Your favorite non-OEM halogen headlight bulb?

I used GE Nighthawk Platinums, now the new Sylvania Silverstar Ultras and they seem to be OK. I prefer OEM supplier bulbs myself.
 
Switching over to HID headlights now. Ain't cheep but can tell the difference. Aftermarket headlights take H3 and H5 bulbs. Seeing more and more of these on older vehicles now.
 
Originally Posted By: kaboom10
Switching over to HID headlights now. Ain't cheep but can tell the difference. Aftermarket headlights take H3 and H5 bulbs. Seeing more and more of these on older vehicles now.



Are you putting hid bulbs into halogen housings or retrofitting hid projectors into your oem housings?
 
I recently purchased the NAPA Safetylite H11 low beams to replace my 9 year old OEM Phillips bulbs (one burned out finally). Wow, what a waste of money. I feel these are worse than the 9 year old OEM bulbs. They are near $50 at NAPA. It turns out these bulbs are actually Wagner NightDefense bulbs which can be had for nearly half the price on Amazon. Either way when these burn out I'll be going back to the OEM bulb or maybe try one of the Phillips "upgrade" bulbs.
 
Originally Posted By: BlueFordRedSchwi
I recently purchased the NAPA Safetylite H11 low beams to replace my 9 year old OEM Phillips bulbs (one burned out finally). Wow, what a waste of money. I feel these are worse than the 9 year old OEM bulbs. They are near $50 at NAPA. It turns out these bulbs are actually Wagner NightDefense bulbs which can be had for nearly half the price on Amazon. Either way when these burn out I'll be going back to the OEM bulb or maybe try one of the Phillips "upgrade" bulbs.


Yes many of the Phillips bulbs are shorter life but higher output, with each increase in output the lifespan goes down a little bit.

Some vehicles can use the modified H9 if you trim it slightly and will give much better output than any H11.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_mrbdQmck7E
 
Originally Posted By: BlueFordRedSchwi
I recently purchased the NAPA Safetylite H11 low beams to replace my 9 year old OEM Phillips bulbs (one burned out finally). Wow, what a waste of money. I feel these are worse than the 9 year old OEM bulbs. They are near $50 at NAPA. It turns out these bulbs are actually Wagner NightDefense bulbs which can be had for nearly half the price on Amazon. Either way when these burn out I'll be going back to the OEM bulb or maybe try one of the Phillips "upgrade" bulbs.


Also just to be clear, if you don't want to mess with mods, and the bulbs are easy to change, the Phillips X-tremevision are worth the money.

http://www.amazon.com/Philips-X-tremeVision-Upgrade-Headlight-Bulb/dp/B00BQWQN1Q
 
Thanks Memphis!
I might try the X-treme Visions next. I will definitely stick with Phillips. I'm guessing the Napa branded Wagner's I purchased won't make it through one winter.
 
Originally Posted By: mikethecarguy
There is a company named Flosser in Germany that makes some reliable bulbs.


Yep those are the ones you get if you buy from Daniel stern lighting he sells Narva or Flösser Plus
 
The Korean-made Nokya bulbs have impressed me with their longevity. I currently have Nokya H7s in the headlamps of my Audi A4. Actually, the bulbs are over 2yrs old and they saw some time in my old VW Jetta before being installed in the Audi. All bulbs are stock wattage with DOT legal 'super whites' for the low beams and 'hyper yellows' for the high beams. I also have Nokya H11 'hyper yellows' in the OE fog lamps. The Nokyas are certainly bright enough without appearing gimmicky. I've already experienced the higher cost and 1yr(or less) lifespan of Sylvania, Philips, and Hella "high performance" products. No more.
 
I saw a few posts with the ones I have been using for the past few years - Osram Night Breaker. In my case, Night Breaker Unlimited H11. I think they are a bit brighter & have lasted at least a few years so far. So far, I like these well enough to stay as is. I bought them from a site in the UK that was pricing in $ for US customers & I think $44 for the pair. Interesting to look at - LOTS of different languages on the back of the blister card that the bulb came in.
 
9005 ----> 9011: ~1700lm / ~2500lm
H11 ----> H9: ~1350lm / ~2100lm

Note the H9 and 9011 have no legitimate 'hyper,' 'blue' or 'superior' equivalents offered by reputable manufacturers.
 
Originally Posted By: splinter

9005 ----> 9011: ~1700lm / ~2500lm
H11 ----> H9: ~1350lm / ~2100lm

Note the H9 and 9011 have no legitimate 'hyper,' 'blue' or 'superior' equivalents offered by reputable manufacturers.


You can find Osram Sylvania 9012 Silverstar if you want [censored] blue coated bulbs. (I would never recommend them)
 
It appears headlights/bulbs can get complicated, but many new cars/trucks have really good lighting for the road,,,,but ,but and but...if you are an old fogey like me and driving a 2005 Buick Lesabre, ok, stop laughing, the OEM head lamps 9006 and 9005 really suck....I am now tempted to have under the front bumper additional fog lamps or something near aircraft landing lights installed with a toggle switch,lol.

Any creative ideas are appreciated. Note: Our 2010 F150 headlights are great...the old buck lights on bright are weaker by far, then the F150 on the dim setting,,,,mercy...

Hoping to find a solution..
coffee2.gif
 
Originally Posted By: CourierDriver
It appears headlights/bulbs can get complicated, but many new cars/trucks have really good lighting for the road,,,,but ,but and but...if you are an old fogey like me and driving a 2005 Buick Lesabre, ok, stop laughing, the OEM head lamps 9006 and 9005 really suck....I am now tempted to have under the front bumper additional fog lamps or something near aircraft landing lights installed with a toggle switch,lol.

Any creative ideas are appreciated. Note: Our 2010 F150 headlights are great...the old buck lights on bright are weaker by far, then the F150 on the dim setting,,,,mercy...

Hoping to find a solution..
coffee2.gif



My Civic uses 9005/9006. Best I have found are the OSRAM Nightbreaker Unlimited. And I find the bulbs made in the EU to be much higher quality, last much longer.

Don't know if it is bad form to suggest a supplier, but I get them from powerbulbs.com. In the EU, they list them as HB3 and HB4.

Edit: Ooops, just noticed your post was from January.
 
Last edited:
Current lighting in my `06 Audi A4 sedan....
Low beam: Philips VisionPlus H7s
High beam: Nokya Hyper Yellow H7s
Front fog: Nokya Hyper Yellow H11s
Also Philips Vision LEDs in the city lights, tail lights, tag lights, and interior
 
For about 3 years my job found me on US 6 between Lincoln and Omaha at 4:30 -5:30 AM... a major time for deer moving about. The standard OEM headlights just did not push enough illum to give me any reaction time when deer were moving about. Slapped in the Philips extra vision and it made a huge difference and ensured that I could see deer in the ditch. The issue with these lights is that they are more expensive and if they last 8-12 months that is about it. But well worth the price IMO because they saved me from deer in the grill on many occasions. I never had a haloegn last more than 1 year. Maybe they last better now as this was about 5 years ago when I last used them. Now that I am retired and no longer travel at "o dark thirty" I have swithed back to OEM lights and they last for a long time. The ones I have now in the 2002 CRV are 3 years and going strong. Anyone who drives a lot in the dark in deer country would be wise to use haloegen light bulbs IMO. Much brighter and shine out farther and gives you some reaction time at least. Still have to be careful in deer country even with halogen bulbs, but at least the extra brightness and push makes for a safer drive. Overall very happy with the Philips haloegn bulbs. I have no doubt they helped save me from many many deer collisions and accidents
 
Back
Top