What are the best non-hid replacement halogen headlight bulbs for our vehicles?

[emery65038]

I am looking to replace my headlight bulbs on my Festiva. What do you recommend for a brand?

[Safety Guy]

Welcome Emery!

Unfortunately I don't have a good answer for you. Have you tried Silverstars?

I'm using some Sylvania Xtravision bulbs right now which seem to do okay, but I haven't done a direct comparison with anything.

Here's an Amazon.com review on them:

http://www.amazon.com/Sylvania-H13XV-BP-TWIN-XtraVision/dp/B000COCU8O

From the first review by "Charlie":

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These bulbs are slightly brighter than the factory equipped Sylvania Standard H13s.

White ricer bulbs like the tinted SilverStars tend to fool the human eye into thinking that the whiter light is brighter (especially in a dark environment like an unlit highway) while in reality the yellower lights tend to get picked up more readily by the human eye and are brighter.

Most, if not all, vehicles are equipped with Long Life 9008/H13 bulbs from the factory. Long Life usually means the bulbs were designed with filaments and gas mixtures designed to extend the duration at which the light output remains usable, approximately 800-1300 hours in a laboratory environment. This is in comparison to 2500-5000 hours from HID capsules (D1/D2/D3/D4) which cost $100-$250 per capsule to replace. In addition, white LED headlights/foglights last approximately 25,000 to 50,000 hours.

Sylvania does not keep it a secret that their SilverStar and SilverStar Ultra line of headlights are not designed for longevity. According to Sylvania for their 9007s, their SilverStar lasts 150 hours, the SilverStar Ultra lasts 200 hours, while the XtraVision lasts 375 hours. The 9008/H13 standard bulb can go up to 1000 hours, while the Sylvania SilverStar 9008/H13 is rated at only 325 hours and the 9008/H13 XtraVision is rated for 500 hours.
In the SilverStars, the gas mixture and filaments were designed to compensate for the loss of light transmission from the filter (tint) on the bulb glass. The SilverStars are essentially "ricer" bulbs designed to make the color temperature appear near 4000K (HID white) but this costs you lifespan.

The 9008/H13 XtraVisions are rated for about 500 hours and do not have any lens filters to change the light color. 500 hours is on the short side of the OEM Long Life spec but it is a good balance of lighting power and lifespan. From my experience, they will last at least 3-4 years of normal use (about 30 minutes every workday). Daytime Running Lights and automatic headlights SEVERELY reduce bulb lifespan because they keep the bulbs running at full voltage whenever you use the car contrary to popular belief. In addition, headlight bulbs are rated at 12.8 VDC, which means that the 800 hours was obtained from testing at 12.8 VDC. Running the bulbs at a higher voltage, like the 14.0 VDC that most charging systems produce, will dramatically reduce bulb life. So this is not a surprise that SilverStar owners are getting 3-6 months of use out of their bulbs.

I have used XtraVisions on 3 different cars over the past 7 years and have the utmost confidence in the lighting power. They are still halogens and produce a 3200K "white", but there is a DRAMATIC difference from factory Standard or Long Life 9008/H13s. They make all reflective objects light up, and I can see a bit farther down the road. I've tested GE Nighthawk 9008/H13s and they produce a slightly whiter light with about the same light output, so either the XtraVision or GE Nighthawk 9008/H13s are the best halogen upgrade.

The ultimate lighting solution would be a street-legal HID upgrade, which is cost prohibitive for most owners and requires a lot of work to install. The next best thing would be XtraVision bulbs.

Pros: The best bulb upgrade you can get with a decent lifespan (about 800 hours). Totally street legal, and a big improvement over Standard or LL bulbs. Can be purchased at discount prices.

Cons: Still produces a 3200K halogen "white" which is yellow compared to HIDs. Confusing marketing causes most people to buy SilverStar / Ultra bulbs instead.

Overall: 5/5 stars for what it is: affordable upgrade for existing lighting.

