Last Snowstrom - The Unthinkable Happened

[spatel0169]

Hi guys,

:cries:

Unfortunately I bumped my car (front passenger side) in the last snowstorm and now have a broken passenger headlight. The lenses and turn signal bulb are broken but the xenon bulb is still working. I think the hood will need to be replaced too. Perhaps the grill too. The bumper and fog lights still seem intact. Everything else is working ok.

I contacted a few after market sellers and they said the xenon headlights (including bulbs) would cost about $400 (vis-a-vis regular non-xenon headlight which cost $150). Is this true? Can I use the non-xenon headlight with the existing working bulb that I have? Can the replacement of the hood and headlight be done by a local mechanic or should it referred to a dealership only?

I would appreciate if you know of anyone who would a sell silver colored hood for 2002 lexus es300 and passenger side headlight (xenon).

[SW03ES]

Why are you trying to buy used and peicemeal parts? Its a $40,000 car, I think it probably deserves to be repaired by a competent body shop.

Can you post some pictures?

Depending on the shop that you use they may have to blend the paint into the fenders to make it match. Silver paint is very hard to match and even a used hood painted in silver isn't going to match as its from a different paint batch.

[spatel0169]

Lexus-Damage

.. have attached the link to the pics.

I took it to a competent body shop and was advised that following things need to be done ...

1) Replace hood.

2) Replace passenger headlight.

3) Repair right fender.

4) Repair radiator support.

5) Paint.

6) Align front bumper.

... estimated damage 1.7k

[vcv10guy]

$1700 to replace all of that? My body shop charged me $1600 just to replace my passenger side door panel (somebody backed into my door) and repaint/blend it in to match the rest of the car. Luckily insurance picked up most of the tab.

[ArmyofOne]

$1700 to replace all of that?  My body shop charged me $1600 just to replace my passenger side door panel (somebody backed into my door) and repaint/blend it in to match the rest of the car.     Luckily insurance picked up most of the tab.

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I dont see anywhere a radiator core support would have to be repaired...

TAPE OFF THAT LIGHT WITH SOME KIND OF ANYTHING

you dont want to blow than xenon bulb...expensive. cover it. the first time water hits it while it on it could mean bulb death!

[steviej]

are you claiming on your insurance or paying out of pocket?

the headlight (less bulbs) can be had on ebay for less than $100 and the same shells will house either HID or H7 bulbs from what I am told.

SW is absolutely right about the millenium silver. They will need to blend into the fender and bumper.

If you want it to look right then do it right, leave it to the professionals. You might want to ask (especially if paying out of pocket) if they will allow you to provide some of the parts.

steviej

[spatel0169]

I am going out-of-pocket since my insurance deductible is kinda high. I am allowed to get the parts. The headlight $400 and hood $500 add up to $900 in the quote of $1700, so I will definitely get the parts myself. Also I was told that there 2 types of headlights for 2002 lexus es. One is xenon with a control box (to do the auto-leveling and other fun-stuff) which costs about $350. The other one is regular non-xenon which is $150. I've been trying to understand the difference and whether I can use the non-xenon one and just put my existing bulbs (and the control module if it can be detached?) into it ...

I did see a few on ebay from $80 onwards but some are $399 ... some say HID some not. Some say lenses only without wiring? Not sure which one to buy. Is HID same as xenon?

As far as the color is concerned I will leave it for them. I know they do a good job.

[Catfish2k1]

I would say go to www.newlexusparts.com to see how much a headlamp would cost from there.

Hid is the system, Xenon is the gass used in the system.

The control box is a must for your car and it does cost a lot but you shouldn't need a new leveling system it most likely wasnt dammaged in the accident. Also you can interchange head lamp housing. The non-hid headlanp comes with a 55w bulb and the Hid one comes with a 35w hid bulb(they go in the same spot corresponding to each lamp). The non-hid lamp doesn't come with a control box and harnessess for it. So its up to you if you want to do that. If your control box is fine and your bulb is fine then you can because the control box can be taken off.

So it's up to you. You would save around 200-300.

Good luck!

[SW03ES]

You need to buy the HID lamp, the reflector housings are different to accept the different type of lighting element and the different reflector shape to provide the proper beam pattern. Plus the lights have an autolevelling feature, you need to get the HID lamp.

I second the advice to tape up the lamp, those HID bulbs are $150 each. Once it gets wet it'll be ruined.

$1700 isn't that bad for all that damage, could have been worse. I do see some warping of the bumper cover down by the foglight that may or may not be able to be smoothed out...

[1995_ES300]

hey, dont worry. I got screwed with my car from the same snowstorm 2 days ago. Everything will work out and good luck..

[ArmyofOne]

You need to buy the HID lamp, the reflector housings are different to accept the different type of lighting element and the different reflector shape to provide the proper beam pattern. Plus the lights have an autolevelling feature, you need to get the HID lamp.

I second the advice to tape up the lamp, those HID bulbs are $150 each. Once it gets wet it'll be ruined.

$1700 isn't that bad for all that damage, could have been worse. I do see some warping of the bumper cover down by the foglight that may or may not be able to be smoothed out...

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not only are the housings different, but an HID bulb in a standard housing may melt the standard hosuing...i think the HID housings are built for this.

[SW03ES]

Naa I doubt that, HID bulbs run MUCH MUCH cooler than standard bulbs.

[ArmyofOne]

Naa I doubt that, HID bulbs run MUCH MUCH cooler than standard bulbs.

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are they? i didnt know this...

[SW03ES]

Yeah they operate cooler and draw less power.