Survey - Do you have any special auto headlamps or bulbs in your car?

I am curious, but here is my real reason for asking this.

I was thinking that if anyone knows about good, high quality light alternatives to the regular bulb, a CPF member would know!

I am about ready to put a premium bulb set in my 2001 GMC Sierra, and really HATE these fake blue bulbs. They actually reduce the total amount usuable of light

I would love to put HID lighting, but that is over a thousand bucks.

Thought about putting some 80-100 watt lights, but can't find any good brands, and am worried about the heat.

Read only so - so reports about the DOT approved PIAA super white or hyper white bulbs, and they are very expensive.

So, I pretty much decided on this, unless there is a brand that yall can "enlighten" me on!

Sylvania SilverStar High Performance Halogen:

http://www.sylvania.com/auto/silverstar.htm


Yes, I see that it is blue, but it seems to generate a nice white color:

Standard bulb


Cool Blue (yuch!)


SilverStar:


The SilverStar is DOT approved. I have heard that lights purchased in Europe are much brigher, but not available in the states, and I need a 9005 and 9006 size, not one of those "H" size.

Any of our CPF members "across the pond" have any good internet sites to buy european versions of a 9005 and 9006 light?

So, any thoughts or suggestions?

I don't know...all 3 vehicles at this house have the Sylvania "Cool Blue" Not the ugly overwattage fake blue eBay specials, but DOT approved Sylvania Xenon gas filled lights. The beam is much whiter and has the tint of HID lights (Although not as bright) for a fraction of the price.

Unfortunatly the lights on the Van are mis-aimed and the aiming ststem is broken...but that isn't the bulbs fault.

European light systems are much better. For one, in many countries over there headlight washers are required. Saab, by the way, made the first headlight washers and was the first manufacturer to make them standard on all models...a tradition that is gone with the new 9-3 it appears. Also, European Saabs (and I don't know what other cars over there) have a motorized headlight ajustment system...you can change the aim of the headlights from the dirvers seat (Not the same as high/low beam) but unfortunatly the American DOT didn't like that feature...

So.....yeah, I like the Sylvania Cool Blue bulbs and wish I had an imported Saab

I had the PIAA Superwhite bulbs in my Explorer. It really is a good light but I only got 2 1/2 years use before one of them went out. The other one had funky stuff on the filament that I thought was some sort of light bulb cancer.

The PIAAs were $80/pair and the Sylvania Silver Stars that I replaced them with were only $50. It is a very good light, doesn't have that fake HID look (personally, I think cars with the fake blue bulbs look like pimpmobiles. Where's Huggie Bear?) and overall I'd buy them again. Much improved over the factory bulbs. You'll be happy with them.

Thanks Jeff,

That's the kind of thing I wanted to hear.

For some reason, 50 bucks for two headlight bulbs are expensive, esp when you have to get two sets (high and low beam), and the ones I currently have still work.

BUT . . . I have no problem buying new flashlights every month!

I will probably get two sets this week. AutoZone has them, for 24.99 each, I found them for like 22.99 on the internet, so I think that is a good price.

The Silverstars have been getting VERY positive reviews in the various Subrau forums i read. There are some HID systems available for $500-600, now, but I'm unsure about the quality.

FYI: Standard US headlights are rated 55/65 Watts. You can find bulbs to fit yur sockets in the 75/85 watt range, but be careful, as the stock wiring harness wasn't designed to take that kind of load, and the wires may melt.

--dan

I think if you go to www.rav4world.com and search the archives you may find some interesting articles about the PIAA bulbs.
I know I saw them there 1 year ago.

There were some links to some very interesting reviews and while I can't quote details I do remember that the PIAAs came out far behind most of the DOT approved competition.

The jist was that the PIAAs produce a very focused hot spot and when measurements were taken in the hotspot they blew away the competition. These are the results usually quoted in the PIAA marketing.

But when measurements were take outside of the hotspot where most driving light is really needed, the PIAAs were well below average.

Here's one link I found with a quick search:
http://lighting.mbz.org/tech/info/bulbs/superwhites/

Dano,

Thanks! That's two votes for the SilverStar's!

Do you happen to know if the Silverstars that got positive reviews, the US version?

I was reading that there is a Sylvania Silverstar, and a Orsam/Sylvania Siverstar .

Thanks GJW.

Actually, I know that site, if he just made his site a little friendlier to actually purchase the lights, I would have purchased them there. (However, I think like two years ago, his site looked like that).

(Oh in case someone askes - DOT - Dept of Transprotation)

An interesting quote about those damn blue lights:

Recent tests by the US Department of Transportation's Office of Crash Avoidance Standards found that a standard-wattage 9004-type blue headlamp bulb reduced the road lighting ability of a standard headlamp by 67%, and increased glare for oncoming and preceeding trafic by 33%.

This illustrates the difference between the signal image, which is what you see when you look at an illuminated light, and the emitted luminous flux, which is the light that is thrown from the bulb to illuminate surrounding items, either directly or via a reflector and/or lens.

http://lighting.mbz.org/tech/info/bulbs/blue/bad/

Also, it is interesting that DOT approved lights can only be SO bright.

