Best place to get light bulbs

[woofy]

How many people does it take to change a light bulb....plenty it turns out. I went into Repco and the girl shot off an came back with the generic brake light packs they have which are 21v 5W with the twin filaments. I had given her the dead one..and realised when I left I hadn't cross checked them. Had a look at the existing one and the manual and they are 4W, I then remembered all the people on the Briskoda forums mentioning being given 5 w versions by their local guys all the time and that they were wrong.

Dropped back in, the guy says we don't have 4W versions, and that they are all standardised, it was probably 4 candlepower (CP). I said no it's definitely 4W, he opens his parts book and it has 24v all variants, and just says use the 21v 5W. It didn't actually have my model in there. These do seem to have the correct funny offset in the bayonet....but what have others used?

In the back of my head, I can see the brake lights standing out more as they will be slightly brighter...but more wondering whether the Skoda is going to be upset with a different voltage...or will it only supply 4W worth anyway making it a redundant issue.

[Diesel_vert]

Have you tried fitting them? I thought that P21/4W and P21/5W bulbs weren't interchangeable...

If the bulb is proving difficult to find, I think it's better to purchase it from a dealer, or at least just ask for quote (it may not even be that expensive).

[woofy]

I didn't try for exactly the reason above, plus I didn't want to open the packet for no reason. I thought asking the dude today would clarify it, but he didn't fill me with confidence. There is a VW dealer just near my office so might walk there now and see whether they have them.

[woofy]

Rang the local SKoda dealer I have always dealt with and the dude there said that most bulbs stocks were consolidated a few years back and you'd be hard pressed to find the 4W, but the ones Repco sold would be fine as they use the 5W ones now as well.

[Mysticality]

From my knowledge - T10 for outer parkers, P21Y for brake/fog, P21YW for indicator.

could be the other way round... but I know that one is pin offset, the other is not.

Brake/fog should be 21W because of need for added brightness.
single filament.

[woofy]

Some are single, some are double. The ones in mine are double. So 4w with two filaments, the newies are 5w twin.

[woofy]

And still getting nowhere, FFS. The offset on the lights is not even close, looks kinda the same, but completely wrong. So what am I supposed to use when the Skoda dealers themselves don't know....

This is why I asked in the first place, I had a feeling none of this was going to be straight forward....

[woofy]

This is what they use for a few of the bulbs, the indicators etc look to be standard and are different....looks like noone in Oz sells them. Skoda included, but will give them another call tomorrow as well as the local VW dealer who tend to get quite a few used SKodas.

OSRAM 566 Baz15d SBC 12V 21/4W brake tail light bulb x 2 | eBay

[Diesel_vert]

And still getting nowhere, FFS. The offset on the lights is not even close, looks kinda the same, but completely wrong.

Fairly predicable result.

Things change and I'm always keen to learn new things - but I always had my doubts on whether a bulb with a BAY15d base (P21/5W) was ever going to slot into a fitting designed for a bulb with a BAZ15d base (P21/4W).

Use Google Image and the reason will present itself.

There are well established international standards and protocols that manufacturers choose to follow (not just for automotive light bulbs). I don't see much reason why they would deviate from that, willy nilly, without industry agreement or approval from the relevant body or organisation, unless it's a low volume, niche product.

So what am I supposed to use when the Skoda dealers themselves don't know....

What's new, lol.

Ring any Audi/Skoda/Volkswagen dealer and just ask for part number N10251002, which is a 12V P21/4W longlife bulb. If it's out of stock, don't argue with them and just move onto the next dealer.

You may also consider buying in bulk from eBay: 10x OSRAM P21/4W 12V BAZ15d Glühlampe Lampe Glühbirne Birne Blinkleuchte *7225

Osram and Philips are widely used as OE in many vehicles - works out to be approx AUD 2.50 each for 10 bulbs.



For the benefit of others - brake and tail lights:

The hatchback uses P21/4W bulbs (dual filament).
The wagon uses P21W bulbs (single filament).

All this information should be listed, simply and plainly, in the owner's manual - there is absolutely no scope for confusion.

[woofy]

It is listed there, and I had the bulb in hand. The issue is that they argued that you can't get them as the 5w replaced it. I went back and questioned them again and still got the BS answer. When the spare parts guy at Skoda then tells me that they have been fitting 5w versions fine and all is good I would presume he knows what he is on about. Unfortunately he's obviously clueless. Google image won't actually show anything, there are lots of offsets that all look identical. Even in my hands the difference is hard to pick.

Osama clearly make them but for some reason don't seem to sell them here. I'm guessing VAG just bring them in themselves. I knew it wasn't going to be simple hence the post, so don't always assume as people first posted something as simple as a lightbulb will be just a local Repco job.

Also I don't think all hatches are double filament, some are single....

[Mysticality]

In the mean time, maybe move the fog bulb (on the side with no *fog* light) over to the busted brake?
Just to aid safety.

[Diesel_vert]

It is listed there, and I had the bulb in hand. The issue is that they argued that you can't get them as the 5w replaced it. I went back and questioned them again and still got the BS answer. When the spare parts guy at Skoda then tells me that they have been fitting 5w versions fine and all is good I would presume he knows what he is on about. Unfortunately he's obviously clueless.

Osram clearly make them but for some reason don't seem to sell them here. I'm guessing VAG just bring them in themselves. I knew it wasn't going to be simple hence the post, so don't always assume as people first posted something as simple as a lightbulb will be just a local Repco job.

Assumption is the mother of all ****ups.
If they don't know the answer to a customer's question, they should just say so - no shame in that.
Better than offering wrong or incorrect advice to the detriment of the customer, who now has to deal with the mess they made (albeit small), in addition to the original issue.

Apart from the P21/4W bulb, I don't know of any other automotive light bulb that uses a BAZ15d base.
Unless people are grinding off the offset pin from the BAY15d base, I don't know how they're getting them to fit (without using excessive physical force).

Here are the differences between the bulb bases (scroll down): http://www.ebay.com/itm/2x-BAZ15D-11...-/180968180728

Also I don't think all hatches are double filament, some are single....

That is the case for the first generation Octavia (1U), which I believe wasn't imported into Australia.
In any case, all doubt will be removed by referring to the owner's manual.

[woofy]

Local Skoda dealer gave me a freebie of one, when I said how much if I pay for 2, he said they are expensive, so best looking elsewhere but take the one for the short term. He came out with 3 others before he got the right one though...

[woofy]

Camberwell VW next door to work, $8 each.....wonder what they were at Skoda....either way, ebay order is coming instead as a mate needs some as well.