| xyzzy |
I am in the process of replacing my headlights with Sylvania Silver Stars. While in another thread we debated the actual claims of "brighter" from an actual distance lit/reflectivity/power/wattage, etc., the real reason that I purchased the Silver Stars was for cosmetic reasons. I prefer a whiter color bulb as opposed to a more yellow look.
So far I have only replaced 1 bulb. I took some photos of the results and it looks promising. I plan to leave the other stock bulb in until it gets dark tonight when I'll take a few more shots for those who were wanting to really see the difference. It won't be much longer until it gets dark as we've already had the harvest moon. :(
There was some confusion about what model number to order. If you go through a bulb selector similar to the one that they have on Sylvania's site, it calls for a 9003. The guys I got my Silver Stars from (SUV Concepts, an eBay seller) they said that 9003=H4, so I ordered a set of H4 bulbs from them. Upon reciept, the bulbs actually do list 9003 on the package. In fact, when I pulled the OEM Honda bulb out, it says both H4 and 9003 on the metal base.
Here are the daytime results. This first shot is of the stock bulb. |
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| xyzzy |
| Here is the Silver Star replacement. |
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| xyzzy |
| This pic is the reason that I want to wait until tonight to get a better shot. I think the camera is playing tricks and the center spots look nearly equal. A clue that something funny is going on can be seen by looking at the wall. The wall is actually very white, but looks almost yellow in the pic. If you look at the surrounding halo or fringe area of the lighting pattern, you can see some of the difference, but not much. To the naked eye, the difference between the bulbs is pretty significant. |
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| eastman |
| The one shown looks whiter. Are you happy with the results? I might have to get a pair now. |
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| xyzzy |
Here is the only night pic that even comes close to showing a difference and even it's pretty disappointing. Please keep in mind that it's just the pictures that aren't turning out. I'm very satisfied with the results of the Silver Stars. When pulling back into the garage after everything was done I can definitely tell a difference. It was definitely brighter. I attribute this brightness to the reflectivity of the lighter bulb color, not to any "increased power".
End results
For those of you looking to see farther down the road at night, spring for a set of HIDs. These will not help you see greater distances. If you are simply looking to brighten up what is in view now, the Silver Stars will definitely do the job. The whiter cast is easy on the eyes and to me it was worth the $47.75 I paid.
Chris
Night pic. Again, disappointing from a photographic standpoint only. You have to look close to see that the drivers side glow is lighter than the passenger side. Again, in person the difference is much more dramatic. |
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| banningjr |
Chris
Are there any claims of these bulbs burning out faster or lasting longer than the OEM bulbs. I seem to recall some of the early 'blue' lights burning out very quickly.
Putting both pics on the same screen is a noticeable difference. The bright white looks really good too. It almost makes the passgr. side look dirty!
Thanks |
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| davemac |
| sweet chainsaw, can I borrow?:eek: |
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| RipRocK |
quote:
Originally posted by xyzzy
Here is the only night pic that even comes close to showing a difference and even it's pretty disappointing. Please keep in mind that it's just the pictures that aren't turning out. [snip]
Nah, don't worry, xyzzy. We thank you for going through the trouble of taking the picture and putting them up for us. I'm convinced. I'm gonna start phoning around for those bulbs :) |
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| xyzzy |
quote:
Originally posted by banningjr
Chris
Are there any claims of these bulbs burning out faster or lasting longer than the OEM bulbs. I seem to recall some of the early 'blue' lights burning out very quickly.
Putting both pics on the same screen is a noticeable difference. The bright white looks really good too. It almost makes the passgr. side look dirty!
Thanks
I haven't heard either way about them burning out or lasting longer. Electrically, the bases look identical and carry the same markings. I'm guessing it's the filament that changes. I'm not sure what other properties of the filament change to achieve the color difference, so I can't say. Any professional opinions out there on this?
Chris |
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| xyzzy |
quote:
Originally posted by RipRocK
Nah, don't worry, xyzzy. We thank you for going through the trouble of taking the picture and putting them up for us. I'm convinced. I'm gonna start phoning around for those bulbs :)
Here are the guys I used. Used BIN to end the auction on Wednesday and they showed up Monday. Fast service.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/e...item=1863183539 |
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| xyzzy |
quote:
Originally posted by davemac
sweet chainsaw, can I borrow?:eek:
No way! I love my Stihl power tools. Get your own! The steel shafted trimmer hanging next to the saw is what does the real damage. I use it to take down small trees instead of the saw. It cleans them off at ground level without fear of grounding the chain (saw chains HATE mud, dulls them instantly). The Stihl blower makes quick work of "sweeping" after mowing and also dries the Pilot off enough that it only takes one small towel to finish the job.
