Collision damage to aluminum hood + headlight assembly shattered

Highly unlikely it will short out. I've been driving around with a headlight cover smashed on my Saab 9000 since September while waiting for insurance to cough up the money. I was hit on the side by an uninsured driver -- which I have coverage for -- but they insisted on finding her (she'd disappeared) and getting some cash out of her before settling. Also trying to find a good replacement for the 9000 and considering a Subaru which is why I'm wandering around in this group. The car is drivable for short trips, saving me a lot on long term rentals. I've driven through all kinds of rain, standing water, car washes, etc. without a problem with the headlight. It's the same bulb that was in there when I was hit and it's going strong. What you need to be ready for, though, is how much its going to cost to repair the damage. Those little plastic pieces might as well be made of gold, for how much they cost to replace.

snipped-for-privacy@madmousergraphics.com

design, print design, photography

My biggest problem is that this is an H1 bulb. The bulb itself is considerably smaller than a 9006 or other bulbs, and it's probably hotter. Maybe I'm just worrying too much. I'll be bringing it in for an estimate tommorrow, and I can get a rental.

Rain won't short out the bulb; it'll cause it to shatter when cold water hits hot bulb glass. You need a new headlamp assembly or a set of Morettes.

DS

I know that. I'm getting the estimate tommorrow. I was actually hoping that I could fix the part just to be able to drive it, but it's a special order part. However - I still need a car to drive in the meanwhile, and I'm wondering if it's going to explode if it rains.

The bulb will, yes. H1s haven't been made out of quartz for many, many years -- they're all hardglass nowtimes.

DS

Actually - that was my biggest worry.

Oh - how this for irony? As the officer taking the report was finishing up, one driver clipped another right in front of us. Strange.

And you consider this "too bad" because...?

Are you laboring under the misapprehension that projector lamps are necessarily better than reflector lamps?

True.

True.

The Valeo optics in the '04+ Morettes are a significant upgrade from the factory optics -- even though both are the reflector type.

Are they E-code pattern lights like the projectors were? That would make for some improvement over the factory patttern. The factory bugeye lights were single-lamp reflectors with 9007s, so upgrading to Morettes was a significant improvement since they are dual-lamp units with E-code H7 projectors and H1 high beams. The 04 is already dual-lamp (H1/9005) from the factory so it's better to begin with. I haven't actualy seen the comparison for myself but I'm thinking the improvement from installing Morettes in an 04 isn't as dramatic as with an 02-03? They're also equally expensive as the old projector ones (actually more from what I've seen at $600+), and I've also seen reports of quality issues regarding the lamp units not being secured properly although I have no confirmation of that.

Daniel J. Stern wrote:

"My right headlight assembly was shattered, and the bulb's (H1) filiment broke off. The front reflector was reaaranged, and I tried to bend it back"

Pics?

Yep.

Yep. Junk, junk, junk.

The '04-up units are dual-lamp (H1/9005) from the factory, and they are better to begin with, but the one statement does not flow from the other.

That said, the factory '04-up lamps respond very well to thoughtfully-selected bulbs, H1 "Plus 50" units in the low beams, and

9011s in the high beams, see this article on a BMW site: The factory optional HIDs on the '04-up are half decent, no more and no less. There's plenty of light in the beam pattern, but the beam pattern isn't shaped especially usefully.

DS

COld water hitting a hot halogen capsule can cause the capsule to burst. "Explode" is a strong word, but I wouldn't want to be standing next to one when it goes "pop." Hot glass shards hurt.

And stop driving with the d*** foglights on, too. All you're doing is blinding oncoming traffic. Get a new headlamp and fix it right.

I was using "option" in the production sense, not the marketing/ordering sense.

This is a punt on Subaru's part; there are lots of ways to have DRLs with HIDs, and there are many vehicles factory equipped with HIDs in Canada.

Sure. One of the things about the setup is that there are two reflectors. The first is metal and protrudes in front of the bulb. It practically covers the bulb. The light from this reflector is bounced back to the plastic reflector and projected forward.

I wouldn't normally drive with my fogs on, unless there's thick fog. I've found that fog lamps are practically useless except for driving under 20 MPH in a fog bank. They certainly give the impression that one can see better, which is why so many clueless drivers leave them on intentionally. I live in the SF Bay Area, and fog is "not uncommon". However - the factory fogs don't project too far, and are nowhere near as blinding as some of the badly aimed aftermarket fog lamps I've run across. I could actually see pretty well with one headlight, but I was worried that if the right (badly aimed) one went out, I might want the fogs on for added visibility, and maybe avoid a ticket.