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"Subarus have a reputation for being easy to repair" Replacing a single headlight bulb in recent Subarus is an hour long job. You get to remove the wheel and w

"Subarus have a reputation for being easy to repair" Replacing a single headlight bulb in recent Subarus is an hour long job. You get to remove the wheel and wheel well cover. Nice $250 job to replace both at the dealer. Daytime running lights that burn out extra quick just adds to this insanity.

magduf 8y ago
How often do you have to replace headlight bulbs? And if it only takes an hour, why on earth would you spend $250 at the dealer to do it? I don't know about you, but I certainly don't get paid $250/hour at my day job (don't forget that car dealer mechanics don't work at your home or workplace, you have to bring the car to them and sit there while they do the job). DRLs don't burn out quickly if you don't cheap out on them. Get the car model that has LED DRLs and you won't have this problem. Only crappy models with halogen bulbs still do this. If you're driving a car with halogen bulbs, you're driving an unsafe car according to the IIHS, which won't award a good safety rating to any such vehicle: only cars with HID or LED lighting qualify. Night visibility with halogen is atrocious.
- imtringued 8y ago
  Because the damn lights keep breaking every year and are not user serviceable unless you happen to have access to a garage and know how to remove the bumper to access the headlights and swap them. I can just bring my car to the dealer and avoid dealing with all of this crap.
  - magduf 8y ago
    What kind of crappy car do you have that requires removing the bumper? Mine isn't the easiest in the world to change bulbs on, but it's not that hard, as you just have to pull out the fender liners a little to get to the bulbs. But with HIDs, I've never needed to do that, and likely won't for years to come. I guess paying extra for HIDs ends up paying for itself...
- njarboe 8y ago
  Replace both at the dealer. So $100/hr labor for each and $50 for parts and tax. In the Bay Area the labor cost for every skilled/semi-skilled job costs at least $100/hr. Plumber, electrician, tree trimming, etc.
pard68 8y ago
I would assume its newer? My headlights are cake to replace. But my Subaru is from nearly two decades ago.
andymal 8y ago
The original comment probably should've included "older". In general most older cars are easier to repair. Just replaced my headlights a couple days ago in 01 forester. Took about 3 minutes. Changing a fog light in my 11' 328i is insane. Had to take off the wheel and go in from the wheel well instead of just having screws on the front. Seems intentional sometimes.

magduf 8y ago

How often do you have to replace headlight bulbs? And if it only takes an hour, why on earth would you spend $250 at the dealer to do it? I don't know about you, but I certainly don't get paid $250/hour at my day job (don't forget that car dealer mechanics don't work at your home or workplace, you have to bring the car to them and sit there while they do the job). DRLs don't burn out quickly if you don't cheap out on them. Get the car model that has LED DRLs and you won't have this problem. Only crappy models with halogen bulbs still do this. If you're driving a car with halogen bulbs, you're driving an unsafe car according to the IIHS, which won't award a good safety rating to any such vehicle: only cars with HID or LED lighting qualify. Night visibility with halogen is atrocious.

imtringued 8y ago
Because the damn lights keep breaking every year and are not user serviceable unless you happen to have access to a garage and know how to remove the bumper to access the headlights and swap them. I can just bring my car to the dealer and avoid dealing with all of this crap.
- magduf 8y ago
  What kind of crappy car do you have that requires removing the bumper? Mine isn't the easiest in the world to change bulbs on, but it's not that hard, as you just have to pull out the fender liners a little to get to the bulbs. But with HIDs, I've never needed to do that, and likely won't for years to come. I guess paying extra for HIDs ends up paying for itself...
njarboe 8y ago
Replace both at the dealer. So $100/hr labor for each and $50 for parts and tax. In the Bay Area the labor cost for every skilled/semi-skilled job costs at least $100/hr. Plumber, electrician, tree trimming, etc.

pard68 8y ago

I would assume its newer? My headlights are cake to replace. But my Subaru is from nearly two decades ago.

andymal 8y ago

The original comment probably should've included "older". In general most older cars are easier to repair. Just replaced my headlights a couple days ago in 01 forester. Took about 3 minutes. Changing a fog light in my 11' 328i is insane. Had to take off the wheel and go in from the wheel well instead of just having screws on the front. Seems intentional sometimes.