Just looking for some opinions and what-not here. We had a gift exchange at the family Christmas party and I wound up with a $30 gift card to Auto Zone. Well I've noticed lately my headlights...suck. I can barely see 2 ft in front of me anymore - luckily deer mating season is over or I might have had a problem already.

The covers aren't dirty or hazy really but I cleaned them anyways but still awful so I figured why not use my gift card and get some new bulbs. Anyone have some recommendations for headlight bulbs that they've tried that are the "newer" styles that go out further and wider? I don't want to get HIDs, those are too expensive and I hate people that blind me with them so I'm not going to do the same.

My father has a Mercury Milan with Sylvania Silverstars and they're pretty good. Anyone else try something different? What do you think of 'em? I'm going to replace both highs and lows.

Thanks guys,
Mike

 

You should look into the sylvania silverstar ultras, they have been known to wear out quickly but there is a warranty just make sure to keep track of that warranty, that's what I would do.

 

Ive tried aftermarket bulbs in my F150 and the only thing I noticed was a change in color, but not brightness. The silverstars were whiter but didnt help me see any better. I had to get HIDs in my monte cause I couldnt see at all at night. Even my highs were too dim to see. I need new headlights but I tried the HIDs first. I love them. I paid 35 for both sides with a lifetime warranty. They are alot brighter but with the stock lamps, they dont glare anywhere near as much as the new cadillacs and BMWs with the factory HIDs, mainly cause the montes are too close to the ground to shine through the windshield of oncoming cars.

 

Being lower to the ground has nothing to do with the effect of glare. Reflector housings will always have glare and will always have worse output of its counter part the projector. If there is glare a reflector will glare regardless of height of a vehicle.

OP if you really are looking for output HID's are great for that with the added case of having some level of glare. If you want the ultimate make projector headlights; which is the safer and better option for greater light output for a vehicle that didn't originally come with them as an option.

 

That's what I did. They work good so far.

 

Of course height of the vehicle doesnt increase or decrease glare. What Im saying is that they dont blind you like taller vehicles do. You cant tell me that when you drive down the road, a small car shines its lights as high as a large SUV. Maybe the end of the beams both fall at the same level, but when you drive past an SUV with bright lights, you get flashed in the face much more than you do driving past a small car. Thats where the real problem with glare from HIDs come in. They arent bad from a distance but when you are just about to pass the vehicle thats when its the worst.

 

I think we will have to agree to disagree on this. I would agree about the light being slightly different at certain distances from a car vs. a truck driving behind you. Now oncoming light in my opinion is oncoming light no difference. But that's just me.