Acrylic Headlight Lenses - Good or bad?

[Mike530i]

Hi,

I have a cracked lens on one low beam ellipsoid headlight. From reading the archives, it looks like my options are to replace the entire bucket or to buy the replacement acrylic lenses from ebay. If anyone has done this and can post the pros or cons of either option, I'd really appreciate it.

Thanks,
Mike

[Springfield1952]

Mike,

Don't think the replacement lens are acrylic and if they are I wouldn't want them on the car. Acrylic lens that Ford used would haze up and ruin the beam. Good luck.

Curt.
1994 530iT

[Jean@MtMiguel]

Mike,

Don't think the replacement lens are acrylic and if they are I wouldn't want them on the car. Acrylic lens that Ford used would haze up and ruin the beam. Good luck.

Curt.
1994 530iT

[Jean@MtMiguel]

Acrylic or not,
95 E34 low beam hdlts, are glass, pointers for owners with acrylic hdlt covers, use polishing compound and a lot of elbow grease ,that will turn those acrylic to almost clear as new covers, I've tried toothpaste as I read from an auto magazine did not do as well as the polishing compound and elbow grease.

[bahnstormer]

tooth paste has grits that will polish it out...polishing compound just has finer grits so it'll work better

i have depo euro ellipsoids (off ebay) and they have a glass lense, and are 10x brighter/sharper beam pattern than the usa lights.

get european ellipsoids if u have to buy a new lights..

[DanQ]

I know this is an old thread but I thought I'd put in my experience for anyone that will be looking for this information later.

I bought the acrylic lenses off of ebay. I have put nearly 12,000 miles on the car since I replaced the lenses. The lenses have not done what most people would expect. They have not pitted or hazed. The problem with them is that they are now concave in the center instead of the normal convex shape. I'm thinking that this is due to the heat of the bulbs or possibly from the extreme highway speeds I often drive :D
FYI, I am not using any off the wall, high wattage bulbs. Just the standard Sylvannia bulbs.

[RobPatt]

my high beam got smashed from a stone on the I65 @ about 80mph.... I put out the $40 for some acrylic lenses from e-bay. fit fine, look good, and w/regular bulbs (whatever the stock are) I've had no problems at all. Same time I also sanded and resprayed my grill a stain black. looks nice, so for $40 I'm content... options were 1- $50 for new glass light, which would look so clean and make my other pitted well worn high beam look out of place... or 2-get a whole set from e-bay for $150 and up. So far the $40 acrylics are fine.



I know this is an old thread but I thought I'd put in my experience for anyone that will be looking for this information later.

I bought the acrylic lenses off of ebay. I have put nearly 12,000 miles on the car since I replaced the lenses. The lenses have not done what most people would expect. They have not pitted or hazed. The problem with them is that they are now concave in the center instead of the normal convex shape. I'm thinking that this is due to the heat of the bulbs or possibly from the extreme highway speeds I often drive :D
FYI, I am not using any off the wall, high wattage bulbs. Just the standard Sylvannia bulbs.

[shogun]

Clear glass lenses are now also available on Ebay for about 30-40 $ a pair. Check out the offers also for E30 and E32, as the lenses have the same size.

[MTechnik540i]

Hi,

I have a cracked lens on one low beam ellipsoid headlight. From reading the archives, it looks like my options are to replace the entire bucket or to buy the replacement acrylic lenses from ebay. If anyone has done this and can post the pros or cons of either option, I'd really appreciate it.

Thanks,
Mike

Just replace the assembly. You can pick up a nice set of US ellipsoids for not much.

[rockyfeller]

I see those crystal clear lenses on sale on Ebay...I'm sure they'd fit the OEM Hella units but I cracked a set of Depo headlights which are the same diameter....I wonder if I could use these to replace the outer glass....I can't buy the other replacement/acrylic lenses as they have a diffuse pattern etched into them. Depos use a clear glass. The reflector is fluted and cut for the beam pattern instead of the glass. Wonder if it'll work.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=7932969451&category=38661

BTW I replaced my tails with Hella clears....I always wanted a jeweled design to make it look more updated....Now 2 yrs later in.pro makes em.....Wonder if anyone has these yet, they just came out...What sucks is that I put down quite an investment for the Hellas already..what do you guys think of these?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=7949471901&category=33716