That is a good price. I like the silverstars but its been so cold here I may wait until spring or the january thaw to put them in.

 

I read that same article in Consumer Reports today. Interesting article! One thing that they didn't mention, was that in order for these bulbs to get that "bright white" look is to filter out the yellow. And when it does that, it also filters out lots of lumens. That's why they don't light up the road any brighter.

So to combat the reduced light output, some bulb manufacturers will produce brighter burning bulbs. Yes, they throw out more light, but they also burn a lot hotter. The reflectors and lenses in the stock setup is only designed for a certain temp. Lots of reflectors and lenses have melted because of the hotter burning bulbs.

Evidence of this is pretty apparent, when you walk by a car that has the brighter burning bulbs. You can see the lenses are sort of hazed over and cloudy looking.

We've discussed this to great length on a few of my motorcycle forums. Getting brighter burning "white" bulbs are a waste of money. Not only because of the additional cost and severity of failure. But also because they have the potential to destroy other components as well.

Although, aftermarket HIDs, if bought from a reputable company, have been shown to increase visibility. The only problem is, that they're a lot brighter. And because the lenses and reflectors aren't designed for them, oncoming traffic will think you have your high beams on. The lenses and reflectors in HIDs have a sharp cutoff, to keep the beam low and spread out over the road.

You can see the difference in two vehicles with both types of lights. On the standard halogen car, the light smoothly diffuses from light to darkness. On a car equipped with HIDs, the light has a distinctive edge where the light ends and the darkness begins.

Oh, and the HIDs also burn cooler than halogens, all the while producing more light.

So, if you're getting an actual HID kit (not look alike white light bulbs), you've got the advantage of the brighter lights. But without replacing the reflectors, you're not getting the correct focusing of the beam as with factory HIDs.

If you're getting HID lookalikes, you either get reduced light output, or run the risk of melting other parts.

Disclaimer: These opinions are my own. They're based on previous experience with HIDs, testimonials from others that I know in the motorcycling community, research done on lighting manufacturer websites, and knowledge gained from various other of my friends that have already gone down this route. Of course, as with all opinions on HIDs, dino/synth oil, religion, and politics... your mileage may vary.

 

Correction to my earlier post: CR did not test/compare HID in their recent test (only replacement bulbs), but they do give their opinon on same.

That article is in the January 2006 issue of CR. The vehicles used in the test were Chrysler Sebring, Honda Ridgeline and Toyota Camry. Headlight distance was measured outside with engineers recording the visibilty of black unlighted signs set at certain distances with low beam. Only the GE Nighthawk replacement bulb improved sight distance and only on the Ridgeline. It decreased distance in the Camry (by half). All other bulbs were equal to or decreased from distance measured with OEM halogens. The Silverstar cut the distance in half in the Camry but was equal to the halogen in the Ridgeline. Only the Philips Crystalvision was equal to the halogen in the Camry and all others fell short, with none exceeding the halogen When using a light sensor at 50 feet to test for illuminance (brightness), only the GE Nighthawk and Plasma Ultra White showed some improved illuminance over OEM halogen in some tests and all other bulbs fell short.

All in all, it looks like the Nighthawk was the winner, unless you drive a Camry. It also showed the best in the Sebring, but only equaling the halogens.

 

Ah, cool.


Another reason to HATE "Tuners" beyond vibrating boom-cars and paintless bondo.

I'm beginning to think that the only time "I did it myself" works is when making Toll House Cookies.

 

One quick word about the Silverstars. Yes, they are very nice bulbs - extremely 'white' light. They are NOT brighter than stock bulbs, just whiter - there is a difference.

I had several sets of Silverstars on my '01 Insight. I got so frustrated with the short life of the bulbs (3-4 months) that I gave up and went back to the stock halogen bulbs.

I do know the proper way to replace any high-heat bulb - no touching the bulb with bare hands, etc. and my replacement 'regular' halogen bulbs (installed the same way) have now lasted 1 year and counting.

I have 3 other vehicles so I'm in a bunch of other online forums that specialize in the other cars. I've seen a lot of posts regarding short lifespan on the Silverstars across many different vehicles. Maybe they should call them 'Shootingstars' since they just don't last.

Just a heads-up - of course your mileage may vary.

Jim

 

Jim,

Thanks for the heads up. I bought and installed the Shootingstars last night. Yes, they are whiter. Not hugely so imo, but definitely noticable. I will be very peeved if these things burn out soon. Normally, my halogens last years and seldom go out.

I will say this--I do enjoy the white light. It may be perception, but it does seem to provide some increases. Oh, and by the way... I bought the things at a local car parts store (AutoZone). They matched the 'sale' price (I didn't even know any were on sale at competitors). The bulbs turned out to be around $33 for a pair.

Lansing

 

You must have had bad luck then... or you are using some aftermarket product. I have had zero problems with HID lights. I had them on my S2000 and now my brother has it and they are still working fine. I have them on my Mini Cooper and again no problems.

As for what they offer, just drive a car with them and you won't need an answer from this board. They are just better at everything.

 

I too enjoyed them very much....briefly. :-)
Hopefully your experience will be better than mine. I also drive the Insight with the lights on in the daylight a lot. Plus - I put about 600 miles per week on it - so maybe someone who drives more 'normal' will see better longevity.

 

A big no no.... is replacing your halogen bulb with an HID setup witout changing the ENTIRE headlight housing. I think it's illegal to boot. HID lights require a different housing so that you don't blind everybody.

As for the halogen lookalikes, they work ok but they tend to burn out in about a year. So keep that in mind.

 

I put SilverStars into my 2004 HCH a year ago and liked them so much that I immediately put them into my wife's Camry at the same time. I do believe that they increase the visibility and really do like their color and looks. I felt the price was worth the improvement.

Now, almost a year later, all four bulbs, plus one that I replaced after about six months ( on the HCH ) have all burned out. The longest bulb lasted in the Camry from Jan 2 to today (12/19).

The Camry has "always on" headlights, we put a lot of miles on the cars and live in NH where it's almost always dark when I'm driving, so they get a lot of use.

Reading between the lines on the Sylvania web site tells me that the SilverStars just won't last as long as other competing ( less bright ) bulbs.

Compared to the overall cost of driving, it's not that much, but I'll wait until their lifetime increases dramatically before I try again.