Topic: What did you do to your car today?

[Firm]

My truck has the best headlights ever. Pull two pins, change headlight bulbs, turn signals, DRL and running lights. Takes a few minutes, no tools required. This should be the only way it should be. The Montero you can pull them out in place but its tight....the Jeep, pull grille off.

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Pin setup on the Escalade and Sonoma too. Pretty sweet. Apparently the 07+ Escalade's require disassembly similar to that DTS.

[Fobroader]

My truck has the best headlights ever. Pull two pins, change headlight bulbs, turn signals, DRL and running lights. Takes a few minutes, no tools required. This should be the only way it should be. The Montero you can pull them out in place but its tight....the Jeep, pull grille off.

Sent from my SM-G930W8 using Tapatalk

Pin setup on the Escalade and Sonoma too. Pretty sweet. Apparently the 07+ Escalade's require disassembly similar to that DTS.

It was far too easy and too many people didn't go to the dealer to get hosed for many hundreds of dollars to replace a $3 bulb....can't have that.

[johngenx]

The HL is coming due for a timing belt.  Emailed the dealer for a quote.  $1800 plus taxes and shop fees.   

The estimate looks like they charge full labour on each of the parts, and they don't seem to use a kit - the parts prices are really high.

So, what do they ACTUALLY do?  Buy a kit, but charge full pop for individual pieces.  Then they charge out the labour based on as if they were R/R'ing each part from scratch.

Do people actually pay over two grand (with taxes, etc) for a timing belt job?  WTF?  I hope not.

[Fobroader]

The HL is coming due for a timing belt.  Emailed the dealer for a quote.  $1800 plus taxes and shop fees.   

The estimate looks like they charge full labour on each of the parts, and they don't seem to use a kit - the parts prices are really high.

So, what do they ACTUALLY do?  Buy a kit, but charge full pop for individual pieces.  Then they charge out the labour based on as if they were R/R'ing each part from scratch.

Do people actually pay over two grand (with taxes, etc) for a timing belt job?  WTF?  I hope not.

A guy I know used to take his Acura MDX for service in Montana for this reason. Dealer here wanted the best part of $2k for a timing belt change....he got it down there for ~$1000.

[tpl]

My truck has the best headlights ever. Pull two pins, change headlight bulbs, turn signals, DRL and running lights. Takes a few minutes, no tools required. This should be the only way it should be. The Montero you can pull them out in place but its tight....the Jeep, pull grille off.

Sent from my SM-G930W8 using Tapatalk

Pin setup on the Escalade and Sonoma too. Pretty sweet. Apparently the 07+ Escalade's require disassembly similar to that DTS.

It was far too easy and too many people didn't go to the dealer to get hosed for many hundreds of dollars to replace a $3 bulb....can't have that.

My car is just on the cusp between regular bulbs and LEDs.    I could buy a complete set of LED bulbs for the zillions of indicators, tails, reversing, interior, puddle bulbs etc  for about $200 US including the instructions for how to get at them and a set of spudgers.

It a company can make money doing kits for Audis one would think they could make a profit doing it for many other cars, even Cadillac.


I haven't done the job as by the time I'd fitted a few of the lower placed bulbs I am not sure I'd be able to get up again.  My knees are older than I am I think.

[tortoise]

On that note. The GSW is going to the dealer for an oil change tomorrow.  On to of the usual inspection BS there's going to want to fill the DEF tank.

The VW branded AdBlue is $20 for 2L.  I expect it'll need less than 10L.  On top of that they charge $35 to fill the tank according to the TDI forums.

Or I can buy the same stuff from CT for $18/10L. Filling it is no harder then using a gas can.

[2JDM]

Kinda like how dealers charge $40 to swap out a battery. A few screws and you're done for most cars.

However, for BMWs you need to reprogram the computer or else the car won't recognize the new battery. Typical FGC fashion. 

[tpl]

My 2002 E46 wasn't that bad... you did have to keep a 12V  source attached while you disconnected and replaced the battery though.

[mlin32]

My 2002 E46 wasn't that bad... you did have to keep a 12V  source attached while you disconnected and replaced the battery though.

I didn't do that for either of my BMWs (the older X3 and the E90) and no harm done. Just reset the clock.

The reinitailising the Battery Management System is necessary for the newer BMWs though, as it varies the charge based on the battery size/output and also perceived age. Annoying, yes. But on the plus side it allows for flexibility between battery types and models. For instance, I installed an AGM battery and simply told them to reprogram the charging map to that.

[ktm525]

The HL is coming due for a timing belt.  Emailed the dealer for a quote.  $1800 plus taxes and shop fees.   

The estimate looks like they charge full labour on each of the parts, and they don't seem to use a kit - the parts prices are really high.

