headlight bulb replacement- low & high beams

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Lillikai

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I'm thinking about changing my low beam headlights out for some whiter-brighter bulbs. Is it necessary to replace the high beams with the same type of bulb, or can I leave the standard yellow bulbs in?

I'm also thinking about going with the osram/sylvania silverstar ultra bulbs.

This is for the Saturn aura.
 
Last edited:
high beam headlights are NOT yellow.

You're probably looking at the parking lights.

You don't need to upgrade the highbeams. they're rarely ever used anyway.
 
Originally Posted By: Lillikai
I'm thinking about changing my low beam headlights out for some whiter-brighter bulbs. Is it necessary to replace the high beams with the same type of bulb, or can I leave the standard yellow bulbs in?

I'm also thinking about going with the osram/sylvania silverstar ultra bulbs.

This is for the Saturn aura.


If you have separate high and low beams, then it's up to you whether you want to replace the highs. Expensive to replace all 4 if they are separate bulbs.

Don't know if the Ultras have the same blue tint gimmick and the short life of the standard Silverstars, but I got tired of only getting about 6 months of life out of the standard Silverstars, and I went through a couple sets before I gave up on them. I went to the Xtravisions and found they work quite well without the blue tint and last much longer.
 
I had my Silverstars fail in 6 months and the other in 10 months. Glad I kept my old ones. Very disappointed in their performance.
 
Well I looked at the difference in bulb tint between the silverstars and the silverstar ultra. The entire bulb is tinted light blue on the silverstars. Only the tip on the silverstar ultra bulb is tinted light blue. This is on the H11 bulb.

So they dont have a very long life, even if I dont touch the glass? Im concerned because its a pain to replace the headlight bulbs. I have to remove some bottom plastic trim, and go in through the inner fender well. So if they are known for burning out in a year, Ill just scrap the entire idea and keep the yellows in.

Thanks for all the responses.
 
I even cleaned the bulbs with alcohol to make sure there were no fingerprints on the glass despite not touching them myself. They didn't crack or shatter, they just burned out. If it's a pain to get to them, I would go with the longer life over the brighter light.
 
Originally Posted By: Lillikai
Well I looked at the difference in bulb tint between the silverstars and the silverstar ultra. The entire bulb is tinted light blue on the silverstars. Only the tip on the silverstar ultra bulb is tinted light blue. This is on the H11 bulb.

So they dont have a very long life, even if I dont touch the glass? Im concerned because its a pain to replace the headlight bulbs. I have to remove some bottom plastic trim, and go in through the inner fender well. So if they are known for burning out in a year, Ill just scrap the entire idea and keep the yellows in.

Thanks for all the responses.



There is some confusion since they just came out with a new bulb that isn't entirely coated in blue, but the previous model silverstar ultras are entirely coated in blue and the tip is dipped in gold.

I would highly recommend a long life bulb for an application that is hard to get to. The Silverstar Ultras die faster than any bulb i know of!
 
The silverstar ultras that I'm looking at are made by osram and have blue tint on the tip by the gold tip, the rest of the bulb is clear. Is this the different type from the old bulb?
 
Originally Posted By: Lillikai
The silverstar ultras that I'm looking at are made by osram and have blue tint on the tip by the gold tip, the rest of the bulb is clear. Is this the different type from the old bulb?


Yes that is the brand new Silverstar Ultras that just came out, we don't know if they last any longer than the old ones but I doubt it. Light output was always fine but life expectancy is awful. Less than a year for most.
 
I've always had good luck with the Osram Nightbreaker bulbs. Had them in my truck and my sister's hyundai for about a year each with no problems.
 
Thanks for all the input. Still not sure if I want to put the Osram silverstar ultras in especially if they are going to burn out within a years time.
 
http://truckntow.com/p-28542-philips-x-tremevision-replacement-headlight-bulbs.aspx

If your lows are H11's, then there is no better bulb than these. I replaced a pair of H11 Osram Nightbreakers in one car with the Philips bulbs and they are *THAT* much better. They are brighter, whiter, and seem to fill in gaps in the coverage better. They are also stock wattage and DOT legal with none of that horse hockey blue tinting. I've used the XtremePower bulbs for years and these are better than those. I got a pair of 9008/H13's at Truck-n-Tow before Candlepower even had them, so my order was for some H11's and H13's. I've had no longevity issues with Philips bulbs. The H13 XtremePower bulbs lasted for 4 years and could have gone longer if not for being replaced by the XtremeVision. Other pairs of XtremePower bulbs have been equally as long lived.
 
That is my experience about Philips light bulbs too, it seems to lasted much longer than authentic made in Germany Osram/Sylvania, at the same time gives better or equal light on the road. The slight problem is it costs a little more.
 
Originally Posted By: lyle
http://truckntow.com/p-28542-philips-x-tremevision-replacement-headlight-bulbs.aspx

If your lows are H11's, then there is no better bulb than these. I replaced a pair of H11 Osram Nightbreakers in one car with the Philips bulbs and they are *THAT* much better. They are brighter, whiter, and seem to fill in gaps in the coverage better. They are also stock wattage and DOT legal with none of that horse hockey blue tinting. I've used the XtremePower bulbs for years and these are better than those. I got a pair of 9008/H13's at Truck-n-Tow before Candlepower even had them, so my order was for some H11's and H13's. I've had no longevity issues with Philips bulbs. The H13 XtremePower bulbs lasted for 4 years and could have gone longer if not for being replaced by the XtremeVision. Other pairs of XtremePower bulbs have been equally as long lived.


So wrong. Leave the rice alone and upgrade to HIR bulbs.
 
Quote:
So wrong. Leave the rice alone and upgrade to HIR bulbs.


Please enlighten us all.

Which HIR bulb can replace a H11?
 
Originally Posted By: simple_simon
Originally Posted By: lyle
http://truckntow.com/p-28542-philips-x-tremevision-replacement-headlight-bulbs.aspx

If your lows are H11's, then there is no better bulb than these. I replaced a pair of H11 Osram Nightbreakers in one car with the Philips bulbs and they are *THAT* much better. They are brighter, whiter, and seem to fill in gaps in the coverage better. They are also stock wattage and DOT legal with none of that horse hockey blue tinting. I've used the XtremePower bulbs for years and these are better than those. I got a pair of 9008/H13's at Truck-n-Tow before Candlepower even had them, so my order was for some H11's and H13's. I've had no longevity issues with Philips bulbs. The H13 XtremePower bulbs lasted for 4 years and could have gone longer if not for being replaced by the XtremeVision. Other pairs of XtremePower bulbs have been equally as long lived.


So wrong. Leave the rice alone and upgrade to HIR bulbs.


"Leave the rice alone"? How is installing a quality first-world uncoated bulb from Philips "rice"? In addition, there are no legitimate HIR options for the H11 application.
 
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