tsutton

With the darker & wetter weather, and with my car's headlight bulbs using the cheapo Halfords bulbs, I have found how hard it is to see the road when driving via the back roads and after a few near-misses, I have decided to upgrade the bulbs for my safety and allow me to see the roads better in evening.

But which one? Osram Nightbreaker Plus or Philips Xtreme Vision?

I have read both reviews and can't decide which one is best... or is there any other bulbs that I should be looking at?

HID is not an option at the moment (no budget!)

Car is Focus ST170.

Thanks.

STeve

iTrader: (11)

you say HID is not a option but I have seen decent aftermaket HID kits go for Ł40 for the focus and a decent set of uprated bulbs can cost that much, when I had my st170 I simply fitted the uprated 100/90 bulbs which did the trick perfect and did not effect the beam spray or cause unwanted extra heat in the unit

tsutton

Ł40? Really? Most I've found were more than Ł100. Got a link?

Thanks.

user 628729

I'd say either, virtually no difference.
I did have Osram's in my Focus until one failed, I now have Ring Xenon Ultima 120% which are equally good.
So 3 good choices there.

The most important thing is to make sure the front of the headlight unit is really clean smooth and transparent; they do discolour and get scratched over time.

tsutton

There seems to be some glowing reviews on Philips Xtreme Vision as Osram tend to have shorter life. Hmm...

BigChuck

if you've got projector lights, get some hid's, plenty on ebay sub Ł50 just dont go above 5000k's

i've had osrams and Philips bulbs in the past, both are good but i wouldn't use either again if hid's were an option.

tsutton

Does the ST170 have a projector lights?

pani_k

iTrader: (1)

Not as standard. Those fitted with optional factory Xenons did. Never tried the Osrams but I have the Philips and they were very good.

tsutton

Mine is standard so that rules it out. So bulbs then.

Will look further into Philips.

Cheers.

foreigneRS

where's the cheapest place to buy good H4 bulbs like this? i'm thinking halfords with trade card, but any online places where you will get genuine ones welcome.

Thrush

iTrader: (1)

Ł20 HID kit of ebay, inc digital ballasts, all wiring, and pair of 5000k bulbs. Took 20 mins to fit, and most of that was working out where to position the ballasts!

Original bulbs were like two candles, new xenon bulbs are massively brighter. Would prefer projectors, to get that perfectly even spread and super straight cut off, but no IS came with projectors as standard, and a pair of custom built projector headlights (with the fucking awful LED strips to look like daytime running lights) are Ł400. No thanks!

mackers

Thrush have u a link to the kit, I'd love a HID kit for my daily E46 to replace my candles but don't want to spend a fortune.

BM08

In my past experience the "uprated bulbs" didn't actually shine\light up any more of the road than the standard bulbs, they were just a different colour I guess it's the thought that you've payed Ł30/40 and it gives the illusion they MUST BE better as I've just payed three times more than what the standard bulbs cost?

HID or nothing at all in my opinion, don't waste money on shitty Christmas coloured lights for your headlights

tsutton

Was reading this... looks like too much of a hassle.

http://www.phoenixautobulbs.co.uk/tp...islation-2012/

STeve

iTrader: (11)

been well known for ages as most of the time its down to tester at mot station but on the st170 the headlights are projector style anyway so get away with it, my best advice is simply to uprate the wattage of the bulb as the electrical circuit can handle it with ease and its the cheapest option

tsutton

But mine is not projector style. Mine is the same as standard Ford Focus headlights. Means I would have to spend more money to get what I want.

So would be far easier to go with bulbs.

STeve

iTrader: (11)

weird as I thought all st170s had projector style as OE as mine and all the others I have seen do, just go for 100/90s etc and you will be happy

stephenbatey

iTrader: (1)

Your local motor factors will have these in stock and will be cheaper than halfrauds. Ask for trade discont because if you don't ask you don't get.

KregRS

It wasn't too long ago that if you'd come on here and asked about the aftermarket HID kits you'd have been shot down in flames for even considering using them. So why the sudden change in attitude?

RichieST

iTrader: (2)

ST170 headlamps ARENT projector, they are exactly the same as any other mk1.5 focus halogen units, just with black innards instead of chrome. A projector lens is a glass bowl inside the headlamp unit that the bulb sits behind.

The factory xenon option as fitted to mk1.5 focus's are the only ones that have the projector lens.

AlexF

Anyone fitted HIDs to a Puma?

foreigneRS

i've had HID kits before on motorbikes and they've never lasted, so won't have them again

pani_k

iTrader: (1)

Decent HID kits can be had for around Ł50 or so.

Decent set of bulbs are maybe Ł20-Ł30 but not as bright.

I fitted a set of HIDs to a friend's SEAT Leon and they were very bright 5000k but the beam scatter was horrendous, lit up houses like a police helicopter was locking onto them

90W would work although I never risked them for fear of frying my wiring at that wattage.

leedsrhinos126

HID kits are ILLEGAL without projectors and headlight washers!!

