Author Topic: Someone hit my GTI  (Read 5331 times)

Offline Carlosfandango

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Re: Someone hit my GTI
« Reply #10 on: 16 March 2025, 07:00 »
Absolutely infuriating. Been there  :angry:

If it was just the bumper scuff it wouldn’t be so bad. An easy fix, a couple of hundred would do it. But the headlight is cracked there, right? That’s not going to be cheap, I’d guesstimate up on 1500 quid for the headlight unit alone. Is the wing damaged?

No, managed to get the bumper back in and it looks as good as it can. It's just the headlight crack and the marks on the bumper now. The marks can be fixed for quite cheap, it's just the headlight I might be f'd on!

I posted you a link in my post above for a second hand 8.5 GTI headlight on eBay, did you not check it out?, you’d just need to swap over the LED control units from your original headlights, which is easy! at that price I would have already bought it if I were you. You wont need to code anything as you’d be using the original controllers, May just need alignment, but unlikely it would be far out of whack. Bumper off job to fit it though, which again, isn’t very difficult, easier with two people but not a necessity.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/116476677294?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=SqKciVBmSkO&sssrc=4429486&ssuid=tp2LCNeJSEm&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY
« Last Edit: 16 March 2025, 07:06 by Carlosfandango »
Current -
8.5 GTI, Dolphin, Pan roof, Area view, DCC, Queenstown wheels, HUD, HK, Spare wheel.

Gone -
2022 Mk8 GTI DSG, Kings Red.
2020 BMW M135i xDrive, Storm Bay Metallic.
2016 Mk7 GTI DSG, Carbon Grey.
2010 Mk6 GTI Manual, Carbon Grey.
2009 Mk6 GTI DSG, Black Pearl.
2008 Mk5 GT sport DSG, Glacier White.
2003 Mk4 R32, Reflex Silver.
2002 Mk4 GTI, Indigo blue pearl.
1991 AX GT.
1984 Mk1 XR2.
Plus many more.

Offline Carlosfandango

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Re: Someone hit my GTI
« Reply #11 on: 16 March 2025, 07:13 »
Thanks for the replies. Managed to fit the top right of the bumper back in.  Matches the other side which is good. Will attempt to get the CCTV futage of where I think this *may* of happened.

I've found some VW Golf MK8 headlight lenses for around £100 on Ebay. Would this be sufficient or would the whole headlight have to be changed?

The lenses are VERY difficult to replace, and generally involve baking the light in a low oven to soften the adhesive, you’d then need new butyl adhesive putty, Your car is an 8.5 anyway isn’t it??
Current -
8.5 GTI, Dolphin, Pan roof, Area view, DCC, Queenstown wheels, HUD, HK, Spare wheel.

Gone -
2022 Mk8 GTI DSG, Kings Red.
2020 BMW M135i xDrive, Storm Bay Metallic.
2016 Mk7 GTI DSG, Carbon Grey.
2010 Mk6 GTI Manual, Carbon Grey.
2009 Mk6 GTI DSG, Black Pearl.
2008 Mk5 GT sport DSG, Glacier White.
2003 Mk4 R32, Reflex Silver.
2002 Mk4 GTI, Indigo blue pearl.
1991 AX GT.
1984 Mk1 XR2.
Plus many more.

Offline Adam T7

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Re: Someone hit my GTI
« Reply #12 on: 16 March 2025, 07:45 »
For a car that’s 6 months ish old, I’d bite the bullet and go the insurance route (clearly getting as much info on the suspect as possible). My wife caused £2.5k worth of damage to a mini clubman in a car park knock 18 months ago, premium went up about £200 when renewed in March 2024 and is back down to previous level this year. Clearly premiums and increases depend on many factors, but you may be surprised.
MY2019 GTI Mk 7.5 Performance. DSG, 5 Door, Rear Camera, Climate Windscreen and Rear Window Factory Tints, Indium Grey.

Offline Carlosfandango

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Re: Someone hit my GTI
« Reply #13 on: 16 March 2025, 08:13 »
For a car that’s 6 months ish old, I’d bite the bullet and go the insurance route (clearly getting as much info on the suspect as possible). My wife caused £2.5k worth of damage to a mini clubman in a car park knock 18 months ago, premium went up about £200 when renewed in March 2024 and is back down to previous level this year. Clearly premiums and increases depend on many factors, but you may be surprised.

