Collision damage to aluminum hood + headlight assembly shattered

[TeGGer®]

FYI the HIDs aren't an option. They are standard on the US model STi and
not offered on any other Impreza. However it is possible to purchase
them separately and do a DIY swap with the OEM halogens. Direct
mechanical installation and a bit of wiring.
In Canada the STi comes with the same halogen lights as the other
Imprezas due to the legal requirement for DRLs.

Many vehicles use the signal lights for DRLs. The headlights remain off.

 

[y_p_w]

"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?

Since you asked nicely......

Right (busted):
http://home.earthlink.net/~calvbfan/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderpictures/right.jpg

Left (scratched but otherwise intact):
http://home.earthlink.net/~calvbfan/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderpictures/left.jpg

 

[y_p_w]

Since you asked nicely......

Sorry about the quality of the pics. I tried using a flash, and it
would wash out the details. It's a bit fuzzy, but you can tell
where it broke. You can also see the dent at the edge of the hood.

 

[Steve]

And stop driving with the d*** foglights on, too. All you're doing is
blinding oncoming traffic.

Hurrah !

Side lights and spots ?? Why ?? Just don't do it !!

We refer to them as Wanka-lites here !! It does give you advanced warning
that the person behind the wheel is a total eejit and might do something
unpredictable though ;-)

- Steve

 

[Steve]

Steve wrote:



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 would say that Subaru foglamps are among the MOST BLINDING of any
factory type I've seen. Toyota Tundra/Sequoia foglamps are the most
offensive by far, but I'd put Subaru a close second.

 

[y_p_w]

I would say that Subaru foglamps are among the MOST BLINDING of any
factory type I've seen. Toyota Tundra/Sequoia foglamps are the most
offensive by far, but I'd put Subaru a close second.

I found that fog lamps are usually not an issue, except for two
conditions. The first is when someone is cresting a hill, and
I'm on the other side right in a line of sight. The other is when
it rains and the fogs are reflecting off wet pavement.

Besides - the 2004 WRX has a different design than the previous
larger fogs.

 

[Daniel J. Stern]

I would say that Subaru foglamps are among the MOST BLINDING of any
factory type I've seen.

I disagree. Pontiacs are worse.

 

[Steve]

I disagree. Pontiacs are worse.

There are a whole bunch clustered right at the top of the "really
annoying" list: Toyota trucks, Chrysler Sebrings of a couple of years
ago, Pontiacs, Ford Expedition/F-150/250, Subaru, Lexus, and many
others. Which is "the worst" is definitely a subjective call, and may
also involve how annoying the headlamps are (Tundra trucks in particular
are annoying on both counts). But the Subarus seem to have good regular
lights and really blinding fogs, therefore I give them a bigger slam
because they appear to know better ;-p

 

[y_p_w]

It's possible that paintless dent repair might work on the hood if it is
just dented and not bent. If it's bent you'll most likely need a new
hood as most body shops can't deal with repairing aluminum.
Get a new headlight ASAP, you don't want to drive around with it open as
the bulb and its wiring are exposed to dirt and rain. If water gets in
there it could short out the circuit and blow the fuse. It would be
safer to unplug the connector from the headlight for now and avoid
driving at night.

I got an estimate today. It included replacing the hood, which was
more than dented, but also slightly bent along the front edge. The
paint was scraped, so any kind of paintless dent repair wasn't going
to work. I noticed a yellowish coating where the paint scraped. The
manager told me that it was some sort zinc compound that allows the
paint to adhere; he also said that fillers don't go well with aluminum.
All told, it's going to be about $2200 to repair.