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$20 Headlight Bulb Could Become a $500 Repair Bill in a 2018 Nissan Titan

The newer the vehicle, the higher the repair costs for even the simplest services and repairs. An example of where the automotive industry is headed.
Nissan Titan is a Good Example of Out of Control Repair Costs

In a recent South Main Auto LLC YouTube video, the channel's host provides one example of just how bad it is getting with modern cars and trucks, even with simple repairs and services.

Having a shop replace a headlamp bulb is not uncommon and in some cases we just charge for the bulb and pop it in for our regular customers. In some cases, however, it could cost you wayyyyy more than just a few bucks.

The New Reality of Common Repairs

Using a 2018 Nissan Titan as a demo vehicle, the host walks viewers through what he has found as the charges rack up when a customer comes to a dealership service center or garage.

Firstly, you need a new high-beam bulb. But to save time, why not replace the two high-beam and the two low-beam bulbs at the same time? It makes sense and is a reasonable repair, costing $80 in parts.

Secondly, the estimated industry repair manual quotes this as a 1.5-hour job.

The steps involve:

  1. Partially remove the front fender.
  2. Partially remove the front over-fender (if equipped).
  3. Remove the front grill.
  4. Disconnect the front camera.
  5. Remove the upper fascia.
  6. Remove the bolts, disconnect the harness connector from the combination lamp, and remove the lamp.

Which is all well and good.

However, the cost that can bite you in the asphalt is the front camera―it has to be professionally readjusted and recalibrated.

If you remove the grill and then reinstall it, you have to recalibrate or fine-tune and adjust the bird's-eye view camera. Well, that's you know, an extra cost on top of replacing the bulbs.

The host refers to this as "static calibration of a bird's eye view camera"―also known as Around View Monitor or AVM―on a Nissan Titan. It requires specialized tools and targets to ensure accurate image stitching and a true bird's-eye view for adjusting the camera's position and orientation while the vehicle is stationary.

This is not cheap and is not offered by all garages, meaning it may have to be farmed out to another garage for calibration after the bulb(s) are replaced and the vehicle is reassembled.

From the host's garage's perspective, then, you are looking at:

  1. $80 in bulbs
  2. $160 in labor
  3. $250 in static calibration
  4. Plus 8% tax

For a total of $530, it's a big pill to swallow for a light bulb that 15 years ago cost us 40 bucks. And if your mechanic was cool, he just went out in the parking lot and popped it in for you.

This is just the way it's going―You can't change it, you can't stop it, this is the way the automotive world is going.

How to Potentially Avoid the $500-plus Repair Bill

The point the host makes is that if you call a garage for an estimate (vehicle unseen), you will get a flat rate based on their service data repair recommendation for how long and, how involved a repair is and at what cost.

However, if you take the vehicle in for an estimate, you might get a lower repair estimate.

In his garage's case with the customer's 2018 Nissan Tundra, he is familiar with the vehicle and knows how to work around the bulb replacement without having to include a costly static recalibration afterward.

That said, watch the video below and see how he does it and saves his client from what would have been a bigger bill in another garage or service department.

A $20 Bulb Could Equal A $500 Bill!? What The....!

Mechanics Agree that Cars are Designed to Make Repairs More Expensive

 

We want to hear from you: Are you frustrated by inflated repair costs that are designed to cost you more today? What was your experience? Let us know in the comments section below.

For additional car repair articles, here are a few for your consideration:

  1. DIY Car Repairs Just Made Easier for These Car and Truck Owners
  2. The Car Repair Anyone Can Do That One Garage Could Not
  3. Simple Brake Repair Trick Your Car Repair Manual Might Not Show You

Timothy Boyer is an automotive reporter based in Cincinnati who currently researches and works on restoring older vehicles with engine modifications for improved performance. He also reports on modern cars (including EVs) with a focus on DIY mechanics, buying and using tools, and other related topical automotive repair news. Follow Tim on Twitter at @TimBoyerWrites as well as on Facebook and his automotive blog "Zen and the Art of DIY Car Repair" for useful daily news and topics related to new and used cars and trucks.

Image Source: Deposit Photos

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