failboat wrote: at least front bumper covers take about 5 minutes to remove anymore.
^^^^^ This. It sounds a little "out there" to have to remove it for a light bulb but for many cars it's easy. I had to take the front off my Miata to install a Mazdaspeed CAI but it literally took 5 minutes to get it off. Very easy.
Replacing the daytime running lights in my C5 was pretty easy, as long as the kid next door was there to shove his hand in through the brake duct.
Man, on my Mazda 3, you can change any of the bulbs in the headlight itself super easy with zero tools in 5 minutes or less. The fogs require dropping the undertray down, or at least pulling a few bolts off of it and peeling it back. Not too bad.
On my 2009 WRX, I remember having to remove the front bumper to gain access to the fogs, so you are not alone. The thing just snapped on, so it wasn't hard to do. Doing that also involves cracking the watercolor-based Subaru paint though. 
You obviously have not worked on a ford in the last 10 years. I swear that heater cores were designed specifically so that the cost of replacement would cause %50 of the car owners to trade there cars in. This is the real reason why the F150's are the best selling truck. It is because when the heater cores go people trade them in and get another one because they don't want to pay the $1500 - $2000 to have the dealer change it. There should be some sort of legislation against this. I swear it is planned obsolescence on the part of the car manufacturers.
My 2000 expedition is this way. My 94 mustang is the same. I have done the sap in the mustang and it took most of two 5 hour days to do it. Looking at the expedition when it goes it will probably be when it goes to the junk yard
Feedyurhed wrote:failboat wrote: at least front bumper covers take about 5 minutes to remove anymore.^^^^^ This. It sounds a little "out there" to have to remove it for a light bulb but for many cars it's easy. I had to take the front off my Miata to install a Mazdaspeed CAI but it literally took 5 minutes to get it off. Very easy.
easier and faster and less painful than trying to work around the splash shields. its completely counter intuitive. but thats how my car is at least. All I need is a screwdriver for the 12-ish clips and 10mm socket for 2 bolts.
on another note Hyundai's FSM used to be free but now they charge you for the privilege of viewing it.
The DRL's, turn signals and rear lights are all easy to get to. And the headlights are easy to get to the bulbs. It's just these stupid fog lights, which that image from a mfr manual at least gives me a clue for this weekend.
The running joke on the first gen xB was any repair procedure first step was remove front bumper.
if it makes you feel any better i have no berkeleying idea how to get to my taillights. it appears to involve removing the interior trim on my car which is of course one large piece thats a pain in the rectum to take out.
In reply to dean1484:
It's not just Ford. That pretty much describes every car made in the last 20 years or so: they hang the heater/evaporator assembly on the line and build the car around it.
Slightly more complicated than a bulb*, but have you seen what is required to do an Audi timing belt? This is SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE, so they actually planned it this way!
*While you're in there, might as well replace all the bulbs too. 
dean1484 wrote: You obviously have not worked on a ford in the last 10 years. I swear that heater cores were designed specifically so that the cost of replacement would cause %50 of the car owners to trade there cars in. This is the real reason why the F150's are the best selling truck.
I wouldn't own a Ford truck if you paid me, but on their cars I haven't seen a bad heater core since my 78 Fairmont. With proper fluid changes they seem to last forever. It is sad to hear that has changed.
That car was badly abused. It was a 2 day job to change it so I plumbed in the A/C core instead and it worked great.
eastsidemav wrote: Probably related to the Abarth front end being different than regular 500. They were likely more concerned with having enough room for the intercoolers, not with how easy it is to get to the foglight bulbs...
Headlight bulb on a base CTS calls for two hours labor, IIRC. Have to have headlight out of chassis, step 1 is disassemble nose.
In reply to Junkyard_Dog:
Do a search for "audi V8 timing chain replacement" - it'll make that timing belt look easy.
Can I ask where you got this, and is there more?
You can buy a 1 yr subscription to AllData DIY for your vehicle for like $13 with online coupon codes.
Junkyard_Dog wrote: Slightly more complicated than a bulb*, but have you seen what is required to do an Audi timing belt? This is SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE, so they actually planned it this way!
I've done dozens of Audi timing belts.
Doing it that way is like taking off your socks so you can pee.
You read GRM so therefore you have a Miata. Miata 5 speeds, the Internet tells me, last "blocks driven" if you have a turbo. So the next time you break a Miata transmission, take two of the case bolts out. They're the same thread as the bumper/lock carrier bolts (four on one side, three on the other, because why not?). You unbolt the lock carrier and install one liberated-from-Mazda bolt per side, then slide the nose forward. You may have to unplug the headlights (bulkhead connectors near P/S reservoir) and sometimes one hose at the coolant tank. And of course the intercooler(s) if so equipped. But all of the hoses have big S-bends in them so you can slide the nose forward 5-5-6 inches.
I'd MUCH rather do Audis than anything transverse. Moving the strut tower and inner fender out of the way is usually very difficult 
I had to replace a bulb on a Lexus IS300 (old one) and was hating life.
But that's okay, because afterwards, I found there was nothing wrong with the bulb because the new one didn't work either, indicating that it was the expensive ballast that runs the HID bulbs. 
Ian F wrote: In reply to Junkyard_Dog: Do a search for "audi V8 timing chain replacement" - it'll make that timing belt look easy.
I stop at a VW shop every Friday. Seen it dozens of times. You'll never go broke fixing VWs
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