Upgrade for 9007 bulb, Phillips Xtreme Vision life?

[B.Fleischer]

I have a 2000 Jetta TDI that I am wanting to do a minor upgrade to the headlights on. It takes a 9007 bulb. I currently have standard GE 9007 bulbs in that I installed in March of 2006, so they are likely to go any time now. Also this car does have DRLs at 90%, and uses the low beams for DRL.

I am eyeing the Phillips xtreme Vison 9007 bulbs. My question is, what is the hour rating on them? Is there another performance 9007 bulb that will have a better hour rating than these, and would be easy to get in the USA? (I'd be happy with one around 700 hours, as the GEs are rated at 1100 hours.)

Thanks

 

[-Virgil-]

The Philips Xtreme Vision is the best-performing HB5 (9007) bulb presently available. The GE Night Hawk Platinum is a close second. Either of them, like all genuinely better-than-standard bulbs (plus a lot of the so-called "upgrades" that are actually a downgrade), will have a considerably shorter lifespan than a standard bulb. That's the price to be paid for better seeing. There is no bulb that gives both really improved headlighting and lifetime equal or longer than a standard bulb. You will not get a 700 hour rating on a bulb enough better than standard to be worth buying. Keep in mind the US system has the life rating tested at 14v while the output rating is tested at 12.8v. The life of a bulb operated at 12.8v is 320% of the life of that same bulb operated at 14v. Output varies less dramatically: at 14v, the output is 136% of the output at 12.8v.

Beyond all the bulb talk: the headlamps on a 2000 vehicle are probably not in like-new condition. When the lenses get cloudy/yellow, the lamps need to be replaced. You can polish the lenses, but what you're doing is stripping off the hardening coating and leaving the soft plastic exposed; it will deteriorate much faster and worse. And despite advertising claims, there's no coating you can apply to the lenses that will even come close to restoring the protection of the original coating. If this is your situation, make sure to get genuine original-equipment headlamps (made by Hella, in your case). The aftermarket ones are all junk, and the aftermarket replacement lenses available for some VW headlamps, whether they're made of plastic or glass, are likewise not worth fooling around with.

Finally, make sure the lamps are aimed correctly. Yours are the "VOR" type; see info here.

 

[B.Fleischer]

I would like to know what they are rated though, because if it is that bad there is no way I'd consider it. As far as the GE Nighthawk go, the reviews look horrid on Amazon regarding lifetime. Also the lenses on my car are very clear, so clear they look brand new, there may be some yellowing but I cant tell. I just recently polished them with the Duplicolor kit HLR100 shown here: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0087FSA70/?tag=cpf0b6-20 . Now how long they will stay clear, that has yet to be determined.

 

[B.Fleischer]

To answer my own question, I havent been able to find any solid numbers for either rated hours, or lumens. I think I will just save my money and get regular Phillips bulbs, or I might stick with the standard GEs, heck these have lasted 8 yrs so far.

 

[Alaric Darconville]

I think I will just save my money and get regular Phillips bulbs, or I might stick with the standard GEs, heck these have lasted 8 yrs so far.

Bulbs are cheaper than accidents.

You mention that these bulbs have "lasted 8 years so far", which could point to a problem. Bulbs that "last 8 years" may be getting insufficient voltage (instructions for checking voltage drop can be found in this article), or they are of the "Long Life" type, or a combination of the two.

"Long Life" bulbs are false economy, as they weren't that bright to begin with, they aren't that well-focused to begin with, and as they age they get dendritic growth on the filaments as a result of the halogen cycle, which further ruins the focus. This adds up to a bulb that is still burning long after it is useful. The lamps light, and appear to be working well enough, but your seeing distance is greatly compromised. You're really much better off with the Philips X-Treme Vision or the GE Night Hawk Platinum.

 

[kbuzbee]

Are there any LED direct replacements for 9007s?

Thanks!

Ken

 

[Lightdoctor]

Are there any LED direct replacements for 9007s?

Thanks!

Ken

No...and there never will be. You'll see alot of junk sold on eBay, claiming the the product is DOT approved...it's not no matter what suedo-science they claim. The big problem is that you cannot make a compliant beam pattern with a light source that the optics were not intended for. That is why an 'HID kit' or an 'LED kit " will never work in a halogen housing. And another point...even if one could get a compliant beam, there would not be enough heat sinking to make the LED's last.

 

[kbuzbee]

Thanks. Good to know. I'll stop looking

Ken

 

[GatorJZ]

No...and there never will be. You'll see alot of junk sold on eBay, claiming the the product is DOT approved...it's not no matter what suedo-science they claim. The big problem is that you cannot make a compliant beam pattern with a light source that the optics were not intended for. That is why an 'HID kit' or an 'LED kit " will never work in a halogen housing. And another point...even if one could get a compliant beam, there would not be enough heat sinking to make the LED's last.

You are, of course, 100% correct, but one gets absolutely slammed on the car forums for suggesting this. One seller is pushing the LED "conversion" kits that claim to have solved the heat sink issue by incorporating a computer case cooling fan. I'm sure that will really perform and hold up well in an engine compartment environment.