Driving up to the snowfields after dark recently left me in no doubt that I needed better halogen bulbs in my Giulietta. So I decided to upgrade to Philips X-tremeVision G-force H7 bulbs for low beam and H1 bulbs for high beam. I'd heard of the horror stories changing the low beam bulbs, involving needing two people to loosen the front bumper and wheel liner to remove the whole light assembley. I can categorically say that is not the case and changed both low beam bulbs with headlights in place following the tips in this YouTube video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B64iacZk1bA
Everything can be done by feel by taking your time. The most difficult bit was working out which way the spring that holds the bulb unclips. It does so by pushing and rotating the top of the clip slightly anticlockwise to release it when looking at it from the rear, the reverse to lock it back in place. Both bulbs were done in 15 minutes.
You have infinitely nimble fingers. ;)
Helps when somebody mentions that the inconveniently placed filler tube for the windscreen washer.... simply pulls out (interference fit). Also, freakishly long and nimble child/alien like fingers (that resist bleeding)
Hope you lined it up correctly :)
Actually I have big palms and short sausage fingers, but am blessed with thin wrists that were a little roughed up by the experience but no blood was spilled. And yes the bulbs clicked in nicely, orientated 5pm to 11am just like the video suggests. Haven't drive after dark since fitting them though, so will report back once I've had the chance.
Choosing replacement bulbs is a real challenge. It seemed to boil down to style (short lived 4200K+ white beams) over substance (bulb longevity and output). I went the latter. Surprised that you can also buy LED replacements for you old school halogens with a tiny warning in the detail that they're not ADR compliant and for off road use only. Didn't stop the bored Autobarn kids trying to sell LED replacements for my partner's 2008 Subaru.
Can recommend the Philips X-tremeVision G-force halogen bulbs. Much better light penetration and spread that the standard bulbs they replaced. Beam colour is slightly whiter which is what I expected and prefer, but not the white / blue shade you get from LEDs.