Seanybaby2

Anyone ever have problems with the caps on top of the head lights flying off because of lazy mazda design?

And then haveing to buy new ones from the dealerships for like 200$ a piece??

LAXitives288

iTrader: (1)

Lost the driver's side cover at 120 on a bridge. Talk about a PITA to get them replaced. I don't know if I would call it lazy design, the original set lasted 13 years in the texas/florida sun.

Seanybaby2

well both of mine flew off going about 80 on the interstate, also im friends with a man who owns an mazda junkyard and he has nearly half of his head light caps on his fds have either flown or off or are sold. lol
This happen to anyone else?

bajaman

You need to look at the underlying reason. These plastic covers are subject to a lot of wind force, impacts, hell...even people sitting or leaning against them. And the attachment points just are not that robust.
I NEARLY had one come all the way off one day several years ago so I got to looking at it, and almost every one of the points where they screw on was cracked or broken. So I just epoxied in a some small steel washers to reinforce the area and haven't had any trouble again.

Seanybaby2

would you pay 80 dollars for an aluminum one, or steel one that fit right, rather than buying a new plastic one for the 190?

Tom93R1

iTrader: (2)

A new plastic one should be more like $100, your dealership is raping you.

7_rocket

iTrader: (6)

$100? for ONE or both? I got mine from the dealership for $48 for one side

SLOASFK

iTrader: (5)

I got my new ones for $65 at Malloy last year. It might have been durring his March Madness sale, though.

I've been wanting aluminum headlight covers since I bought the car, but I've got RE-A headlights now. But yeah, everyone loses theirs, either due to the bracket dryrotting or the screws working their way out.

Seanybaby2

ok so the dealership is raping me.... lol
so then i suppose the question would be, would you pay 48 dollars for a new lasting aluminum one or 70 for the pair.. or would you rather go to dealership?

7_rocket

iTrader: (6)

Never heard of aluminum covers to be honest. For me my cover has never flew off, only my feed POS ones have. I've been to the track too with no problem

Seanybaby2

what about stainless steel covers then?
would you pay for those

bajaman

Stainless would not be a good choice at all, due to weight and difficulty of finishing (i.e. painting). I would like to see someone make some top quality aluminum ones though....I'd pay up to $200 a piece for something like that.

Seanybaby2

well im looking into mass produceing some high quality alluminum ones once i get the prototype perfect and i will sell you them for less than 200 as well
anyone have any ideas for emblems, changes to body style etc. they think they would like on the head lights?

JStrib

iTrader: (6)

I lucked out with mine. It broke one night when I pulled into the garage and turned the lights off. They flipped down, and the cover stayed up. Lucky me

Seanybaby2

also, would the light caps have to be painted for you to purchase them

7_rocket

iTrader: (6)

Damn you's a noob hehe.. If you get them from the dealership they are primed, so they have to be painted to match. Are you sure you have the lights tightened properly?

bajaman

If you were going to make these from aluminum I would assume they would come as either bright-metal or possibly primed. I would NOT go to the hassle of trying to offer painted versions if I were you.

Seanybaby2

I ment if i sold them as aluminum...

Yeah i was thinking it would be to much work to paint them as well plus most rx7s to this date have worn paint and original paint would not even match

dgeesaman

iTrader: (7)

Take care you don't overtighten the screws that hold the light covers. Those screws could crack the cover before the car even starts moving. Listen to Baja and reinforce the connections. Then you won't need to replace them so often.

Dave

Seanybaby2

Yes i cant disagree with your or baja there. However a fully aluminum cap would be nice. agreed?

Mahjik

iTrader: (1)

Just buy stock ones and reinforce the rear mounting points before installing them. People have been doing this for almost 15 years without issue. You'll most likely end up with a similar problem on the passenger side interior door handle.

Seanybaby2

yes but occasionally, "this happened to mine" literally the entire plastic piece connecting the screws to the light will rip off, thus giving nothing to use to reinforce. So i am left with the option of either welding on a whole new piece, gluing it down or buying a new one. As i am sure allot of other people are in this predicament

Mahjik

iTrader: (1)

Yes, and they have all used Plastic JB Weld or some other epoxy to fix and strengthen that part. If you use the search function, you'll see that the headlight cover issue has been around for a long time. Epoxy does the trick every time.

Terrh

iTrader: (7)

mine broke as well. it's a shitty design. I used zipties till I got new ones. Epoxy reinforcement seemd to work well on my new ones, I guess, since they never broke. I'll probably reinforce the ones on my new FD before it gets painted.

staticguitar313

iTrader: (2)

I had to replace my passenger one when i got mine, but i got STUPID LUCKY and found one on ebay from Australia for $47 and it was the right color.