02 OBW Headlight upgrade...questions and more questions

[Flea4me]

Recently purchased an 02 OBW. First time driving at night I noticed the poor light output. I am familiar with this problem as my 98 lights were crap too. That car is gone now (accident). I got some JDM projectors but never installed them (FS on here). Anyways I bought some new bulbs and a kit to polish the lenses as they were a bit cloudy. Did the bulb swap and did the polish. When I was wiping down the lenses after the final polish I noticed something...both lights are "Depo" lights!!!!! AAAAAARGH! These are crap lights!

So my question(s) is......would swapping the lights with the OE lights be much of an improvement? Or would they be only marginally better. The OE lights on my 98 were crap.....so should I just go for JDM lights?

Are the base model (single bulb) a better choice (jdm of course) or should I stick with OB lights (2 bulbs)?

I have searched ebay and there are lots to choose from....mostly HID but the years/models models confuse me....I thought that a Legacy is a Legacy 2000-2004 (99-04 in Japan)!!

Help! I need to solve this mystery!!!

[bulldozer24]

The 3rd gen came out in 99 in japan therefore the lights will say they fit 99-04

[Flea4me]

Thanks.....thats what I figured....but on ebay the jdm guys list the lights as 99-01 or 99-02 B4 BH5 GT TT RSK etc....but they will all fit...right?

What about the wiring?? Are the HID plug and play? or is some rewiring nec..

I contacted one of them about a set of HID's and I even sent him a a pic of my car. He said won't work.....????

Also I see listed "Koito" "Kouki" as the manufacturers...either ok?

I was also wondering about the L model lights with the single bulb. In OE (north america) are they equal or better in beam pattern to the OB 2 bulb units?? And what about the JDM L non-HID lights??? Pattern any better than the NA version???

Ya I know....lots of questions...but I want to be sure I get more bang (light) for my buck!!!

[Flea4me]

Still need more input!!!

[Flea4me]

Bump.......still needing more input (output LOL)

[loganmossmusic]

viewtopic.php?f=41&t=17332&hilit=kouki (http://www.sl-i.net/FORUM/viewtopic.php?f=41&t=17332&hilit=kouki)
That explains "kouki"
As I dont know much at all about imprezas I cant help with anything else.

[Yamazaki]

The 3rd gen came out in 99 in japan therefore the lights will say they fit 99-04
Correction: '98-'02 in Japan / '00-'04 in US. Check out this thread for the Japanese models: viewtopic.php?f=3&t=17559 (http://www.sl-i.net/FORUM/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=17559)
However, you will want '98-'00 headlights since the '01-'02 model headlights have fitment issues (unless you don't mind gaps between lights and bumper/hood).

In answer to your other questions:
There were only two different types of lights for the BE/BH: HID and non-HID. Both fit the US models, but wiring is different for the HID. The non-HID pattern is going to be worse because even though it uses the same bulb as the US version, it is set up for RHD so the light bias will be lighting up the wrong part of the road. The HID light bias is still on the wrong side, but they are adjustable (up and down) and have brighter output.

[anothernord]

Checkout rougeben's member's ride thread. He has an FX35 retrofit done, which is exactly what you should do.

[Flea4me]

Thanks for the info guys......but doing a retrofit is waaaaaaaaaaaay too much $$$ rights now.....maybe a set of JDM lights could be a possibility.....but after a lot of thought I really don't want to piss off anyone coming at me on the twisty backroads I drive...
But I am curious though......what about just swapping out these "Depo" lights with true OE (NA) lights (used of course!)...better bulbs and a rewire for the voltage drop???????
I neglected to mention in my original post that I also have Hella fogs to install in place of the OE ones and a set of Hella 500's (4) to go on my light bar....so really all I need is a good low beam from the headlights..

Any thoughts???? Does anyone think the pattern from the OE lights will be better than the "Depo" lights???

[anothernord]

A retrofit doesn't have to be that expensive. You could easily do it for around $120. Get a DDM tuning HID kit for ~$40, and a pair of E55's for $60, then you're good.

[Flea4me]

Sorry but I am a newbie to this HID stuff........I found the DDM tuning site and located the kits....but E55's......what are you referring to there?........And are you saying I can install these in my present housings?

[anothernord]

Go to HIDplanet.com and research on how to do a retrofit. E55 is the projector, being that it gets it's name from the car that it comes out of, the Mercedes E55. There's lots of other projectors out there, find one with good output, and a price that's good, and go to work retrofitting.