This is a good point, and besides being nearly new, who knows what damage is underneath the skin, but the OP does give the impression that apart from the cracked headlight it’s only minor damage, difficult for us to truly assess from forum pictures however, but if a second hand headlight and a polish brought it back up to standard, then I know what I’d do.
Current -
8.5 GTI, Dolphin, Pan roof, Area view, DCC, Queenstown wheels, HUD, HK, Spare wheel.

Gone -
2022 Mk8 GTI DSG, Kings Red.
2020 BMW M135i xDrive, Storm Bay Metallic.
2016 Mk7 GTI DSG, Carbon Grey.
2010 Mk6 GTI Manual, Carbon Grey.
2009 Mk6 GTI DSG, Black Pearl.
2008 Mk5 GT sport DSG, Glacier White.
2003 Mk4 R32, Reflex Silver.
2002 Mk4 GTI, Indigo blue pearl.
1991 AX GT.
1984 Mk1 XR2.
Plus many more.

Offline Adam T7

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Re: Someone hit my GTI
« Reply #14 on: 16 March 2025, 08:29 »
Maybe get a Bodyshop to provide an estimate so you can have an indication of damage and then decide - for £350 for a new headlight unit to fix the problem if the damage is minor, no brainer. If damage more than that, I’d suggest insurance dependent on your claim / age / NCD protection / convictions history etc.
MY2019 GTI Mk 7.5 Performance. DSG, 5 Door, Rear Camera, Climate Windscreen and Rear Window Factory Tints, Indium Grey.

Offline nubedriver

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Re: Someone hit my GTI
« Reply #15 on: 16 March 2025, 13:38 »
Absolutely infuriating. Been there  :angry:

If it was just the bumper scuff it wouldn’t be so bad. An easy fix, a couple of hundred would do it. But the headlight is cracked there, right? That’s not going to be cheap, I’d guesstimate up on 1500 quid for the headlight unit alone. Is the wing damaged?

No, managed to get the bumper back in and it looks as good as it can. It's just the headlight crack and the marks on the bumper now. The marks can be fixed for quite cheap, it's just the headlight I might be f'd on!

I posted you a link in my post above for a second hand 8.5 GTI headlight on eBay, did you not check it out?, you’d just need to swap over the LED control units from your original headlights, which is easy! at that price I would have already bought it if I were you. You wont need to code anything as you’d be using the original controllers, May just need alignment, but unlikely it would be far out of whack. Bumper off job to fit it though, which again, isn’t very difficult, easier with two people but not a necessity.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/116476677294?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=SqKciVBmSkO&sssrc=4429486&ssuid=tp2LCNeJSEm&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY

I've seen this mate. How would we know if it's 100% the correct part though? They do look pretty similar. Not sure how I can check the correct part, unless I remove the headlight myself...

Offline nubedriver

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Re: Someone hit my GTI
« Reply #16 on: 16 March 2025, 13:41 »
For a car that’s 6 months ish old, I’d bite the bullet and go the insurance route (clearly getting as much info on the suspect as possible). My wife caused £2.5k worth of damage to a mini clubman in a car park knock 18 months ago, premium went up about £200 when renewed in March 2024 and is back down to previous level this year. Clearly premiums and increases depend on many factors, but you may be surprised.
Would you do this even if you couldn't get CCTV? There'd be no other party involved, not sure how it works in scenarios such as this.

Offline Carlosfandango

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Re: Someone hit my GTI
« Reply #17 on: 16 March 2025, 14:04 »
Absolutely infuriating. Been there  :angry:

If it was just the bumper scuff it wouldn’t be so bad. An easy fix, a couple of hundred would do it. But the headlight is cracked there, right? That’s not going to be cheap, I’d guesstimate up on 1500 quid for the headlight unit alone. Is the wing damaged?

No, managed to get the bumper back in and it looks as good as it can. It's just the headlight crack and the marks on the bumper now. The marks can be fixed for quite cheap, it's just the headlight I might be f'd on!

I posted you a link in my post above for a second hand 8.5 GTI headlight on eBay, did you not check it out?, you’d just need to swap over the LED control units from your original headlights, which is easy! at that price I would have already bought it if I were you. You wont need to code anything as you’d be using the original controllers, May just need alignment, but unlikely it would be far out of whack. Bumper off job to fit it though, which again, isn’t very difficult, easier with two people but not a necessity.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/116476677294?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=SqKciVBmSkO&sssrc=4429486&ssuid=tp2LCNeJSEm&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY

I've seen this mate. How would we know if it's 100% the correct part though? They do look pretty similar. Not sure how I can check the correct part, unless I remove the headlight myself...


