Dealer just charged me $400 to change a bulb, what are my options...
 

I never go to the dealer, but I had an emergency as my headlight burned out at night and I had to stop by to ask them to fix it. Little did I know what I was walking in to. They charged me $400 to change my passenger side headlight, and now I'm out not only a bunch of money, but the two headlights look different colors. The older headlight looks a lot more purpleish, which I'm guessing is just because the bulb is old, but do I have any recourse? Just how badly did I get ripped off? Where can I get a new bulb to replace the driver's side so the beams at least match again.

Thanks

how many hours labor did they charge you and how much for the parts? You could have bought two halogen front headlights thru ECS special along w/ tailights and side markers for like $267! the other day...haha, you always ask for an estimate. I had battery changed in 530i...almost $300 at dealership, but i knew the battery was over $100 and labor is over 100/hr...so it wasn't unreasonable.

$400 to change a headlight bulb? Thats about 4 hours of dealer labor time, ridiculous. Was the price of the bulb included? If so they can be pricey from dealer. Should of came north to visit me :)

Always replace xenon bulbs in pairs so they match in color and intensity.

If you need a replacement set let me know.

I think $400 included part and labor..

I don't think you have any recourse. Didn't you ask for a quote before they did the work? Mind telling us how the $400 invoice breaks down?

I'm guessing $175 -$200 of that was for the bulb alone.

$400 did include parts and labor, after my cca discount I got it down to $360 to be exact but still I feel robbed. lightwerkz i had no idea you existed and relatively close to me. If I bring the car up there can you swap the other one and get them to match for a good price? I'm also having issues with the rear tail lamp. On the driver's side the connections are pretty corroded resulting in a slightly dimmer output. I looked into getting a used lamp on ebay but if you have something at a good price I'd like to do that as well. BTW this really set me back so I need to wait a few weeks until I'm on my next billing cycle for the car. Thanks guy

Sorry to say but you feel robbed, because you were robbed. Did you get an estimate before the repair? Not sure if the law is the same in all states but in Cali you are to receive a written estimate that requires your authorization before the work is done.

It was an emergency for you to have it done right away and it was a dealer so maybe that is on par for pricing. At the dealer I take my wife's 7 (its under warranty) to it takes weeks to get an appointment, even if it is safety issue.

Chalk this up to a learning lesson.

Lesson 1: Ask questions about a repair on the forum before having work done.

Oh that really sucks man. The stealership is always my last resort. I'd try to give it a try myself first then if I can't handle the work, I'd just bring it to a indy shop.

About the tails, I know what you mean about it being corroded and causes the lights to be dim. I bought new socket connector (the piece you put your bulbs in) from the dealers and cleaned the metal bracket that powers all the lights in the tail lamp and still, I had issues with it. I then bought a set of non LED tail lamps from ebay for $80 + shipping. With these lamps, instead of using that metal bracket to power all the lights, it uses wires to power them.

This is the tails I bought. They have many different ones. If you want to spend more, you can get LED ones which look a lot better. Ever since I bought these, I never had that issue ever again.

Oh about the different color head lights. Maybe your old ones are just a different color and the dealer didn't match them. Maybe you could go back and let them know that you're not happy with the results. I'm pretty sure they will be kind enough to change them for you.

What color light comes out from the dealer's bulb?
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g57/engz/photo4.jpg

That doesn't sound right. What exactly were the items on your invoice?

Holy crap man, dunno where you are in NJ, but I have a good indy for you for future work.

As for the headlight bulbs, you can grab a set of Phillips D2S bulbs (85122), which are now OEM in most vehicles with HIDs right off of ebay. Older trucks came factory with Osrams, and judging by your description of a purple bulb, it's what you have (Phillips bulbs go dim with age, while Osrams color shift and dim). A pair should run you under 100 bucks (I got a set of 75).

To change the bulb:

You will need an 8mm socket, extension, and a Torx set. I would also highly recommend a towel to lay on the bumper while removing and replacing the headlight to minimize the risk of damage when removing the headlight (better safe than sorry).

