Ok !! really mean euro or pounds how much is the cost of changing all head and tail bulbs, thinking of doing this at next service as car two years old now. Here in parts of south Europe we drive with lights on 24-7, so feel its the right thing to do, what do you think '? Now on 52,000 km .

Why not just replace them when they blow?

Good question, thanks, well we live now 50% in Austria and 50% in Croatia where car is serviced and registered , and reading the threads on doing it ourselves, we decided against that option. So better the service you know , right !!! and that is Croatia and we are booked into that service next week, otherwise must go to strange garages when as you say, bulbs blow. In general they all seem to go at the same time in my experience, or within a few weeks of each other.

Surely it is easier and much cheaper to carry a spare bulb set and change them yourself, it is not difficult to do and there are several threads on changing headlight bulbs and rears are so easy you can do them blindfold.

I followed this guide for changing the headlamp bulbs, it was easy to follow and straightforward to do:

http://briskoda.net/general-technical-guides/new-octavia-headlight-bulb-change/69565/

However does it not say "Changing certain bulbs is not something which you can do yourself, but requires to be done by a specialist.". and added to that it is more chance the wife is driving it alone and probably happen at night etc, that's why prefer the service to do it, say once in 50000km does not seem bad value to me.

The rear lamps are ok to change yourself, most of the lamps in the headlight cluster are not easy to do on the roadside in the dark as you need to remove the whole fitting. If you have xenon bulbs they are even harder to change and chances are you wont be carrying a spare anytime soon.

Changing the headlight/sidelight/indicator bulbs on the front of the car is ok if you have a driveway or a garage at hand.

I've done 107,000 miles (172,000km) without a single popped bulb so far.

If you don't mind paying for a dealer to do it, go for it. If it gives you peace of mind then its money well spent.

What's to say getting them all changed one wont blow?

Either way, you'd have to replace at some point. The garage will laugh and charge you loads to change cheap bulbs that prob dont need changing.

TBH just change them as they blow. You wont avoid blow's using your method/train of thought.

IMHO, take a set of spares for the rear and spare headlight bulbs.

If you're really bothered you can buy long life bulbs which last about twice the normal life of a bulb.

If you put these in you should be good for a couple of years without issue.

Problem you have is any new bulb can pop just like an old one and I would just inspect them every 6-12 months yourself and if they look like the element is getting on a bit then replace the pair.

Anything on the rear of the car you can change yourself. Unless it's the license plate lights you don't even need a screwdriver.

On the fronts the only decent lamp to change is the low beam, but even that is rather fiddly. Not Megane fiddly, but sausage sized fingers will have a hard time reaching.

I wouldn't do it, though. Had Scandinavian lights turned on more than a year ago (but I keep the switch in the low beam position so everything is lit up all the time) and nothing fried yet. Had to replace the turn signal lights on the back because the color flaked off, though, and they appeared rather whiteish next to a newer car.

Carry a set of spares - isn't it a requirement to do that in certain countries on the continent anyway - France springs to mind.

Leave them until they blow. If anything it's wasteful to replace them if they're still working!

And as for the "only have them replaced by a dealer" - that's just a total crock. I have xenons and have replaced the standard bulbs in the front light units no problem (not sure, but maybe even the xenons are DIY too). The rear clusters are a piece of cake.

To make a small point. If you look at the probability of failure curve for a bulb, it is highly likely to fail at the start of its life, which reduces mid life. As you would expect at the end of its life, the failure rate does increase (rapidly).

What I am saying is, if you replace all the bulbs, you may put yourself in a position where one might fail! My Wife's Golf hasn't had a bulb pop after 5 years....

Also, more likely to touch one of the halogens with bare skin, shortening it's life.

Well thanks for all the posts, leaving Vienna for Croatia in a few hours. Had some snow today, so will need to take care, but having a service next week in my service garage in Croatia, and its near to the end of my warranty period, so a lot to check, and our winter tyres are kept there, so will do the change. As for the bulbs will take advice also from service guys, but they have bulbs ready to do a change. Some of the posts mention oh its only 50+000 km , but our lights are constantly on over the past 2 years, also wife drives mostly, and at night not a good thing to ask her to change bulbs, better smile and pay up I think.