Why should I buy headlight assemblies from my car?

What is a headlight assembly?

A headlight assembly is a combination of several components that work in unison to illuminate the roads when driving in the dark. It contains a housing that holds and protects the bulb from the external environment. The headlight housing fits into the body of the vehicle and features different designs for use in various car models. The headlight housings have lenses that magnify and disperse the lights from the bulb for the ultimate illumination.

The assembly also contains the bulbs, which light up the dark roads. There are different categories of bulb technologies, each offering unique advantages. The different types of automotive bulbs include Halogen-type, light-emitting diodes (LED) bulbs and High-intensity discharge (HID) bulbs.

What does a headlight assembly include

It is easy to assume that the headlight assembly consists of bulbs, housings and lenses alone. However, several other components form part of these assemblies. All headlight assemblies contain connectors that link the bulbs to the power sources through a select set of electrical wires. Advanced headlights are self-adjusting and have sensors within the headlight assemblies. They automatically vary the intensity and direction of the beam depending on the real-time driving conditions. That way, drivers enjoy optimum visibility when driving over obstacles, irregular road surfaces, or ascending hilly roads. The headlight assemblies can also contain insulation utilities that protect against electric shorts and seals that prevent the entry of debris or water into the headlight assembly.

What to Consider When Looking for Best Replacement Headlights

Choosing replacement headlight assemblies is not a pick and pluck activity. There are several decisions that the driver must make before committing their hard-earned money.

Application

It is common knowledge that headlights are mandatory for nighttime driving. However, there are limited aftermarket headlight assembly options for specific vehicle models. Ensure that the selected headlight is compatible with the vehicle. It should fit perfectly into the vehicle’s body without extra modifications.

Quality

The last thing a driver wants is to hit the roads again, searching for replacement headlight assemblies because a previous purchase disappointed and did not last long enough. The headlight assembly needs to provide reliable and durable service to the driver. The assembly needs to utilize high-quality materials that have good resistance to wear.

Cost

Aftermarket headlight assemblies are available in different shapes, design styles and qualities. These features affect their pricing. Some assemblies are sold as single units, while others are in pairs or sets. A costly headlight assembly is not necessarily high-quality. Headlight assemblies can be as cheap as $20 and as expensive as $2200. Select a headlight assembly that is within your budget and promises to provide quality illumination.

How much does a headlight assembly cost on average

The cost of headlight assemblies varies from one brand or vendor to the other. As mentioned earlier, the costs depend on several design features. On average, the cost of best-selling headlight assemblies ranges from $50-$500. You are likely to come across cheaper or more expensive alternatives in the market.

Does a headlight assembly include bulbs?

Most headlight assemblies come with bulbs. Such complete headlight assemblies are easy to install as long as they are compatible with the car body. Some brands do not have bulbs. Some manufacturers sell the bulbs separately. That should not dim your aspirations to select a high-quality headlight assembly. Read through the product manual to understand how to handle and install the separate units.

How do I identify my headlight assembly?

Headlight assemblies are not a one-fit-all product. An assembly might be aesthetically appealing and affordable but cannot fit your vehicle. It is vital that drivers carefully review different features to make the right decisions for purchasing aftermarket headlights. They include:

The vehicle’s year of manufacture

Vehicles may share the same model name but were produced in different years. The age difference affects the type of vehicle bodies and the design of the headlight body. The headlights for vehicles manufactured in different years use different bulb technologies. Old models are likely to feature halogen-type headlights, while newer models use LED-type headlights. The manufacturing materials and lighting quality for both categories are different.

Headlight style

What are your illumination preferences? Are you interested in brighter headlights or require modest lighting? If shifting from original manufacturer headlights to aftermarket alternatives, you may be stuck between HID-style and LED-style headlights. The former are brighter and more expensive than the latter. Identify an assembly that is within your budget and offers optimum lighting depending on the driving environment.

Pricing and brand names

When choosing aftermarket headlight assemblies, drivers must balance quality and pricing. Reputable brands could cost more than unpopular brands. Drivers should also evaluate the unique capabilities of different headlight brands.

• Does the brand offer a daylight running light option?
• Is it specialized for off-road driving?
• Is the headlight assembly self-adjusting?

How long does it take to replace a headlight assembly?

Replacement headlight assemblies have different durabilities. The frequency of usage determines how long the headlights will last. Frequently used headlight assemblies tend to have a shorter lifespan. On average, headlight assemblies last between 2-4 years of service. The durability of some brands is longer than for others.

Types of Headlights Assemblies

There are different designs and types of headlight assemblies to satisfy the preferences of drivers'. Here are some of the popular headlight styles and their unique features.

What are halo LED headlights?

The assembly contains rings of light that surround the headlight bulb. These headlights give drivers the liberty to customize the intensity of illumination. Both the halo ring and the bulb can light up depending on the wiring style. LED halo headlights are brighter than the traditional incandescent halo bulbs.

Euro Style Headlight Assemblies

These headlight assemblies have a flush glass surface and replaced the fixed-shape beam lamps that were popular pre-1950. The original Euro-style headlight assemblies had simple designs which were later upgraded to match the preferences of different vehicle manufacturers. Advanced versions featured plastic lenses instead of frosted glass. Modern Euro-style headlight assemblies have multi-faceted pieces with oval and square shapes that align with the projector lenses for superior illumination. These headlight assemblies are among the cheapest market alternatives since they do not have additional features like LED lights, projector-beam lenses, or special halo rings.

Projector Beam Headlamp Assemblies

These headlight assemblies are an innovation of the millennium. They contain clear lens covers that replace the looking flush frosted glass that is synonymous with Euro-style headlight assemblies. These headlights have multi-faceted projectors behind the outer lens that project the beam accordingly. These headlight assemblies are stylish and feature impressive round designs. They have more compact designs than earlier headlight versions. Modern versions contain glass balls that project the headlight.

Custom Sealed Beam Headlights

These headlight assemblies have a unique square or round beam headlights that are perfectly sealed. They are popular in old vehicle models and are easy to install. Modern manufacturers customize these headlight assemblies to incorporate halo rings, LED lights, projector lenses and other customer preferences.

"U-Bar" Style Halo Lights

These are custom headlight assemblies that use a u-shaped halo ring. They have straight lines and sharp edges that create U-shaped lighting powered on. The U-shapes can face upwards or downwards depending on the driver’s preference or manufacturing style.

LED Headlamp Assemblies

These headlight assemblies are among the latest innovations in the automotive lighting sector. Initially, Audi, the pioneer company, utilized LED lights for decorative purposes and to enhance the daytime running light capabilities of their vehicle models. With time, manufacturers modified LEDs for headlight bulbs. They consume less energy and provide dependable lighting for different car models.

Should you have any challenges selecting aftermarket headlight assemblies for your vehicle, do not hesitate to seek clarification from experts.