- Take out the 4 bolts holding the headlight in (I believe they are 8mm, two on top and two on the bottom, and are a little hard to reach)

- Once you have the headlight unbolted, slide it towards the center of the car so that the lower trim piece unlatches from the fender. The headlight should now be mostly free.

- Unplug the auto-leveling motor plug, and remove the high beam, turn signal bulb and the ground that is plugged in near the ballast (thin black wire) from the headlight. You should now be left with a thick black wire running into the headlight.

- There are 3 Torx screws that hold the dust cover on the headlight where the thick wire runs in. Unbolt them and make sure not to lose the seal.

- Once the cover is unbolted, you will see a red plug. Twist it and it will come off (this is the headlight plug if you have not figured it out yet). At this point, lift the headlight off of the car, and put it down on a clean work surface.

- To remove the headlight, turn the plastic retaining ring counter-clockwise. It should come free after about 1/8th of a turn. Remove the bulb.

- Place the new bulb in, making sure that the alignment tabs line up, and with the metal wire on the bottom. DO NOT TOUCH THE GLASS ON THE BULB. At this point I would also highly suggest you change the turn signal bulb, because if it goes bad, you will be doing this again.

- Re-install the retaining ring and reverse the process. Make sure everything is plugged in and the you clip the headlight back into the fender. Getting it to clip back in is a little tricky, but a gentle jiggle and a tiny bit of coercing will get it back in. before you bolt everything back down.

This whole process took me about 10 minutes a side with me taking my time (aligning the headlights with the bodywork). Someone who is less experienced and doesn't know where to press on the plugs, it'll probably take 20-25 for the first side and less for the second.

That tech probably did the headlight in less than 10. The longest part of the process IMO is getting the headlight off and back on the fender tab. To be honest, I think BMW charges $165 per bulb, and I'm guessing they hit you with 2 hours labor because they checked to see if it was the bulb or ballast, which they test by throwing a new bulb on it and seeing (still, not a 2 hour job).

This was a learning experience for you. I got my learning experience when I first bought my car and got charged over $400 to replace the upper radiator hose (required a "total cooling system drain and cooling system flush", which was a load of crap). Welcome to the club, and don't go to a dealer unless it's under warranty again. If you are in Northern NJ, I have a great indy who is a BMW tech, and has the full computer setup to do all modern BMWs. PM me if you need the number.

if you cannot do it yourself, then you gotta pay, its that simple. its not just a bulb, its a xenon bulb. and what if you purchased a bulb somewhere online, and the light still doesnt turn on? then you'll shotgun another part like an ignitor or a ballast. and if thoes dont take care of it, then LCM time. So... just a FYI the dealer does charge $170-275 for the bulb, and the standard labor charge to replace it on an x5 pre-face lift is 1hr. so did you get ripped off? no you didnt, if you dont have money dont get the car fixed.

You could try contacting the dealer or BMWNA and letting them know how you feel about this. While I don't see that you have any legal recourse they may offer to refund a portion of the repair cost. It never hurts to ask.

Do an eBay search for "osram 85122+" and look for seller "hidbulbzrus". This guy provides good customer service.

You'll pay around $74.00 for a pair of new Phillips Osram 85122+ bulbs.

same thing happen 2 me,and service charged me only 4 the price of the xenon bulb 98 euros.they did not bill me 4 work

I just added 6k hid fogs to my X. I had to replace the headlight bulbs with 6k bulbs. I couldn't do it myself. Took it to my local mechanic and they swapped them out for around $125.

You learned the reason why they are officially called "Stealers" By just about all of us...

OK, let's not make this a criticize/bash dealerships thread.

We've probably all been in a similar position but the important thing is that we learn from the experience. We also need to be accountable as much as the dealerships.

The dealerships play an important role, provide services and have a business to run. Not all dealerships are bad or good.

