My 2008 Avalon took a direct hit from a hawk on the right headlight. Certainly needs a new headlight assembly, but no other damage. I got a quote of $1,088 to replace. This seems outrageous with new headlight assemblies on the internet for $125. What am I missing here?
Headlight Assembly
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Dont buy dealer. Get online. Just make sure you get bulbs. Find a friend who can install. To install headlight, you need to take off front bumper to reach the metal headlight holder. If they were xenon bulbs then try to find a good replacement from philips. Thats the same stock ones. Dont buy from dealer though cause they over charge.
I would think this damage would be covered by your auto insurance. Nonetheless, if and when you replace the Xenon bulbs that you replace them in pairs and avoid bulbs made in China. I've installed several aftermarket HID units and bulbs manufactured in China last an average of a 13 months. Good luck!
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7,412 Posts
Is it possible that you have HID lighting and you are looking at generic Ebay halogen replacements?
Yes, that was it.
Also, found out my deductible is $250 instead of $500... so that helps make it less painful.
Went in and got an estimate form the certified Toyota repair shop here:
$1,088.25 just for the lamp assembly (if new, if rebuilt still over $800). Labor and a very small bend to the metal added up to a $1,716 repair.
Sometimes in an attempt save a couple of hundred $$$, we end up sacrificing quality. Overall, it could always be worse like "grandpa" on this forum. His Avalon got sideswiped and in the end things turned out well. I'd ask to see all of the damaged parts or maybe drop in unannounced and ask to see your car. I have and it doesn't always go over too well, but in the end it's your car. You'll be driving it everyday, for shops, it's just another repair!:thumbsup:
If it were me, I would take apart and install it myself. It honestly doesnt take more than 2 hours to take the bumper off and headlights. It does require 2 people so you dont scratch up your bumper when taking it off. But whatever you want to do, that is just my 2 cents.
You should tell the insurance to cash out on the claim and tackle the job yourself. Very easy to take the bumper out and replace the headlight. You can find a good use HID headlight at Ebay for less than $3-400 and a set of Philips D4Rs is only $110 at Amazon. As far as the small metal, take it to one of the Dent removal guy and he will fix it for a couple of hundreds. After the deductible and parts/dent removal, you will have at least $6-700 left. This is speaking from experience on my wife's Honda CRV, took the insurance check and do the who job myself, took me less than 3 hours and kept the remaining $800.
Right headlight
Bulbs
If you have common sense, you could easily take the bumper off yourself. It took me 30 minutes to remove the bumper but make sure you organize the screws.
Bulbs
If you have common sense, you could easily take the bumper off yourself. It took me 30 minutes to remove the bumper but make sure you organize the screws.
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