headlight covers

[Hutch]

A quick question, has anyone ever broken a headlight and r HL covers worth buying as mine need replacing I was thinking about just taking them off alltogether??

[Schaffer]

A quick question, has anyone ever broken a headlight and r HL covers worth buying as mine need replacing I was thinking about just taking them off alltogether??

Hutch, I guess the question should be asked how much is it to replace a headlight cover vs a headlight? If you can break a headlight cover then you can break a headlight. Personally I would go with keeping the headlight covers. Same as a cheap skylight/UV filter on a camera.

[FlyingBushPig]

My wife wants me to remove ours as they get so grimey that we just lose brightness from the headlights. I think they do absorb a fair bit and I'd prefer to not have them myself but a headlight - that's got to cost a bit, I think mine will stay on for a while. Maybe you could be the guinea pig, if you don't get a broken light in the next 2 years, I might take them off!

[Yowie in Oz]

Just a thought....

Was told by quite a few panel beaters and some insurance companies....

".....waste of time and money purchasing head light covers, because the headlight is actually stronger than the cover. Not only that, but the covers can be a pain in the rear end......"

Just something I thought you might like to know. Apparently the poly-carbonate headlight lens is a lot tougher these days, since 2001 I think. Not to mention if you have headlight covers, will you remember to take them off every wash and clean the gunk out from behind them?

[toddy]

Had my 120 now for 4 years and in that time travelled from Gold coast to the Tip and a few places in between. Lived in Weipa for a bit and so did the trip between there and Cairns quite a bit. Never had covers and never had any prob's at all with the head lights getting cracked or smashed, have had a smashed back window from towing a trailer, but no headlight damage.

I agree with the panel beater, if something is gonna hit the headlights, the covers won't be doin much stoppin'.

[Chriso57]

Quick ebay search: 1 x Prado 120 Headlight genuine $277. Set of covers for the same $45. So you can buy 6 sets of covers for the price of one headlight... Sure they wont stop a stray Hyundai from breaking your lights but they certainly will slow down a rock or a bird. I have got em and they are staying

Chriso

[ntpryce]

I agree with the panel beater, if something is gonna hit the headlights, the covers won't be doin much stoppin'.

I have to disagree with this statement as once while traveling on the highway in NT an eagle swooped across my vehicle to try and pick-up some roadkill and hit the front right side of my car - right on the headlight area.

There was a loud bang and I pulled over thinking the worse. But on closer inspection, my headlight cover had smashed completely but taken sufficient energy from the collision to protect the headlight completely. I agree that these plastic headlight protectors will protect against every type of collision, but they should provide reasonable protection against flying rocks, birds, and trees when moving through close scrub.

[waltec]

The newer style headlights have a Polycarbonate lens, and are extremely strong. I can remember a car salesman thumping one when the falcons 1st started to use them to demonstrate their strength, I would never do that to an acrylic protector. I would think if something hits the headlight hard enough to damage the polycarbonate, the acrylic probably isn't going to do much.

If the headlight were glass, I wouldn't drive the car without protectors, but seeing the headlights are now stronger than the protectors, I don't see the use.

Matt