Chris |
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| airgate |
| Very nice!:29: Thanks for sharing! I am going to replace the bulbs in my wife's Pilot for sure. She has been jealous of my HID's on the S2000 for quite some time.:p |
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| N_Jay |
A few facts about halogen lights.
Size, H4 vs. HB2 vs. 9003
These are esentially the same.
The diffrence is in how tightly the bulb specification must be held.
If the filiment is not extacly in the right spot the reflector and lense can not aim the light well.
From my understanding the specifications were developed in that order. So H4 is the most generic name, HB2 is basically a US DOT legal H4, and 9003 is the latest.
Also. since the power is specified for the 9003 (and maybe HB2) bulbs over 60/55W must be labled H4 only.
Brightness and whitness.
Any incandesant lamp will put out more light and whiter light as the filement is made to opperate hotter. This is true even if the power in Watts is the same.
This is what makes a halogen lamp brighter and whiter than a standard incandesent. The high pressure gas in the bulb allows the filement to be designed to run hotter at the same power.
Unfortunetly as the filement is designed to run hotter it also will have a shorter life.
This is why most of the earlier high brighness (not to be confused with high power) bulbs had relitively short life spans.
As blub technology has improved the bulb manufacturers now have a choice to produce a bulb with more life, or more light.
Most of the companies producing these +50% blubs also make bulbs that produce the standard amont of light but have extended life spans, "Long Life Bulbs".
I would assume the +30% bulbs fall somewhere in between.
There are a few reasons why the high power blubs are not as popular as the high brightness bulbs.
Since the laws control the Wattage of the bulbs, these 80/100 and 100/130 Watt bulbs are labled for "Off Road Use Only", and as such have a smaller potential market. In addition most of the cars today are designed specifically for the heat and electrical load of the standard bulbs.
The extra heat of the high power bulbs MAY (I have not seen this) cause damage to the headlight.
The extra current required by the high power bulbs may damage the wiring, connectors, or switches in the headlight system (This I have seen!)
As always have fun.
Anyone want to compare the Phillips and Osram +50% bulbs to tell me if they see any difference?
I put the Phillips in both my CR-V and my Pilot simply because they were less $$.
Check out www.powerbulbs.com |
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| xyzzy |
quote:
Originally posted by N_Jay
The extra heat of the high power bulbs MAY (I have not seen this) cause damage to the headlight.
The extra current required by the high power bulbs may damage the wiring, connectors, or switches in the headlight system (This I have seen!)
These are some of the reasons that I wanted to stick with with the same voltage. Again, noticable improvement with little cash spent, and no electrical differences. I'm very happy with the results.
Thanks for the additional information. Good stuff!
Chris |
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| Mkell |
Excellent posts. Thanks very much to you both for the continuing good info on this subject. I noticed on the Phillips link the following claim:
"Up to 50% more light on the road
20 metres longer beam"
I have to say that to me brighter is the same as more light. I think I can tell you both think that the bulbs are brighter by a significant amount. With regard to a longer beam - it seems like I've heard that the replacements don't give you longer beams, in fact they give some folks shorter beams. The implication I get from the back and forth on this is that one may need to adjust the beam hight to take advantage of the longer distance possible with Silverstars or Phillips Vision Plus. Again thanks for the posts. |
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| N_Jay |
The low beam length should not change with the new bulbs.
Since they are brighter you will see the cut off more clearly.
You may decide that they were always aimed too low. |
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| Mkell |
quote:
Originally posted by N_Jay
The low beam length should not change with the new bulbs.
Since they are brighter you will see the cut off more clearly.
You may decide that they were always aimed too low.
As I recall you did reaim yours. About how many feet did you extend the throw of the light? Do you get any reaction from on coming autos? Thanks. |
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| N_Jay |
Waiting till it gets a bit darker a bit earlier so I can use the parking lot and the wall of the building.
My CR-V seems about right, strait from the box.
The Pilot seems a bit low, Not so bad that I am worried, but not to my liking.
As I said in another thread; I think they may aim them for a vehicle loaded with more people and cargo than the typical 2 to 4 people. |
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| sillec |
| Advance Auto Parts [Western PA] has Silver Stars advertised for $22 each for October. I have not competitively priced them so can't say if that's good, bad, or in between. |
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| xyzzy |
Almost exactly what I paid over the net. It's a good price. I looked for them at all of the big chains (including Advance), but none in my area carried them.
Chris |
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| hoppy |
Here is a site you can buy Silver Star for about $17 each with free shipping. I bought some bulbs from them before and it is reliable.
http://www.powerbulbs.com/products/product.php?prodid=oss&type=H4 |
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| colousa |
XYZZY where you purchase yours give us the internet address, I want to purchase mine.
thank you |
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| xyzzy |
The prices look pretty good at the place Hoppy is suggesting. You may want to try there first. I got mine from an eBay dealer called SUV Concepts.
