Where do I buy and fit car bulbs late at night?

marcc243 · 16-09-2015 9:37pm #1

Hi,
Sorry if this is in the wrong forum or thread but am stuck at the moment. I have planned to go home tonight from college but both my headlights have gone in my car and literally no light coming from the back up ones. This isn't too bad of a problem other than it's late and once I leave the well lit dublin area it becomes a major problem. Is there any type of 24h shop that sells bulbs or a place I can go to get them fitted at this time (24h shop). Don't want to have to call an expensive mechanic either but willing to wait till the morning if I have to. It's an 06 VW Golf btw
Thanks

colm_mcm · 16-09-2015 9:39pm

You can pick them up in most filling stations, not sure you'd have any luck getting them fitted this late.
I wonder would breakdown assistance cover this

There are a good few online guides to changing the bulbs, don't know how tricky a golf is.

Wossack · 16-09-2015 9:39pm

quite often get some from garages

I'd walk to your nearest one and see how you fair..

Special Circumstances · 16-09-2015 9:40pm

marcc243 wrote: »

Hi,
Sorry if this is in the wrong forum or thread but am stuck at the moment. I have planned to go home tonight from college but both my headlights have gone in my car and literally no light coming from the back up ones. This isn't too bad of a problem other than it's late and once I leave the well lit dublin area it becomes a major problem. Is there any type of 24h shop that sells bulbs or a place I can go to get them fitted at this time (24h shop). Don't want to have to call an expensive mechanic either but willing to wait till the morning if I have to. It's an 06 VW Golf btw
Thanks

Tesco or petrol station?

secman · 16-09-2015 9:40pm

Unlikely that all bulbs went together, more likely to be a blown fuse. Sorry can't be of more help.

colm_mcm · 16-09-2015 9:43pm

Piece of cake to change

http://youtu.be/hQ4Pcz-0fl0

Did they both go the same time, or was one already blown?

Skylinehead · 16-09-2015 9:44pm

If you're anywhere near Finglas, Tesco Clearwater is open until 12 and they have bulbs.

ION08 · 16-09-2015 9:44pm

Doubtfull that they both went at the same time! Unless youve been drivin around on one bulb for a while??
Also not sure what you mean by literally no light coming from your "back up ones"... Do you mean reverse lights or sidelights?

Go down to a petrol station a get a set of bulbs, replace whichever side is easiest and see if it lights up. If it doesnt, its not a bulb issue but relay or something else

colm_mcm · 16-09-2015 9:45pm

Back up lights maybe = f**lights?

marcc243 · 16-09-2015 10:04pm

They seem to have gone both at once. And by back up lights I mean the dim ones you use before the full headlights if you get me? I'm not mad into cars as you can see! Literally no petrol station I have gone to have sold any. I think I may wait till the morning

ION08 · 16-09-2015 10:06pm

Thats crazy. 99% of petrol stations ive gone into have bulbs (Topaz definitely do)

That being said, i doubt bulbs are your issue if they both went at once.

colm_mcm · 16-09-2015 10:09pm

You would be able too see if the bulb is blown by taking one out and checking if the filament is broken.

Did your bulb warning light come on at all?

edburg · 16-09-2015 10:10pm

As you say wait till daylight be best. But as others have said if both have suddenly died I'd check fuses 1st or maybe earths around headlights.

Supergurrier · 16-09-2015 10:13pm

As colm said golf bulbs are a piece of cake to change

Best of luck with it

marcc243 · 16-09-2015 10:14pm

Both apple green and the Belmont on in clonskeagh didn't. Yes the warning light is on. It's annoying but I'll just bring it to fix place in donnybrook in the morning so

jca · 16-09-2015 10:46pm

You could use the main beams and turn the wheel on the dash right down to position 4, not ideal I know but it would get you home. Does it have front fog lights? you could use them either.

CiniO · 17-09-2015 10:57am

jca wrote: »

You could use the main beams and turn the wheel on the dash right down to position 4, not ideal I know but it would get you home. Does it have front fog lights? you could use them either.

:eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek:
In most cars light positioning works only on dipped beam - not on full beam headlights.
He would blind the hell out of everyone with driving with full beams.

No option of driving without front dipped lights. Car should not be even driven during the day.
And even thinking of driving it at night is crazy.
Back up light OP mentioned (he meant side lights) should only be used when vehicle is parked in dark spot. Should not be used when driving. That's what they were designed for.
Fog lights are also not a replacement, as they only light very close to the vehicle.

jca · 17-09-2015 12:23pm

CiniO wrote: »

:eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek:
In most cars light positioning works only on dipped beam - not on full beam headlights.
He would blind the hell out of everyone with driving with full beams.

No option of driving without front dipped lights. Car should not be even driven during the day.
And even thinking of driving it at night is crazy.
Back up light OP mentioned (he meant side lights) should only be used when vehicle is parked in dark spot. Should not be used when driving. That's what they were designed for.
Fog lights are also not a replacement, as they only light very close to the vehicle.

What's with all the stupid faces? In the golf the light position wheel lowers both main and dip beams as it does on any vehicle I've ever driven maybe it's different in a Fiat Bravo. As I said to the op driving on the front fogs in conjuction with lowered main beams would get him home giving him a chance to sort it today. Why you can't drive with non working dips during the day only you can answer.

CiniO · 17-09-2015 12:31pm

jca wrote: »

What's with all the stupid faces?

Stupid faces are there to visualise the shock I got when I seen someone advising to use full beam at night as temporary workaround for lack of dipped lights.

In the golf the light position wheel lowers both main and dip beams as it does on any vehicle I've ever driven maybe it's different in a Fiat Bravo.

Yes, it's different in Fiat bravo or most other vehicles I've driven.
I've never really driven a golf though.
Still think it's a horrible solution and full beam lights would still blind everyone even if on lowest position.

As I said to the op driving on the front fogs in conjuction with lowered main beams would get him home giving him a chance to sort it today. Why you can't drive with non working dips during the day only you can answer.

Because you are obliged to use dipped lights during the day if it's raining heavily, snowing or fog. How are you going to use them if you don't have them?

Vehicle without working dipped lights is just not roadworthy, and should not be driven on public road - over.

Henry Ford III · 17-09-2015 12:35pm

Hope you got sorted OP.

Thankfully you haven't got a Megane!!!!

ION08 · 17-09-2015 12:42pm

jca wrote: »

What's with all the stupid faces? In the golf the light position wheel lowers both main and dip beams as it does on any vehicle I've ever driven maybe it's different in a Fiat Bravo. As I said to the op driving on the front fogs in conjuction with lowered main beams would get him home giving him a chance to sort it today. Why you can't drive with non working dips during the day only you can answer.

To be fair, it's a terrible suggestion.

Also, if you were driving on lowered high beams i don't see why you would have to also have the fog lights on as well

Also, if he had fog lights id be more inclined to suggest the fog lights + side lights as opposed to "lowered" high beams!

I had no other choice than to use the lowered high beam option to get a car from point a to point B (about 7 miles in total) - I still got flashed by nearly every car and was curling up with embarrassment inside my car even though i was on my own

Where do I buy and fit car bulbs late at night?

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