Have you any idea how hard it is to change a simple bulb in a modern car?

I was going to mention my Volvo V50 is fantastic, all relatively accessible and all very easy to do. My wife's merc almost got a sledgehammer through the window when I tried to replace a bulb!!!

I'd encourage anyone considering buying a car to challenge the dealer to demonstrate how easy it is to change the bulb. If it's hard/impossible, it's by design and you can expect a very expensive experience living with that car.

Halfords have removed parts of my engine a few times to replace bulbs

Probably of little use to anybody but so many times I have seen these kits in Lidl or Aldi and not been able to remember whether my car was H4 or H7 (I've had both). When I last had to change a bulb, I realised that H4 bulbs have three blades and H7 have two - a number 4 has three lines and a number 7 has two.

I may have just been unlucky. I bought mine from Asda at £4.99 at different times as they only come with one headlight bulb. They were still the RAC ones, not like the RAC make bulbs but like I said they are handy to have as spares. I had no issue with the smaller bulbs just the headlight ones that failed on mine.

remember if your changing a halogen bulb DONT handle the glass with your fingers as it can leave grease and shorten bulb life,
if you touch the glass wipe them clean.

Can't go drone for a few quid even if they are cheap. They can get you back in the road until you get a better quality.

I have bought these before. Whilst the smaller bulbs are ok the headlight bulbs last maybe 3 to 6 months max. Consequently I don't buy these kits anymore but they are handy if have in the car if you get stopped. Not sure if we still have police who stop people now but if you got a light out and you got a bulb kit they can't nick you. Handy for abroad too.

If you got a headlight out though do yourself a favour and buy one from a proper shop. It takes nearly 30 minutes and some scraped knuckles to do one side on my Mazda 6 so worth the extra in buying a decent brand from a motor factor.

Unless you have a car that's hard to change bulbs on, like my Renault.

Renault Meganes are famous for if soneone has to change a bulb.

Under EU regs you are supposed to able to change a bulb at the roadside. Bit like the quoted MPG it is about time manufacturer's were held to account.

My Peugeot 307, let's put the cigarette lighter (auxiliary port) right in front of the gear stick so any cables get in the way of gear changing, did they think no one would use it for that?.

Agree not many things you can do on a modern car without specialist tools (expensive to buy for one use against paying a garage) why can't they use the bolts etc to fit tools already on the market, oh to make money. I can remember helping my dad on cars when I was younger Morris ital, Morris marina, triumph herald you could fix everything yourself with a standard socket set and spanners. Mind you we had to work on them every weekend to keep them running. So things have improved for the better, just wish they would keep simple jobs simple.

I think you will find it's dependant on the model, ones where you have to remove parts of the engine they will not touch.

Heated, always carry a spare set in our cars.

Headlamp out in my polo to change bulb, not a problem for anyone technically minded but a right nightmare for someone that isn't

Indeed. I believe the majority of their profits come from dealer services/maintenance - the Polaroid business model! I think they rely on our apathy not to care.

​see my post above, to change a fuse the handbook says its a dealer job.
it would have been easy to put a access panel in to the fuse board but Renault in their wisdom made it so you have to remove so many bits including the battery and tray to get to the fuse.

Makes you wonder why if manufacturers want you to buy their vehicles, do they sit down at the design stage and say let's make that bulb really hard to change because we can.

Have you any idea how hard it is to change a simple bulb in a modern car?

That's a good tip villageidiot

I was going to mention my Volvo V50 is fantastic, all relatively accessible and all very easy to do. My wife's merc almost got a sledgehammer through the window when I tried to replace a bulb!!!

I'd encourage anyone considering buying a car to challenge the dealer to demonstrate how easy it is to change the bulb. If it's hard/impossible, it's by design and you can expect a very expensive experience living with that car.

It gets faster with practice. My Volvo seems to eat headlight bulbs. I can now do the job in about 3 minutes. The first time was more like 20.

Great value.