V50 headlight cracked - which option?

[Not A Salmon]

My 2007 V50 R design has bi-xenon headlights. Something which I only thought to check after ordering a replacement headlight (which it turns out is not xenon).
I managed to get through the MOT last year after three days of drying out the headlight due to the moisture the crack lets in, but this year thought I'd replace the unit.

A new unit from the main dealer is £612 inc vat. Euro Car Parts is £519. Neither of these is an option.

I think my options are as follows:
1. Change glass from new non xenon headlight to old unit.
Is this even possible, I see clips but I thought they were supposed to be sealed units?

2. Fix crack, try and dry it out and hope for the best.
Can I fix the crack, and will it keep moisture out?

3. Find a matching second hand xenon unit in six days.
I have found one but it's a different colour to the ones on the car, so will either mean changing both which seems pointlessly expensive to satisfy my OCD and stop the car looking like it's got a black eye, though I could try and sell my "good" unit; or just swap the cracked one back in after the MOT, which also seems pointlessly expensive, and is just putting off the inevitable for another 12 months.

Sorry to ramble.
Any thoughts or suggestions are welcome.

[T5R92011]

I know that the regular halogen projector units can be entirely removed and extracted through the back access cover of the headlamp unit.

Probably the same for the HID version.

You could probably just swap the internal bits over.

[Not A Salmon]

I considered that, but the wiring looked different when I had them side by side. I'll have a look at that in the morning, to see if it's going to be straightforward or not.
Frankly I'd like the cheapest, easiest, quickest, neatest solution, but I'll settle for what causes the least swearing and bleeding.

[msh]

hi
I believe the front lens can be removed ( never done it ) by removing the clips and heating the sealent. I thinks there is a how to guide on here but may be a couple of years old. As your headlight is knackered could practice on that if you are not going to repair.

you could do a temp repair again and look for a second hand one at your leisure
Mark

[domhart10]

hey i have 2 sets of headlight units for my S40. My original cracked like yours so I ordered a cheap one of ebay and took the lens's off to put on the original, the other i keep to play around with.

You just need to put the headlamps in an oven for couple mins or get a hair dryer to the silicone around the sides of the lens to warm it up to allow it to separate from the unit.

Make sure you clean of the majority of the silicone before you apply new one (which i just pick up at homebase) then put the new lens on.

rushed description but let me know if you need more in-depth step by step or something.

[Not A Salmon]

Cheers for your help guys.
domhart10 that's what I've decided to do, today if I have time, failing that it'll be Sunday- the day before the MOT.

How long does it take to remove a lens, roughly? (for a ham fisted amateur)

And how long does it take for the sealant to set?

[IainG]

Hi

Took me about an hour. but would have been quicker with heat!
I used the old mastic again, took the mastic out. rolled it into a long thin piece and put it back in the groove. Heat would have helped rebedding the glass onto the mastic as well, then put the clips back on. Fiddly but take your time.

Iain

[domhart10]

shouldnt take long, dont worry ... I had no idea as well. Now that ive done it, I constantly fiddle around with the headlights.

should take about 20 mins really. Needs to be heated up and not cold as you dont want to crack or ruin your unit.

I have done it in the oven and hair dryer (Girl friend not impressed as it over heated) stick it in the oven for a couple of mins so that the silicone warms up. you then want to gently prise the lens off the unit (There are quite a few good S40 videos on youtube of people doing it)

when its off, make sure you clean the old silicone on the unit as best as you can before applying new silicone and resealing with the new lens. Try and use gloves when handling to not smear or leave marks on the inside lens and also just give it a check once you put the new lens on ... you dont want any gaps for condensation.

[Not A Salmon]

Well I've got the new lens off. This stuff is REALLY sticky, but as you guys have said - gentle heat and a bit of patience.
Now to get the cracked lens off, being careful not to damage the unit.

[Not A Salmon]

All done in less than an hour. Surprisingly easy, just get it warm enough and it comes away ok. Very satisfying, and no swearing!