Reason #312 that working on the MR2 is better than my BMWs

"Trunk Impaired 318" (matteocscaptura)
01/24/2015 at 18:22 • Filed to: None

Parts are much, much, much cheaper. Last night after dinner with my lady friend and her friends I noticed that one of my headlights looked like it was out. Being 11pm I knew Id have to wait to get the light so I got up this morning and headed to the nearest auto parts store and found that you buy the whole headlight assembly and not just a bulb which with my experience with BMWs means lots of $$$. For example the headlight assembly

for my 325ci would cost me at least $250 -$300. While I payed $36 for a pair of headlights for the MR2.

DISCUSSION (22)

Brian Silvestro > Trunk Impaired 318
01/24/2015 at 18:24

popups ftw

Arch Duke Maxyenko, Shit Talk Extraordinaire > Trunk Impaired 318
01/24/2015 at 18:41

Are they projectors or something?

Louros > Trunk Impaired 318
01/24/2015 at 18:50

Yeah, but when a headlight goes out on your BMW, you just have to replace the bulb. Not the whole assembly. This is a silly comparison.

jariten1781 > Trunk Impaired 318
01/24/2015 at 19:06

Yeah, but sealed beams are awful. Pick up a halogen conversion kit and you can use bulbs with a lot more flexibility.

Funktheduck > Trunk Impaired 318
01/24/2015 at 19:40

Yay, sealed beams.

You can get LED conversion kits for about the price of those BMW assemblies. I'm gonna do that for my truck in the near future. Supposed to be better than sealed beams.

petebmwm > Trunk Impaired 318
01/24/2015 at 20:13

what???? Did you have "sucker" stamped on your head when you walked into the parts store? You can absolutely replace a headlamp bulb in a bmw!!!

Trunk Impaired 318 > Arch Duke Maxyenko, Shit Talk Extraordinaire
01/24/2015 at 21:18

The BMW ones are early Xenons

Trunk Impaired 318 > Louros
01/24/2015 at 21:19

Ive only ever had to replace the assembly as I may or may not have had a slight off on track. And the general idea is just that parts are much much cheaper than BMWs

Trunk Impaired 318 > petebmwm
01/24/2015 at 21:20

Yes I know, but I had a bit of an off on track with the BMW and smashed up the assembly so I had to replace it all

Trunk Impaired 318 > jariten1781
01/24/2015 at 21:21

Eh, if I drove it more I would but I dont really drive it enough to justify it

Arch Duke Maxyenko, Shit Talk Extraordinaire > Trunk Impaired 318
01/24/2015 at 21:23

Should still just have a bulb in there. Replacing the whole assembly is just silly.

Trunk Impaired 318 > Arch Duke Maxyenko, Shit Talk Extraordinaire
01/24/2015 at 21:25

Oh I know, but I had an off at the track and destroyed the assembly so I had to replace it all

Arch Duke Maxyenko, Shit Talk Extraordinaire > Trunk Impaired 318
01/24/2015 at 21:26

You didn't say that in your post. If that's the case then how much would a whole assembly be for the MR2?

Trunk Impaired 318 > Arch Duke Maxyenko, Shit Talk Extraordinaire
01/24/2015 at 21:28

since they're sealed beams it was $18 for one side but you could find it for closer to $10

Arch Duke Maxyenko, Shit Talk Extraordinaire > Trunk Impaired 318
01/24/2015 at 21:31

No, that's a bulb, this is an assembly:

Kinja'd!!!

Trunk Impaired 318 > Arch Duke Maxyenko, Shit Talk Extraordinaire
01/24/2015 at 21:51

$50

DipodomysDeserti > Trunk Impaired 318
01/24/2015 at 22:25

You're comparing a sealed beam assembly to a xenon assembly. That's stupid. You can find and E30 sealed beam for the same price. Obviously a sealed beam assembly is going to cost more than a xenon assembly regardless of vehicle make.

NJAnon > Trunk Impaired 318
01/24/2015 at 22:30

Unfair comparison Trunk.

Trunk Impaired 318 > DipodomysDeserti
01/24/2015 at 22:35

Its just a general statement that parts for the toyota are significantly cheaper than for my BMW, this just happened to be what I experienced today. Even for the whole assembly for my 1600, which is very similar to the MR2, would cost me well over $100 and I could get one for the MR2 for $50. Plus the sealed beams for the BMW are twice as much as the MR2, in hindsight yes its stupid to compare the xenon assembly to the sealed beam but Ive only ever had to replace the xenon before and it reminded me how much cheaper parts are in general for the Toyota.

Trunk Impaired 318 > NJAnon
01/24/2015 at 22:38

Very unfair. I should have compared the assembly on my 1600 to the MR2 as they are both similar and use sealed beams, but Ive only ever replaced the xenons so thats what I used. But in general the idea is just that parts for the Toyota are cheaper than for the BMWs

DipodomysDeserti > Trunk Impaired 318
01/25/2015 at 00:43

CL and forums are the great equalizers. I just picked up a set of euro sealed beams for my E30 for less than a c note.

IDROVEAPICKUPTRUCK > Trunk Impaired 318
01/28/2015 at 21:09

People parting out their cars are your friend.