Chris |
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| livemusicfan |
I actually see the difference in the darker shot - the new bulb looks white next to the yellowish tinge of the factory bulb.
I love the look of new HID bulbs bit hate all the cheap imitations that are out there - thanks for trying these out and posting the results - I'll check eBay later.
Jason
PS - Now I really hope I don't see a Pilot with the illuminated washer nozzels - unless they don't leak :p |
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| N_Jay |
I have used these guys twice.
1 week shipping and good prices from the UK.
I got the Phillips bulbs.
1) He recommended over the SilverStars
2) Cheaper
Wait, I may have the order wrong.
:2: :2: |
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| jfrano |
| I also went with the Philips, much brighter than stock. Also, one test put them ahead of the Silverstars. |
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| hoppy |
If you want to buy the Phillip Vision Plus, this is a good site to buy them. Last year, they ran a special -- buy 2 and get one free.
http://www.autolamps-online.com/products/orderform.htm |
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| sillec |
| Thanks for the pricing info. Went the instant gratification route and picked up a set of Silver Stars at Advance. Although I wasn't overly concerned with the amount of light from the stock bulbs, the Silver Stars' whiter and brighter is a noticeable improvement. |
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| asu1981 |
I went with the Sylvania Silver Stars for my Pilot and Accord. I have noticed a big difference from the stock bulbs. Advance Auto was offering a mail-in rebate if you bought two bulbs.
:2: |
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| KEPILOT |
ASU1981 :
Where in Charlotte did you buy the Bulbs. The places I checked on Southern Blvd. did not have 9003. Do you have the address and or phone number. I am looking for some excuse to work on my Pilot.
KE |
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| asu1981 |
You may want to contact one of the Charlotte stores and ask them to check their computer inventory and the other area store inventory.
I picked the Pilot's lights up at the Matthews (Independence Blvd) store. They were very helpful by checking their computers and then calling the Monroe's store for the Accord lights. |
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| KEPILOT |
ASU1981 : Thanks. I will check it out.
KE |
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| foxhallow |
Based on this thread, I installed a set of the 9003 Sylvania Silver Stars. They are a big improvement! N_Jay is right that you see the cut off more clearly. I immediately noticed that my left light is lower than my right, since the cut off line is off-set. I couldn't see this with the stock bulbs.
I saw the reference to adjusting the headlight hight in another thread. I have not tried it yet. Does anyone know which direction (clockwise or counter clockwise) you turn the "small Pinion like piece" to raise the level of the light?
Great thread - Highly recommend the Silver Star bulbs - well worth the investment and easy to install.
:17: |
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| MG Pilot |
quote:
Originally posted by kruzo
There is a mfg. rebate on the Silver Stars.
10 bucks off a pair. If you have your reciept
-- look here.
http://www.autobarn.com/rebate/sylreb.pdf
Thx Mugly!!! I'll mail it this evening!!! |
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| KEPILOT |
Advance Auto has them on sale for Buy one get the second one for 1/2 off + $10.00 Mail in Rebate. After mail in rebate it come to ~$29.00 for a pair, not bad at all.
KE |
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| autobahn |
| What model Sylvania SilverStar is everyone buying? I see H4 and 9003 listed seperately on the rebate form as two seperate bulbs. Their web page does not have 2003 models listed yet. |
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| autobahn |
From:
http://www.powerbulbs.com/reviews/autoexpress.htm
Philips Vision Plus
Overall beam: 155.4
The original '50 per cent extra' bulb can certainly justify the claims. It places massive amounts of light on the road in all areas. We saw the difference in the tunnel, and you will on the road. Well worth buying.
Osram Silver Star
Overall beam: 151.5
The Silver Stars we looked at were pre-production examples - the maker's answer to Philips' '50 per cent extra' bulbs. If the final version works as well as these when it goes on sale in February, we would happily recommend it. |
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| N_Jay |
H4 and 9003 both fit.
As I understand it, a 9003 bulb will meet H$ specs, but an H4v bulb might not meet 9003 specs (I understand the differences are more leagal than functional)
I am using European Phillips H4 bulbs and are very satisfied. |
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| N_Jay |
Hella also has a +50% bulb.
There is no magic here, everyone is tweeking the same factors as they compromise brightness against longevity. |
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| a2Pilot |
Thanks, everyone for all this wonderful information! I picked up a set of Sylvania Silverstars this weekend, and WOW! What a difference! I'll never use stock bulbs again!
Much whiter, cleaner light. Improved definition. Does not appear to dazzle oncoming drivers.
