# Best headlight bulbs?



## Sparky160 (Aug 12, 2011)

Wanting to upgrade the halogen headlight bulbs on the focus, have looked at many reviews online and each gives different reviews on the different brands etc. Just wondering what do people on here recommend because in the end that's probably what I'll base my decision on lol.


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## mrbloke (Oct 13, 2010)

I have found.... they are all the same.

Only genuine HID made the difference for me.


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## Kash-Jnr (Mar 24, 2013)

My mini came with Philips and I swapped them for osram night breakers. Much better. I hate hids in halogen headlights.


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## LSpec (Apr 7, 2013)

sylvania silverstar


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## Twizz (Jul 8, 2012)

I'm running Osram Night breaker "plus".. supposedly slightly brighter whilst having a better life then normal night breakers.


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## Dannbodge (Sep 26, 2010)

I have had osram nightbreakers, Phillips xtremevision and Phillips bluevision in my cars.
The osrams and xtremevisions we're pretty much the same but the bluevisions are slightly whiter


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## VW STEVE. (Mar 18, 2012)

Osram night breakers in my ED30.


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## hobbs182 (Jul 10, 2013)

also using Osram Night breaker plus, didn't think they were a bad price for £14.99
and you can notice the difference slightly, more of a detailed vision ahead then just a lit area


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## Hoochienoballs (Aug 14, 2012)

Night breaker plus also, I find them much better than standard especially at dawn/dusk.


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## Stufat (Apr 30, 2013)

Another user of the osrams


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## chr15rey (Jun 17, 2008)

Twizz said:


> I'm running Osram Night breaker "plus".. supposedly slightly brighter whilst having a better life then normal night breakers.


My partner has a Mk1.5 Focus, I fitted Osram Night Breaker + bulbs just before Christmas, she doesn't drive a lot at night & they lasted 1-1/2 months, brought another set, they lasted 2 months, contacted Osram not helpful unless you have receipt & old bulbs, swapped to Philips now, lasted longer than the Osrams so far.


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## R7KY D (Feb 16, 2010)

When I used to have halogens , The only bulb I used to use was Phillips Extreme Vision


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## Hardsworth (Apr 12, 2012)

Philips Xenon Ultimate effect - Blue vision ultra


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## uruk hai (Apr 5, 2009)

I have Halfords Ultra Brilliance in mine at the moment and they're very good, the difference in the distance and the whiteness of the light was obvious.


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## Twizz (Jul 8, 2012)

chr15rey said:


> My partner has a Mk1.5 Focus, I fitted Osram Night Breaker + bulbs just before Christmas, she doesn't drive a lot at night & they lasted 1-1/2 months, brought another set, they lasted 2 months, contacted Osram not helpful unless you have receipt & old bulbs, swapped to Philips now, lasted longer than the Osrams so far.


That's strange, I'm running them in a MK1 Focus without any issues for roughly 6-8 months... And I bought mine from a fellow on eBay for £8.99 (seller had listed them for a Volvo but a H4 is a H4 irrespective of what they say it will fit)


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## Vossman (Aug 5, 2010)

chr15rey said:


> My partner has a Mk1.5 Focus, I fitted Osram Night Breaker + bulbs just before Christmas, she doesn't drive a lot at night & they lasted 1-1/2 months, brought another set, they lasted 2 months, contacted Osram not helpful unless you have receipt & old bulbs, swapped to Philips now, lasted longer than the Osrams so far.


I have been running night breakers for twelve months now with no issues at all, maybe you had a bad batch, I find them really good.


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## chr15rey (Jun 17, 2008)

Vossman said:


> I have been running night breakers for twelve months now with no issues at all, maybe you had a bad batch, I find them really good.


Both sets (H7) were from Euro car parts, think they were about £16 a pair, the light was nice from them but there's no way I was changing them every few months at that price & they are a nightmare to change on a Focus. I made sure the bulb glass was not touched

Perhaps they were a bad batch, but it was a while between purchase's, not a week so, I'd hope it was a different batch from a store that big.

Perhaps it's all the potholes breaking the elements? but it alternated bulbs, Left, right then left again, so it seemed more of an age thing.


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## piston_warrior (Jul 25, 2012)

Just buy a HID kit and get them aligned correctly.


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## DW58 (Nov 27, 2010)

Osram Night Breakers here, been in my Golf since new (Oct 2010), no problems whatsoever.


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## DJ X-Ray (Sep 2, 2012)

I'd go for the Nightbreaker plus's. Change your sidelights as well, or they'll look even yellower next to the osram's


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## DW58 (Nov 27, 2010)

Agreed - when I bought my Night Breakers, they came with a set of Phillips side-light bulbs as a package.


