i just changed out the first headlight bulb on my 2012 PiP. After doing so, I looked at the back of the package (I know, I should have looked first) and saw that Sylvania has two upgrade alternatives, Silverstar and Silverstar Ultra. I've never been thrilled with the clarity or range of the headlights on this car, especially compared to my 2005 Prius, and am wondering if the upgraded lights make an appreciable difference.
The premium light bulbs cost a lot and aren't brighter than going to a set of 65w H9 halogen bulbs (link in my signature below). The H9 bulb upgrade gives you about 50% more light, and best of all, name brand bulbs like Philips or Osram cost about $20 per pair. Read the reviews on Amazon for H9 bulbs and see for yourself the positive feedback on people who have upgraded their 55w H11 bulbs to the H9 bulbs.
The life of a typical H9 bulb is ~400 hours. You have to pay for brightness. But I did a conversion and I'm happy. - Alex
Mine lasted about 2 years since the time I changed to H9. We dont drive much with headlights. But its easy to change a bulb and I got replacemetnts at Amazon for ~$9 - Alex
Yep, I have 2 pairs of Osram H9 bulbs all modified and ready for installation that I got cheap off eBay. So each vehicle has replacements when the time comes.
Some people are big fans of Silverstar products, but I'm not one of them. Their packaging says "40% improved downroad visibility", etc. but if you look carefully, that measurement is compared to an old, worn pair of halogen bulbs that are about to go dark. Of course it's going to be brighter and whiter than the (possibly burnt out) used bulbs that you're replacing. The Silverstars brightness and color temperature come at the expense of longevity. As others have mentioned, do the H9 conversion or an HID conversion.
