UK-POLOS.NET - THE VW Polo Forum

This may sound silly but how do you know if one's on the way out?

If you have them switched on and then go and look at them both, is one headlight a different colour to the other? I read somewhere that the colour of the light is an indicator of age/condition? If you have to replace one xenon headlight you might find that they aren't quite the same colour any more so have to replace both.

Having said that, I was told by the dealership when I bought the car that the xenon headlights will outlast the car itself as long as they aren't physically damaged!

So in conclusion... I don't know!

I was also informed that the Xenons should out live the life of the car, only if cared for correctly! i.e turning them on and off continously damages them (once you have turned them on then leave them on, dont keep turning them off and back on.... if that makes sense)

I've heard that they do 'age', so to speak, and frequent 'on, off' switching of them can shorten the life but i was told that they are designed to outlast the car.

Suppposedly they look slightly more yellow when reflecting off a surface as they get older.

One of mine seems to look slightly different to the other

I would imagine that if either of your headlights (or xenon bulbs) have been replaced at any time it would have been at a VW dealership? Is it worth checking up on your Polo's service history at your nearest dealer? I don't see why they wouldn't be obliging...

When I got a price for an Audi one (for some reason I thought my mum and dad had Xenons but they don't ) I think it was just over £100 for a bulb and fitting

Yeah Phillips sell them. There was a website, (can't find it now) and they were about £90 each.

Not cheap.