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## SteveyG (Apr 1, 2007)

chr15rey said:


> My partner has a Mk1.5 Focus, I fitted Osram Night Breaker + bulbs just before Christmas, she doesn't drive a lot at night & they lasted 1-1/2 months, brought another set, they lasted 2 months, contacted Osram not helpful unless you have receipt & old bulbs, swapped to Philips now, lasted longer than the Osrams so far.


The hotter the filament burns, the shorter they'll last. OEMs are a good compromise as they'll last ages, but be a few hundred lumens dimmer than those that burn whiter.


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## WP-UK (Apr 24, 2011)

Phillips Crystal vision for me - always had them in my cars.


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## alan hanson (May 21, 2008)

just purchased and fitted the new osram night breaker unlimited, certainly a little whiter than the plus version, and beam is also further and better my only worry is life on these as they burn at a slightly higher temp than plus ones hoping for nearly a year though


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## Natalie (Jan 19, 2011)

I used to have the Extreme Brilliance from Halfords in my Puma and they would only last for about 6 months or so which is a pain when they're £28 for a pair.

A few people have recommended the Nightbreaker ones to me.


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## alan hanson (May 21, 2008)

had night breaker plus for a awhile last a decent amount of time but expect them not to last as long as standard bulbs. the new night breaker unlimited are £17 delivered with the plus version around £12 for me its a no brainer with regards to safety


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## DW58 (Nov 27, 2010)

I had the same pair of Nightbreaker Plus bulbs for over three years on my Mk6 Golf, still going strong when I traded it in two weeks ago. I've already got them in my new Mk7, but may change them to the Unlimited version.


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## ianrobbo1 (Feb 13, 2007)

Swapped mine for the night breakers, and have now changed those out for HID, and I've made sure they are adjusted correctly, as I really hate it when some people don't bother, and end up blinding all and sundry!! 

I have HID in the bike as well, as it's a 179MPH bike with 20MPH lights as standard!! :wall:


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## rtjc (Apr 19, 2009)

Interesting thread as i'm looking to swap out the headlight bulbs in my 6R Polo, (Twin H7 headlight model) But I have DRLs and not sure if any upgrade will last. Anybody got any experience with this?

I'd like crisper whiter light output but with ZERO blue effect, however I have a feeling only longlife ones are ideal. The stock ones have been in since new 2010.


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## Natalie (Jan 19, 2011)

DW58 said:


> I had the same pair of Nightbreaker Plus bulbs for over three years on my Mk6 Golf, still going strong when I traded it in two weeks ago. I've already got them in my new Mk7, but may change them to the Unlimited version.


Are these the ones?
http://www.autobulbsdirect.co.uk/H1...d-110-Upgrade-Xenon-Headlight-Bulbs-Pair.html


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## kartman (Aug 2, 2012)

My prefered are Mtec Cosmos Blue 55w from HIDs Direct. Cannot fault them, much cheaper than the Osram and Philips alternatives and the light output is excellent with i nice white colour with a tiny blue tinge. The closest you will get to actual HIDs for reflector lights without all the horrible scatter. Have them in my dipped and main beams.


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## JMorty (Apr 25, 2011)

My list is normally like this depending on requirements.
1. HID's
2. PIAA White xtreme ultra but they are 50 quid ish
3. Halfords super brilliance

I'll post a pic of 2 and 3 compared. I had PIAA's all round but one of the headlight ones went pop so had to have Halfrauds super brill ones in. :thumb:


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## alan hanson (May 21, 2008)

kartman said:


> My prefered are Mtec Cosmos Blue 55w from HIDs Direct. Cannot fault them, much cheaper than the Osram and Philips alternatives and the light output is excellent with i nice white colour with a tiny blue tinge. The closest you will get to actual HIDs for reflector lights without all the horrible scatter. Have them in my dipped and main beams.


same price as night breaker plus, the word blue puts me off as if the whole bulb is blue tint this will reduce the light output


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## Andy from Sandy (May 6, 2011)

Adding blue tinges to the light by putting some kind of coating on the glass is counter productive as it is actually cutting down the light output.

A clear glass is the best as it is stopping nothing.


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## JMorty (Apr 25, 2011)

Here's the PIAA`s (fogs) verses halfords (dipped).










Well worth the.money IMHO.


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## Andyg_TSi (Sep 6, 2013)

uruk hai said:


> I have Halfords Ultra Brilliance in mine at the moment and they're very good, the difference in the distance and the whiteness of the light was obvious.


+1, I have these in my SEAT Leon and they are the dogs danglies

thery're available on a BOGOF deal too :thumb:


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## Junkers_GTi (May 29, 2013)

PIAAs are the best to me, but the pricetag is way too steep. I used to have ION Plasma yellow on my 207 fogs, very 90's


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## Andyg_TSi (Sep 6, 2013)

Mine with Halfords Ultra Brilliance bulbs, dipped:


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