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Well, it sounds like he knows what he's talking about, and it makes sense. Pumping more wattage through filaments should reduce their service life. Electricity ain't my area though.

Karl

[blkfordsedan]

I've ran both Sylvania "Cool Blue" and "Silverstar" bulbs in mine. I will say there was a noticable improvement in night vision with the Silverstars (love 'em), but I found I have to replace them every 18 to 24 months. When one burns out, the other is never more than a few weeks behind it. Not sure if thats worth the $40/set price.

[koRnhead]

I third the silverstar vote. Have ran them for the last year and a half. And am very happy.

[JoDan]

I'm a fan of Wagners standard bulbs

[gauge_half_inch]

What is the stigma with HID? If you buy q quality set they are well worth the 30 min installation. I bought mine almost 1 year ago with no major issues. I did a fair amount of manufacture review research before purchasing a set of dual element H4s for my round head light conversion. I bought them from www.ddmtuning.com slim balast dual element 5k bulbs. Total cost after shipping was only $72. They have a lifetime warranty on all parts. It came with a full relay harness, 2 bulbs and 2 slim balasts. If you want actual lumens output get the lowest number IIRC 4300k, they look yellow but are extremely superior to any halogen bulb. The 5000k (the ones i bought) are equal to most OEM HIDs. They are a bright white, almost no blue. If you want visability, don't wast your money on expensive halogen bulb that won't last very long. At $50-60 a pair for the best silverstars, add another $25 and lace a lifetime set that will far out perform.

[GenevaDirt]

Silverstar Ultras are the best you can get without going HID.

I have both and HID done right is no comparison but if you are talking regular bulbs then Ultras are the winner.

[DriverOne]

Silverstar Ultras are the best you can get without going HID.

I have both and HID done right is no comparison but if you are talking regular bulbs then Ultras are the winner.

I disagree. These are better, and I know 'cause I've used 'em. "Only PlasmaGlow bulbs are backed by a No-Questions-Asked 10-Year Replacement Warranty. If your bulbs ever burn out, become dim, or stop working for any reason, you are covered by this industry-leading warranty."

[GenevaDirt]

I disagree. These are better, and I know 'cause I've used 'em. "Only PlasmaGlow bulbs are backed by a No-Questions-Asked 10-Year Replacement Warranty. If your bulbs ever burn out, become dim, or stop working for any reason, you are covered by this industry-leading warranty."

Have you used the Ultra's? If so you are saying that the Plasmas are brighter and have a better pattern? I could care less about the warranty if they are not visually better.

[bhazard]

Those ebay lights are 80/100 watt....I would be REALLY careful about using them. Especially on stock wiring.

[Movin]

I'm not going to give up my illegal 100 watt high beam low beam HID to try out any halogen bulb. Night vision on the desert can't be described, much safer during deer migration. Low beam 100 watt HID is no problem in town if adjusted correctly. Low seems to go lower than normal to illuminate the asphalt in front of you crazy bright without hurting other drivers. If somebody brights you don't bright them back, they probably won't stay on the road!! You really have to be careful and nice to others with these.

[DriverOne]

Have you used the Ultra's? If so you are saying that the Plasmas are brighter and have a better pattern? I could care less about the warranty if they are not visually better.

The plasmas are nicer, IMO, and I'm confused by what you mean by pattern. I assumed it was the lenses that created that. The Ultras were a decent improvement, but have always been more expensive, and lead me to search for alternative brands. The first vehicle I used the Plasmaglows in (and these were NOT the platinum lights, rather the entry level bulb) was a VW New Beetle Turbo S, in which they proved to be 20% brighter than stock as well as whiter, and showed improved distance in the projector lens. They were also less expensive, and at the time only cost me $15 before shipping. In the Festiva, the Plasmaglow bulbs lose some of their power due to the diffusion of the lenses (which is why I recommended running a bit more powerful bulbs, maybe with a booster system) but make road signs more intense; more "high-def" as it were. That and the warranty sold me, as the VW was horribly notorious for blowing bulbs all over the car. Sorry for the long overdue reply.