Rant: LT Focus Headlights - Lesson Learned

[~Spyne~]

Driving in the city the other night and all of a sudden both headlights go out.
Was nearly at destination (mmm, pizza) so when pulled over, did the checks and parkers, driving and highbeams all still work. just not low beams - both sides.
went through and checked fuses, all ok.
had a quick look at globes (admittedly, from outside, didnt go to the hassle of trying to pull out the assemblies there and then) and they looked ok.

so i had the car in at Ford today to see if they could check it out, completely expecting it to be a switch or relay - easy fix, under warranty.

...not so.
got a call in the arvo saying that they had checked it out and both globes had blown. not common, but not unheard of. typically happens when u hit a deep pothole at speed (this was not the case for me - good city roads, low speed, <60km/h, dont recall any potholes)
anyway, over the phone the guy says they can replace them with standard Ford globes at a cost of $25ea. I figure, well $50 for new globes and someone to install them, why the hell not.
(Since i had previously, several months ago, installed Philips globes, the changeover would not be covered by warranty...not that i would have expected new globes to be a warranty item anyway?)

Get into Ford to pick up the car and go to pay, and "so, there's the $50 for new globes AND the $79 for labour, AND the $13 GST"
....feck me, you didn't mention anything about $25ea globe PLUS labour!!!!

Lesson learnt? Never let Ford change over light globes, i know the globes in the Focus are a PITA to change over (compared to most cars), but DIY brothers, DIY!!!


/rant