed with the glass headlights like the 97-2006 XK8. Glass doesn't have problems.

 

Main bulbs are the same whether left or right. About $125 per bulb.

 

After scouring the web yesterday I have found that the mounting tabs on these headlight assemblies must be very fragile as not one is currently available with AFS without broken, missing or repaired mounting tabs. I did find one with all the tabs present but the lens had been removed and reattached. I spect to be polished. Most seem to be in faded condition. Anywhere from $345.00 to $1300.00 which includes the broken mounting tabs. The search continues.

 

It would seem my girl has been punched in the face and carfax knows nothing. Drivers side headlight, this be the one melting internally above the side marker light for turning. It has a red X ?? on the back of the housing and all mounting tabs are present. This is not a factory mark. This headlight did not come with this car. Passenger side headlight all mounting tabs are broken except one. Odd slight crinkle on passenger side inner fender wall. No damage to anything around headlight assemblies or under car. Things that make you go hmmmm.

After looking at every headlight assembly in the nation at least 3 times over the past couple of weeks it has become apparent that Gin clear XKR headlights are rarer than hen's teeth. I finally found a passenger side at Welsh Enterprises for $1,700.00 used. Also bought from Welsh a new drivers side headlight assembly $3,200.00... that's not a typo. I got the good guy discount and paid $3,000.00. I never was very good. $4,700.00 for a pair of headlights... it was really quite around the supper table last night.

 

that does hurt. flowers and chocolates help?

 

late to this thread, hope I'm not rubbing salt into the wound....

https://sanantonio.craigslist.org/pt...279782746.html

maybe it will help someone else


wj

 

No salt as it will not work/match the other side.

 

Received the first headlight yesterday from Welsh and could not be happier. This was the used grade B headlight and in the pictures it looked to be all but perfect. Well the reason it looked perfect was it is NOS, never installed, it's a new unit. Tabs have never had a bolt tightened on them and all the little crevices are new clean. All the metal components are new clean. I could not be happier than a camel on hump day. This unit cost me $1,700.00 as opposed to the other one which they did not have in stock and had to be ordered new. Why they did not charge this used one out as a new unit is beyond me. My biggest fear when ordering a new and used headlight was how they were going to match. This now is no longer an issue. The new one should be here Friday, no more cataracts for my girl.

 

Well both headlights are in and while this has been an exercise in no fun they do look fantastic. However the passenger side main bulb is still not working and the wrong indicator light is blinking when the turn signal is activated. New AGM battery so I spect there is a ground issue. No surprise as it is located in a terrible place. I will pull the wheel off today and investigate. Some before and after.

 

As suspected it was a ground issue. The ground stud had failed and was no longer making contact. It is now.

 

grrrrr... ground studs in a wheel well situation strikes again.

 

what are you doing with the old units? I'll take them off your hands...

 

Don't plan on selling the car so keeping for parts.