Hardest job in automotive history

[Oilchange]

I'd like to share my triumph at completing the hardest job in automotive history, changing a front sidelight bulb in an Alfa 156. And I did it without cutting my knuckles to ribbons!

This little bd to be extact:



Anyone else beat that?

[TGCOTF-dewey]

Can't be as hard working in the land rover electronics diagnostic team.

[paul_c123]

I'm not sure it beats it but I had to replace the headlamp bulb on my Audi A3 convertible. It took about 3 hours, and included removing the battery and engine compartment fuse box. Contrast with a Volvo V40 where you turn a big plastic bracket 1/4 turn (by hand) and undo 1 screw. Then you can remove the headlight to do it easily in your living room, if you want.

[njw1]

The last time I changed a headlight bulb on an Alfa Romeo it took me three hours. I couldn't fit my hand in the tiny aperture in the back of the light so had to remove the headlight which meant removal of the front bumper and every single fastener holding the bumper on was an absolute tw*t.....

...Never again!

[Oilchange]

You need Warwick Davis hands and a lot of patience

[gazza285]

Also Alfa. Changing the front brake pads on a Cloverleaf Sprint.

[Glosphil]

paul_c123 said:

I'm not sure it beats it but I had to replace the headlamp bulb on my Audi A3 convertible. It took about 3 hours, and included removing the battery and engine compartment fuse box. Contrast with a Volvo V40 where you turn a big plastic bracket 1/4 tur
n (by hand) and undo 1 screw. Then you can remove the headlight to do it easily in your living room, if you want.

My 2012 Octavia vRS was easy. Undo a large plastic knurled nut by hand, pull a lever & then disconnect plug from rear of lamp housing. Light unit then seperate from car. A lever easily reached in the rear of the unit also switched dip beam to driving on RHS of road when in France etc.

My 2005 Civic was impossible if your hands bigger than a 10-year-old's. A friend's young daughter changed all 4 for me in 20 minutes after I gave up trying after an hour on one.

Easy were my 2002 Honda Accord & wife's 2000 Megane. Both had push on rubber covers over large apertures in rear of light units to easily change all four headlight plus sidelight & indicator bulbs

[donkmeister]

Bulbs can be surprisingly tricky for something that should be repairable at the roadside. Especially fun when you buy the larger engined variant of a car and realise that the engineers conceded defeat in leaving the access to the bulb clear when they added the bigger engine.

But for other jobs? I remember the oil filter in my S2.5 MX5 S-VT was a bugger to get to without a ramp.

[Johnnybee]

Volvo V70 rear light bulbs, you need fingers like this

[Stiggolas]

gazza285 said:

Also Alfa. Changing the front brake pads on a Cloverleaf Sprint.

I had a Citroen GS, that also had inboard discs. Similar issue.
Same Citroen, they don't have flexi pipes for the brakes, so the rear one is a coil which is supposed to be wrapped around the rear trailing arm pivot about 5 times. Impossible. I tie wrapped the pipe up in the arch....

[Smint]

Citroen GS you say.
Exhaust manifold bolts, manifolds leak for fun, impossible to access, cut off front valance (ssuming its not rotted through, if so poke your hand through) weld back in place once job done.

[John87]

My wife's Fiat 500 needs the cabin filter changed but I can't bring myself to dismantle the steering column to gain access

[sunbeam alpine]

OP - I'm guessing you haven't had to change the alternator yet?

[Hereward]

I've mentioned it before but 2003 Touareg V8 starter motor.

Remove offside brake disc, disconnect front suspension, steering and front diff, disconnect and drop front subframe, raise engine a few inches, remove offside engine mount then contort your hand somewhere you can't really see.

[Oilchange]

sunbeam alpine said:

OP - I'm guessing you haven't had to change the alternator yet?

Funnily enough, it has been changed but thankfully not by me. bh of a job also!