Osrma Silverstar vs. GE Night Hawk Platinum?

Could someone advise which is brighter? Vehicle is a 2004 Subaru Forester XT AWD Turbo. Car now has Osram Sylverstars and they have been in there for YEARS without burning out. Just noticed a sale on the GE Night Hawk Platinum and was wondering if I would lose or gain.

Bulb is a 9003.

Thanks

ukiltmybrutha said:

Could someone advise which is brighter? Vehicle is a 2004 Subaru Forester XT AWD Turbo. Car now has Osram Sylverstars and they have been in there for YEARS without burning out. Just noticed a sale on the GE Night Hawk Platinum and was wondering if I would lose or gain.

Bulb is a 9003.

Thanks

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A bulb with as many hours on it as "been in there for YEARS" suggests to me may be due for replacement, a) due to the potential that they can burn out the next time they're switched on, b) the filaments almost certainly have dendritic growth from filament redeposition (which spoils beam focus), and c) the bulb walls may have some blackening.

Are you referring to genuine Osram Silverstars, or to the Sylvania Silverstar. If the latter, then the GE NHPs are the better bet.

Thank you and agreed. I am referring to genuine Osram Silverstars. Would like your opinion since it is the former.

Appreciated!

Alaric Darconville said:

A bulb with as many hours on it as "been in there for YEARS" suggests to me may be due for replacement, a) due to the potential that they can burn out the next time they're switched on, b) the filaments almost certainly have dendritic growth from filament redeposition (which spoils beam focus), and c) the bulb walls may have some blackening.

Are you referring to genuine Osram Silverstars, or to the Sylvania Silverstar. If the latter, then the GE NHPs are the better bet.

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I'll defer to Scheinwerfermann's opinion of the 'real thing' compared to the NHP.

If you've managed to get "YEARS" out of a set of Silver Stars, your bulbs are being underfed. If you'd like to see well at night, put in headlight relays and low-loss wiring. You'll see much better, though you'll have to change the DRLs so they operate on the turn signals instead of on the headlamps with a module like this or similar, and your high-performance headlight bulbs will no longer last for multiple years.

I would vote for the Philips Xtreme Power as the best standard-wattage 9003 presently available. I don't have much experience with the GE NHP in the 9003 type, though I think highly of the 9004 and 9007 NHP.

If you've managed to get "YEARS" out of a set of Silver Stars, your bulbs are being underfed. If you'd like to see well at night, put in headlight relays and low-loss wiring. You'll see much better, though you'll have to change the DRLs so they operate on the turn signals instead of on the headlamps with a module like this or similar, and your high-performance headlight bulbs will no longer last for multiple years.

I would vote for the Philips Xtreme Power as the best standard-wattage 9003 presently available. I don't have much experience with the GE NHP in the 9003 type, though I think highly of the 9004 and 9007 NHP.

Go with a relayed harness kit and install Osram Rallye 70/65 +50 H4 (9003) bulbs...best way to go.

Lightdoctor said:

Go with a relayed harness kit and install Osram Rallye 70/65 +50 H4 (9003) bulbs...best way to go.

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Bingo! I ran those for quite awhile and loved them,but have since stepped it up to the next level with the Osram 85/80 watt H4 and would not even think of anything less!

I saw this sale too. It is on Amazon Deal of the Day and for a pair of the GE bulbs are only $19 bucks. Good deal IMO.