I just bought my dream car. It is a 2006 TT coupe quattro, beautiful. The only flaw is a tiny crack in the driver side headlight. I really thought that this would not be a big deal to fix, until I called the dealer and found out the part (driver's side headlight assembly) was over $1000, with labor it was going to run about $1200 for this tiny crack!

I looked online and found several places that sold a headlight assembly for about $275, but they only had the passenger side. What is with that?

So here are some options:

1. Tint the lens and hope that the crack will be sealed and not visible ~ $50.

2. Try to find an aftermarket headlight assembly. Will it match?

3. Try to find a salvage headlight?

4. Live with a tiny crack on the lens and spend the $1200 on a set of Tenzo R rims that will distract my eye from the only flaw on this car?

5. Try to guilt the local Audi dealer (from whom I did NOT buy the car) into covering the replacement under warranty.

Advice?

Nick

 

you know, ive been on ebay a couple times and saw headlight assm. for a lot less. I guess the main reason its prolly so expensive is for the labor(like 80 bucks an hour). They would have to take the front end off too. Now other than buying a new one, you could always check for a salvage one, because say the car got hit from the side and was totaled, the light may be perfect. Of course youd have to give a look over just make sure everything was right. I woudnt wanna live with the crack. Eventually water is going to get in it, it will fog up, and not look sexy lol.

Check out this:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Audi-...1%7C240%3A1318

Maybe if you just bought the headlight, then have someone install it, you might save yourself a couple hundred bucks.

 

No help at all here, but...

I bet you a dollar that they have all those passenger-side ones because everyone has corner-to-corner crashes. You should find a place in the UK and see if they have the OTHER "passenger side" lights

 

^^iv seen them on ebay awhile ago too

Your not really going to find anything new cheaper than 275. Dunno if u were looking on "carstuff.com" but maybe call em up and see what the deal is on the drivers side

Also on the inside of your lights, is it painted?

 

Thing about getting an assembly from the UK, theres a US, and Euro version, which means you'll have to do the reflector delete, then tear apart your new light just to paint it.

also interesting, theres a US, UK, and European spec taillight. Three different ones!

 

Thanks for the link. I think that I can pick that on up on Ebay like you said. I have someone who can install for me so that should be pretty easy.

thanks!

ps. If that's your girlfriend, I would have a hard time keeping to her demand!

 

I found an assembly for sale, but it does not have the bulbs. It does include the ballast and the ignitor. Is it possible/easy to take the bulbs from my current assembly and add it to the new one?

Also, the assembly is listed for 2001, but I was under the impression that these were interchangeable from 2001-2006. Does anyone know?

Thanks again,

Nick

 

Hmm I haven't posted in a while but if anyone there's anyone who knows about headlight assemblies...

Do you realize the lenses are easily swappable? That way you won't have to swap out any of that stuff.

Also there are two different styles of housing with different mounting points for the ballasts so you'd have to check on that.

They are all interchangeable mounting wise, however there are two different styles of ballast mounting so there's no guarantee whether the electronics you have will fit with a different housing.

I'd just swap the lenses. It's not very difficult.

 

Ok. . . you had to see this one coming. . . how do you swap just the lens? Is there anything tricky here?

Thanks again.

Nick

 

You bake the headlight to remove the sealant, then the lens pops off.
that's it!

Even though the early ballasts and igniters were mounter differently, are they the same part? anyone?
If so, could i get that extra ballast/igniter combo off your hands? Pm me if you're interested.