:) |
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| haknuman59 |
Guy, I know we all have an issue with headlight cut off, I'm one of you guy, too having my Pilot headlight cut off and it is very difficult to drive at night especially when you turn off RAM or Curve can't really see S@#t. Than I when and buy a Sylvania Silverstars 9003CT for $39.99 each for a pair plus tax it cost me over $82.00. Than I have another issue, my foglight is yellow instead of Extreme Bright White 4000K like Sylvania Silverstars 9003CT. Looking for H3 from Sylvania for my Foglight they don't have one for H3.
Friend of mine, who also had Pilot and he got a XD5 HID 5100K a set of (2) pair for headlight and foglight for only $50.80. Let me tell you guy something, there is not comparison between the Sylvania Silverstars and XD5 HID, XD5 is like 5 times brighter and it is perfect match with the foglight. go there and see for your self www.globalpremier.com
good luck.
SS EX-L RES #35211 |
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| Helldiver |
Thanks everyone for this important info.
I always found the stock headlights a bit weak and just placed an order for Philips Visionplus.
Can't wait!:) |
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| SteveLuman |
| I bought the Sylvania Silverstars for my Pilot a few months ago, and they work great for me. The only disappointment for me is that one of the low beam Silverstars burned out during the Thanksgiving holiday. Hope that the replacement bulb and the remaining original hold out much longer. |
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| Helldiver |
Guys and gals,
Please help me on a newbie question.
I opened the hood today and am not sure exactly how to replace the low beam bulb. I saw a big round rubber ring thing and the plastic square in the middle (with the wires running behind it) that is holding the bulb.
Do I just pull back on the wire/square or do I twist the ring or something? Can someone please tell me the procedure for taking it off? |
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| davemac |
| pull the rubber thing back. Actually, the owners manual gives instructions on how to replace bulbs. After pulling rubber thing back, there is a metal wire/brace holding bulb in. The whole procedure is simple. Shouldn't take more than a few minutes. Just be sure not to let your hand/skin touch the "glass" of the bulb (wear thin gloves if necessary). |
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| NHPilot |
| The envelope of halogen lamps is not actually glass. It's made of quartz because glass could not withstand the heat of the halogen cycle very long. During use, the tungsten filament slowly vaporizes and splatters onto the envelope, but the heat doesn't let the tungsten 'stick'. It then 'replates' itself onto the filament where the cycle repeats itself. This is why lamps that have 'burned out' have a darkened envelope. The halogen cycle has broken down and the filament slowly evaporates onto the envelopes' surface until it can no longer support the current. |
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| JungleJim |
| I think I'll try a set of the SilverStars in my wife's CRV! |
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| gewf631 |
| For those of you interested in purchasing the Silver Stars, Sylvania has a rebate available at... |
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| Brian |
| Where can I purchase the SilverStars? |
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| N_Jay |
Seems the US SilverStars are listed at +30%, while the European are +50%.
I have been using European Phillips +50% bulbs with good results.
DId have one failure, but the Pilot has also made three 800 mile all night drives, so maybe it jsut went due to usage.
Powerbulbs.com sent me a new set at 50% off since it was out of warrenty. (same as 1 bulb free in my book).
PowerBulbs.com sell both Phillips and Sylvania (Osram). |
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| kippy95 |
| Just got the Silverstar bulbs installed over the weekend and I didn't noticed much improvement except that the light is white instead of factory yellowish. I'm not sure if it's worth $40 to change just the color. |
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| chitturi |
Silvania web site says H4s(silver star) are for Motor cycles and for cars they recommended 9003 ST High/low beam lights. Please inform me if silver star H4/ philips vision plus are low beam or both low /high beam lights.
-chitturi |
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| N_Jay |
H4 bulbs are that are not labled HB2 or 9003 are technically not legal auto headlights.
The lighting laws for motorcycles are more forgiving.
Don't worry, I don't think any cop on the road will know the difference.
All H4/HB2/9003 bulbs are dual filement High/Low type |
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| chitturi |
Silver stars or philips vision plus last longer than stock bulbs?.
any one has any comments or experice about the life of these bulbs? |
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| N_Jay |
quote:
Originally posted by chitturi
Silver stars or philips vision plus last longer than stock bulbs?.
any one has any comments or experice about the life of these bulbs?
I had one Phillips Vision Plus bulb fail, but that is not a good indication.
In general the brighter the bulb at a given wattage the shorter the life. (All else being the same; Quality, Etc.)
It seems that good quality bulbs today are called "Long Life" and are usually quoted as having 30% longer life than a "standard" bulb (Whatever that is).
SO it would make sense that they can make a bulb that has about +30% brightness and get about "Standard" life.
