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I just went down the rabbit hole of reading previous headlight replacement threads. As many other S. FL F owners, my headlights have yellowed significantly over the years. I have had the headlights restored a few times with solid results, but it seems like it may be time to replace them (microcracks in the plastic, etc). I am leaning towards the OEM 08 headlights as it seems like the aftermarket options aren't there just yet as far as longevity. I was curious about upgrading to the newer design (2013/2014), but I don't have access to techstream and I am not sure if it is worth it (although I can be convinced, the price difference is minimal).
I found some a nearby dealership/online seller that has them for $818 each and was planning to put some kind of PPF on them to hopefully help them last longer. Are there any other newer options that I should be aware of or consider?
Vland, oem or upgrade. If I were you I would send out a set of oem ones to get custom painted. Like the ones I included below. That way you get the oem durability but with a custom touch.
Vland, oem or upgrade. If I were you I would send out a set of oem ones to get custom painted. Like the ones I included below. That way you get the oem durability but with a custom touch.
getting them painted won't fix his cracking lenses.
Are you looking to buy new? OEM is obviously best, but they are pricey new (around $1000 each, for the housing only). The 2011 lights cost about the same new, but your ballast will be different so you'll need those too. Your best bet is to find a set of complete 2011+ OEM lights used and in good shape. Not sure what they sell for nowadays. I believe some wiring changes are needed to retrofit these into a 2008 car. you can search this forum for more info. Personally, i'm not a fan of aftermarket.
I am not sure there are any P&P OEM upgrade options, other than lexmaniac2's offerings on ebay. I dived into a similar rabbit hole a few weeks ago and was mortified at the OEM replacement/ upgrade costs, especially for the Xenon AFS units. Finally pulled the trigger on the new DEPO USR v.2 units during their BF sale and will be installing them tomorrow. Taking a chance with these before I spring the $$ for an OEM replacement for my right housing, which developed a leak by the base of the top mounting tab. Lens is crystal otherwise.
DEPO lights are definitely lighter than OEM lights ...
Yep OEM lights cost a small fortune for sure, that's why the aftermarket headlights sell well for the 2IS platform because they are affordable for most and they give an updated look (personal preference) for a fraction of the cost of the OEM lights minus the durability of the OEM lights. Maybe in the future more aftermarket quality options will be available for the 2IS platform🤷♂️
Don't need TS for the MY11+ lights, unless you just want to disable the DRL. You can use the LED strip as DRL instead by de-pinning and splicing 2 wires on each headlight harness. It's fairly painless. GL!
I am not sure there are any P&P OEM upgrade options, other than lexmaniac2's offerings on ebay. I dived into a similar rabbit hole a few weeks ago and was mortified at the OEM replacement/ upgrade costs, especially for the Xenon AFS units. Finally pulled the trigger on the new DEPO USR v.2 units during their BF sale and will be installing them tomorrow. Taking a chance with these before I spring the $$ for an OEM replacement for my right housing, which developed a leak by the base of the top mounting tab. Lens is crystal otherwise.
DEPO lights are definitely lighter than OEM lights ...
Due to a loose connector inside the drivers side housing, I am now running the new DEPO USR edition on one side and OEM on the other.
DEPOS ship with H11 & 9005 Halogen bulbs, anti-flicker resistors and Incandescent 7440s. LED strip is bright on parking and the housing looks smart when its off. DEPOs are ~4 lbs lighter vs OEM Xenon HID w AFS.
What do you guys think - DEPO USR Edition Halogen w/LED check and 4 lbs lighter or OEM Xenon HIDs?
^I like the Depo look wise more then the oem. Since the Depo was made for halogen bulbs even with HID inside it won't match the light output of the oem headlights.
To the op I have an '08 and went with Vlands at first due to their cheaper pricing. I like the black housing and leds drl.
The leds low beam were bright and fitment was decent.
Eventually I got lucky and found a set of 11+ oem with ballasts and bulbs for a good price.
I would recommend going oem as it's the best look, fitment, and longevity wise.
^I like the Depo look wise more then the oem. Since the Depo was made for halogen bulbs even with HID inside it won't match the light output of the oem headlights.
To the op I have an '08 and went with Vlands at first due to their cheaper pricing. I like the black housing and leds drl.
The leds low beam were bright and fitment was decent.
Eventually I got lucky and found a set of 11+ oem with ballasts and bulbs for a good price.
I would recommend going oem as it's the best look, fitment, and longevity wise.
Agree with OEM, especially if real-world illumination performance is expected...
Last edited by pm6k77; Dec 13, 2020 at 01:08 PM.
Reason: deleted words
Fitment on the V2 USR DEPOs is surprisingly good. No glaring gaps or fitment issues with the panels, yet. Remains to be seen how these hold up after a couple of summers.
I am planning to order a set of H11 X-tremeVisions or SilverStar Ultras, while I wait for my replacement assembly to arrive. Hope the bulb "upgrade" will make a noticeable difference; Philips, Sylvania and all the Youtube videos claim they do.
08 Headlight Replacement Advice
worth the up grade