One of my Osram Silver Stars has just failed at 17 months and 21,000 miles. IIRC that is a bit sooner than the lower output bulbs but not too bad considering the improvement in brighness.
Anyone else have anything to report on bulb life?
It's one of the easier to change dip bulbs as well. Better get 2 more ordered.
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I wasna fu but just had plenty.
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before you order why not try and get yourself some of these new philips ones that are +80%
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I also had one of my Osram Silver Stars fail at (I'm guessing) about 18 months and 27k miles old.
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Spooky...my Silver Stars also failed at 18 months.
Something fishy here...
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In a word no.
The filaments burn brighter to achieve the higher light output for the same wattage and fail more quickly. I myself have had pairs fail within hours of each other.
Around 12-18 months is all you can expect.
HTH
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If you have a car with automatic headlights, they die even quicker. I gave up with them on my 406 as I seemed to be changing bulbs every few weeks. I would imagine that a bulb overrun by the amounts that they 80% ones are would not live long.
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Had to replace one on the standard ones, on the Omega - but couldn't persued myself that the 2 for £15 deal in Halfords was justified, on their extra bright range, was worth the extra. Got a Ring standard item from Wilkos for a fiver.
Then the otherside failed, the week after!!
So Wilkos got £10 out of me & I still don't know if the posh ones are worth it!!
VB
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Same here, My 206 kills headlamp bulbs in about 6 months, the automatic headlights are the cause.
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I've had about 4 years and 50,000 miles out of the Silver Stars in my Octavia (H4).
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Ordered a new pair from consumabulbs (no connection) , H7, £18.95 and 15 hrs later on my desk.
Too cold and snowy to swap today.
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I wasna fu but just had plenty.
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I have used my 307 on 'automatic' headlights for nearly 3 years with no bulbs blown - still using the one that came with the car, whatever make they are!
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Knowing PSA & factory fitted bulbs it will be either Osram or Philips
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I've used the Halfords version of the 50 per cent brighter H4s in my Bora for about 15 months and, so far, they've proved a boon over the original feeble output.
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GWS
Exactly my experience. A pair of high brightness failed within weeks of each other after a couple of years and 20k miles. I can only assume the greater filament temperature is a factor.
JS
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why people need such bright bulbs is beyond me,unless they just like blinding oncoming traffic, if you cant manage with normal bulbs you really shouldnt be driving at all!
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Aha ! the voice of experience ?
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Aha ! the voice of experience ?
30 years come july in fact, and no insurance claimes against me
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30 years come july in fact, and no insurance claimes against me
I have never been involved in any accidents. I have seen plenty in my rear view mirror tho........................................
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TourVanMan TM < Ex RF >
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MJ, they do make a difference, particulary on full beam in my experience, and when correctly adjusted are no more likely to dazzle oncoming drivers.
Certain modern cars have awful headlights - according to those on the forum - and swapping the bulbs to a brighter set is a cost-effective way to improve them.
I stuck a set in my Astra as Mrs Barchetta was doing a lot of late-night driving round the north of England this winter - she remarked on how much better the lighting was, and how much more ´relaxing´ it was for her to have so much better vision :-)
As far as dazzling is concerned, surely numpties who drive with sidelights/front fogs on are more annoying.
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MJ, they do make a difference, particulary on full beam in my experience, and when correctly adjusted are no more likely to dazzle oncoming drivers.
Ballcocks, if I'm allowed to say that. If they are adjusted correctly on a dead flat surface with the car at a standstill,
maybe. Roads aren't like that, though.
Certain modern cars have awful headlights - according to those on the forum - and swapping the bulbs to a brighter set is a cost-effective way to improve them.
And if the wattage is upped, quite possibly annoying or even dangerous to other road users, and illegal.
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And if the wattage is upped, quite possibly annoying or even dangerous to other road users, and illegal.
We are not discussing increased wattage illegal bulbs here. The bulbs being discussed in this thread are brighter but still perfectly legal.
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why people need such bright bulbs is beyond me,unless they just like blinding oncoming traffic>>
Incorrectly adjusted headlights "blind" oncoming drivers.
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Nodding flashing Zenons *blind* oncoming drivers
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TourVanMan TM < Ex RF >
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Nodding flashing Zenons *blind* oncoming drivers
And illegal non auto leveling Zenons "blind" oncoming drivers
And things will not improve re badly adjusted lights if the MoT is only every two years.
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I have Xenons and love them. They use less energy than normal ones so I am saving the planet. I think that we should all use Xenons as they are so much more environmentaly friendly!!!!
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why people need such bright bulbs is beyond me,unless they just like blinding oncoming traffic, if you cant manage with normal bulbs you really shouldnt be driving at all!
I have 50% brighter bulbs fitted in my car, but even with these the light output does not look as bright as the standard ellipsoidal ones in my girlfriends 03-plate MX-5, which in turn do not look as bright as some of these newfangled xenon ones. For me its a case of trying to improve the original lacklustre performance, not making them super bright and dazzling everyone.
As Stuartli says, its poorly maintained cars with badly adjusted lights that dazzle...
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why people need such bright bulbs is beyond me,unless they just like blinding oncoming traffic, if you cant manage with normal bulbs you really shouldnt be driving at all!
Put your lights on, but not on main beam, now drive at 60+mph on an unlit road. You can't can you? Then you've got the person up your bumper who can drive at 80+mph with his eyes shut. That's one reason for me buying brighter bulbs. However, I'm not convinced that I can see any further. The other advantage is night driving is not as tiring, but the difference seems to be tiny, especially now that I'm not driving on unlit roads.
At least I can say I've tried them, but I'm not sure whether they're worth it. They aren't worth it if you only do town driving, but for other driving there probably is some benefit. The ones I've got aren't illegal ones.
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Put your lights on, but not on main beam, now drive at 60+mph on an unlit road. You can't can you? Then you've got the person up your bumper who can drive at 80+mph with his eyes shut. That's one reason for me buying brighter bulbs.
Then be an "advanced driver" - slow down, and let him pass.
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>> Put your lights on, but not on main beam, now drive >> at 60+mph on an unlit road. You can't can >> you? Then you've got the person up your bumper who >> can drive at 80+mph with his eyes shut. That's one >> reason for me buying brighter bulbs. Then be an "advanced driver" - slow down, and let him pass.
No, no... the truely advanced driver stamps on his brakes and watches the fishtailing in the rear view mirror with satisfaction.
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No, no... the truely advanced driver stamps on his brakes and watches the fishtailing in the rear view mirror with satisfaction.
No advanced driver with a modicum of intelligence would deliberately try to cause an accident in this manner.
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>>They aren't worth it if you only do town driving, but for other driving there probably is some benefit>>
I find that there's a considerable benefit, especially in the more even spread of light on the road on dipped beam.
Fog light on when unnecessary irritate me far more and that includes the "blue" lights which are, after all, only a different Kelvin temperature level.
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>>that includes the "blue" lights which are, after all, only a different Kelvin temperature level.>>
Hit the post button too quickly - the blue lights don't bother me, but a combination of headlights and fog lights when unnecessary certainly do irritate me.
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