Upgrading Halogen Bulbs - Philips, Hella, etc.? *updated* Update: I purchased the Philips Vision Plus bulbs and am quite pleased with them. They are noticeably brighter and whiter. With the low beams, you can clearly see that the beam shines further. It will be interesting to see how long they last. They are not overly bright or colored, so they should last quite a while. ----------------------------------------------------------- I would like to upgrade the halogen bulbs in my '06. I do not need the brightest bulbs out there. What I would like are bulbs that are a bit brighter and whiter than the stock bulbs, but also have a good lifespan. I don't want to be replacing them every 6 months. So far, the Philips Vision Plus sounds like a pretty good choice to me. What about the Hella bulbs, like the "high performance xenon", part # H83140272. Any experience with those?
Have not tried the Philips, but I've use the Sylvania Silverstars in the past in a couple of cars. They are a bit brighter and a bit whiter than stock halogen bulbs. Overall, I was very happy with their color and intensity.
I don't know any aftermarket bulb that has a good lifespan. Ours last 10-11 months running as DRLs (standard in Canada) so it might last longer (maybe 2x?) in the US b/c it's off during the day. I do like the Phillips X-Treme Power. I know you don't need the brightest one but they work well. Vision Plus seems like a good compromise but I have no personal experience with it.
For anyone else that's looking for the Philips Vision Plus bulbs, check your local Carquest. I was pleasantly surprised to see them for sale there for $26, which I consider a very good retail price. Looking forward to installing them.
Installed the Vision Plus bulbs. Install wasn't at all as bad as expected (thanks to helpful tips found here). Took about a half hour for the pair. Next time I expect to be able to swap them out in about 15 minutes.
You can get a very capable hid kit for $25-$35 now, crazy to spend that much on halogen bulbs that will have a fraction of the life (and light)
Have a link? I am skeptical. Sounds too cheap to be good quality. $30 for a Chinese made HID kit doesn't evoke much confidence with me, as far as lifespan and quality. I also don't see how $26 for a pair of good halogen bulbs (made in Germany) would be "crazy". They should last for years (if not used as daytime running lamps). But, I would like to know more about this HID kit you speak of. Thanks.
My experience with aftermarket bulbs has been that any time you go with a different output or temperature (color), you lower the life of the bulb as they are coated on the outside in order to change the color, so i've never had a pair that lasts years, and all have lasted less than stock. as for hid's, ddmtuning.com is highly recommended/reputable. Check out the slim ballast kit.
