Sat 22 Jan 2005 17:54 Cost of replacement Xenon bulb. - Timaru

Hi - I've just read on the Yahoo C5 board of a chap who's been quoted £405 for a Xenon bulb! Can this be right? Should I be panicking? I thought the bulbs were suppose to out last the car (no C5 jokes please) has anybody had a bulb replaced and if so at what cost. Reply | Report as offensive | Link

Sat 22 Jan 2005 19:50 Cost of replacement Xenon bulb. - Mondaywoe

One of my xenons went out a few weeks ago. I costed bulbs and they came in at anything from £70 upwards (cheapest online) The Cit dealer was quoting about £100 for the bulb itself. I suspect, however that the £405 included fitting and that may not sound as daft as you might imagine. When I asked the dealer about access to the back of the headlights he said that in some models (not necessarily C5) the front bumper has to be removed to change the headlight bulbs! Luckily, for some unaccountable reason my headlight sorted itself and has worked perfectly ever since (tempting providence by saying that!) I'm hoping it was simply a glitch in the starter circuit - possibly brought on by very low temperature (it failed on a freezing cold day) These things are a bit like fluorescent lights in the home - and they are often sticky to fire on very cold days. Could also have been a software glitch - I disconnected the battery for 10 seconds - that always makes C5 reboot its computers and often sorts out all manner of oddities! Graeme Reply | Report as offensive | Link

Sat 22 Jan 2005 20:05 Cost of replacement Xenon bulb. - Schnitzel

Was it a newer BiXenon? with the motor and swivelling mask built into the bulb, or a standard one? The latter can usually be had off ebay for around £30. Reply | Report as offensive | Link

Sat 22 Jan 2005 20:19 Cost of replacement Xenon bulb. - Mondaywoe

AFAIK the xenons on my C5 are 'standard'. Perhaps newer C5s have BiXenons ???? That might account for a £400+ bill. (Aaargh!) Graeme Reply | Report as offensive | Link

Sat 22 Jan 2005 22:29 Cost of replacement Xenon bulb. - Aprilia

HID bulbs don't seem to be lasting as long as the original predictions. My friend who runs an independent service workshop has now replaced quite a few. He also sees a few failed ballast modules. He replaced a unit recently on a German car and IIRC he said the total cost was around £700!! The bulbs themselves retail around the £100 mark, although can probably be picked up cheaper. The BiXenon type will be more expensive. Reply | Report as offensive | Link

Sun 23 Jan 2005 09:43 Cost of replacement Xenon bulb. - nick

So when these cars are 10 yrs old they may be scrapped for the want of a headlight bulb! This is progress? Ok, xenon lights are brighter but are they worth it? Are they really that much better than the best non-xenon types? My old Rover P6 had excellent headlights, just 4 cheap-as-chips sealed beam units. Reply | Report as offensive | Link

Sun 23 Jan 2005 10:25 Cost of replacement Xenon bulb. - Stuartli

This website offers Extreme White Xenon Bulbs at just £11.99 for a pair (Ultra Xenon are £15.99) and states: "By refining the filling medium of tried and tested halogen designs, the inclusion of Xenon gas has meant considerably brighter bulbs are available. "These bulbs have a blue colour to the glass and project a brilliant daylight white light. They are rated at 3900K which optimises both white light and excellent road vision." Not the real thing admittedly, but can't be that far behind in real use...:-) I have driven Mercedes S-Class models fitted with the Xenon bulbs and they really do offer a remarkable output. I bought a pair of the Halfords 50 per cent brighter H4s recently on the BOGOF basis and they do provide a much broader spread of light - but even they cost £12.99. It was before discovering the website offering the Xenon type...:-( www.autobulbsdirect.co.uk/h4_bulbs.htm#ib - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - What\'s for you won\'t pass you by Reply | Report as offensive | Link

Sun 23 Jan 2005 10:33 Cost of replacement Xenon bulb. - Stuartli

Timaru The above bulbs cost less than a 15-year-old C5...:-) - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - What\'s for you won\'t pass you by Reply | Report as offensive | Link

Sun 23 Jan 2005 11:20 Cost of replacement Xenon bulb. - nick

I didn't know there were any 15 yr old C5's.....:-) Seriously though, they're having a laugh at £100 a bulb. Reply | Report as offensive | Link

Sun 23 Jan 2005 17:40 Cost of replacement Xenon bulb. - Timaru I've never been one for regular car changes although I always start with the resolution that THIS TIME I'll change at the optimum time (please tell me when that is) but I've a feeling the C5 estate will be shown the door as soon as the warranty expires. £700 for the kick starter thingy - phew! Reply | Report as offensive | Link Sun 23 Jan 2005 23:36 Cost of replacement Xenon bulb. - David Horn Stuartli - the lamps you pointed out are actually halogen with the inclusion of xenon gas. Proper "xenon" bulbs rely IIRC on firing a high voltage through the xenon to trigger light emission. Similar to a fluorescent lamp. Reply | Report as offensive | Link Mon 24 Jan 2005 08:31 Cost of replacement Xenon bulb. - volvoman What I don't understand is why such bulbs are considered necessary in the first place - I've never found my headlights insufficient. Could it be yet another example of costly overcomplicaton for modest (if any) benefit? Don't get me wrong, if someone wants to shell out ££££'s to be able to tell his mate "my car's got bi-xenons" good for him. Equally, if manufacturers want to offer them as an option. What I don't like is having no choice in the matter. All these fancy gadgets are fine until the day comes when they go wrong and what started out as a gizmo turns into a very costly liability and we've the prospect of cars which are worth less than the cost a set of bulbs. Nonsense. Reply | Report as offensive | Link Mon 24 Jan 2005 10:01 Cost of replacement Xenon bulb. - smokie Although yours may well be adequate, when you drive behind Xenon's you would notice a considerable improvement. I have them (presumably not bi-xenon's) on the Omega and it's when I get into a car without that I realise just how good they are. I tend to agree in principle re fancy gadgets but who would want to be without electric windows and remote locking, once you've experienced it? Reply | Report as offensive | Link Mon 24 Jan 2005 11:12 Cost of replacement Xenon bulb. - Stuartli >>the lamps you pointed out are actually halogen with the inclusion of xenon gas.>> I do realise that...:-) I did state: "Not the real thing admittedly..." - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - What\'s for you won\'t pass you by Reply | Report as offensive | Link Mon 24 Jan 2005 11:14 Cost of replacement Xenon bulb. - Stuartli >>I didn't know there were any 15 yr old C5's.....:-)>> Does the name Clive Sinclair not ring a bell?? - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - What\'s for you won\'t pass you by Reply | Report as offensive | Link