Since the brigtest Phillips and SilverStar bulbs are rated at +50%, I would expect their life to be somewhat less than that undefined "Standard". |
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| tledjazz |
| Does anyone know if one of those aftermarket "heavy duty" wiring harnesses would make the S'stars any brighter? |
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| tatng |
quote:
Originally posted by tledjazz
Does anyone know if one of those aftermarket "heavy duty" wiring harnesses would make the S'stars any brighter?
Heavy duty harness will NOT make them brighter, they usually can withstand heat better and not be melted by over-wattage bulbs.
Since the Silverstar uses about the same power as the OEM, no heavy duty harness is required or it will benefit from it.
Tat
Electrical Engineer
2003 EXL-RES |
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| foxhallow |
| I installed a set of Sylvania Silver Star bulbs last October. I just passed 7,000 miles and one bulb burned out. I'm quite disappointed, as the bulb only lasted 5 months. The set of "stock bulbs" on my last car were nearly 5 years old when I traded the car in for the Pilot. While I like the whiter light, I won't be sticking with the Silver Stars if this is typical of their life. |
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| a2Pilot |
Hey! WTF!!!:3:
One of my Silverstars burned out this morning. I installed them last December! I'm heading back to the store for a replacement. Four month life is not acceptable. |
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| colorider |
quote:
Originally posted by N_Jay
H4 bulbs are that are not labled HB2 or 9003 are technically not legal auto headlights.
The lighting laws for motorcycles are more forgiving.
Don't worry, I don't think any cop on the road will know the difference.
All H4/HB2/9003 bulbs are dual filement High/Low type
Not sure what you mean by "The lighting laws for motorcycles are more forgiving". Motorcycles that are operated on public highways are subject to the same laws concerning lights as any other vehicle. They must comply with all DOT rules just like a car.
Off- road lights - either for 2 wheeled or 4 wheeled vehicles are a different story. These lights will typically state something to the effect of "For Off Road Use Only".
YMMV |
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| N_Jay |
quote:
Originally posted by colorider
Not sure what you mean by "The lighting laws for motorcycles are more forgiving". Motorcycles that are operated on public highways are subject to the same laws concerning lights as any other vehicle. They must comply with all DOT rules just like a car.
Not sure what I mean either, but I do know that H4 lights were legal on motorcycles long before you could get "DOT H4" set-ups.
I also have seen lighting systems labled for Motorcycle or off road use only.
SO, I could be mistaken, but it would seem to me that the lighting laws for motorcycles are different from 4 (and more) wheeled vehicals. |
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| colorider |
quote:
Originally posted by N_Jay
Not sure what I mean either, but I do know that H4 lights were legal on motorcycles long before you could get "DOT H4" set-ups.
I also have seen lighting systems labled for Motorcycle or off road use only.
SO, I could be mistaken, but it would seem to me that the lighting laws for motorcycles are different from 4 (and more) wheeled vehicals.
Interesting on the "H4" versus "DOT H4". I never noticed that distinction on anything I have looked at. I CAN use H4's on my ST, but have to use adapter rings - only because Honda (in it's infinite wisdom) decided to use a non-standard layout for the base. Actually, it was done with the hopes that we would pay about 5X for basically a H4 bulb with an altered base.
I think when you see something labeled for motorcycle or off road, it actually means off road motorcycles. AFAIK, on-road bikes have the same rules on headlight reflector design, cutoff, etc. as cars. We even have "euro" design and "US" design, just as cars do. How else would they be able to have the "DOT" certification on the lens? I can think of no situation where they (motorcycles) would be allowed to follow a different set of rules. |
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| N_Jay |
quote:
Originally posted by colorider
Interesting on the "H4" versus "DOT H4". I never noticed that distinction on anything I have looked at. I CAN use H4's on my ST, but have to use adapter rings - only because Honda (in it's infinite wisdom) decided to use a non-standard layout for the base. Actually, it was done with the hopes that we would pay about 5X for basically a H4 bulb with an altered base.
I think when you see something labeled for motorcycle or off road, it actually means off road motorcycles. AFAIK, on-road bikes have the same rules on headlight reflector design, cutoff, etc. as cars. We even have "euro" design and "US" design, just as cars do. How else would they be able to have the "DOT" certification on the lens? I can think of no situation where they (motorcycles) would be allowed to follow a different set of rules.
Like I said, I could be mistaken :2: |
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| colorider |
[QUOTE]Originally posted by N_Jay
Like I said, I could be mistaken :2: [/QUOTE
Me too!!! :2: |
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| N_Jay |
quote:
Originally posted by N_Jay
Like I said, I could be mistaken :2:
Just did some looking and it seems all lights I can find now are either DOT, or OFF-Road.
