Hunting Turkey w/o a license cost over $800

[Lou C]

Yep that's one reason why I kept our old '98 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4.0 six.
Every time they "improve" these things they manage to make it more complex and expensive to repair. I recall reading on the jeep boards that on a late model Grand if the license lights go bad you get to pay $400 to fix, finally some wise soul figured out what the bulbs are and posted it up. I'm going to start looking for a good rust free Jeep Cherokee XJ series, gotta have another 4.0 liter. These things haven't been made in years yet with the aftermarket you can keep them going.
Who asked for all this? It's all part of a scheme I tell you, a scheme to make more money on parts!

This is an issue on modern boats too, look at all the plastic fittings, valves, etc that Mercrusier has on their engines, how long will that stuff really last?

 

[PITBoat]

The best headlights I've got are on my '74 and '89 GMCs. Prob in that order. High beams that'll hit the next county. And they never craze over.

We took out the last turkey in a string of 'em once, with the Suburban, on a highway in the New Mexico mountains. Didn't break anything (mighta just caught it with the bumper, admittedly).

I have replaced those headlamps though, and they were like 60 or $70ea. (cheapies). Still love the old round (or rectangle) glass ones though. And have zero use for sonar or any other nonsense like that, Lol.

 

[64osby]

I do like the HID's in the F150 a 2013, the people driving towards maybe not so much, depending on the load.

I bought this truck at an auction and it needed a new light. Dealer $986 not installed. I did some hard digging on car-part and found one in AZ for $400. Pretty easy to install. Our Highlander needed the bumper and grill removed, pita.

They keep putting more tech in because people buy it, think they need it. Forces repairs to go to the dealers for many things. That is how the dealers are making $$. If they took all that crap off you could probably save 10 to 20K off the cost.

 

[WIMUSKY]

Yep that's one reason why I kept our old '98 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4.0 six.

Yup. I have an XJ and YJ both 4.0s. Bullet proof. They'll last up to 300k, if not more... I did swap in LEDs on the YJ. They'll blind ya if you stare at them...

 

[alldodge]

My LED lights are bright, more so then the wifes Cadillac HID. The Cad also moves with the wheel which is nice

 

[Lou C]

Yup. I have an XJ and YJ both 4.0s. Bullet proof. They'll last up to 300k, if not more... I did swap in LEDs on the YJ. They'll blind ya if you stare at them...

We were able to get the ECE H-4 housings for the ZJ with H-4 bulbs. Going to do the same conversion on my son’s ‘17 JK Unlimited Sport.

 

[sangerwaker]

All the new crap is like that. On my 18 Silverado. I had to take nearly half the front end apart to get the grille emblem off so I could plasti dip it. No room behind the grille to get a hand in there, so it all had to come aprt.

My wife's 14 Fusion is a nightmare to change the headlamps in (it actually uses replaceable lamps). I paid someone else to do that one. I think the book time was nearly 4 hours, and I'd be slower than that.

The newer headlights are certainly a lot brighter than the old sealed beams, but I do miss their simplicity of replacing.

 

[poconojoe]

Glad you didn't hit something bigger, like a deer.
I did that once with an Explorer and I was only going 45 MPH.
Fenders, hood, grill, radiator. It wasn't totaled, the insurance fixed it.

They certainly dont want us doing our own repairs.
It's a major job to change a headlamp in some vehicles.

Years ago, a guy at work needed his alternator replaced. I said we can do it during lunch, no big deal. We have the tools.... NOT! We couldn't even get close to it.
The front wheel had to come off and there was a panel that had to be removed to gain access to the alternator.
It was a Saturn with a transverse engine. Front wheel drive.