I need the opinion of some fellow Z owners; I think I was conned by my dealer. I own an '03 with about 78K miles on it. About a month ago, I noticed that condensation was accumulating on the inside of the passenger side headlight. Shortly afterwards, the Xenon bulb stopped functioning. I took the car in and left it with the Nissan dealer I use. The service rep called me later that day and said that the bulb could not be simply replaced because the seal on the headlight had been compromised and the moisture kept causing the fuse to overload. They said the headlight would need to be replaced. I was not happy but assumed they were being straight with me. I should have been suspicious because when I went to the parts dept. to pay for the headlight assembly they would need to order, the parts guy seemed surprised that the whole thing needed to be replaced ($980 including tax). A week later, the light came in and I left the car there for the replacement. Later that day, the rep I was dealing with called me with bad news. They had put the car on the elevated rack for the first time and noticed that the wheel well protecter plate behind the headlight and was missing and in order to make sure the light would remain moisture free, it needed to be replaced. That made sense and I okayed the ordering of the plate. The part arrived yesterday and I just had the service completed (plate installation and headlight replacement). Now that I think about it, I am wondering if the headlight really needed to be replaced; according to the dealer,the repeated fuse overload was being caused by the moisture condensing inside the headlight. The cause of the recurring wetness was the missing protector plate. My question is should they not have tried, after putting the plate in place, to just replace the Xenon bulb and see if, assuming that the remaining moisture could be dried out, if the new plate would prevent further wetness from accumulating and causing the fuse to burn out repeatedly? Was I conned into spending almost $1300.00 to unnecessarily replacing the headlight?! I need the opinion of anyone who has had similar problems with their headlights or a technician who is at all familiar with the Z. I really feel like this dealer scammed me and I am thinking about what my legal options are. HELP ME!

 

$1,300 sounds about right for headlight and plate. Generally Nissan will replace entire assemblies, headlight for example, rather than bits and pieces such as bulbs. They want to do it once - do it right.

"Headlight condensation" and "water getting in the headlight" are separate issues. The headlight is NOT a sealed beam, and condensation should be minimal. On the other hand, you do NOT want water-rain seeping into the headlight.

NOTE: Now that I think about it $1,300 is excessive. I get:

New front bumper
New rear bumper
Taillight
3-piece Front under bumper spoiler for $2,000: https://my350z.com/forum/8867374-post43.html

 

OP, maybe you were having great hair days on both occasions before the stealership raped your aZZ. Chicago sounds like a friendly & honest place to drive a Z car.

 

You should have just bought a used headlight from someone here in the Marketplace. Would have saved you $600 right off the bat.

 

Wow......your like the perfect dealership customer..... .....You decide to do your research AFTER you get fugged.......LoL...

For a 2003 350z a new replacement headlights are sold on ebay for like $120 bucks with free shipping.....

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/03-04...Q5fAccessories

The fender liner is about $45

http://www.conceptzperformance.com/C...765.168.235.36

any competent shop could have done this for you for a half hours labor charge easily...

OP, the 350z is an enthusiast car..........welcome to the forum...i suggest you read up as age alone on your car is against you and there are many many things you can replace, fix, remedy with the help of this forum and many others like it...

LOL at legal options.............the uniformed always get fugged....no cure for being dumb...

-J

 

^^+1 - I bought my own damn parts...no way I was going to go to the stealership for that stuff.

1300 bucks? damn - a killer set of coilovers, or some wheels AND tires.. Sux OP...hope it worth it..

 

Hey it happens there is nothing that can be done about it now. Just caulk it up as a $1,300.00 lesson.
I guarantee next time you will use the search feature or ask for advice first.

 

fact that you posted this asking means you already know you got scammed.

what happened was;
first time in they looked at it from 50 yards away if they even looked at it at all (probably just looked at the job sheet)
and said it need to be replaced
then once it comes to install they actually look at the car and find out that the plate is missing

feel bad that you are out $1300 on the deal

 

^ Exactly!!!! on the "what happened"


-J

 

Please scan and post bill. Thanks.

 

your dealer did not scam you, that sounds right for how a dealership operates.
Its always going to be full assemblies, full price, OEM, and 100 bucks an hour for BOOK labor times, end of story. What happened heres is that you went in ill informed and then did not take the diagnosis and shop elsewhere.
I spend my 90 bucks and have a check up done at the dealership, they will GLADLY tell me a list of things wrong.. and then i buy the parts on ebay ( OEM) and have a local Z shop do my work for far far less, or i do it myself.


For 1300 bucks, that aint bad man.. you didnt get raped.. unless you make 24k a year.
But being told you need an engine you dont need, thats being raped or scammed. I will bet you wont run into that situation again. Searching for deals isnt the cheap way anymore, its the resposible thing to do in a bad economy.

Start at the forum next time, dont just end here.. youll get out much cheaper.

 

could have got some 06^ headlights

 

this is the correct answer to the OP's question

 

+1

That light that Jason linked to above isn't even a genuine OEM Nissan product so to compare its price to that of a genuine Nissan light you received at a dealer wouldn't make sense in this case.

OP knowledge is your best weapon and now you know.

 

yes, your correct......I did call it a "replacement" headlight.......from the sound of the OP's post.....it seems hes not happy with OEM pricing either way....

I'm waiting to see if he ever comes back to post........LoL...

exactly......

-J

 

It's happens to everyone at some point in time.

 

Live and learn!!!!

 

Sorry to hear this, usually follow your gut. $1,300 for a headlight issue, this should usually ring a bell for a second opinion. Usually people who work at dealerships know less than the car enthusiast.

 

hmmm interesting i had kinda the same problem but it was because i took apart my headlight to paint it and everytime it rained i would get the same thing in my head light
and i ended up taking the headlight out and finding that the way that nissan designed the ballast for the head light it mounted at the bottom so water would leak in to it and my head light wouldnt work so i would have to unplug it and dry it with a hair dryer and tested it and i got my headlight to work again i just properly resealed it and now its fine. so i guess they kinda jewed u ?