I do know that in the past I have seen lights or bulbs specifically marked for Off Road OR Motorcycle use only.
Maybe they have tightened up the Motorcycle specifications to be the same as cars?
Does anyone know if Motorcycles are limited to teh 55/670 Watt bulb?
Maybe the lenses are now the same, but they MIGHT be allowed more power.
Car = 2X55/60
Cycle = 1x110/120??? (Just a thought) |
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| colorider |
quote:
Originally posted by N_Jay
Just did some looking and it seems all lights I can find now are either DOT, or OFF-Road.
I do know that in the past I have seen lights or bulbs specifically marked for Off Road OR Motorcycle use only.
Maybe they have tightened up the Motorcycle specifications to be the same as cars?
Does anyone know if Motorcycles are limited to teh 55/670 Watt bulb?
Maybe the lenses are now the same, but they MIGHT be allowed more power.
Car = 2X55/60
Cycle = 1x110/120??? (Just a thought)
My standard bulbs (2) in my ST are 45/45's. Many run 55/60's and all the way up to xx/100's. The limiting factors are what your wiring will handle, your alternator output and what your reflector will handle as far as heat. I used to run PIAA's on my previous ST with 110's in each side. I could just about toast road critters with 310 watts!!!
:eek: |
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| sillec |
Have seen a number of references to premature Silver Star failures. Have also seen references to laws of physics regarding light and heat.
Installed Silver Stars 9/30/02; one of the low beams burned out 4/25/03. I'm at least temporarily back to the OEM bulbs; Silver Stars are a little pricey for that short a life span. |
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| N_Jay |
quote:
Originally posted by sillec
Have seen a number of references to premature Silver Star failures. Have also seen references to laws of physics regarding light and heat.
Installed Silver Stars 9/30/02; one of the low beams burned out 4/25/03. I'm at least temporarily back to the OEM bulbs; Silver Stars are a little pricey for that short a life span.
7 months seems real short. I had one set go at 8 months, but there were three all night drives during that period. |
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| xyzzy |
Man, this old thread is still alive?!?
I'm right at 7 months with mine with no problems. Let's hope early failure isn't an issue. I have my stock bulbs in the headrest storage area with tools and other emergency stuff. If one of them dies, I can replace it very quickly. |
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| a2Pilot |
I had an interesting experience a couple weekends ago where I was driving in VERY thick, patchy fog and light rain. I could only see about 15 feet in front of me, with a couple sudden changes to Zero. Nice relaxing ride!:eek:
Anyway, I have my surviving Silver Star in the driver's side headlamp, and my old OEM bulb back in the passenger side since the Silver Star 4 month failure.
Note, I do not have any fog lights. Because the OEM bulb is a little "yellower", and not as brilliant, I could see much farther on that side of the road than on my side. The Silver Star created a great deal of glare and really reflected back badly in the fog.
I may just go back to OEM in the end. It seems a good compromise for many different situations. We do get our fair share of fog around here, so it's an important consideration. |
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| colousa |
I have a failure of one silver start after 4 months. The manager at The barn ( L.I., NY) replaced at not charge.
Before I return it to the store I hit the bulb and reinstalled result it works again ...... but I don't want a not reliable bulb on my pilot..
If this situation happen again, I'll replace with the originals. |
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| JungleJim |
quote:
Originally posted by a2Pilot
I had an interesting experience a couple weekends ago where I was driving in VERY thick, patchy fog and light rain. I could only see about 15 feet in front of me, with a couple sudden changes to Zero. Nice relaxing ride!:eek:
Anyway, I have my surviving Silver Star in the driver's side headlamp, and my old OEM bulb back in the passenger side since the Silver Star 4 month failure.
Note, I do not have any fog lights. Because the OEM bulb is a little "yellower", and not as brilliant, I could see much farther on that side of the road than on my side. The Silver Star created a great deal of glare and really reflected back badly in the fog.
I may just go back to OEM in the end. It seems a good compromise for many different situations. We do get our fair share of fog around here, so it's an important consideration.
I'm curious, do HID's give the same results in fog? (the reflection, ect.?) |
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| sillec |
| Emailed Sylvania and they replied 1 to 2 years in standard headlight application [no running light use] was expected life of a "performance bulb" such as Silverstar. They agreed to replace my Silverstar that burned out its low beam in 7 months. |
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| wwong |
| Just purchased a pair since they were on sale at $19.99 each plus a $5 rebate. Ad is from Kragen Auto. |
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| guitarman |
quote:
Originally posted by wwong
Just purchased a pair since they were on sale at $19.99 each plus a $5 rebate. Ad is from Kragen Auto.
