Ok so i was an idiot and was changing the full beam bulbs over and over probably out of some feeling of it being a total nightmare to change them on the driver's side. I have switched the passenger side no problem as there is plenty of space but the driver's side is a total nightmare. The fuel pump is in the way and there is so little room to get your hand in. I have heard of taking off the wheel or loosening the fuel pump so before i try either I wanted to make sure there wasn't any other way or any knack that I could employ?

I am tempted to just get the person at Halfords to struggle with it but I am not confident that he/she will be able to manage it? Any experience from anyone who has done this either? Have an MOT tomorrow so need to get it sorted asap!

Not sure on the fabia but the octavia has a metal clip system that secures headlight and enables you to pull headlight out which makes it a lot easier to get to bulb. (if its not seized like mine) If its very awkward and halfords say they can do it let them try. Worse case scenario is they cant so you wouldn't have to pay them. Its not too bad on the mk1 1.2 as theres not too much in the way. You would have thought that it would have been designed to be easy but I suppose thats modern cars. On my old Volvo 940 being RWD you could pretty near climb into engine bay to work on it. Loads of space and everything easy to get to . FWD cars seem to be a nightmare.

Alasdair

Thanks for your reply. I tried for about an hour and just knew it was going nowhere. I took it to Halfords later than I would have liked (7.30pm) and a really nice chap managed to get his very dexterous fingers in there and change it in about 5 minutes. I would say to anyone thinking of changing the driver's side bulb, don't do it, just take it to the nimble fingered people at Halfords. Very impressed.