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I have just bought a 2014 Subaru Legacy from a dealer and the low beam lights are very poor. I have compared them side-by-side with a same model car and the difference is radical. Is there any way to get them tested to see if they meet the WOF requirement to illuminate the road at least 50 metres ahead. The car has the HID bulbs which are expensive to replace and the dealer is not prepared to replace them unless I can prove that they don't meet the legal requirements.

Hi there,
The best way to test is to go to a wof issuing (AA Inspection centre) workshop and ask them to test the light output like they would for a wof- and then ask for the result in writing. http://locations.aa.co.nz/aa-auto-centre

Well that turned out to be a bit of a joke as the AA service centre tested it with their beam setter which showed low beam as 'bad'. However, they said that they would pass it for a WOF ! Luckily when I asked both VINZ and VTNZ to have a look at the headlights, both testing stations said that they would fail it. I subsequently put the car through VINZ for a WOF which it failed on the headlights. The dealer who sold me the car is now trying to get the lights fixed but so far we have now been ubable to use the car for a month as it doesn't have a current WOF any more