Replacement headlamps - 02 TDI Sport Estate

[crankslave]

Hello

The adjuster screw thing on one of my headlights on my '02 TDI 130 sport estate has stripped which means the light swings about in its housing and the beam points at the floor, its been temporarily fixed by my mechanic with the use of a DIY wedge and a lot of glue so it got through the MOT :D

As the other side lamp lens has gone all cloudy, I want to get a new pair of lamps, could anyone point me in the right direction of a decent pair of replacement lights. I've seen these on ebay VW PASSAT 00-05 FRONT HEADLIGHTS LAMPS PAIR ELECTRIC | eBay (http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/VW-PASSAT-00-05-FRONT-HEADLIGHTS-LAMPS-PAIR-ELECTRIC-/300725026363?_trksid=m7&_trkparms=algo%3DLVI%26itu%3DUCI%26otn%3D4%26po%3D LVI%26ps%3D63%26clkid%3D205756899590485832&_qi=RTM1084479#ht_1295wt_967) would this work fine, or is there something better available for similar money?

Cheers

[scotty33]

The only others I saw on E bay were about £60 each, came without motors, which are not too hard to fit. It is actually possible with some perseverance ( and brutality!) to open up the headlamp, to remove and repair the broken adjuster 'nut'. remove lens clips, put lamp unit in oven on 90 deg C for 10 mins to soften the bonding sealer, attack joint with suitable implement (I used a decorators filler knife) The edge of the black plastic will get distorted, but can be reshaped later with a paint stripping gun. I used fibreglass tissue and superglue to repair the 'nut'. I think they break, because they are probably not tapped at the factory, I think they just drive in the adjuster which self taps to an extent, but probably does so with help of a waxed zinc passivate finish on the adjuster. The wax will be long gone x amount of years later when we try to adjust, hence the snapping. I ran a m5 tap through mine before refitting.
If the reflector is cloudy, not a lot you can do, If the lens then this can be flatted with fine wet and dry, then polished back up

[crankslave]

That's interesting and thanks for the tips, when you say motors I assume you mean the motor that drives the up/down beam adjustment?

[smithy602179]

you can get lens polish for the cloudy lens off ebay for about £8

[scotty33]

That's interesting and thanks for the tips, when you say motors I assume you mean the motor that drives the up/down beam adjustment?

No problem, and yes the beam adjusting motors

[scotty33]

you can get lens polish for the cloudy lens off ebay for about £8

Something like t-cut or other polishing compound will work (not wax 'polish' which is sealer, the abrasive type). A body shop or car valet could also do this for you in a matter of minutes