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Post by grampa on Jun 14, 2019 10:07:39 GMT
I got in the Maxi (Mini F54 Clubman) a couple of weeks ago and as most modern cars do, it told me the brake light was out.
Out with the handbook - looks remarkably simple for a modern car - remove a clip in panel in the bumper which reveals a screw, undo it and the light pulls out...
... except the screw wasn't there! - poke around, lie on my back shine a torch all around - still defeated! No help online - everything reckons the screw should be there.
Damn - I'm going to have to take it to the dealer to find out. I don't get round to it - they're about 15 miles away and away from my normal routes. Get nagged about it every time the car starts of course.
Then yesterday, Mrs L comes home from being out in at and announces, "I just got police intercepted." A couple of older guys so they take the old school friendly approach and just advise to get it done (she pleaded ignorance that it had gone).
So I take it to our local independent (who do our MOT's, servicing once out of warranty etc) - they've not done one before but say leave here and we'll get it on the lift and have a good poke around. They call about a hour later, "We found the screw - it's really hidden and you need to see it from very low down - but it's a weird bulb and we've had to order one - it's a bit expensive..."
Want to take a guess at how much?
Twenty fucking four fucking pounds!!
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Post by johnc on Jun 14, 2019 10:51:36 GMT
That's obscene unless of course it is Union Jack shaped.
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Post by Bob Sacamano v2.0 on Jun 14, 2019 10:53:35 GMT
Good Lord! That's 4 G&Ts down my local.
Come to think of it I can't remember the last time I had to replace any bulb. Must be at least 10 years.
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Post by grampa on Jun 14, 2019 11:19:34 GMT
That's obscene unless of course it is Union Jack shaped.  - ours has the alien space ship lights that Racing is so fond of! (The brake lights are the lights in the bumper)  |
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Post by grampa on Jun 14, 2019 11:21:37 GMT
Good Lord! That's 4 G&Ts down my local. Come to think of it I can't remember the last time I had to replace any bulb. Must be at least 10 years. I've been on a run of them lately - this is the fourth light this year (first three in the Scirocco, but at 9 years old I guess it's reaching the age where they go) - the others have been pence rather than pounds. |
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Post by ChrisM on Jun 14, 2019 11:34:58 GMT
What is so "special" about it?
The first time that the light in my current fridge went, I removed and examined it.... it looked like a "special" to me so I ordered one from the local electrical appliance store.
From memory it cost about £11.
I then did a search and found an equivalent / identical item on Amazon for around £3. On the 2 occasions that the bulb has subsequently required replacing, you can guess from where I ordered a replacement.
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Post by grampa on Jun 14, 2019 13:58:37 GMT
What is so "special" about it? The first time that the light in my current fridge went, I removed and examined it.... it looked like a "special" to me so I ordered one from the local electrical appliance store. From memory it cost about £11. I then did a search and found an equivalent / identical item on Amazon for around £3. On the 2 occasions that the bulb has subsequently required replacing, you can guess from where I ordered a replacement. I don't know - I haven't seen it - probably could source it somewhere cheaper but the car was at the garage and it was just easier to let them deal with it - now I know the secret to getting to the screw to release it, when the other side goes I'll probably get one online. |
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Post by grampa on Jun 14, 2019 13:58:48 GMT
What is so "special" about it? The first time that the light in my current fridge went, I removed and examined it.... it looked like a "special" to me so I ordered one from the local electrical appliance store. From memory it cost about £11. I then did a search and found an equivalent / identical item on Amazon for around £3. On the 2 occasions that the bulb has subsequently required replacing, you can guess from where I ordered a replacement. I don't know - I haven't seen it - probably could source it somewhere cheaper but the car was at the garage and it was just easier to let them deal with it - now I know the secret to getting to the screw to release it, when the other side goes I'll probably get one online. |
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Post by Roadsterstu on Jun 15, 2019 9:25:49 GMT
The way these are designed is outrageous. It surely cannot be hard to design in easy bulb replacement or, if access is such an issue, make it a sealed unit with LEDs.
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Post by grampa on Jun 15, 2019 10:30:35 GMT
As modern cars go, once you know it wasn't so bad - once they had it on the lift with a torch they found the release screw - hidden deep at a 45 degree angle to the access panel (the round panel below the lights) - it's the handbook they need to sort - the labour charge was just £5. But I have no idea why they need to use such expensive bulbs.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 15, 2019 10:38:51 GMT
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Post by Roadsterstu on Jun 15, 2019 11:27:21 GMT
I've seen about half a dozen or more cars recently with only one functioning front DRL. They were all on straight roads so no indicating going on and were all sorts of makes including Kia, BMW, Mercedes and Range Rover. If those cars were out of warranty they won't be a cheap fix. I bet. Probably part of the entire headlamp unit rather than a removable section. |
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Post by Martin on Jun 15, 2019 11:38:49 GMT
That’s a lot for a bulb and surprised such a recent model doesn’t have LEDs.
Re the DRL cost, I wonder how much a replacement laser headlight would be?!
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Post by Deleted on Jun 15, 2019 17:58:56 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Jun 15, 2019 18:00:51 GMT
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Post by Martin on Jun 15, 2019 18:09:46 GMT
Blimey!! There’s no way I’ll be running it without a warranty. |
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Post by grampa on Jun 16, 2019 18:47:36 GMT
Let's hope you never find out! I've looked up the brake light on a MINI and they're just a standard 21W 382 bulb which cost a couple of quid for a pair. [br[/quote] There seems to be some confusion over the bulbs - I’d already bought one from a motor factor (Identified by looking up the reg no) and it was less than £1 - however when the garage got to it it was totally different- they rang round all their usual suppliers but BMW were the only place they could get one. They only charged £5 labour for getting on the lift, finding out how to do it - putting it back together so we could have the car back and then doing it all again the next day once the bulb had arrived. |
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Post by Roadsterstu on Jun 19, 2019 22:05:18 GMT
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- ours has the alien space ship lights that Racing is so fond of!