Although i do have a set of 6000k HID's in my Sierra, they are immense at lighting up the road, road signs miles away and especially Police cars

They would fail an mot as they won't have a beam pattern, so just buy a HID set off ebay for Ł35 ish but get the 4500k bulbs (no higher as they will be more blue and more noticable to police) 4500k is perfect as they are white so look legal and still bright as hell.
Don't forget to change the bulbs for standard ones before your mot.

Thrush

iTrader: (1)

^ Incorrect. HID's are illegal without auto-levelling headlights and headlight washers. They are perfectly legal without projectors.

Mine are 5000k, and are a little bit blue. On the road surface they are white, but when you stand in front of the car and look at the headlights, they have a little blue tint in them. I'm going to change them for 4300k, as I don't want the slightly chavvy blue tint.

rs_traynor

halfords ultra blue for me especially in my works van they look brilliant aswell!

BM08

Really, I didn't know that. I don't know much about them, all I have experience with is after market bulbs

H15 FSC

had hid kit on my focus rs for 2 years, passed mot fine as the beam pattern is made by the funny shaped bit in the lights in front of the bulb, 100% better than std bulbs

Thrush

iTrader: (1)

To be fair, the majority of Fords on here; mk3/4 escorts, mk1/2 Sierra's + Saffs, EsCos', all have early style headlights, where the lens is the part that directs the beam, and I don't know how well HID's would work in those type of lights, whereas later reflector headlights have clear lenses, and the beam pattern/scatter is controlled by the reflector inside. Maybe that's why? Or maybe up till a few years ago, HID's were the chav-choice for mods? No idea - I only found out what they were a few months ago I'd heard of "xenon" headlights, but thought it was just another fancy name to put on bulbs to make them cost more - didn't actually know anything about high intensity discharge systems, that basically have an arc reactor inside them

All I know is my headlights were proper shite, and since the IS300 came with HID's as standard, I thought I'd give them a try, and as it turns out, it's far cheaper and easier to just fit an after market conversion kit than to find, buy, than fit a set of IS300 headlights (needs body mods to do it, I believe)

H15 FSC

yup takes like 10 mins to fit, as said as long as you don't go above 5000k, they dont look chav, but at the end off the day, if you can see better in the dark, i dont care what people think.

Oranoco

Agree with this man 110%

Thrush

iTrader: (1)

I'd love a set of projectors, but the only ones available "off the shelf" for my car look fucking hideous;



You can buy projector kits from http://www.theretrofitsource.com, which have a great rep, but it's too much of a ball-ache to customise a set of headlights to fit them in, have them at the right angle, plus rewiring, etc. My days of modding are over; can't be fucked with all that

BigChuck

just while were on the hid thing, has anyone tried the bulbs that are designed for reflector lights?

h7r's instead of h7's

I'm getting a set for my van, apparently they help focus the beam. I'm hoping they work as i'd rather have hid's and not blind others, than be stuck with normal bulbs.

Thrush

iTrader: (1)

Essentially, they have a blanking plate fitted to the bulb to block the light shining downwards, as it's the downward light that reflects back up creating glare.

Don't know about other cars, but I know on the Lexus (because I looked into getting some) the twist lock for the bulb is offset, so when the bulb is twisted in, the blanking part isn't at the bottom, it's off to an angle. So you end up with a small rectangle of light on the road where light isn't being reflected off the reflectors correctly.

The VW Sharan, as I noticed the other day, gets round this by having a blanking "peg" fitted to the actual reflector, directly beneath the bulb itself, which got me thinking maybe I could do something similar with mine, if I can find the part number for this little piece from VW, and try fitting it to my lights.

Then I remember I don't like fucking around with mods, so I didn't bother

KregRS

I've been debating for a little while about getting a kit and fitting it to my Alhambra. Does anyone know if the Galaxy/Sharan/Alhambra ever had oe xenons fitted? Otherwise I'll just get one of the kits, they've got to be an improvement over the candles I've currently got.
I had a set 5yrs ago in an Orion, the scatter was terrible, was very noticeable. But they were glass lights, as opposed to the Alhambra's plastic lenses.

gjh

I have heard a lot of good about osram nightbreakers. Very popular in rallying.

FletchCossie

iTrader: (4)

I work at Euro Car Parts in Croydon and can do discount to anyone on here call me on 020 8774 3510, but I'm off Monday, Tuesday and Thursday this week.

I've just upgraded all my bulbs to Phillips ones, Blue vision in the side lights and fogs and Extreme Vision in the head lamps. They are brighter than my standard bulbs and are a white light. The pattern is more focused for the distance instead of up close and I think they are a worth while upgrade

Bailes1992

Anyone who fits HID's to a car without self levelling & headlight washers whould have there limbs cut off and left out on the street to bleed! I am sick and tired of being blinded by them!

I had Phillips Xtreme on my first 406 and they made a massive difference. My father agreed they were better than the Xenons in his Volvo V50.

RichieST

iTrader: (2)

I've ordered a set of philips xtreme for my daily mondildo as the light output is pretty poor compared to the xenons on the focus that i'm used to.

xr2wishy

iTrader: (2)

I fitted phillips extremes, good upgrade in my bora from cheap bulbs. However the lenses need polishing to get the best out of them as they are very scratched.
I do want to try hid's though, my mate has them fitted in both of his alfas and they're spot on for lighting the roads.