In the car yesterday, stopped at a red light, as you do and a chap from the car behind came a tap-tap-tapping at my window to inform me that our offside break light wasn’t working. Oh joy.
Went and got a lamp – a bulb to you but over the years I’ve been remonstrated by many an amp-tramp stating that bulbs are for planting, lamps are for lighting.
I’ve done this job before but age kicked in as it seems to be doing more and more frequently and I just couldn’t be assed. Why do they make such a simple task as changing a lamp so damn complex to get at?
Take it to a dealership or any garage and I could only imagine the cost but it’s Sunday anyway so I tried Halfords. Shocked I was. Joyous day – yes, a Sunday - fitted right there, right then, on the spot, no waiting, eight quid. To this old fellow, an absolute bargain in this day and age.
Let’s bring this fun number out of the left toggle menu one more time by way of celebration.
Addendumadodad; clicking on a choon in that toggle menu over on the left should play the numbers in full browser screen. Hope it works for you.
Quote; Steven Wright.
“I couldn’t repair your brakes, so I made your horn louder.”
4 comments:
It's an absolute bargain to this old fellow too. Certainly saves some swearing and raised blood pressure which must be worth eight quid. Thanks - I'll remember Halfords.
A K Haart,
I was passing so pulled in to enquire. Before I could catch my breath, job done. I'm sure if I'd truly started at nine this morning, I'd still be swearing at an unfinished job right now. Best eight quid I've spent in a very long time.
Mac,
Whilst not wanting to spoil your joy, I must say that I would baulk at those prices. Let's say the job takes 5 minutes (that's generous) - at £8 that means you're being charged at the rate of £96 per hour.
Its a super simple job which is more or less the same on most cars. On my Fiesta for example, all it takes is to unclip the pillar lining on the inside of the hatch, which reveals the back side of the lamp assembly. Unplug the multiway wiring connector, release two screws and the whole lamp cluster comes away. You can then change any or all of the bulbs.
This Fiesta has a penchant for popping front sidelight bulbs, and to change those means taking the whole headlight assembly out. That's another 5 minute job, take out 2 screws, unplug a connector and the headlight then pulls out of a large clip. The bulbs are accessible through two hatches in the light assembly and the beam alignment is built into the light, so having the light out doesn't upset it.
Sorry, but the likes of Halfords or Kwik Fit are what I term 'Lego Mechanics'. The staff at my local Halfords know bugger all when faced with a real question. Its a strange place, you walk in and the till is unmanned, no staff can be seen anywhere but you can hear them laughing and talking upstairs. Its a shoplifter's heaven it seems.
The ex-wife's husband (which isn't me, obviously), used to be the manager at the local Kwik Fit branch. He's what I call a 'functioning alcoholic' which is a shame because he's a fairly good mechanic. The lads under his charge were doing fun stuff like exploding air bags and doing donuts in customer's cars in the car park - at least it was fun until those 'fun videos' they took made it onto Youtube. As all this happened on his watch, they fired him within days.
It saddens me to say you were robbed. To spend the best £8 go to fleabay and get yourself a set of LED bulbs and swap them over yourself. You'll also probably end up with £4 change and never have to change a bulb ever again. And by the way, I've been into electronics for over 50 years, so if you ever have electrical problems give me a shout. I'm always pleased to help a friend out, even if its only advice or guidance.
An example of my credentials
https://www.triumphrat.net/threads/turn-signals-everything-you-wanted-to-know.772602/
Ripper,
I wholeheartedly agree with everything you say. Sadly, wot changes, seemingly overnight, is age.
All those taken for granted tasks and jobs suddenly take on a whole new dimension. I’ve changed the car lamps before and remembered that to do it was to get at ‘em on this car. And that was when I was younger. Now? £8 was a gift. If they’d quoted an hours work and price then I’d have done it myself as soon as I had a spare week.
So many tasks now given the fix it or f---k it thought. Cleaning the gutters of leaves? Routine autumnal task, right? Now? Yeah, right.
Trust a suddenly old fellow, it’ll come to pass your way. And it happens so quickly and unexpectedly, you’ll sit back in amazement. The operative word there is ‘sit’ so get it all done now my friend then let the years pass.
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