So I Changed a headlight bulb.....

Splog

Splog

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And lost the bloody clip that holds the bulb in place! ... :shake: This is just a small piece of spring wire that probably costs about one pence to make ten.

Anyway, I was totally expecting to be ripped off for about £3 for a replacement, but no, not that easy!... The Fiat dealer told me they are not available separately and that I would have to buy a new headlight assembly. :thinking:

I managed to get home by using a cable tie to hold it but I need to find a supplier for the clip....... any ideas?
 
Yes. Local scrapyard might have a broken light with a clip you can nab for not much money. There are specialist italian car breakers around so they're worth googling for.
 
ChrisH said:
Look for a scrap yard in the yellow pages, probably find loads in there.
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srichards said:
Yes. Local scrapyard might have a broken light with a clip you can nab for not much money. There are specialist italian car breakers around so they're worth googling for.
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Thanks..... I didn't even think about a scrap yard! Great idea, I'll have a look around :thumbs:
 
Make one? Find a wire spring and bend it to shape with pliers. Spring wire is usually half hard meaning you can bend it to shape and it will still have some spring to it when you have finished.
 
buy said replacement light from dealer - remove spring, take back for refund :)
 
RobertP said:
Make one? Find a wire spring and bend it to shape with pliers. Spring wire is usually half hard meaning you can bend it to shape and it will still have some spring to it when you have finished.
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Yep! Thanks Robert, already found something that may work with a bit of callyfudging :D I'd just feel happier with the right bit and still a bit ****ed about them trying to sell a full headlight unit! ....
 
Have you had a look on ebay.
There are lots of people dismantling cars.
I have purchased quite a few items for my dads rover 75 from different people.
 
stokecity_m said:
buy said replacement light from dealer - remove spring, take back for refund :)
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If my parts manager ever fell for that particular oldest trick in the book, he would be on the carpet by the bosses desk! Its called theft and/or fraud, you wouldn't like it if someone did it with your pictures.

Splog, I would agree, get down to a scrap yard - manufacturers do this more and more and trust me, it annoys us as much as any one else - a fiddly little part breaks whilst replacing something and you have to replace an entire unit :bang:
 
Yv said:
If my parts manager ever fell for that particular oldest trick in the book, he would be on the carpet by the bosses desk! Its called theft and/or fraud, you wouldn't like it if someone did it with your pictures.
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it was a joke - not many daft enough to risk losing the amount the new part costs if they didn't refund
 
stokecity_m said:
buy said replacement light from dealer - remove spring, take back for refund :)
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Ah so you're the barsteward that causes the pain in the arse when you get a part home, get set up to swap it over and then find our there is a bit missing.

I'm going to find your car and gradually remove tiny parts that hold bigger bits together until karma is balanced... ;)
 
Next time buy the bulb from halfords. They fit for free.
 
neil_g said:
I'm going to find your car and gradually remove tiny parts that hold bigger bits together until karma is balanced... ;)
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Just drive behind me, parts often fall off themselves :)
 
Yv said:
If my parts manager ever fell for that particular oldest trick in the book, he would be on the carpet by the bosses desk! Its called theft and/or fraud, you wouldn't like it if someone did it with your pictures.

Splog, I would agree, get down to a scrap yard - manufacturers do this more and more and trust me, it annoys us as much as any one else - a fiddly little part breaks whilst replacing something and you have to replace an entire unit :bang:
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Hi Yvonne, I took it as a joke and wouldn't even dream of doing it.. :cool:
 
A man only needs two tools: duct tape and WD40.

If it doesn't move and it should, WD40. If it moves and it shouldn't, duct tape.






;)
 
Strappy said:
A man only needs two tools: duct tape and WD40.

If it doesn't move and it should, WD40. If it moves and it shouldn't, duct tape.






;)
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And if you can't fix it with a Hammer? .... Call an electrician! ;)
 
Splog said:
The Fiat dealer told me they are not available separately and that I would have to buy a new headlight assembly. :thinking:
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You bought a Fiat....................:eek:
 
fracster said:
You bought a Fiat....................:eek:
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Yeah!... A few years ago... It's the motorhome a Fiat Ducatto and I love it :D

Still looking for a 4X4 :cool:
 
Fiat = Fix It Again Tony

Have you tried a local independent car parts shop? Years ago Peugeot told me I couldn't buy a rotor arm I had to buy the whole distributor, b****r that I thought and picked up a copy of the rotor arm for £4 at my local car parts supplier. It lasted longer than the rest of the car did, you don't have to take the dealers word for it that they don't supply the spring.
 
cambsno said:
Next time buy the bulb from halfords. They fit for free.
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My local one doesn't they xcharge £6 per side :eek:.

Scrapyard is a good Idea, went to one on Monday and they had all of one of my car in there and luckily that was in the new bit where it hadn't been touched so I got the bits I needed for under £5 I had been qouted £50 for just one part from the dealers
 
If you decide to go scavenging round a scrapyard, the same spring may well be found on a different vehicle's headlights.
 
Splog said:
Yeah!... A few years ago... It's the motorhome a Fiat Ducatto and I love it :D

Still looking for a 4X4 :cool:
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Ah.............us motorhome owners should stick together.......:thumbs:
 
My Halfords don't fit anything for free. They charge for it. And if they don't ask you if you would like it fitted, should you pull them up on it they have to fit it for free. So that's why they asked me if I would like the interior bulb fitted when I was last in there. We had a "conversation" along the lines of how stupid do you think I am, before he explained to me that he had to ask.
 
MisterE said:
My Halfords don't fit anything for free. They charge for it. And if they don't ask you if you would like it fitted, should you pull them up on it they have to fit it for free. So that's why they asked me if I would like the interior bulb fitted when I was last in there. We had a "conversation" along the lines of how stupid do you think I am, before he explained to me that he had to ask.
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Maybe it wasn't free then, but he did it in a few mins so much easier than messing around.
 
What you need is piano wire. It is available from model aircraft shops. Get some about the right size and bend one up for yourself.
 
Oggy said:
What you need is piano wire. It is available from model aircraft shops. Get some about the right size and bend one up for yourself.
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Excellent! Cheers. Thanks for all the suggestions.
 
cambsno said:
Next time buy the bulb from halfords. They fit for free.
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Worth remembering if you have a Renault Megane....

[YOUTUBE]eZWqU9X6PR4[/YOUTUBE]


Mind you, Halfords once towed a car round to to main dealers where I worked after removing the engine on a car to replace the starter, which normally would have been a 15 minute job......:lol:
 
:D

Mechanicjoke.jpg
 
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