Headlight Bulbs - Replacements

[wozza89]

Hi,

I put these bulbs from eBay in mk7 headlights the other week

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=230389496792&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

And I am quite disappointed with the outcome, the normal driving lights are quite poor and don't really light up the road as expected. They are 5000k, which i thought was near the closest you could get to white light?

The main beam is fine, its just the driving light which doesn't seem quite up to scratch.

What have you used in yours.....

Cheers

[AntonyJ]

Hi,

I put these bulbs from ebay in mk7 headlights the other week

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=230389496792&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

And I am quite disappointed with the outcome, the normal driving lights are quite poor and don't really light up the road as expected. They are 5000k, which i thought was near the closest you could get to white light?

The main beam is fine, its just the driving light which doesn't seem quite up to scratch.

What have you used in yours.....

Cheers

They're cheap and would be a bargain if they were good, but it sounds like they're not up to the same standard as the Philips or Osram bulbs (as in the pinned "bulb change guide" thread) which go for about 3-4x what you paid (also on ebay). It seems this is case of where you do get what you pay for :(

[jmurray01]

Try Phillips!

[Gazjs]

Osram Cool Blue do the trick

[Stephen Leak]

For "normal" light, but more of it, the OSRAM "Night Breakers" seem to give the best "extra light claimed per pound" (+90% for £12.99 for a pair of H4's, IIRC).

[wozza89]

For "normal" light, but more of it, the OSRAM "Night Breakers" seem to give the best "extra light claimed per pound" (+90% for £12.99 for a pair of H4's, IIRC).

Thanks for the replies, in this case it does seem to be the case. You get what you pay for, at least i've learned my lesson for the future!

Osram cool blue sound good

Can someone just alter my confusion...

Are xenons (HIDS)?

So the bulbs i bought were HIDS but just not very good?

Thanks for the help

[Dave-2912]

Thanks for the replies, in this case it does seem to be the case. You get what you pay for, at least i've learned my lesson for the future!

Osram cool blue sound good

Can someone just alter my confusion...

Are xenons (HIDS)?

So the bulbs i bought were HIDS but just not very good?

Thanks for the help

No, the bulbs you bought were not HID (High Intensity Discharge) bulbs.

You bought a normal filament lamp which heats up a length of wire to create light. The bulb is filled with an inert gas (xenon in this case) to extend the lift of the filament.

HID lamps work at high voltage to ionise the xenon gas in the bulb and arc electricity between 2 points.

[wozza89]

No, the bulbs you bought were not HID (High Intensity Discharge) bulbs.

You bought a normal filament lamp which heats up a length of wire to create light. The bulb is filled with an inert gas (xenon in this case) to extend the lift of the filament.

HID lamps work at high voltage to ionise the xenon gas in the bulb and arc electricity between 2 points.

Ok thanks for that, i understand that now :) appreciated.

[wozza89]

Right then,

The cheap bulbs i got off eBay claimed to be 5000k, and the OSRAM cool blue are 4000k, but due to the quality would you expect them to be good?

Thanks

[AntonyJ]

Right then,

The cheap bulbs i got off ebay claimed to be 5000k, and the OSRAM cool blue are 4000k, but due to the quality would you expect them to be good?

Thanks

That's the colour temperature. It doesn't tell you how bright it is. 4k will be about as white as a household halogen bulb, while 5k will be tinged slightly blue. You want to know the number of Lumens (aka Luminous Flux) to compare the brightness. Googling, the Philips ones are about 1700 Lumens. For comparison, a 100w household bulb is about 1100.

[wozza89]

Thanks for that!!

I'm stuck between two choices, Osram nightbreakers, or Phillips blue vision, both get a good review. Just wondered if anyone has had experience of these?

:)

[Dave-2912]

Thanks for that!!

I'm stuck between two choices, Osram nightbreakers, or Phillips blue vision, both get a good review. Just wondered if anyone has had experience of these?

:)

Just to throw another option in the mix for you, have a look at the link below:

http://www.fordownersclub.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=9451&pid=62559&start=&st=#entry62559

It shows the comparison pics I took before and after fitting Phillips Extreme Power bulbs.

The difference in light output is massive.

[wozza89]

Just to throw another option in the mix for you, have a look at the link below:

http://www.fordownersclub.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=9451&pid=62559&start=&st=#entry62559

It shows the comparison pics I took before and after fitting Phillips Extreme Power bulbs.

The difference in light output is massive.

Cheers!! (i think) Although now i'm even more undecided haha...

Osram nightbreakers.... i think......

[jay1981]

I had a set of cheap eBay Xenon bulbs in a Mk2 Golf I used to own, Well to be honest they were total crap. They were a nice shade of blue, but useless at night and lethal in the fog.

The Phillips and Osram bulbs are more expensive but seem pretty good from what i have seen. Not sure myself which to buy!