Hella/Bosch euro smiley reflector

[tjmonsen5]

I have Hella Euro Smilies
my passenger side lowbeam has been dimmer than my driverside since the day i bought these euro smilies. Today i opened up the light and the reflector wasnt very shiney. Im assuming that it is supposed to look like fresh chrome in there right? It looked more like tin foil, just a tiny but shiney. I tried cleaning them with some windex and a mf towel but it didnt really help much, i also cleaned the projector glass. Soo, i want to buy a new reflector. I just bought HIDs last night from apexcone and i want the light to be as bright as possible. Realoem only has the price for the hella reflectors. There is no price for the bosch reflector, so this makes me think they are discontinued and only hella still makes them.
I will check prices at the dealer today, but can you put a bosch reflector in a hella assembly? I thought that the bosch is metal that is chrome and hella is plastic that is painted. SO bosch should be brighter right?

[SchnellerVert]

The refector probably got moisture on it causing it to turn to crud.

Just ask one of the numerous guys that post here from Germany or UK to send you one. Somebody was selling assorted parts over the weekend.

[einstein57]

might be easier to get it rechromed. try to see who does vacum chroming in your area

[SchnellerVert]

Contact you local hella rep maybe they could order it for you. They are only 50ish new.

[tjmonsen5]

50ish really? from the dealer they are 75 (with my employee discount)
how can i find a hella rep? I didn't know such people existed!

[SchnellerVert]

Sorry cost of the falling dollar. $75 is not that bad though.

[tjmonsen5]

meh, that equals 150 bucks for both. :( thats alot of money considering i paid 200 for the lights, 240 for the HIDs, and now maybe 150 for the reflectors. Thats almost 600 dollars spent just on stupid headlights!!!!

[Van Westervelt]

Bosch reflectors do not bolt up to Hella lens housings. With the HID's, you may not even notice.

[NC325iC]

you will notice even with the hids... trust me im in the same boat

[Fidhle007]

Tjmonsen5, I'd just try to pick up a used low beam assembly from one of the euro guys here. Just get the whole thing, don't worry about parts. Shouldn't be more than $50 I'd imagine...

I'm in the boat now of trying to decide whether it's worth tearing my lights apart and trying to polish everything up or just buying new stuff? $450 for new lights - some money on resale of my old ones vs. however much for new lenses/reflectors/adjusters...

[NC325iC]

i just took apart my bad one and snapped a shot of the reflector, its abso fucked
...right now photobucket wont upload it... maybe later

and the light output (shitty night cameraphone shot)

[tjmonsen5]

Tjmonsen5, I'd just try to pick up a used low beam assembly from one of the euro guys here. Just get the whole thing, don't worry about parts. Shouldn't be more than $50 I'd imagine...

I'm in the boat now of trying to decide whether it's worth tearing my lights apart and trying to polish everything up or just buying new stuff? $450 for new lights - some money on resale of my old ones vs. however much for new lenses/reflectors/adjusters...

i dont want to have to deal with another crappy reflector. I would rather just pay 150 bucks for 2 brand new ones and know that i will have the brightest light possible.
You shouldnt buy an entire new headlight pair, just get the reflectors and adjusters. unless your lenses are completely F'ed, they shouldnt hinder your light output a noticeable amount.