2,721 posts, read 2,945,503 times 4,516 posts, read 17,060,880 times Originally Posted by cdelena Would you pay someone to screw in a light bulb? Would you pay someone to diagnose a problem with your car, and go about fixing a complicated mechanical issue? Mechanics offer a valued service as far as doing work that the average person can't do... I'm just wondering what other work is easy that Mechanics want to charge for (i.e. Replacing an air filter or brake light) Don't get all upset. Nothing wrong with someone doing simple jobs on their car themselves... Oh and usually people earn a wage when it is something the person paying doesn't know how, can't do, or doesn't wish to do themselves. No one pays people for doing something they can easily do themselves, especially if they have the motivation to do it themselves-- that is just ridiculous. 8,842 posts, read 12,885,850 times Originally Posted by cyclone8570 Want to charge for? They have the right to charge for any work someone has them do, no matter how simple.

If people can't/ don't want to do it for themselves then they pay to get it done, no different in any other industry. And you's be surprised how difficult it is to change some light bulbs, my boss had a headlight go out in his Equinox, you have to remove the grill and headlight housing to do it, not a 2 minute job. Originally Posted by NHDave OK-- of course they have the right to charge for whatever they want. But can we get back to the question asked? And stop getting off topic? What are typically "easy" things to fix on a car? 6,191 posts, read 11,232,249 times Your definition of easy and mine are probably 2 different things, it all depends on the vehicle, your skill, tools at hand, and willingness to research and learn. But in general, light bulbs, air filter, wiper blades, oil if you don't mind geting dirty, spark plugs (in some vehicles anyway), washer fluid. Going off topic is a given in almost any thread, seems to be almost a sure thing here.

Found this good list on it Don't know if I'd do some of those though 4,791 posts, read 10,962,249 times Edit...way back when I had older vehicles (the old Ford truck, an old Chrysler, I am talking 60s and 70s) I absolutely swore by Chilton manuals. Seriously, I rewired my old truck mostly with that as a guide mostly by myself. I also rebuilt a carburetor,and did all sorts of other repairs using Chiltons. It's been so long since I did much to any of my own vehicles....I also refuse the oil-change place air filter, sheesh I can and do replace those. Homes For Sale Raven Pointe Winchester VaCoolant changes are easy, you just have to be very careful about discarding old coolant. Athena Laminate FlooringOil changes and basic tune-up stuff is also really easy. House For Sale Dromore Winnipeg

But whan you factor in retail prices for parts/filter/oil, then factor in tools and convenience (like having a warm, dry place to work) and fluid disposal....really it might only save you a dollar or two. There's a GM dealer near my that does $14.99 oil changes - and they will also check and refill all your other fluids included...that is a totally good deal, since you get to sit in the waiting room reading magazines for 20 minutes.The big news today in automotive lighting today is Light Emitting Diode (LED) technology. More and more new cars, light trucks and SUVs are being factory equipped with LED headlights, taillights, indicator lights and trim lights. What started out as a styling gimmick has become mainstream lighting technology. LED technology has come a long way in a relatively short period of time. The latest generation of LEDs are more energy-efficient and produce more light per watt than older generations. The color and quality of the light also much better, being much whiter and brighter for better vision and safety without the annoying bluish glare that some High Energy Discharge (HID) headlights produce.

Their biggest advantages are that LEDs reduce energy consumption (which translates into less load on the charging system for better fuel economy) and near “lifetime” service life (tens of thousands of hours of operation). Their longevity is good for motorists because it significantly reduces the risk of driving with a burned out headlight, taillight, brake light or turn signals. But the downside is that LEDs that last almost forever are not so good for replacement bulb sales. The good news is that there are still more than 200 million older vehicles on the road that are equipped with conventional incandescent halogen headlights or HID bulbs. Most of these vehicles also have conventional incandescent gas-filled filament bulbs for taillights, brake lights, running lights, turn signals, center mounted stop lights, and interior lights. All of these headlamps and small bulbs add up to a significant sales opportunity because eventually all filament bulbs burn out and have to be replaced.

The major issue with replacing any type of automotive lamp is finding the correct bulb for the application. Comparing the old bulb with a new bulb is one method – assuming the old bulb was the correct one for the application. But, if the bulb was replaced previously, it may or may not be the right one. Maybe that’s why it burned out again. So, the best advice is to refer to a bulb supplier’s application chart or database to determine the correct replacement. A customer who is buying a replacement headlight or other bulb is often an excellent prospect for some type of upgrade. Anyone who drives a performance-oriented vehicle or does a lot of night driving may appreciate some type of high performance headlamp. Regulations limit the maximum light output for street legal headlights, but there is often room for improvement over the stock headlights. A set of headlights that produce more lumens will obviously improve night driving visibility and safety, but the trade-off is usually a shorter service life.

Headlamps with various tints also are available to shift the color of the light produced. This may be to simulate the appearance of a high-performance HID headlight system, or it may actually increase visibility with a whiter or bluer light. There also are LED conversion headlights and bulbs for upgrading lighting performance on many vehicles. For large trucks, there are 7-inch sealed beams with LED lighting that can replace conventional H6024 and 6014 incandescent headlights. The LED headlight conversions produce a brighter, whiter light that improves night visibility. Some require minor wiring modifications while others are “plug and play” installation with no modifications needed. There are also LED upgrades for conventional small bulbs, too. The main selling point with these is replace the bulb once and forget it. They should last the life of the vehicle. LED bulbs are a good upgrade for bulbs that may fail prematurely due to shocks, such as lights mounted in truck lids or hatchbacks.