Based on the amazed, incredulous reactions I get when I tell people that's how I check them, I was starting to think maybe I'd invented the technique. Glad I'm not the only one!
I don't check them. The car tells you if the bulbs are out. You get an annoying reminder in the dash.
I guess we're still looking for these prices for services.
For inflation, it says to multiply by 6.67 to convert from 1973 dollars to 2022. Still not too bad. That $10 alignment works out to $66 and you can't find someone to do it for that price these days but the machine that does it I'm sure is a lot more expensive and complicated than what was available in 1973.
I was thinking exactly this. The mentality of "geez man you've already got the bulbs just sitting right there" overlooks the preparation it took for the business to be, well, prepared.
It's always felt a bit like the kid who wants to copy your homework in school: "Geez man, you already did it, why can't I just copy it??" Don't wanna pay?? Then do your own homework, ie stock or source the bulbs yourself.
I run into it all the time as a real estate broker. You do one sale or rental and they think you're making a killing. That's only if you factor in the actual sale itself and not all the other duds. You post something for sale, you can't just eliminate all the people who look or ask questions but don't end up buying.
Where did the $2.64 per bulb come from? Is that the AZ/OR/PA/NA price? (stores not states) Out of the $30 first subtract maybe $2.50 for sales tax sent to the state. How far is it to the parts store to buy the bulbs, at 50 cents per mile? $4-$5 round trip? So $30 -$2.50 -$5.50 -$5 cost -tax -bulbs -cost of obtaining bulbs means the $30 job cost more like $17. Is $17 still unreasonable? Oh, I forgot sales tax buying the bulbs from NAPA so $16.50?
They order parts from the local parts store which deliver for free and I guess if they do enough volume, they may get some volume discount and gets billed monthly. The parts stores like it because they get get consistent repeat business.
It’s $40 + tax to get 4 tires rotated here …
You have to shop around, the local indy charges $20 to change the oil and rotate the tires if you bring your own oil/filter. It's $30 for their 5 quart special. They've been around a long time, they used to just charge me $10 when I brought my own oil/filter. That's why I have them do it once in a while, sometimes too busy to save $10-$20.