UK SG9 XT - HIDs to Halogen headlights, is it possible?

Hi chaps, I trust you've all had a nice Christmas. I can't believe it's been two months since I posted this (!) but to be honest it's just been sat on the driveway since failing as I've had too much on to even contemplate getting it sorted. However I have a week off so need to decide the future.

Right, the deal with the headlights is this;

• The nearside (left) is borked. It's not cloudy in a way that can be polished out with a kit as it's knackered on the inside. Despite resealing the unit, it still has condensation forming and appears cracked after a shunt of some description. I am assuming over time the water has heated up from the lamp and caused the distortion of the plastic as it clearly been a long term issue.
• The offside (right) functions normally but doesn't move. I have noted that the rear level sensor is missing completely, and I probably need to check the front one too once I find out where it's located.
• There are no error lights on the dashboard relating to the lights.

I appreciate after looking replacement units are rare as hen's teeth hence wondering if I could just downgrade to halogens. I guess I'd have to manually adjust them and accept I couldn't control them from inside although I don't see that as much of a problem.

Once i get this resolved I can move on to the next problem which is to get the secondary air pump deleted and then I should have an advisory free motor. Which would be lovely!

TIA

Have you tried any Subaru breakers for used spares?

You could go non-turbo headlights which from memory were Halogen and if you find them lacking in performance, perform an HID retrofit, which would give insanely good light performance far beyond what your factory HID headlights had. The Retrofit Source in the US is probably the best place for retrofit stuff and they'll sell both LHD and RHD projectors etc. @Inactive_55959 did a write up of how he did his here, to give you an idea what might be involved: ('06-'08) - 2008 - SG Projector Retrofit - a...

Here's some breakers or vehicles that appear to be being broken for spares

Jap Performance Parts Not cheap

And the Scoobynet favourite:
MB Developments
unit 3 addenbrook street
darlaston,west midlands
WS10 8HJ
9AM TILL 5pmMON/FRI/9AM TILL 2PM SAT
USED/NEW PARTS HOTLINE 07785942237

There's a couple of non turbos being broken on Ebay too, if you were to go the halogen route.....

If the car hasn't been moved for a couple of months, it might be worth taking it for a spin around the block to free up the brakes etc so nothing is stuck/seized.

If your borked headlight still has an operating ballast, that might help recoup some costs of headlight changes as you'll then have a spare to keep or pass on.

Thanks for the reply, again much appreciated.

The headlights are the biggest problem at the minute. The air pump is £100 to resolve locally and there's a handful of minor things expected of any fifteen year old car. I've had the timing belt done as it was needed and completely overhauled the rear brakes otherwise it owes me little. TBH I'd rather tackle some rust than this. I cannot believe how much of a challenge it is.

The idea of the spacers is what I considered if needed although how I could apply them I do not know; on the clear headlight it doesn't move an iota and I know from my previous car (a fabulously good fun Swift Sport) that they settle upwards by quite a bit when first turned on. Also it was my friendly corner garage that did my MOT although the tester is someone I hadn't seen before. They help me with my '99 Cougar so are known to be, ahem, 'sympathetic' when needed.

My missus is keen for me to spares and repairs it as she wants to go down to one car instead of two* as we don't have the need anymore. The Forester has done its job over the summer with the house move and renovation and she now works from home permanently. It just annoys me headlights of all things could sink it. Crazy.

*we have another car. I don't count the Cougar as that's my summer plaything / restoration / tinkering toy

Just a quick update.

Luckily I was able to source a reasonably priced n/s headlight unit so I swapped that at the weekend. I still have to sort the alignment out. Other than the white manual adjuster on the back I can't see any other way to do it?

Picture shows the improvement it has made and just how bad the existing unit was, with the clouding on the inside that would not polish out. As it also continued to fill with condensation despite resealing it, a replacement really was the only way.



Thanks for those who took the time out to reply.