I was in Germany last week & even there,

there's lots of cars of all sorts of makes & models

with only 1 headlight working.

It's hardly surprising though given how difficult

the manufacturer's seem to want to make changing bulbs!

You got that right.

Removing front bumper should be as easy as removing rear bumper...

I still have both xenon headlamps working, but that day will come when they "die".

In Finland we have to use headlights all the time while driving, so xenon (and other) lights wear out sooner than you guys in UK.

So when the times is to chance xenon headlamps, I'll do it myself and save lots of euros...

Xenon in most cases will last the 'life' of the car so you may not need to change it but if one does go......bumper off job and you will be sorted..........

It's hardly surprising though given how difficult

the manufacturer's seem to want to make changing bulbs!

I think your spot on there mate and I know how much of a pain it is to change bulbs in cars and even as a Designer of new Production Headlamps we really get forced down routes that are not feasible or difficult for the end user to access the bulbs but it's all about space under the bonnet.....

Xenon in most cases will last the 'life' of the car so you may not need to change it but if one does go......bumper off job and you will be sorted..........

Accident damage is the most likely cause for replacement. If one does go you will need drugs as well to revive you when the dealer gives you the price.

I needed 2 for the Octavia & bumper, bonnet, airbags etc etc ( I wasnt driving) eventually sourced some reosnably priced ones at the breakers

Accident damage is the most likely cause for replacement. If one does go you will need drugs as well to revive you when the dealer gives you the price.

I needed 2 for the Octavia & bumper, bonnet, airbags etc etc ( I wasnt driving) eventually sourced some reosnably priced ones at the breakers

Extreme case but yes you will need to re-mortgage your house if you ever have to replace the lamps......thankful that we make them in my case........

I still think my way is the easiest tbh, it all hinges on the wing mount of the airbox, then there's plenty of room.

I had the change down to less than 3 mins doing it this way as well when mine blew on the off side the near side was even easier, but you have to make sure you put the bulb in the right way up so before you pull the old one out of its holder double check its alignment

has a cure been found to stop the bulbs blowing all the time, before my wife took over the car from me it was a taxi and I had to change the bulbs regularly, and more often than not if one went the other was not far behind

has a cure been found to stop the bulbs blowing all the time, before my wife took over the car from me it was a taxi and I had to change the bulbs regularly, and more often than not if one went the other was not far behind

Nip into a VX dealer and get VX H7's I had a problem on my VX's on three models eating any other bulb other than a VX one, if you are a cabby there should be a firm local to you that has a trade card, they are less than 4 quid each on the TC and will last much longer than anything else.

I guess the VX ones are probably Phillips Longlife or similar design, these do last much longer but at a reduced brightness and less blue colour, because the filament is kept at lower temperature (essentially the Philips Xtreme is the opposite of it).

Actually, I keep getting lost in the various silly marketing names. For Phillips alone there's

Longlife (last longer, but darker and more orange)

All Weather (yellowish)

Vision Care (Normal)

Premium +30%

Vision Plus +50%

Xtreme +80%

And that's only standard powered bulbs!

I think they're Osrams iirc.

I think they're Osrams iirc.

I think you're right... all the newer Vx's I've had in the past have had Osram bulbs in originally.

I think you're right... all the newer Vx's I've had in the past have had Osram bulbs in originally.

Blue I have just read your superb,s life story, and if it was a horse it would have been shot long ago, I had the same car as you as a taxi, my wife has it now and its done 190k but without half of what you have spent or had wrong with it

My wife took it over so she could tow our 6 berth caravan from the Scottish Borders and last year she went to Newquay with it on less than 3/4s of a tank 489 miles with a house on wheels isn't bad

I have tried every type of bulb in the past but they dont last as long as they should, I never changed one bulb in my Kia replacement in 3 years so I hope my Octy will be the same

I think they're Osrams iirc.

Doesn't matter, the designs are similar.

OSRAM-SYLVANIA Bulb Halogen H7 12V - 55W Longlife Bulb

e.g. used in Touareg.

Doesn't matter, the designs are similar.

OSRAM-SYLVANIA Bulb Halogen H7 12V - 55W Longlife Bulb

e.g. used in Touareg.

These are the ones to use if you don't wanna keep having to change a bulb all the time anyway, there's two incentives for me, 1 - knowledge that it's gonna last and 2 - I get them cheap on the trade card, anyone having bulb trouble I suggest you give this a go and see how things go, I used to have trouble in both a Vec B and C and also the Omega, our rank record is 30 mins from a £2 cheapo bulb in my mates old B model.

If you are having trouble with headlamp bulbs blowing, check the voltage regulator setting. My car is set to 14.2V at fast idle, light electrical load, which is correct. I have just replaced an (Osram) H7 which is the first in 4 years.

rotodiesel.

I have not had that checked but i will, I did notice that they always went after starting the engine and then turning the lights on

I am not up to date with electronic bits but is there some kind of power reducer in line that could be at fault IE sending to much power to the lights at once

Blue I have just read your superb,s life story, and if it was a horse it would have been shot long ago, I had the same car as you as a taxi, my wife has it now and its done 190k but without half of what you have spent or had wrong with it...

Are we talking about the same car here? Except for the wear & tear and the obvious pollen filter design flaw, I've had two sensors and a window reg fail in two years.

Is that excessive? :confused: