The night my @Toyota tried to kill me…

Good god the DC beltway is bad.

During the day it’s bad.

At night it’s worse.

And last night mind you it’s the worst I’ve ever seen it. Or…to be exact…haven’t seen it.

I work late from time to time, so last night I was driving home around 9pm only to find that somewhere between Braddock Road and the I-95 South exit I found myself driving in COMPLETE DARKNESS.

Why? Because the DEFECTIVE headlights on my 2006 Toyota prius cut out. Completely. Without warning.

Now I’ve got a 2002 Chevy Tahoe that has never had a headlight replaced. I’ve got a 1999 Ford Truck that has never had a headlight replaced. In fact, I don’t think I can remember changing a headlight on a single car I’ve ever owned save for my 1973 Pontiac (back-in-the-day)

Now I’ve got a “new” Toyota (bought it with 187 miles on it, it’s new) that is on it’s THIRD SET of headlights.

Yes, I put the second set on it about 18 months ago when it hit 45,000 miles. And now, at 90,000 miles they failed again.

Gee – regular intervals.

Gee – a google search of “Toyota Prius Headlight Problem” turns up HUNDREDS of links of users complaining their headlights.

The last time I took my Prius in my service advisor told me that Toyota was aware of the problem and that this was fixed. So I shelled out the almost THOUSAND DOLLARS to replace the first set.

Now I find that *gasp* the dealership lied to me and that what they actually did was replaced my old defective headlights with BRAND NEW defective headlights. I also find that they are going to charge me in the neighborhood of $50 more PER BULB for the new defective headlights.

So for these *DEFECTIVE* headlights here are the costs:

$390 per bulb = $780
2 hrs labor @ $95/hr = $190
Total cost for replacement: = $970

Should I take the giant tub of Vaseline in with me when I go to pay the bill?

FOLLOW UP.

10/6 – Toyota corporate called me today to tell me they were graciously accepting responsibility for the parts cost of the replacement.

They offered to pay for two bulbs at $177/each, but the 4.5 hours of labor charges will be my responsibility.

Wait.

I’m pretty sure what i was quoted – I know because I wrote it above right after getting off the phone with him the idiot service adviser.

So now the quote is:

$177 per bulb = $354
4.5 hrs labor @ $95/hr = $405
Total cost for replacement: = $859

Why?  Because the dealership is *PISSED* that their rip-off markup on the bulbs is gone and is going to try and make it up on the inflated labor.

$5 starbucks card says I get out of there tomorrow having paid for 2 hours of labor.

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Update – 10/8/09

Toyota just called.  Parts and labor both being covered by Toyota “as a courtsey.”

And my father said being an asshole would never get me anything.