OEM hella b4 headlights still on ebay ... germany :)

burpod

teh stallionz!!1
Joined
Nov 27, 2004
Location
cape cod, ma
TDI
82 rabbit vnt ahu, 98 jetta vnt ahu, 05 parts car, 88 scirocco.. :/
just got these:

excellent price, genuine OE hella glass lenses, eurospec i assum, and come in genuine hella boxes in sealed aluminum foil bags... quite a good deal!! only 255euro shipped

just an fyi for anyone who wants to replace your crappy old ones
 

Steve Addy

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Aug 7, 2002
Location
Iowa
TDI
97 Mk3
just got these:

excellent price, genuine OE hella glass lenses, eurospec i assum, and come in genuine hella boxes in sealed aluminum foil bags... quite a good deal!! only 255euro shipped

just an fyi for anyone who wants to replace your crappy old ones
It's a great deal if they'll ship to the US, and they get here without getting broken.

I still need a new lens....

Steve
 

burpod

teh stallionz!!1
Joined
Nov 27, 2004
Location
cape cod, ma
TDI
82 rabbit vnt ahu, 98 jetta vnt ahu, 05 parts car, 88 scirocco.. :/
They came very well packed. 255euro was the price shipped to the US
 

Steve Addy

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Aug 7, 2002
Location
Iowa
TDI
97 Mk3
They came very well packed. 255euro was the price shipped to the US
I was surprised to see them shipping to the US, many times I've tried to get German sellers to ship to conti US without any luck.

Steve
 

burpod

teh stallionz!!1
Joined
Nov 27, 2004
Location
cape cod, ma
TDI
82 rabbit vnt ahu, 98 jetta vnt ahu, 05 parts car, 88 scirocco.. :/
That price is so good I might just have to get spares...
 

burpod

teh stallionz!!1
Joined
Nov 27, 2004
Location
cape cod, ma
TDI
82 rabbit vnt ahu, 98 jetta vnt ahu, 05 parts car, 88 scirocco.. :/
yes. lol. but with the exchange rate.. it was $310 usd. i'm really tempted to buy a spare set because i need more stuff in my attic :)
 

Steve Addy

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Aug 7, 2002
Location
Iowa
TDI
97 Mk3
The exchange rate is 1.10. Who ****d you out of the extra 10%? Paypal?
It might have been higher when he bought them, but I don't know that. I only pay attention to the USD / Yen exchange rate usually.

If Europe wasn't such a hell-hole right now it's a good time financially to vacation there!!

My guess is that it was either paypal or some other payment mechanism.

Steve
 

burpod

teh stallionz!!1
Joined
Nov 27, 2004
Location
cape cod, ma
TDI
82 rabbit vnt ahu, 98 jetta vnt ahu, 05 parts car, 88 scirocco.. :/
The exchange rate is 1.10. Who ****d you out of the extra 10%? Paypal?
trying to get out of the "conversion fees" or whatever it is seems impossible. it was 266euro after taxes were added, so only an extra 5%. at the price, iwasn't going to spend hours figuring out how to get around that... :)
 

Lug_Nut

TDIClub Enthusiast, Pre-Forum Veteran Member
Joined
Jun 20, 1998
Location
Sterling, MA. USA
TDI
2015 GSW 6M in S trim the other oil burners: 1967 two stroke Sonett 1988 Bolens DGT1700
Check closely.
Hella has factories in the PRC to supply that market. Also there is a sizable market for worn-out tooling and molds used in manufacturing. Tooling that no longer produces product meeting cosmetic specifications might not be auctioned off, implying as 'scrap', but is often returned to production in more distant locations for third or fourth rate quality markets.
The "Hella" B4 light assemblies I purchased were glued to P.R.C. Hella reflector assemblies with the invariable C.R.A.P. reflector coating that flaked off and had quickly rusting, nearly cast iron, metal screws and retention clips.
 
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burpod

teh stallionz!!1
Joined
Nov 27, 2004
Location
cape cod, ma
TDI
82 rabbit vnt ahu, 98 jetta vnt ahu, 05 parts car, 88 scirocco.. :/
the plastic housings to have a "made in germany" sticker on them. i guess only time will tell on the quality of the reflectors. i'm guessing they'd have to likely be better than most of what else is out there...
 

burpod

teh stallionz!!1
Joined
Nov 27, 2004
Location
cape cod, ma
TDI
82 rabbit vnt ahu, 98 jetta vnt ahu, 05 parts car, 88 scirocco.. :/
can't imagine that would be any better. the reflective material on the original headlights on both b4's i have is all but gone. before i found these i thought maybe i'd try some of that reflective paint myself, but i've never done that. have a strong suspicion it wouldn't last....
 

Steve Addy

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Aug 7, 2002
Location
Iowa
TDI
97 Mk3
I tried having Sioux Plating electroplate a headlight reflector years ago, I got it back and the exterior was what they focused on, not the inside, the inside was plated, but it had grinder marks all over the place, I angrily said to the guy at the counter, "*** is this?" He said, "do you want it or not?"

I'll never try them again, that's if they're even in business. I made it clear when I dropped it off that the INTERIOR was the important part, and clearly they didn't pay any attention OR more likely the counter idiot failed to note for production what the customer wanted.

Steve
 

Steve Addy

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Aug 7, 2002
Location
Iowa
TDI
97 Mk3
I tried having Sioux Plating electroplate a headlight reflector years ago, I got it back and the exterior was what they focused on, not the inside, the inside was plated, but it had grinder marks all over the place, I angrily said to the guy at the counter, "*** is this?" He said, "do you want it or not?"

I'll never try them again, that's if they're even in business. I made it clear when I dropped it off that the INTERIOR was the important part, and clearly they didn't pay any attention OR more likely the counter idiot failed to note for production what the customer wanted.

Steve
They're still around, South Sioux City NE and Omaha. :mad:

Steve
 

burpod

teh stallionz!!1
Joined
Nov 27, 2004
Location
cape cod, ma
TDI
82 rabbit vnt ahu, 98 jetta vnt ahu, 05 parts car, 88 scirocco.. :/
And cars in the back yard...

Now if we can find somebody selling NOS Corner lights.
yeah... i spent a couple hours looking for those. i don't really like how they look tho - a little too curvy. i'm half-tempted to delete them if i could find someone who could do the welding/fab-work to do it. it looks like the "wolfsburg" emblems in the front fenders would fit an mk4 side marker lights, which i'd like to add instead.
 

Steve Addy

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Aug 7, 2002
Location
Iowa
TDI
97 Mk3
yeah... i spent a couple hours looking for those. i don't really like how they look tho - a little too curvy. i'm half-tempted to delete them if i could find someone who could do the welding/fab-work to do it. it looks like the "wolfsburg" emblems in the front fenders would fit an mk4 side marker lights, which i'd like to add instead.
They make the marker lights as reflectors only, all silver, it's a little better look IMO.

The fender mounted castle badges are identical to the openings used in Mk4, so you could add turn signals lights in place of them if you wanted.

The B3's had the rectangular opening that was used on the early Cabrios but for US import they only installed badges. I converted mine to turn signals ala European models.

Steve
 

JordanTr

Veteran Member
Joined
Mar 28, 2022
Location
Kimberley, BC
TDI
1996 B4V x2, 2006 Dmax, 2005 Allroad, 2005 BHW
The lights fit the fender perfectly but I never chased the wiring side of it yet. I ordered some blacked out LED ones but have yet to install them. Harness needs a little trickery to have them work as markers and turn signals while being LED. I think I’ll do the same thing with the front corner markers while I’m in there.
 
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