The sixth modification, Chrome Indicator Bulbs (Front)

If there's one thing I can't stand, it's orange indicator and side repeater lenses!

On all my cars, I do my level best to replace orange lenses with clear ones. The PT is slightly different as they ship with clear lenses on the front and orange lenses on the sides and rear. The clear lenses on the front have orange bulbs in them, which unfortunately makes the entire clear lens have an orange appearance.

Luckily, some clever person invented chrome covered indicator bulbs which turn orange when lit. They look like this:




However, being an American car, the bulb fitting is nothing like the standard Euro/bayonet type fitting that we in the UK have all come to know. That'd be to easy!

Instead, PT Cruiser indicator bulb fittings look like this:



Just my luck...

However, bulbs with this type of fitting (in chrome) are not actually that hard to find or track down. The only real issue is the price they sell for in the UK!

Not happy (or willing) to pay the sort of money that UK based firms were asking, I started looking for US based firms that would ship to the UK as it simply had to be cheaper. It was at this point that I stumbled upon a company called Xenon Mods, a small firm run by a guy called Rich Calnan, based in Churchville, New York.

Their web site (www.xenonmods.com) had exactly what I was after and at the right price too. Just to give you an example, here are some example of prices for a single pair of chrome indicator bulbs:

PT Cruiser Store £20 + £2.50 shipping
PT Company £16.99 + £1.50 shipping
Xenon Mods $12.99 + $1.00 shipping

This is where things start to get expensive, the best part of £10 quid for one bulb!? No Way José...

I was wondering how much Xenon Mods would want to ship these bulbs to the UK as I was sure $1 dollar wouldn't quite cover it, so I emailed Rich Calnan who replied quickly and much to my surprise said that the $1 dollar shipping fee was to the UK. Amazing!

So, an order was placed with Xenon Mods. As I needed a pair of bulbs for the front, a pair for the back (for a yet-to-happen mod) it made financial sense to order a third pair as spares. Three pairs of chrome bulbs delivered to my door for $39.97 Dollars, which at todays current exchange rate is £19.14 Sterling. Even more amazing!

This works out at way less than half the price of PT Company which (for exactly the same items and quantities) came in at a whopping £55.47 and over three times cheaper than PT Cruiser Store who wanted £62.50

I was originally facing around £10 quid per bulb, it cost me just £3.34 per bulb, delivered.

Anyway, absolute top marks to Rich Calnan from Xenon Mods, six chrome indicator bulbs arrived safely from New York, just ten days after placing my order (part # 3157):




Fitting the bulbs is quite straight forward, the indicator bulbs are accessed from within the wheel arch of the PT Cruiser. Here are a couple of tips for you:

• First of all, turn the steering to full lock to allow yourself a bit more room.
• Inside the plastic wheel arch liner is an eight inch square access panel which pulls off (albeit with a fairly hefty tug).
• Once the access panel is removed, you can simply reach in and turn the back of the bulb holder one quarter turn to release the bulb and holder from the headlight assembly.
• Be sure not to let the old orange indicator bulb touch the sides of the lense assembly. Over time, the paint on orange bulbs cracks and flakes off. I made the foolish mistake of letting the bulb come in to contact with the lens at which point more orange paint that you can shake a stick at flaked off and fell inside the headlight assembly. Nightmare!
• To remove the flakes, I had to get a tin of compressed air (used for dusting computers, etc) and aim a straw around in the light assembly until I was able to blow all the orange flakes of paint out. This took the best part of ten minutes, so be warned.
• With the bulb holder withdrawn from the assembly, the bulb simply pull out of the assembly and the new ones push in.
• Fitting is the reverse of removal.
  

During this process I also stumbled across bit of a cock up that I made when ordering the bulbs. I wasn't aware the front indicator bulbs are different from the rear ones! (were you!?)

The little lugs on the side of the bulbs are in different places on the front bulbs, compared to the rear bulbs. God only knows why...

So, with a little bit of careful modification involving a pair of pliers, a surgical scalpel and two cuts on one finger, I was able to shave enough of the plastic lugs off to allow the incorrectly ordered bulbs to fit in the holders and stay put. Again, you have been warned - different bulbs for front and back when ordering!

All in all, a straight forward mod for your car at a pretty decent price too. Here are a couple of before and after photos so you can see the difference these bulbs make:









Thanks once again to Rich Calnan from Xenon Mods for his help, prompt replies to emails and tips on how to make the wrong bulbs (that I ordered) fit!

Modifications to date: Parrot CK3100 Bluetooth Hands Free Phone Kit, Debadged Tailgate, 'Semi-Stealth TomTom' Satellite Navigation, Chrome Wheels, Chrome Belt Line.