Headlight Bulbs

[kbooker]

Gents,

Has anyone got Osram Silverstar bulbs installed in their headlights? Are they any good? What type/code will I need? ( main, dip and side ) and does someone have a recommed where to buy them?

thankyou,

 

[Alan Walker]

Hi Kevin,
Osram Silverstar H1's are great. You will need four, as head and dip on each side actually are identiacal bulb units. Am unable to advise on sidelights, but I agree the standard ones do look dull. I bought my Silverstars from ebay.
Seller was redrobin2343. Can't remember exact "buy now" price, but approx £10 including p&p per 2 bulb set. Swift and efficient transaction and delivery. NOT connected in any way other than a satisfied customer.
They are just a straight swap for existing bulbs.
Hope this helps
Regards,
Alan

 

[Elliot Davies]

ive changed a few bulbs over the years to brighten up the roads.........
here is a good website for them http://www.powerbulbs.co.uk/
PS. be aware there are some ebayers selling normal bulbs as highpowered named brands
Also......In no way im saying the above listed is doing so, Im just just saying buyer beware..........

 

[kbooker]

Thanks for the help gents, ordered a set earlier today![]

 

[Alan Walker]

Hi Kevin,
Don't know if you went the ebay route, but in value for money terms I think the Silverstars are unbeatable. Obviously if you want the ultimate solution, then it will cost the ultimate price. I think you'll be pleased with the "value" £20ish solution. Pleae repost if you are unhappy with the results.
Best regards,
Alan

 

[matthewb]

I have just bought my new bulbs from http://www.powerbulbs.co.uk. I spoke to Dan who seemed very knowledgable and helpful. I went for Philips rather than Osram and I will be fitting them this weekend, I hope.

448/H1 Philips Blue Vision (Main/Dip) *2 - £19.45 incl. VAT - incl. 2* (free) W5W side lights
453/H3 Philips Blue Vision (Fog) *2 - £21.45 incl. VAT
501/W5W Philips Blue Vision (Side) *2 - £ 9.95 incl. VAT - free with H1's

As I need 4* H1's (2 each side) I have ended up with 2 spare W5W's, which I will keep as spares.

Also very useful in identifying which bulbs are required is http://www.consumabulbs.com/files/bct.php (simply specify make/model and a page with every single bulb required is displayed, which is very handy and ought to be included in the manual). Worth a mention are http://dashlights.co.uk/

Some gems that Dan gave me ...
1. Be careful of HID upgrades - if they're not fitted with all the safety cut-outs etc then the car will fail an MOT.
2. Replace your bulbs frequently as they do deteriorate with use (obvious I guess but I'd never really thought about it).

I hope that's useful

Cheers
Matthew

 

[boothy]

The Philips equivalent to Silverstar is Visionplus. Very good they are too.

The Bluevision are supposed to imitate HID in colour, so will be slightly blue, and as Mo says, slightly less light on the road.

Halogen lamps do NOT reduce their light output during life, but reflectors, lenses and the bulb itself, get dirty.
The best thing you can do on a regular basis is to clean them. Use an alcohol based cleaner on the bulb and do not touch with your fingers.

Peter
[]

 

[matthewb]

Many thanks for the comments, Peter and Maurice
I must admit I did rather fancy blue tint on all light types (dip/main/fog/side) and 'only' 30% more sounds fine to me []
Anyway, you live and learn!
Cheers
Matthew

 

[kbooker]

Matthew,

I went to the Power Bulbs site to buy the Osram bulbs but ended up being swayed by the Autoexpress test results they have on there saying that the Philips Blue Vision bulbs were a little better, that and the offer of free sidelight bulbs! Got the goods this morning and fitted the H1's, pleased with the results but the free sidelight bulbs were the wrong fitment. Called Power Bulbs and they said that the free bulbs are part of a promotional pack and that the best they would do was give me the correct bulbs at cost price £4.95.
win some, lose some![&o]

 

[matthewb]

Hi Kevin

The Philips VisonPlus gives 50% more than usual, so I'm sure, as Peter says, they're pretty good - and another 20% on top of the Blue lights can't be poo-poo'd.

But hey - we're "cool blue", we're 30% up, and we won't need the other 20% until we're 90 [8D]

Looks like we may be competing on ebay to shift the unwanted bulbs, if I've got the wrong side bulbs too.

Take care
Matthew

 

[rjs993]

Intersting reading .... but how do Osram Silver Start H7's compare? Are these just the latest version of the H1?

 

[matthewb]

I should clarify that PowerBulbs (Dan) did not advise me to buy the 'Blues'. Quite the contrary - Dan clearly explained why the Blues were not as powerful as the VisionPlus bulbs and, when I asked which I should purchase, he was (quite rightly) completely non-commital, saying it was my personal choice. And with regard to Dan's opinion on after-market HID's, I may have over-simplified his comments - but, whatever, the 30,000 volts of which an HID is capable (albeit only as an initial 'spark' to fire-up up the Xenon gas) deserves respect.

Anyway - I decided that my vanity, my obsessive compulsive disorder (Blue lights for everything), and my desire not to over-dazzle on-coming traffic would win over 'total' visibility.

Matthew

 

[Pickled Piper]

In my opinion, HID conversions are the only way to go. I've installed a kit on my 993, the family transport and now because they have dropped dramatically in price, I've got one for the tip run car.

pp

 

[Mark Elder]

PP, Are you using the HIDS4U kits? Are they as easy to fit as they make it sound? The p-car description in the Tech Posts makes it sound fairly time consuming, but I suspect it's just honest! (But that uses a different make)

Thanks

 

[Pickled Piper]

ORIGINAL: marke2

PP, Are you using the HIDS4U kits? Are they as easy to fit as they make it sound? The p-car description in the Tech Posts makes it sound fairly time consuming, but I suspect it's just honest! (But that uses a different make)

Thanks

Hi Mark

I used the Autolamps kit on my 993 and the HIDS4U kit on my Beemer. the kits appear to be of similar quality. The fitting instructions on p-car make it sound more difficult than it actually is. Once you have the kit in your hands and you have removed the headlamps from your 993 it will all be self explanatory.

Good luck.

Taj

 

[Mark Elder]

Thanks - I'll get them ordered and give it a go.

 

[jboult]

A quick comment - I just fitted Osram H1 Silverstars to my 993, and the difference is (excuse the pun) brilliant. The new bulbs throw far more light onto the road and make the daily commute on dark country roads a pleasure rather than a test of nerve.

I bought them from redrobin2343 on eBay - great next day service, well packaged and £22.05 total for the 4 bulbs, including postage and insurance (and no, I am in no way affiliated, etc. etc.).

Well worth doing for the price - only wish I'd done it as soon as I bought the car!

Cheers/John

 

[tim993]

Hi - i did the same. Certainly a bit better than the standard H1 bulbs, but nothing earth shattering. The lights still do not compare to proper Xenons. As i understand it though, the main beam lights are always regular bulbs, so the Silverstars are still worth it for those (they are very cheap too, which is good!). I have got so used to the excellent Xenons in my Beemer and the better reflector technology in more recent 'standard' headlamps, so i think i will have to go for an HID kit soon.

all the best

tim