Without dealerships there would be less resources for the consumer. We would not have our beloved X without dealerships. We would not have people like weasel helping us learn, save money and make this forum enjoyable too. We wouldn't have as many jobs available. Blah, blah, blah.

Sorry, stepping down off my box now. I'm just saying let's not get too carried away.

thanks guys. ive been dealing with some personal stuff right now and my head just wasn't right. i feel so stupid and just lost nearly $400 but what can i do now. Learn and move on. I'm gonna pm someone on here and see if they can help. I just want the freaking lights to match.

can you provide me a link to LED tails? Sounds cool I'll definitely consider a set assuming it doesn't look too aftermarket.

wow - that is one expensive bulb.. I had replaced mine last week before my trip down NC..I called up and pick up OSRAM D2s bulb from pepboys for $100 and it matched my other xenon perfectly.. Which dealer did you go to? There's a member selling their d2s here - http://www.xoutpost.com/classifieds/...6000k-d2s.html

thanks man. i had 6000ks in my old m3 they looked great but i really like the bright white stock look of the 4500ks. i pmed a few people on here i'm just gonna cut my losses and buy two new bulbs, and while i'm at it get LED rear tails so everything will work and match. I just need someone on here who's willing to help me install everything I hate working on stuff like this. I'll pay someone on here if they're willing to come to my house and do the install for me. I'll even throw in some beer or vodka. :thumbup:

Come out to the Connecticut meet this weekend and I'll do it for free!

There you go! Jose just invited you to the meet and get your installation for free.. You're the man Jose! Wish I can come this weekend..I feel inferior without big rims.. :)

Something to consider is that it could have been even more expensive if you:

- had an accident because of the missing light.

- got a ticket.

Also since, it was $360ish with the discount, it must have been around $335 plus tax, right? That sounds more reasonable if their hourly rate is $120 or $140.

And your tale of woe will probably help others here avoid the shock of a large bill for a seemingly minor repair by at getting an estimate first :thumbup:

No biggie ... just trying to help a guy down on his luck.

No need to feel inferior ... my wheels are 20's but not as wide as stock. :D

that's really nice of you to offer tanks man, but unfortunately I don't have the new bulbs yet (plan on buying the ebay set someone recommended) and I have an engagement party in NYC on saturday so I doubt I can make it. I'll gladly pay someone here in NJ if they can help me out. I live in 07920 so if anyone is near by please let me know.

This is a very good point and it makes me feel better. I hope my tale of woe can help save someone else from it. BTW I went to morristown BMW which has always given me great service but I am definitely annoyed about this bulb issue. They also kept me waiting for 2 hrs!

Phillips 85122 bulbs start life at 4.3K but "burn in" over time to 4.8-5K.

This might be what you're seeing.

Sorry to hear that.
Bought all new bulbs including new Fog bulbs and Angel Eyes from ECS
My indie charged me 100 bucks for the complete install.
Took him two hours, because he worked from the top down and did not remove the bumper.

The install depends which model you have. With the 3.0 I've read that the bumper doesn't need to be removed. With my 4.8 the bumper has to come off.

If I remember correctly, to replace the headlight bulbs you don't need to remove the bumper on a 4.8. Just move some components like the power steering out of the way (only three bolts/screws).

Removing the actual headlights, now that's a different story.

Here's a DIY:

http://www.xoutpost.com/bmw-sav-foru...tructions.html

EDIT: BTW ... you can see at the end there I used ebay xenon D2C bulbs for $28/pair to match my HID fogs.

Not quite. Let me set the record straight on the bulbs.

1. Phillips and Osram are two different companies. Phillips bulbs last longer and do not color shift nearly as much as Osrams over time (look at an older Acura TL with 1 purple headlight if you want to see Osrams in action.

2. Phillips code for the D2S bulb is 85122 and 85122+. The 85122 is a normal 4300k HID bulb, while the 85122+ is brighter by a couple hundred lumens, and is closer to 4100k in color. If you compare the two, the 85122+ has a yellower light, but it is brighter, and at the end of its life cycle will only dim and not color shift.

