What brand bulb people using for highbeams?

[sinistersix]

I figured most people arnet doing HIDs in the highs because I only use them to flash people and HIDs dont warm up as fast. What bulbs are people using in their highbeams so that they sort of match the HIDS when you have them on? Silverstars, PIAAs?

[bigjim]

I uas silver star ultras, high and low. Seems to work and I don't get flashed at night very often.

[Electrofreak]

I've been considering these for my high beams. I've heard that they work, but it still looks kinda snake-oil to me.

Can anyone confirm whether these are a real deal?

[Super T]

I use silverstars. they've probably burned for less than an hour in 2.5+ years though.

Posted via LXFMobile

[MattRobertson]

I've been considering these for my high beams. I've heard that they work, but it still looks kinda snake-oil to me.

Can anyone confirm whether these are a real deal?

HIRs are very real, and the best bulb out there. Literally hundreds of people across multiple user-sponsored group buys have them here (the one I ran in 2005 had about 100 sets run thru it). In terms of lumen output and longevity, nothing else even comes close, since you can't use an HID in the high beam.

Also, using objective measurements, Silverstars are... crap. They blue-shift the light to fool the eye/brain into thinking there is more light (there is actually less lumen output) and overdrive the bulbs to make up for the loss of life due to that overdriving.

From the Silverstar site, this is what Sylvania says about bulb life (in addition to officially recommending you replace Silverstars every year)



Compare that to the rated life of a stock Sylvania hi beam bulb

Standard: 225 hours
HIR: 300 hours
Silverstar: 60 hours

BMW Car Club of America ran a fantastic side by side lightbulb test that they have since put in a protected area. A quote from it:

"The Sylvania 9005 “SilverStar” highbeam bulb is advertised as making “whiter and 20% brighter” light, and this is supposed to improve the driver’s ability to use the light. I can’t comment on that claim, although the bulb does have a blue coating on the quartz envelope. What is obvious in comparing the “SilverStar” to the standard Sylvania high-beam bulb is that the SilverStar makes less light than a standard bulb. The difference at the brightest point in the beam is 77 foot-candles from the SilverStar, and 109 footcandles from the normal high-beam bulb. This equates to ~23% less light. ..."

[Electrofreak]

Awesome. I guess web-design just isn't Fine Motoring's forte.

Though, often it's the snake-oil product that has the flashiest website I suppose.

Looks like a set of HIRs are in my near future. I start driving at 4:30 AM for a good hour or so, so my high beams get a good workout every morning.

[nhdave]

Using the HIR's all around here and I can attest they are great bulbs, much better than the silverstar crap..

[Electrofreak]

Are the low beams too bright on the HIRs? Do you get flashed at frequently?

[nhdave]

IMO I don't think they are and I've never had oncoming cars complain.









but I have been flashed a few times thankfully...

[MattRobertson]

Never. Its all about focus. However if you want bright, HID's in the low beams are the way to go. I paid $80 for mine off EBay.

[lmbcfls]

Using the HIR's all around here and I can attest they are great bulbs, much better than the silverstar crap..

Same here -- been running HIR's for years, on more than 1 car.

[sinistersix]

ok where is the best place to get some HIRs then?

[nhdave]

ok where is the best place to get some HIRs then?

Click the link that Electrofreak has in post #3

[MattRobertson]

the same guy sells them on EBay too. Has a ton of 100% positive feedback, but shipping is more if you do ebay vs. his web site from the looks of it. Here's one of his auctions. Price has gone up since when we all went out and bought them.

Way back in the day, the hot setup was to put in lows and hi's, then move your old hi beams into your fogs. They fit and aren't too much of an overdrive so long as you use them sparingly. Nowadays I use HIDs in the fog and low beam housing and still have my original HIRs in the hi beams. They're freaking blowtorches.

[Ghostface Mag]

Wow I forgot we have High-Beams...LOL I barely use them since I'm running HID's in the low beam(10k) and fog light(10k) but I love the PIAA bulbs that I do have in there... They are pricey but worth it...