Help Identify This Bulb

bash247 · 18 Oct 2016 at 13:26

UPDATE: So I've been to BMW and you can't buy the bulb on its own and need to buy the complete holder for 34 quid. Part No: 63217178384.

Thanks snapdragon for the offer but the complete holder needs to be replaced mate.

grudas · 18 Oct 2016 at 13:33

that's bananas...

Haggisman · 18 Oct 2016 at 13:40

I'd love to know the reasoning behind this, other than "to fleece the customer" (I'm guessing there isn't one!) It's not like there's a limited space where a removable light fitting would be too big...

Sure there's got to be a joke in there somewhere... How many BMW mechanics does it take to change a lightbulb...

Diddums · 18 Oct 2016 at 14:22

Jono said:
Oh dear

adolf hamster · 18 Oct 2016 at 14:28

grudas said:
how I wish that was real.. majority of modern cars even getting to the bulbs is a pain! my mazda 3 is a right pita to get to the fronts! rears are easy-ish if you have 2yo's hands.

The sidelights on the e90's are:

Jack up the car
Remove the wheel
Remove the mudguard
Crawl under the car
Remove the cover (this is fiddly and requires 2 screwdrivers and hope)
Unbolt the light (this requires 2 torx heads)
Reverse to install

Not too bad if you have access to a ramp, but with just a jack its bad back city

Tbh the bmw manufacturers mentality is you pay the service package and they do this on a yearly basis so you should never have a blown bulb. Its funny that they combine that level of complexity for a blown bulb with an oil sensor that tells you when to add oil and how much to add.

new boy · 18 Oct 2016 at 14:30

bash247 said:
UPDATE: So I've been to BMW and you can't buy the bulb on its own and need to buy the complete holder for 34 quid. Part No: 63217178384.

Thanks snapdragon for the offer but the complete holder needs to be replaced mate.

That's completely insane. Why would you make a consumable part non replaceable?

Dis86 · 18 Oct 2016 at 14:30

That's what I said on the first page!

grudas · 18 Oct 2016 at 15:21

Dis86 said:
That's what I said on the first page!

we're still on the first page!

bash247 · 18 Oct 2016 at 15:23

I loved some of the suggestions in this thread though

Thanks for the help chaps

Akagi · 18 Oct 2016 at 15:23

grudas said:
we're still on the first page!

This is the third page! :eek:

ZG002 · 18 Oct 2016 at 15:25

Dis86 said:
That's what I said on the first page!

I expected man size pages from a Northerner

ZG002 · 18 Oct 2016 at 15:26

Acme said:
This is the third page!

Not for those in the know

Akagi · 18 Oct 2016 at 15:30

ZG002 said:
Not for those in the know

I am in the know, I changed my page sizes from 30 posts to 20.

tom_e · 18 Oct 2016 at 15:31

new boy said:
That's completely insane. Why would you make a consumable part non replaceable?

It is replaceable...once you've paid them their handsome fee and smiled as they robbed you.

Akagi · 18 Oct 2016 at 15:42

Find a bulb which fits and stick two fingers up to them. The VW ones mentioned earlier sound promising?

insane200 · 18 Oct 2016 at 15:43

No wonder so many BMW's dont use the provided lights as they cost so much once they blow

Jono · 18 Oct 2016 at 15:57

insane200 said:
No wonder so many BMW's dont use the provided lights as they cost so much once they blow

Hah

Or maybe they DO use the indicators, but they've all blown and no one wants to fork out for replacements.

adolf hamster · 18 Oct 2016 at 16:06

Jono said:
Hah Or maybe they DO use the indicators, but they've all blown and no one wants to fork out for replacements.

i like to think that the random flashing of mainbeams and not using indicators is to do with confusing the indicator stalk and the cruise control stalk

Dis86 · 18 Oct 2016 at 17:27

ZG002 said:
I expected man size pages from a Northerner

Holy crap, you have the internet in sunlessland now?

I stick to the default, stops my tiny northern monkey brain getting confused by too much information at once.

ZG002 · 18 Oct 2016 at 20:55

Dis86 said:
sunlessland
.

You're not wrong there lol