Replacement lighbulbs for Audis - Make sure you're sitting down!

S

Staples

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Got a message on the display panel to the effect that one of the headlight bulbs had gone.

Turns out the replacment bulb is €185 (plus VAT) and given the awkwardness involved in accessing the holder, would cost €135 (plus VAT) to install. This is based on a hour's labour.

This equates to something in the order of €360 to replace a lightbulb. I might just wait for another few to go and just write the car off. God be with the days when you could buy replaement bulbs in a petrol station and replace them straight away.

The bulb in question is a Philips Xen Eco Start 35w. Had a quick google but could find nothing on this side ofthe planet.

Does anybody know where I might source these bulbs online?

Thanks
 
Have you tried eBay ?? Which model Audi are you driving ? And the price of installation in mad. What part of the country are you in as somebody somewhere must be able to offer you an alternative to the price offered for installation.
 

Are you in the AA?
They replace bulbs for free. They charge for the cost of the (generic) bulb. I have 2 replaced on my Audi for under a fiver.
 
It gets worse - quote taken from the link RonanC gave

NOTE: It is highly recommended that Xenon components are changed in pairs to avoid disparities in the beam pattern and colour.
 
Thanks for the replies folks and to Ronan C for the link.

It's an A4, 2008-onwards model. Not in the AA.

The bulb in question looks like this one, [broken link removed] although i'm not sure if it's otherwise the same.
 
Try Micksgarage.ie. no idea if they do them but great service and should be able to point in the rite direction
 
would it not be covered under warranty considering its xenon bulb?

if not then you could buy the bulbs yourself - [broken link removed] and get them fitted elsewhere.
 
Purple said:
Are you in the AA?
They replace bulbs for free. They charge for the cost of the (generic) bulb. I have 2 replaced on my Audi for under a fiver.
Click to expand...

Doubt you'd get two of the one I need for that money.
 
It looks as if the 'switchgear' (Step-up transformer and Ignitor) for the bulb is in the metal can in the base, and I would guess that this had failed. Generally a discharge bulb will get dimmer, change colour temperature, flicker on and off or just explode, rather than just fail. Is the small glass bobble in the bulb gone white/gray, a slight milky white deposit does not matter.
BTW Do not touch the glass (quarts) with your hands when changing the bulb, if you do you need to wipe it with an alcohol wipe, or the bulb will explode after a few hours use. Philips often supply one with their other discharge bulbs, so they may do the same with replacement car bulbs.
 

Hi Towger. Thanks for your post.

I took it out to see what type it was (bit of messing involved - had to move the light section forward to gain access). When I put it back on it worked for a while but with a faint yellow dim which eventually just disappeared. Didn't notice any discolouring of the bulb itself.

Thanks for the tip about handling the replacement.
 
irishmoss said:
Purple
Do they come to your house to do this ?
Click to expand...

Yep. I couldn't believe it when the guy told me. He offered to do it when I called them out for another problem but he said that they will call out to do it.
 
Thought I'd provide an update on this.

Got a bulb online from a crowd called Formula-J87 (somewhere in the US) for $92, including postage.

Fitted it myself in about 20 minutes. Wasn't the easist of a jobs - a few screws to be removed to loosen the headlamp unit. Even then, there was a very restricted area in which to manoeuvre but eventually got it. Outraged that a main dealer would charge an hour's time for what took a novice like me 20 mins. If I was doing it again, I'd do it in 10 mins.

Saved myself nearly €300 by doing it this way. God bless the internet!!
 
Staples said:
Thought I'd provide an update on this.

Got a bulb online from a crowd called Formula-J87 (somewhere in the US) for $92, including postage.


Saved myself nearly €300 by doing it this way. God bless the internet!!
Click to expand...


God bless you for your endeavors to get a cheaper deal, dear old rip off Ireland, recession or no recession, it gets worse by the day.
 

Thanks for the update.........always nice when posters do that.
 
I'd recommend replacing both for the reason that Murphy's law will kick in. it's usually a case of "while you're at it.....", I always replace both bulbs even if only one has blown.
 
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