Owning a car implies a great deal of responsibility that is expressed in numerous different ways. A personal vehicle is a very valuable and often expensive thing to own which of course means that you as the owner need to take care of it. Just like most things in life, there are proper ways of handling, maintaining, and cleaning your vehicle. Most drivers know their way around a car, at least when it comes to the basics. However, those basics are not always the same for different drivers. Some believe that one does not need to know more than how to thoroughly clean the car and change the oil, while others claim that you should be able to change your own spare parts, tires, and do more under the hood work.
Whatever the case may be, there are many ways to do all of the things your four wheeler may require. In this article we focus on one of them, the headlights, more particularly the headlight bulbs. Having functional headlights that give you optimal light on the road is crucial for the obvious reasons but it is also the law. You must always ensure that both of them are working properly before you take the road. In this article we have all the info you may need when it comes to knowing what headlight bulbs your car needs and how to know which ones it needs. Continue reading for more information and be sure to check this for a great offer of headlight bulbs for all sorts of models.
Consult the Manual
The easiest way to know which headlight bulb your vehicle needs is to consult the instruction manual that comes with it. Every car has its own manual that you should have. If you are buying a new car, it will be provided with you. If you are buying a second hand car, make sure the previous owner includes it. There is no reason for them to withhold it from you as there is no use of it without the car. The manual is typically stored in the glovebox compartment and is not something you use frequently.
Therefore, you probably have no idea what it even contains. The manual, also often referred to as the vehicle handbook, has all the info on your car including the spare parts. A new headlight bulb is a spare part so naturally there will be details about it in there. You should be able to find the right type, size, and fitting of the bulb no matter what brand and model of car you are driving.
Contact the Manufacturer
If, for some reason, you do not have your vehicle handbook with you, you can contact the manufacturer and ask them for help. They usually have a line open for these exact purposes when their customers and clients have trouble doing something themselves. They will ask you for the model of your car, the trim, and the year it was made, and then give you the appropriate headlight bulb options. You may have some issues reaching the official manufacturer depending on your location, at least by phone. Doing with via email may prove to be the better solution. Most manufacturers have information about their models at the ready, usually on their official websites, so hop on there and try to find it for yourself before you decide to contact them directly. Speaking of using the internet…
Search It Online
You can always use a search engine like Google to find what type and size of headlight bulb your car needs. Simply do a Google search like you would for anything else and you will get thousands of potential hits you can use. The best of them should be on car forums and other online hubs where car fans come to meet and share experiences. You may get referred to the official webpage of the manufacturer or get a top tier car part business with a stocked online store. Whatever it is, you will be richer in terms of information and you will know what bulb to get. You may even find a better option than the one you were using. Maybe you realize that LED or xenon bulbs make more sense than the regular ones you are accustomed to and make a permanent switch. Basically, like with everything else you need, the internet is your best friend. Make sure to use it for any car part you may ever need.
Talk to Your Mechanic
The surest and perhaps the easiest way to change your car’s bulbs is to drive it to your local mechanic and have them take a look at your car. Chances are you already have a trusty expert who takes care of your car and knows their way around it. Most car owners change a few mechanics before they find the right one that suits them, both in terms of their expertise around vehicles and their personality. If know nothing about the headlight situation of your vehicle, make your way to the garage and ask the mechanics there which one you need. Perhaps they will already have some of them lying around that they can install immediately. Most mechanics have a few of the common spare parts around the shop ready to be installed right there on the spot. Talking to the mechanic is also the most widely used method of learning about one’s vehicle and most people do it whenever they have a question about their vehicle. It makes sense as mechanics are basically car doctors. Ask them about anything and they should have a clear answer.
Talk to Friends and Family
Last but not least, before you do any of the aforementioned things, you could ask some of your friends and family for advice, preferably the car heads. There is always that one person in your life who is all about cars, a petrol head through and through. They will have a proper recommendation, they may refer one of the options from above, or they may even tell you exactly what you need. If somebody drives a similar model you do it would be a no-brainer to ask them because they have probably already had the same issue you do now.
