headlight bulb recommendations

I think many approach bulb replacement as an opportunity to upgrade, since they are buying new ones anyway then why not get better ones, right? Obviously there are brighter-than-stock bulbs available, but I don't know if they actually improve the driver's visibility. A bulb can be brighter, but if it doesn't focus the light properly or make good use of what it's putting out, then it might be no better than the stock replacements. That's why I always go with the stock ones if they work good enough.

 

I must be living right, I have never had a headlight go bad. I’m on my 4th Toyota truck. Last one I had 17 yrs.
OH chit, I just jinxed myself.

 

In my 2020 TRD Off-Road I have Sylvania SilverStar Ultra halogen H11. Excellent throw/distance with these compared to stock. Easy to install. About 4 minutes for both.

 

as great and important as that post is. i hate it, i really wish in the first post or two there was a really dumbed down summary of what has worked best as there is updates throughout the post but its daunting. but with that being said i went with a set of these... based on recommendations on that post. i really wanted to go down the road of after market with a projector / DRL setup mostly for looks. but really after doing the research going with a halogen was the way to go. i live in a snowy cold area, where having the necessary heat to keep them somewhat clear. as well some additional clarity/brightness for those early AM drives.

https://www.powerbulbs.com/product/philips-racingvision-gt200-h4-twin

 

I have those myself but have not put them in yet. Running the Race Vision 150's right now.

 

I'm still waiting for mine to come in... shipping from the UK. on a side note were you just dropping these in? no additional harness?


were these it?
https://www.amazon.ca/Philips-RacingVision-Headlight-12342RVS2-Upgrade/dp/B01LYNVQBC

 

Yup

 

I use Hella 130/90w. Replace them about once a year but they are brighter than anything else listed here. Gotta run a harness and make sure the aim is correct though

 

I think you will find that Silverstar bulbs (all varieties) are not actually brighter than stock - and Sylvania lost a court case to prove it. I'll let our resident lighting expert @crashnburn80 fill everyone in on the details on how, why and what the best current bulbs are.

 

Edit*** copy/pasted from "The Ultimate Headlight Bulb" thread......

 

Notice. Silverstars are not even on the chart.

 

I was part of that class action lawsuit.
Got my money back for the pair of bulbs I bought, and haven't bought a pair since.

 

Woohoo, update time for me

 

I used these after my stock ones went out last year. They lasted about a year during which I’ve driven less than 10k miles and less than half that time with head lamps on.
Light output was better than OEM but considering how short their life span they’re not worth it

 

It's amazing what marketing can do. I fell prey on previous vehicles I had. If it wasn't for the the knowledge shared by crashnburn80 I'd still be wandering aimlessly in the fog of ignorance.

 

I have a pair of brand new silver star ultra gold I can give you a amazing deal on. Pack of 2 used once can’t use with new headlights

 

Try the H9's in place of the H11's for about a 30% increase in brightness, makes a noticeable difference. With a little modification you can fit them to the H11 connector, takes about 2 minutes, and costs less than $20 for both.

 

I respectfully disagree. On average, at a cost of approximately $30 a year to see better is cheap insurance and tips the scales of possibly avoiding a "situation" in your favor. I live in deer and critter country and my eyes are always sweeping to catch movement, shadow or a body silhouette. Early hazard detection works in my favor and I'm willing to pay the premium.....

 

Note that the new Racing Vision GT200 offer the same level of performance as the +150 but double the life, as covered in post #3169 here.

 

Exactly..happened to me twice in my old vehicles