And the results???? Are they worth it? |
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| wwong |
| Well, I didn't rush right out and buy the sylvanias's when I got my Pilot. But since I saved a little bit, I thought I would take a chance. But, your're right. Posts from other members are not very favorable. |
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| guitarman |
| I read mixed results. Some people swear by them, others say they can't tell the difference between them and the OEM headlights. Just looking for your educated opinion. I almost purchased them today, in fact. |
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| jay |
quote:
Originally posted by guitarman
I read mixed results. Some people swear by them, others say they can't tell the difference between them and the OEM headlights. Just looking for your educated opinion. I almost purchased them today, in fact.
I don't necessarily have an educated opinion, but an opinion nonetheless. I like the Silverstars; they are whiter light than the OEM. I did decide, though, that they needed to be adjusted upward slightly, to eliminate what seemed to me to be a sudden dropoff in illumination with either the OEM or the Silverstar. |
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| sagepearl |
Not sure if this is a good price for you folks but here in Hawaii, the best price is around $50 bucks @ Checkers. But I found a website that sold it to me for $39.85 + $3.85 shipping (USPS) it came to me from Delaware in about 3 days.
KUSTOMKARPARTS.COM
please let me know if this is a good price.........:rolleyes: |
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| PILOTinginCO |
The light is considerably whiter than the OEM headlights. The SS's are great and much better than OEM for lighting up the reflective lane markers, road signs and a general overall clearer picture of the road ahead.
I also had to adjust the headlights "up" just a tad to compensate for the top end drop off that so many other people have talked about. Now that the headlights have been adjusted, I'm very impressed with the lighting in front of me at night.
WalMart has the SS's for 39-bucks, which is the cheapest I've seen (excluding online).
I highly recommend the SilverStars - they're worth the money. |
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| jazcar |
I had a few oncoming cars flash their headlights at me this summer with a fully loaded Pilot. That is 2 adults, 1 child, a dog, enough luggage/stuff to fill all space behind the 2nd row to the height of the seat back, and 3 bikes on a Thule rack.
I could tell the lights were higher, since typically that sharp cutoff is just around the level of a typical car's rear shelf behind the back seat.
I don't have SS's, and from what I've seen, I would guess I'd really P*** off a lot of drivers if I installed them the way I loaded the car.
Anyone with SS's have a lot of oncoming cars flipping you the brights
:eek: |
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| jay |
quote:
Originally posted by jazcar
...snip
Anyone with SS's have a lot of oncoming cars flipping you the brights
:eek:
Not even once here.:) |
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| PILOTinginCO |
| I haven't had anyone flash me with my "up" adjusted SS's. |
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| kemosabe |
quote:
Originally posted by PILOTinginCO
I haven't had anyone flash me with my "up" adjusted SS's.
Ditto -- I've had my SilverStars for several months, now, and like jay and PILOTinginCO, I haven't had anyone flash me -- well, my mother did by this guy... :D |
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| jay |
quote:
Originally posted by kemosabe
...snip
I haven't had anyone flash me -- well, my mother did by this guy... :D
But could your Mom pick him out of a lineup? Did Paula Jones consult on the case? :D |
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| xGS |
| Advance Auto Parts has the SilverStar bulbs on sale, through 11/29, for $29.97/pair plus an available $6 mail-in-rebate. |
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| Geo |
quote:
Originally posted by guitarman
I read mixed results. Some people swear by them, others say they can't tell the difference between them and the OEM headlights. Just looking for your educated opinion. I almost purchased them today, in fact.
From everything I have read silverstars give NO driving improvement. They are a marketing ploy and affect the way your vehicle looks, making it look like it has HID's without any benefit. If you google some of the professional reviews it is clear silverstars fall far below other standard halogen replacements such as Sylvania Xtravision or Philips VisionPlus which are proven improvements over standard halogen bulbs. |
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| jay |
quote:
Originally posted by Geo
From everything I have read silverstars give NO driving improvement. They are a marketing ploy and affect the way your vehicle looks, making it look like it has HID's without any benefit. If you google some of the professional reviews it is clear silverstars fall far below other standard halogen replacements such as Sylvania Xtravision or Philips VisionPlus which are proven improvements over standard halogen bulbs.