So, what do they ACTUALLY do?  Buy a kit, but charge full pop for individual pieces.  Then they charge out the labour based on as if they were R/R'ing each part from scratch.

Do people actually pay over two grand (with taxes, etc) for a timing belt job?  WTF?  I hope not.

Honda Timing belts were about $1200 at the dealer a few years back. Including new water pump. Buy a kit and find good Indy?

[rrocket]

Last time we did a timing belt (IQs car a couple years back) we paid ~$500 USD...and that included the kit.

[johngenx]

Oh, no worries, I'm not spending two grand on a timing belt.  Was curious about what a dealer charges.  I think the kit w/waterpump is about $400, but I can do kit plus Aisin waterpump (which I'd rather have) for about $350.

I'm still sitting on the fence about doing it myself or having it done.  It's not technically difficult in terms of tools or special knowledge, but it is a bit of a PITA.  Probably the most tedious of the service jobs on the car.

[rrocket]

Oh, no worries, I'm not spending two grand on a timing belt.  Was curious about what a dealer charges.  I think the kit w/waterpump is about $400, but I can do kit plus Aisin waterpump (which I'd rather have) for about $350.

I'm still sitting on the fence about doing it myself or having it done.  It's not technically difficult in terms of tools or special knowledge, but it is a bit of a PITA.  Probably the most tedious of the service jobs on the car.

Aisin Kit (TKT026) with water pump and everything is $200 CAD from Rock Auto

[johngenx]

^^^  Oh, that's weird.  When I looked yesterday I didn't see the Aisin kit, and now it's there!  Rock-Auto rocks, as usual.

[rrocket]

^^^  Oh, that's weird.  When I looked yesterday I didn't see the Aisin kit, and now it's there!  Rock-Auto rocks, as usual.

FWIW, KOYO (the bearings) is also the OEM supplier to Toyota/Lexus.

[Great_Big_Abyss]

My truck has the best headlights ever. Pull two pins, change headlight bulbs, turn signals, DRL and running lights. Takes a few minutes, no tools required. This should be the only way it should be. The Montero you can pull them out in place but its tight....the Jeep, pull grille off.

Sent from my SM-G930W8 using Tapatalk

Pin setup on the Escalade and Sonoma too. Pretty sweet. Apparently the 07+ Escalade's require disassembly similar to that DTS.

It was far too easy and too many people didn't go to the dealer to get hosed for many hundreds of dollars to replace a $3 bulb....can't have that.

My car is just on the cusp between regular bulbs and LEDs.    I could buy a complete set of LED bulbs for the zillions of indicators, tails, reversing, interior, puddle bulbs etc  for about $200 US including the instructions for how to get at them and a set of spudgers.

It a company can make money doing kits for Audis one would think they could make a profit doing it for many other cars, even Cadillac.


I haven't done the job as by the time I'd fitted a few of the lower placed bulbs I am not sure I'd be able to get up again.  My knees are older than I am I think.

It would seem to me as long as you know the type of bulb socket (my van is some sort of wedge) you can find LED replacement bulbs for anything.

https://www.superbrightleds.com/cat/tail-brake-turn/

Likely the only thing I wouldn't replace would be the headlights as that would completely mess up the beam pattern.  Turn signals, brake lights and reverse lights (the taillights on the van are LED from the factory), however, are completely fair game.

[Great_Big_Abyss]

Oh, no worries, I'm not spending two grand on a timing belt.  Was curious about what a dealer charges.  I think the kit w/waterpump is about $400, but I can do kit plus Aisin waterpump (which I'd rather have) for about $350.

I'm still sitting on the fence about doing it myself or having it done.  It's not technically difficult in terms of tools or special knowledge, but it is a bit of a PITA.  Probably the most tedious of the service jobs on the car.

Take an afternoon one weekend and do it yourself.  It'll be fun, you'll save a bit of money, and you'll have bragging rights.

[draghon]

I replaced the turn signals in my car with LED bulbs but they required added resistors to work properly. Without the resistors, my turn signals would blink really fast like one of the bulbs was burnt out.   

[ktm525]

Oh, no worries, I'm not spending two grand on a timing belt.  Was curious about what a dealer charges.  I think the kit w/waterpump is about $400, but I can do kit plus Aisin waterpump (which I'd rather have) for about $350.

I'm still sitting on the fence about doing it myself or having it done.  It's not technically difficult in terms of tools or special knowledge, but it is a bit of a PITA.  Probably the most tedious of the service jobs on the car.

Take an afternoon one weekend and do it yourself.  It'll be fun, you'll save a bit of money, and you'll have bragging rights.

Afternoon? That is a pretty big job for a homeowner in a garage with hand tools. That is a full day and a case of beer...

edit that: It is a timing belt. Maybe no beer.

[dkaz]

Timing belts seem dauntingly scary.