Sodding modern cars.

You just need higher class pikeys. Round here they wouldn't waste their time with a 2CV.

At least you'd had the accidents. With no facial injuries, I was minding my own business, walking through a shopping centre, when some cheeky blighter in a suit, carrying a clipboard for some reason (surveyor?), took one look at me and asked -- not in a sympathetic tone -- "Have you had an accident recently?"

Any allegation that I stared at him for a moment and then decked him is entirely untrue.

The state of my hands after changing a bulb is a price I'll pay for having airbags and a crumple zone, but I wish the designers could prove themselves capable of fitting safety features, and ease of access for simple maintenance tasks, into the same vehicle.

Martin.

-- Can you spare three minutes for Daria? -

campaign to get every episode of Daria released on DVD.I do not intend to imply that any views expressed above represent the policyof any organisation, nor do I warrant any information to be accurate.

I've had this recently in Uxbridge oddly enough. I told the man politely that I was not interested. He persisted, I told him again politely I wasn't interested. He still persisted so I told him to "Fuck off, unless he wanted to have his own accident". He then did as requested.

Mike P

A bit of selective deafness is my usual response in these cases. Just stare at them as though they've spoken to you in some language you don't understand and carry on walking. It works with potential muggers as well - if you look back at them as though you don't understand the word 'money' or 'wallet' chances are they'll give up & wait for the next likely looking victim.

D A Stocks

Sadly, the international sign language for a knife held to your throat is rather difficult to ignore :-) but I take your point and have used the ignore them and look dumb stance myself.

Graham

I feel fairly sure that the reason for it being difficult or time consuming on some cars is because it's not high on the design criteria. Ease of maintenance doesn't add to a cars selling features. At least as far as the majority of buyers are concerned, so why should they bother?

Some manufacturers seem to be able to fit everthing under the bonnet without making it difficult to change a h/l bulb. I see no reason why they all can't do it.

On our 528's it's easy enough. The only bulbs that seem a little more difficult to get at are those for the fog lights. The rest are a piece of cake. Mike.

With so many makers starting to 'giving free' maintenance for some time these days perhaps they will in future?

Dunno. Perhaps it also depends on the model - a base one might have more room under the bonnet than the V-6 senior paper clip manager delux?

Indeed - and no tools needed for the rears. I've never change a front.

The fronts are almost as easy. I've never changed a bulb, but I did have to replace one of the h/l beam adjusters, so I know how easy it it is. Only 4 easily removed screws sre used to retain the complete h/light unit. Mike.

I can change a headlight bulb in about 30 seconds on my 97 Nissan Primera, in fact there's more room than in the older 90-96 model.

I did that then went to pick up a new bulb in my 21 year old Capri that has plenty of access room and a pop off cover as my Mondeo stood outside my house sans grille and headlight.

===============

Normal practice would be to buy the bulb *first*

Bingo. I'm sure a MK4 Golf is a lot harder to work on than a MK2 Golf. I'm sure the front end of the car is crammed and there's no access to do anything. However, despite not being hugely heavier (IIRC a MK4 is around

1300 kilos, and a late MK2 around 1050 kilos), the MK4 goes straight through the MK2 in a crash test.

Mike G ("Mike G" ) gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying:

I am convinced that every major motor manufacturer employs at least one production engineer who once found his wife shagging a mechanic, and is still very bitter about it.

LOL. It all makes perfect sense, now.

Martin.