I don't know how or exactly when it happened, but my driver's side headlight lens shattered in the middle of a 650 mile drive. I read the recent threads regarding the replacement procedure and prepared to attempt it. The cheapest lens I could find online was about $212. But first I went to a local body shop... and got an estimate of almost $900 for the replacement part (they said they could not get just the lens and priced the entire headlight assembly) and labor. I tried calling a few local dealers...and one quoted me $310 for the part and $103 for labor. I figured that was probably better than ordering the lens online, possibly having to deal with getting the wrong item or one that broke in shipment, and maybe having the car down for a few days while I figured out how to get my extra-large hands into the small area for the third mounting screw.

It took a few days for the part to arrive, and it was installed while I waited. But the dealer didn't do it for the quoted $103 in labor. I was only charged one half-hour of labor, $64.88. I didn't get the fun and experience of doing the work myself, but I am sure that I will have many opportunities for that in other parts of the car in the future.

After reading all of the posts about poor dealer service and high prices, my first transaction with a Jaguar dealer (Manhattan Jaguar in Rockville, MD) was quite satisfactory (in my years of owning an XKE, I somehow avoided ever going to a dealer!).

 

Always good to hear when things go right. Sounds like you came out OK.