What's that old expression, cum si, cum sa. I think it is a driving improvement, as the SilverStars appear brighter to me than the standard bulb, and I perceive that the illumination is brighter. But it's certainly in the mind/eye of the beholder. :p The perceived benefit, however, is not worth $40 and the hassle of replacing the bulbs every several months. |
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| Geo |
Jay. people who like them should get them, why not. I am just saying silverstars are a "fashion item" and not a lighting improvement. But there are tests of bulbs available on the net and one can research what the experts say about the false silverstar hype and instead get a tested 25% improvement with $16 over the counter bulbs like extravision. Moreover if one spends a big $50 you can get a harness relay set to increase to 85 watts and increase light output by another 40%.
first option is completely street legal and second option, in case it isn't, simply involves swapping bulbs to reverse engineered for inspection. |
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| jay |
quote:
Originally posted by Geo
Jay. people who like them should get them, why not. I am just saying silverstars are a "fashion item" and not a lighting improvement. But there are tests of bulbs available on the net and one can research what the experts say about the false silverstar hype and instead get a tested 25% improvement with $16 over the counter bulbs like extravision. Moreover if one spends a big $50 you can get a harness relay set to increase to 85 watts and increase light output by another 40%.
first option is completely street legal and second option, in case it isn't, simply involves swapping bulbs to reverse engineered for inspection.
I just googled extravision and took a look at the Sylvania website. Certainly something to look into when the SilverStars crap out. I'm not into the fashion thing, just want better illumination than I was getting from the standard issue bulbs. |
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| Geo |
FYI from a transportation lighting expert with the National Academy of sciences.
Short version: silverstars are all hype and actually make visability worse in many cases.
http://groups.google.com/groups?q=g...mich.edu&rnum=4
you can check out the prices on some of the bulbs mentioned at the end you can get much better with plus 30s (or 50s if you beef your wiring and relay which is not much money). most of these proven better bulbs are cheaper than silverstars. |
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| N_Jay |
quote:
Originally posted by Geo
Jay. people who like them should get them, why not. I am just saying silverstars are a "fashion item" and not a lighting improvement. But there are tests of bulbs available on the net and one can research what the experts say about the false silverstar hype and instead get a tested 25% improvement with $16 over the counter bulbs like extravision. Moreover if one spends a big $50 you can get a harness relay set to increase to 85 watts and increase light output by another 40%.
first option is completely street legal and second option, in case it isn't, simply involves swapping bulbs to reverse engineered for inspection.
A new wiring harness will not give you 85 Watts nor increase output 40%. |
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| jay |
quote:
Originally posted by Geo
FYI from a transportation lighting expert with the National Academy of sciences.
Short version: silverstars are all hype and actually make visability worse in many cases.
http://groups.google.com/groups?q=g...mich.edu&rnum=4
you can check out the prices on some of the bulbs mentioned at the end you can get much better with plus 30s (or 50s if you beef your wiring and relay which is not much money). most of these proven better bulbs are cheaper than silverstars.
:bsflag: I'm sorry, but I don't really care what some lighting expert thinks. What's important to me is what I think, and that is that the SilverStars illuminate better than the original factory bulbs. But that is just my opinion, and everyone else needs to reach their own conclusion by whatever method they choose. |
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| robrecht |
quote:
Originally posted by jay
:bsflag: I'm sorry, but I don't really care what some lighting expert thinks. What's important to me is what I think, and that is that the SilverStars illuminate better than the original factory bulbs. But that is just my opinion, and everyone else needs to reach their own conclusion by whatever method they choose.
"Of the three ways in which men think that they acquire knowledge of things - authority, reasoning, and experience - only the last is effective and able to bring peace to the intellect."
--- Roger Bacon, Doctor Mirabilis, a medieval expert in optics and gunpowder, 1214-1294 |
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| driver |
| I added the Silver Stars a few weeks ago and I am pleased with the results. In my opinion lights that are whiter or brighter than the Silver Stars would be approaching the look of HID's and I think those are too bright when you are on the receiving end so to speak. |
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| sski |
| I put a set of Sylvania Xtravisions in my 2000 Nissan Altima. The Altima had fairly poor headlight design to start with. The Xtravisions filled in the dark spots and light up more of the shoulder and the foreground. |
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| PILOTinginCO |
The SilverStars were a huge improvement on my PILOT over the stock bulbs.
The so-called experts may say the bulbs are all hype, but their asses aren't sitting behind the wheel of my vehicle!!
I think the SS's were a great investment and they've done wonders for driving on dark Colorado roads at night.
And one more thing.... I love how the SS's light up the snow at night when driving..... it gives me even better vision of the nasty road ahead! |
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| sski |
| I think the basic headlight design on the Pilot is quite decent. Do the Silverstars increase the amount of road you see (ie/ further ahead or more of the shoulder) or do they light the same area as OEM but the light is brighter and whiter. |
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| jay |
quote:
Originally posted by sski
I think the basic headlight design on the Pilot is quite decent. Do the Silverstars increase the amount of road you see (ie/ further ahead or more of the shoulder) or do they light the same area as OEM but the light is brighter and whiter.
Brighter, but if you adjust the headlights slightly upward, regardless of bulb, you get more coverage adead of you, IMHO. |
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