It is the correct part, it has the same part number as the headlight on my GTI (5H2.941.059.AA) , if you open your bonnet the sticker is on top of the headlight. Plus it’s an 8.5 headlight with the red stripe, it’s bound to be right.
Current -
8.5 GTI, Dolphin, Pan roof, Area view, DCC, Queenstown wheels, HUD, HK, Spare wheel.

Gone -
2022 Mk8 GTI DSG, Kings Red.
2020 BMW M135i xDrive, Storm Bay Metallic.
2016 Mk7 GTI DSG, Carbon Grey.
2010 Mk6 GTI Manual, Carbon Grey.
2009 Mk6 GTI DSG, Black Pearl.
2008 Mk5 GT sport DSG, Glacier White.
2003 Mk4 R32, Reflex Silver.
2002 Mk4 GTI, Indigo blue pearl.
1991 AX GT.
1984 Mk1 XR2.
Plus many more.

Offline nubedriver

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Re: Someone hit my GTI
« Reply #18 on: 16 March 2025, 14:31 »
Absolutely infuriating. Been there  :angry:

If it was just the bumper scuff it wouldn’t be so bad. An easy fix, a couple of hundred would do it. But the headlight is cracked there, right? That’s not going to be cheap, I’d guesstimate up on 1500 quid for the headlight unit alone. Is the wing damaged?

No, managed to get the bumper back in and it looks as good as it can. It's just the headlight crack and the marks on the bumper now. The marks can be fixed for quite cheap, it's just the headlight I might be f'd on!

I posted you a link in my post above for a second hand 8.5 GTI headlight on eBay, did you not check it out?, you’d just need to swap over the LED control units from your original headlights, which is easy! at that price I would have already bought it if I were you. You wont need to code anything as you’d be using the original controllers, May just need alignment, but unlikely it would be far out of whack. Bumper off job to fit it though, which again, isn’t very difficult, easier with two people but not a necessity.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/116476677294?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=SqKciVBmSkO&sssrc=4429486&ssuid=tp2LCNeJSEm&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY

I've seen this mate. How would we know if it's 100% the correct part though? They do look pretty similar. Not sure how I can check the correct part, unless I remove the headlight myself...


It is the correct part, it has the same part number as the headlight on my GTI (5H2.941.059.AA) , if you open your bonnet the sticker is on top of the headlight. Plus it’s an 8.5 headlight with the red stripe, it’s bound to be right.

Cheers, I will check. What's your thoughts on images of the ebay part like this? Normal after been taken off and still good to purchase?


Offline Carlosfandango

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Re: Someone hit my GTI
« Reply #19 on: 16 March 2025, 15:04 »
I didn’t see that picture to be honest, I read that it had a mounting tab that had been repaired, but I didn’t realise the lens seems to have a hole in it! It’s hard to tell if it’s the lighting or is actually lens damage?! You’d have to ask the seller, presumably though the actual body of the light is cracked where the badly executed repair is, they said the broken tab had been repaired, but it looks like a little more than that, you can actually buy tab repair kits from VW but if it’s cracked the housing as well those won’t repair the damage beyond the tab, the seller looks like they have a cardboard packaging box in one of the photos, which suggests to me that they replaced the headlight and are selling the damaged one, that makes me think the damage is worse than they are saying it is, now I look more at the pictures, I probably wouldn’t buy that light unless the seller sent some better pictures of the extent of the tab damage, that’s the only set of second hand 8.5 headlights i can find online, you’d have to make the call as to wether the light is in good enough condition by getting more info, you may well be stuck with having to buy new, which would then be quite costly I think, an insurance claim may be the best option providing you’re comprehensively insured.
Current -
8.5 GTI, Dolphin, Pan roof, Area view, DCC, Queenstown wheels, HUD, HK, Spare wheel.

Gone -
2022 Mk8 GTI DSG, Kings Red.
2020 BMW M135i xDrive, Storm Bay Metallic.
2016 Mk7 GTI DSG, Carbon Grey.
2010 Mk6 GTI Manual, Carbon Grey.
2009 Mk6 GTI DSG, Black Pearl.
2008 Mk5 GT sport DSG, Glacier White.
2003 Mk4 R32, Reflex Silver.
2002 Mk4 GTI, Indigo blue pearl.
1991 AX GT.
1984 Mk1 XR2.
Plus many more.