3. The lights will shift in color after burning in (around 100 hours of usage), but not very much. 85122s settle in around around 4800-5000k, while the 85122+ was specifically designed NOT to colorshift.

4. Option 3, if you are matching another bulb, get the Phillips 85122CM. This Bulb is a 4800k bulb and is designed to match older 85122s.

If you got any other HID-related question, LMK.

Thank you sir, I will edit my post by deleting the "Osram" and "+" to correct it. :thumbup:

So after spending $75 and asking a friend of mine for help we successfully installed two xenon bulbs today. They match, and even look better than the factory one BMW put in for me. I bought them from the ebay seller that was recommended to me in this thread. All is well, the above instructions were fantastic in walking us through changing the bulbs.

Thanks for all the support from you guys in this thread, it's helped ease the pain of getting badly ripped off, and as someone else said, I hope another will see this thread and it will at least prevent them from having the same thing happen to me.

I actually ordered some LED tails to compliment the new lights, which should arrive Monday. Can't wait to install those next!

Thanks again everyone.

-Rmani

[QUOTE=wullaby;746043]how many hours labor did they charge you and how much for the parts? You could have bought two halogen front headlights thru ECS special along w/ tailights and side markers for like $267! the other day...haha, you always ask for an estimate. I had battery changed in 530i...almost $300 at dealership, but i knew the battery was over $100 and labor is over 100/hr...so it wasn't unreasonable.

I'm referring to you *Wullaby* (BMW) Dealers dont make any sence, they even make me sick! This is why I always encourage good folks like you to be welcome to this forum, so they can learn something. However people can say (BMW PARTS) are better than after market, but people 4get sometime you could get the same good part from another source too which is way cheaper than going 2 dealer. I remember having my battery so bad where I could even get-up one day without drunping the car from a booster cable. When I called BMW, they want $249. without tax, to intall the battery is additional $15.00.
I just went to sears and got me a New battery related with my car for only:$152.00 including tax and I installed it with no problem once I'm pretty much not bad at all when it comes to mecanic. Every since, my engine starts less than 1 second and be able to play radio now for hours/hours without interrupted my battery power for future start.

Peace out brother!!! ]01 BMW X5 4.4i [Blue COLOR]

Who did you order your LED Tails from? I am probably gonna place an order tonight for my 04 X5. I know there can be an issue where capacitors might need to be installed. But is that with ALL LED tails on 04-05 X5's? Or is it just the ones from specific sources? I ask because in my search I found several recommending Zomkspeed, but his listings have now dropped '04 and up from the description. I am assuming that he got tired of hearing about "flickering" problems. Also what size caps need to be used to fix this issue?

Thanks,

Hey Brad sorry I just saw your post man. I bought the LED tails from umnitza and had lightwerks install the capacitor for me. Tails work perfectly with no error codes being thrown. I'm loving it.

Why?
 

I just PM's one of the poster's thread who gave a very detailed version of how to change the low beam Xenon bulb.
I asked him WHY does the entire headlight have to be removed?
Seems like removing the rear dustcover would give you access to the Xenon bulb to change it.
Any thoughts? I am waiting on the the thread poster to get back to me on this one b/c I need/want to change out both mine for a bit brighter ones due to my very poor night vision.:dunno::(

Hello,


Did you ever get a reply to your PM about not removing the enite headlight to change the Xenon lamp?

Thank you
jim

Changing Xenon bulbs
 

Yes, I just read the forum post on how to do it and did it with ease. You do in fact have to remove the entire headlight assembly but is really easy. The second one took me maybe ten minutes. Someplace on here in the search options is a post on how to do this. Just follow the instructions and save yoursefl 400 bucks. I mean that's just crazy charging that. I got new, brighter Xenon bulbs for like 25 bucks and they work perfectly off eBay. Dealer/stealer, they do what they do best: take your hard earned money.:yikes::(

Who is the Indy in Northern NJ?

$400 that is crazy...