nickbee

After buying my S2000 earlier in the month, I was disappointed to find out a previous owner had fitted tacky aftermarket headlights (no, I really didn't notice before). Seriously, who replaces xenon lights with led angel eyes?

Anyway, it turns out two of the angel eyes don't even work. It's technically an offence even to drive it with non-working lights so I decided to fix the problem before selling by refitting original lights.

How can I tell whether the idiot that took out the HIDs also removed all of the associated gubbins which make them work properly? I don't want to buy a new pair of lights only to find I'm missing a loads of other parts!

Thanks.

BenRNBP

Someone who has crashed the front end and finds out that they are as rare as hens teeth second hand, and ~£450 each side, new without the ballasts and bulbs ?

Personally, I'd try and get the angel eyes working as they should as they've probably chopped and spliced and all sorts under there

Andy--Stevenson

It doesnt sound like a fun job .. But it may be worth stripping the front end of the car, and checking the wires goig to the current headlights. If they look chopped, then it'll be easier to fix the halo's. I think with most of these aftermarket headlights the cables have to be cut to fit them, but I may be wrong.

If the wires seem fine, then you can snap up a set of headlights for c. £3-400 on those auction sites. I know there is a brand new driver side light (I think with ballast) for £170ish at the moment.

good luck

Nick Graves

Decent-quality Ebay tat ought to be plug n play, but yes, the looms might have been butchered. But you can get the bis off a scrapper.

Here's what to look for:

b000n

I have aftermarket head lights and they look much better than the originals , cost a lot but work fine .... I didn't replace any bulbs when refittng my lights just used originally zennons and inserted them into the housing... They are much brighter and more powerful now

nickbee

Thanks for the info; I knew it wouldn't be cheap but hoped it might be easy! Clearly it's no small job to refit so maybe I'll see if I can figure out what's up with the angel eyes first, if it ever stops raining.

Either way it feels like far too much work for a car I can't keep.

richmc

Your profile says you have a 2009 car, with what you've spent buying it surely you can afford a pair of lights and putting it back to stock? Why can't you keep it?

And who the hell puts angel eyes on a 2009 car? There must be a reason, was it a CATC or D when you got it?, if so I'd be looking for more serious front end issues, if it's been repaired with cheap and nasty headlights what else may be wrong?

nickbee

I can afford it; I just want to know what I'm getting myself into, especially if I'm going to need to obtain bits and pieces other than just the headlights.

As for keeping it, Mrs Nickbee found out she was pregnant less than 48 hours after I picked it up - circumstances under which I wouldn't have decided to buy a new sports car.

And yes it's a Cat D and no I didn't check and yes I do feel stupid and no I don't need a lecture. I only checked once Ben's comment above got me worried.

unclefester

Disconect both angel eyes and leave the lights 'OEM' looking. Use it for the summer, garage it for the winter and next year - sell it privately and buy a Golf GTI. I see no sense in cocking around spending money on a CAT D car. If that's not an option, just make it look 'ok' and sell it as is.

Nick Graves

It's pretty easy once you've lost the front bumper - these cars are fairly easy to take apart.

There's a short loom, a light, a ballast & a height regulator and they sould all be one unit. It's merely a matter of finding the other one:

Nanosecond search