Best 9006 Bulbs

[The Critic]

My Saturn is approaching 15 years on the original 9006 bulbs.

The headlight housings are still clear, but it seems like the bulbs aren't terribly bright. Do bulbs dim with age?

Anyway, what do you folks recommend for a replacement? Brighter is better.

Thanks.

 

[Turk]

Yes, they dim a bit over time.

I put in the Sylvania Xtra vision in my Saturn, definately brighter!

Please elt me know what wattage is on the bulbs, mine said 51w on them...

 

[Colt]

Philips X-treme Power bulbs



http://www.lighting.philips.com/us_en/au...ive&lang=en

 

[stockrex]

Sylvanias are not worth the $$$
Burned out at five months.

 

[JHZR2]

I have had good luck with hella bulbs, especially in the +30% range, as there is a slightly 'hotter' filament, but not enough to really kill life.

 

[Smokescreen]

Ever considered HIR? All others don't even compare.

http://store.candlepower.com/9012.html or http://store.candlepower.com/ph3rdge90h.html

 

[sciphi]

The new Philips HIR2 bulbs are awesome. Yes it's spendy. It's also a heck of a bulb. Lots of light and a very long life.

 

[asiancivicmaniac]

The GE Nighthawks I put in my mom's Camry seem pretty good. Been in for 4 years and neither has burned out. Just stay away from the Silverstars. Bought a pair when I had the Civic and one blew out after 8 months.

 

[Hokiefyd]

Ooh, is Toshiba making the 9012 bulbs again? For a while, they were not available. I have them in my Corolla. Far and away, the absolute best upgrade you can make to an HB4 (9006) housing.

Looks like I may just have to have that new Philips 9012 bulb. Very nice!

 

[Jasper8146]

How much of a difference are we talking about here? Are we talking about a substantial increase as compared to say a PIAA xtreme white 9006? If you haven't ever had PIAAs, how do these Toshiba things compare to the stock bulbs?

 

[sciphi]

No comparison. The HIR bulbs have ~90% more light than a 9006. 1000 lumens vs. 1875 lumens.

Having driven with the best HIR2 bulb available in the US for the past few months, they're frankly superb.

 

[Hokiefyd]

Originally Posted By: Jasper8146
How much of a difference are we talking about here? Are we talking about a substantial increase as compared to say a PIAA xtreme white 9006? If you haven't ever had PIAAs, how do these Toshiba things compare to the stock bulbs?


I'd say extremely favorably. There was a night-and-day difference, pardon the pun, in the stock HB4 bulbs vs. the HIR2 bulbs. I'm pretty senstive to light, and I can even tell a non-trivial difference in the H13 XtraVision bulbs I just put in my '07 T&C, replacing the original H13s. The difference in the stock HB4 and the HIR2 is enormous.

I'm almost sad that my Camry's projectors use H11 bulbs rather than HB4. It means I can't use any of the HIR variants in it.

 

[mikered30]

Originally Posted By: Jasper8146
How much of a difference are we talking about here? Are we talking about a substantial increase as compared to say a PIAA xtreme white 9006? If you haven't ever had PIAAs, how do these Toshiba things compare to the stock bulbs?


Great difference.
Not sure if you have 9005 bulbs too, but there is a sale for a set of HIR high/low beams.

http://store.candlepower.com/fcorespcob22.html

You will not find at set like that for cheaper.

 

[Summerwind]

FWIW, I recently put Phillips Crystal Vision, and Phillips Night Guide (9005 and 9006) in my '88 Olds Cutlass and am Very pleased with them

 

[Benzadmiral]

So these:

Philips High Visability +30® High-Output 9005 (HB3) 65w(http://store.candlepower.com/9005hb3bulbs.html),

and

Philips Xtreme Power 9006 55W / HB4 (TWO PACK)(http://store.candlepower.com/9006hb4bulbs.html)

will fit my '03 Buick Park Avenue without any modifications? The 9006 is the regular beam, and the 9005 is the high beam, right?

 

[Smokescreen]

Frankly, PIAA bulbs (and nearly everything else they sell) are more marketing than performance and talk about gigantic markup!! Their 80W=55W is horribly flawed and inaccurate. I would be surprised to see that they have the same light output as a standard OEM 9006 bulb. Tests have shown that blue tinted bulbs actually produce less usable light. Whiter doesn't mean brighter.

The HIR2 will blow ANY other 9006 into the weeds by quite a huge margin, its not even a contest really.

The 2 bulbs mentioned by Benzadmiral and then the Xtravisions are the next best thing if you don't want to go HIR2, but you really should.

 

[Spazdog]

I think I set a new world's record for service life on a Silverstar 9006 in my Integra. 18 months!

Avoid the Silverstars. Short life.

PIAA were horribly overpriced and were not noticeably better than standard halogen bulbs.

 

[Hokiefyd]

Originally Posted By: Benzadmiral
will fit my '03 Buick Park Avenue without any modifications? The 9006 is the regular beam, and the 9005 is the high beam, right?


Should be. When used, the 9005/HB3 is generally put in high beams and the 9006/HB4 is generally put in low beams.

 

[Benzadmiral]

Originally Posted By: Hokiefyd
Originally Posted By: Benzadmiral
will fit my '03 Buick Park Avenue without any modifications? The 9006 is the regular beam, and the 9005 is the high beam, right?


Should be. When used, the 9005/HB3 is generally put in high beams and the 9006/HB4 is generally put in low beams.

"Most illogical. His next move should have been the rook." *

You'd think the low beam would be the lower number, etc.

Now that my lenses are cleaned up, and I'm driving to work in the dark, I've ordered a set of each from Candlepower. Should be here next week.

* TV quote: Okay, who said it, and about whom?

 

[Smokescreen]

Set of what?