Headlight bulb question

[synthetic_crazy]

I am debating on replacing the headlight bulbs on my '99 Corolla. I have had the car for 5 years and they are the same bulbs that were on when I purchased it. My daytime running lights use these bulbs,(it does not have separate bulbs for the daytime runners) therefore they are on all the time. Should I replace them even though they have not burned out? I have read that bulbs do dim over time; they seem a little "dim", but it could just be me trying to justify the price of replacing the bulbs

. If I do replace them, what is a good, regular(not blue tinted), bulb?

 

[Quattro Pete]

Sylvania SilverStar.

How are your headlight housings? Are they hazy/pitted? Might need to polish them to restore some of the original brightness.

 

[synthetic_crazy]

The headlight housings look like they just came from the factory; I polish them every time I wash the car. Nice and clear!

 

[jim302]

If you're looking to upgrade, I recommend going with something like Philips VisionPlus or Sylvania Xtravision. I have noticed that I can see better with them, and they aren't those annoying blue tinted bulbs that burn out faster and annoy other drivers.

There can be some output reduction with age, but I've never personally noticed a major dimming due to age.

 

[mikered30]

HIR hands down, although I don't know if you would consider them regular. If not, Jim has good recommendations. Silver stars are tinted.

 

[Y_K]

Aren't those Xtravision Plus and such prone to early burnout?

 

[wallyuwl]

The higher the performance, usually the earlier the burnout. I've had Silverstars burn out within six months twice. But get them replaced every time because of their 12 month "satisfaction guarantee". Well, if they stop working in that time I'm obviously not satisfied.

 

[Quattro Pete]

How do you get new bulbs under this "satisfaction guarantee"? Do you just go back to the store where you bought them and they give you a new set?

 

[jim302]

Originally Posted By: wallyuwl
The higher the performance, usually the earlier the burnout. I've had Silverstars burn out within six months twice. But get them replaced every time because of their 12 month "satisfaction guarantee". Well, if they stop working in that time I'm obviously not satisfied.


As I recall, the tinted (such as SilverStar) bulbs have the shortest life since they burn the hottest due to the blue tint.

 

[willix]

I replace both bulbs w/standard OEM Sylvanias and they were brighter.

 

[The_Jeff]

The old non-halogen bulbs used to get dim, but those were the sealed beams that went out of fashion in 1981. (The last decade of sealed beams usually had a little halogen capsule inside, and you could crack them and half fill them with water and they'd still work.)

Halogen does something to take the filament dust that would otherwise condense on the glass, and makes it stick back to the filament, staying bright until it croaks.

 

[dwendt44]

Just replaced 15 year old halogens. Noticably brighter.

 

[Colt45ws]

Originally Posted By: jim302
Originally Posted By: wallyuwl
The higher the performance, usually the earlier the burnout. I've had Silverstars burn out within six months twice. But get them replaced every time because of their 12 month "satisfaction guarantee". Well, if they stop working in that time I'm obviously not satisfied.


As I recall, the tinted (such as SilverStar) bulbs have the shortest life since they burn the hottest due to the blue tint.

Indeed. Ive had the same set of XtraVisions in my car since mid 08. Not a super long time, I know, but..two years.
The reason the Silverstars die so quick is in order to make up for the loss of brightness the tinting causes, they have to overwatt the bulbs.

 

[Hokiefyd]

Even modern halogen bulbs will dim over time. Bulbs are so cheap, I typically replace them every few years. I just put Sylvania XtraVisions in my '07 Town & Country (from the OEM bulbs) and it was like installing completely different headlamp housings. Part of it was due to the better bulb, and part of it I'm sure was due to the DIMMED bulbs that were in there.

 

[charbaby]

Maybe the headlights only need a bit of an adjustment upward. Just a little tweek ^