alpine003

I agree with this too. Thanks!

NJS_04_996

Well. looks like the question of whether the halogen and xenon assemblies can be swapped gets a reprieve (although I would still like to know!) -

I currently have my car in at the paint shop to paint the mirrors and bumpers, and while there was some discussion last week about replacing vs polishing the headlights prior to Schatzi's "checkin", they went ahead and worked on the headlights and it came out very nicely. So replacing them has been tabled for the moment.

However this thread does bring up the question- should I go ahead and clear coat them? We don't drive the car often at night, and wife said she would forego using the headlights in the daytime as DRLs (I sometime use only the fogs for DRLs), so maybe a coating could last a bit longer? (the painter said the clear coat could be subject to blistering from heat from extensive headlight use) What do you think?

Gator996

If it were me, I would have them clear coated. I just can't see the DRL's causing a major heat issue. UV rays exposure is the bigger concern. The cost of clear coating is peanuts compared to new or even used assemblies.

My previous 996 was a Canadian spec and the inner, horizontal lens is what got toasted. Over watt bulbs didn't help either. Any heat from the DRL's should theoretically stop at the inner lens.

NJS_04_996

The car doesn't have DRLs per se....so my wife would use the Xenons in the daytime, and has noted how hot the lenses get when using them. Hopefully, using the fogs as DRLs should be a bit cooler and not contribute substantially to aging the coating. But I think I'll go ahead call him in the morning and ask for them to be clear coated.