Here is another quote:

For illustration of the principle, take a standard HB5 (9007) bulb, which is legally required to produce 1000 lumens of light from the 55W low beam filament, plus-or-minus 15 percent. That means that in order to be legally certifiable as conforming to FMVSS108, a 9007 bulb in the low beam mode must produce between 850 and 1150 lumens. Most folks want to see better at night, not worse, and the way to do that is to use bulbs that produce the maximum legal amount of light. I'd rather have my bulbs producing 1150 lumens instead of 850, how 'bout you?

Well, I have the "stupid blue" bulbs in my car....and I can't say I'm too happy with them. The only reason I keep them is for cosmetic reasons. (yeah yeah yeah....)

But anyway... when these poop out on me, I want to go w/ Silverstars myself. They sound great. PIAAs are overpriced, and they position the filiment differently to focus the lightt tighter to make it "brighter". Can't say I can reccomend them.

Also, gotta remember that the darker the coating on the bulb, no matter how white it makes the output....it still cuts the amount of light emitted. I had my factory Sylvania bulbs in once for a change after using the blue cheesy ones for a year... WOW! You can definately see more with the clear ones.

(Oh, and by "cosmetic" I mean that my inner turn sigs have a VERY bright white look to them, and in contrast, the clear headlamps look VERY VERY yellow.)

I have 80/100s (H4) in the VW. They're Euro-spec headlights. I've had them in for 10 years now. Never had a problem. Been high beamed only once and that was when I was going up into a parking lot. When I do have to blind someone, I activate the 100s in the H4s, and another set of H3s at 100 watts). I get 400 watts from a completely stock looking set up.

IMO the European headlights are so much better. Not as much "spillage" from the lights. Much sharper cut off, so the lows create much less glare for oncoming traffic than the US spec lights. When compared to a set of US spec headlamps you can't tell that there are higher output bulbs in my VW.

No competition between the VW and the Toyota Tacoma when it comes to throw without blinding people.

Budd, be nice to cars and aim the headlights after you change them. I hate it when people put in brighter bulbs but can't be bothered to aim their lights.

I put some cheap xenon whites from Target. They're made by Liteglow. They're whiter but dimmer. With the bright spot but dim outer beam.

I'm saving up for the high/low beam HID conversion kit.

So, can you buy european 9005 and 9006 lights somewhere on the internet?

No. H-spec (Euro-spec) bulbs do not fit into 9005/9006 (US spec) headlamp assemblies. The bulb mounts and connectors are different.

There are generic Euro-spec sealed beam units. Both made square and round versions, neither of which are going to be VERY pretty on your truck.

As for Euro spec lights for your Sierra, good luck! I don't know much about GM models, if Chevy sells an equivalent to the Sierra. Of all the North American GM brands, GM only sell Chevys and Cadillacs in Europe.

GM Europe

IF you do find them, they're NOT going to be cheap.

FWIW the US spec bulbs are only 55 watts, the same as my stock H4's 55 watt low beam. We're back to the CP vs. lumens discussion again. I get more "usable" light because of the reflector and lens putting the light "down the road", not into someone else's eyes.

I have too much time my hands. Note the sharp cut off of the beams on the VW.


The truck pics didn't work out. Not enough room in the garage. The US spec truck lights look more like a rectangular Surefire beam with a corona surrounding the ENTIRE hot spot.

GMC Sierra and Chevy Silverado are the exact same truck as far as parts go.

So, that VW has the "H" or American beams?

(Thanks for the pic!)

The VW pic is with the H-spec beams.

Aiming the headlamps was a pain because of sharpness of the cut off. It literally is like a switch. The light appears dim, then BRIGHT.

You know the difference between the Chevy and the GMC?? They tighten the bolts on the GMC

My grandpa told me that ages ago and I still don't get it

I havent the foggiest idea where it is but somewhere I saw some pics comparing the US and Euro lights for a Saab. Man, we might have some nice flashlights but euro headlights kick booty!

Originally posted by Saaby:
You know the difference between the Chevy and the GMC?? They tighten the bolts on the GMC

My grandpa told me that ages ago and I still don't get it

Click to expand...

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">It implies that, while both are GM products, the GMC trucks are built better than the Chevy trucks.

In other words, if you were going to buy a GM truck, the GMC was better built than the Chevy.

Now they are built on the exact same assembly line.

So, again, are there European "H" style lights that fit in a 9005 amd 9006 socket?

Sorry,
European bulbs do not fit into 9004/9005/9006 sockets. Different shapes. They are not interchangeable.

Just noticed that 9005/9006 bulbs have a plastic base, H-series bulbs have a ceramic/metal base. (... I wonder why...)

Even if the bulbs did fit, the lens and reflector have more influence in the beam pattern.

Guys, I REALLY wish I had seen this thread about a month ago. My fault for not paying attention. I bought some of those PlasmaGlow headlights for my car and was [needless to say] dissappointed. They have the gall to show on their auction page that these lights are twice as bright as the originals. HARDLY!! As was reported by others here, they were actually dimmer! PlasmaGlow should be ashamed of themselves!!