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I get two bulbs for 21$ but I have a 2004 Chevy Trailblazer. My first car was a Geo Metro with 9$ tires that Tire Kingdom wouldn't sell me unless I also got an oil change or something because it was so cheap. I like safetyism and features but some things seem to have wildly swung in cost.
Do new car headlights really cost 200$?
From what I understand, yes or more for many vehicles. Because we've shifted from standardized incandescent/halogen bulbs in fixed unique-per-model reflectors (previously full round or square reflector assemblies) to fashionable unique-per-model LED headlights that are a single replaceable unit. When my the bulbs in my older basic car burn out, I buy new ones at the store for a few bucks and replace them in a few minutes. The OEMs say (and might be right) that the LED assemblies can be expected to last the lifetime of the vehicle, but it's far more expensive to replace the whole thing if it breaks or you get in a collision.
There is probably a good comparison to how phones no longer ship replaceable batteries (or memory on laptops) because the tight integration allows better performance and lower part counts (cheaper), at the cost of making line replaceable units larger and more costly.
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Not sure. I’ve got an 07 car and just had to pay $700 for an air compressor, so that was fun.
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