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OMG! headlight bulb cost


RonD

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Have had a few Cadillac CTS's over the years, great cars and not too expensive used, never had headlight bulb go out before.

Went down to get replacement bulbs because you have to pull the front clip off to get headlight assembly out to replace the bulbs, figure regular halogen bulbs at $15each, Canadian $

Pulled the assembly and they are not halogen they are HID Xenon bulbs, OK....
Went back to parts store with bad bulb in hand and my guy there looked up the part said "holy sh#t", knew that wasn't good, lol.

$189.....EACH
For a head light bulb only, not the assembly, not "installed", just for the one bulb.
I get a discount and he also took a bit more off so I paid $129, Canadian $
D1S 35w is the part

Needless to say I just replaced the one bad bulb

Yes I am old and HID head lights are fairly new so first encounter was pretty bad for me, lol.

I looked up the benefits of HID over sealed beam or Halogen.
Whiter and brighter light, OK but I have been driving 40+ years with the older style and never thought they were bad, and really don't see a difference driving my Ranger or the CTS at night, so a big "so what" IMO.

HID last 3 times longer, regular bulbs are $20, HID are $130, they should last 7 TIMES LONGER to make them better in that regard.
3 times longer, forget that give me the 3 halogens at $60

They are more stylish, well I guess you would have to know me better to know "that dog don't hunt".

I guess I will have to pay more attention to what my vehicles have as far as head lights.
Lesson learned.
 
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adsm08

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Yeah, HIDs have many issues, the difficulty in properly retrofitting being one (since everyone seems to think they are so great and need them in a Ranger), the cost being the other.

I have no real desire to ever have HIDs in any of my vehicles.
 

RonD

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I am the same now, no HIDs for me


Oh and HIDs use less power.

I am making my own power in a gasoline vehicle...........???
Why would I care if the headlights draw 5 amps or 8 amps, I ain't saving the planet driving a gasoline engine.
I get it for home lights, less power used saves me money, and less electrical production is needed for my area in general.

If it was an electric vehicle then I would get the power savings, it ain't, so why use them at all in a gas, or diesel, powered vehicle.
 
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Mark_88

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Sticker shock is annoying...and even more so if you have a problem with them due to moisture or other issues.

My (new) 1989 Ford Tempo with the 9004 bulbs caused me great concern because unbeknownst to me when I bought the car the bulbs were $25 a pop...about $15 more than the old style I had been buying about once every five years or so.

It was a bit of a shock and even more annoying because the Ford Tempo (and others) headlight lens had a tendency to accumulate moisture. Pretty much every spring and fall and after a heavy rain the moisture would splash onto the bulb and immediately caused them to POP...

I went through about 8 in the first year before I figured out that if I drilled a tiny hole in the bottom of the lens they would not accumulate moisture...but my headlight expenditure for the next 40 years had been consumed in less than a year...it was very distressing...

$189 for a light bulb would have had me on a mission with GM...but someone once told me that if you can't afford to maintain a vehicle you should not be driving one...I think it was my Dad...lol
 

AllanD

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A friend has a Lincoln Mark VIII and it has HID's in it.

Yeah they are bright but U don't see any material improvement in lighting
over the Hella E-code H4 headlamps I have in my '87 Ranger.

I have a Pair of Sylvania/Osram Silverstar zXe bulbs sitting on my desk but though I got them on closeout for $40 for the pair I'm in no flaming rush to swap them in.

I would buy aftermarket replacement bulbs and ballasts for my Hella Foglamps because they are a bit more impact resistant than the old-school halogens are...

AD
 

Doofy

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Tried spendy bulbs and I could see better briefly until they blew rather prematurely. Now it doesn't much matter because I can't see well at night and try not to be out after dark.
 

85_Ranger4x4

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When they first came out a guy came into the dealer my brother works at because he backed into something with his 2014 Mustang and cracked the LED tail light. It was like $1200 for a new one. :icon_surprised:
 

RayInStl

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Well, that didn't work. Let's try something else!
My cousin bought a Prius with the HID lights. A couple years in she started having problems where they would randomly not come on. She could turn the lights off then on again and they would pop back on.

She didn't want to pay for new ones so she just kept doing that. One night one came on and the other didn't and she didn't catch it and got pulled over. The cop came up to her window and said "Ma'am, do you know you have a headlight out?" So she said "No, officer, they were fine earlier." The cops in her area are d*cks and always write tickets. Never give warnings. So to avoid a ticket, she asked if she could check it. The cop agreed and as she exited the car, she quickly flicked the lights off and then back on quickly.

Her and the cop get to the front of the car and sure enough, both lights are on and she drives off with no ticket.

No moral to this story. Other than it pays to know your car!
 

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