When I first picked up the Sequoia there was already a crack in the driver's side turn signal lamp. Luckily that was replaced under warranty. Unfortunately, only a few months later I got rock chip on the new lamp. It was a large crack and a piece actually broke off. I fixed it temporarily but began thinking that I may need more protection.

The most popular modification is probably headlight protection film. It's thick plastic tape pre-cut to the shape of your headlamp that protects it from rock chips. Most online sites I looked up would cost me about $80 after exchange and duties and I was too lazy to look for a local supplier. Also, most of the film is made by 3M and although the installers state that it is optically clear for headlamps, I couldn't find any product listing on the 3M site that was optically clear for DOT approval. One more thing, I was worried that I would mess up the installation so that was another reason why I didn't choose this option.

I looked at headlight covers and Ventshade makes one that is clear instead of smoked. I decided to try it and when I found out that Lordco was selling it for $50 (instead of the $70 Canadian Tire was charging) I decided to try it. My only concern was how it fit on the Sequoia and I wouldn't find out until it arrived 2 months later-!!!

Installation: It installs really easily: basically there's a tab at the bottom and a clip at the top and it fits right over the headlamp. It doesn't touch the paint body of the car and it protects both the headlamp and turn signal lamp. There is a lifetime guarantee against breakage. It's just as easy to remove.

The first four pictures below show the comparison before and after installation. The lamps in the darker (evening) shots are wet because I washed the headlamps and covers before installation. The other shots are all close-ups of the cover.

Results: At a distance, you really can't see the covers at all which is good. The covers are for "off-road use" only and I haven't had a chance too see how it affects the headlamps at night. I'm worried that it makes the light beam less focused, but I'm hoping it won't affect it too much. We'll see. One other disadvantage will be in the rain. The area that covers the turn signal lamp doesn't have a lip like the area that covers the headlamp. This allows moisture to enter between the cover and the headlamp and condensation to form.

Final Thoughts: I like the headlight covers because they were cheap, easy to install and remove, and are nearly invisible on the Sequoia. However, visibility at night and in the rain may be an issue. Since summer is approaching, I'm leaving them on for now. When winter comes, I'll re-evaluate.