Headlight, what's recommended (standard, nothing fancy)

[tomsimmons]

I've been doing a lot more driving in the dark than before, especially out of town. While hammering down dual carriage ways etc. I've come to realise that the head lights of the people coming the other way or that I am over taking are doing a better job of lighting my way than my own dipped beam do.

In fact the other day I realised that mine don't even illuminate the verge around me or the car in fronts number plate! I actually wondered if they were both blown until I pulled up behind a car and turn to sides and back to dipped.

So, can any on recommend a straight swap replacement dipped bulb?

I don't want HIDs, I don't want blue, I just want a brighter white, that is to say gives more illumination not neccessarily more white in colour, than the poxy candle that's currently in there.

Tom

[KenONeill]

Even new standard bulbs would do a better job than 10year old ones will.

If you'd like a bit of an upgrade without "going chav", Osram Nightbreaker+ .

[sesachc]

well it's hard to get better light if you don't want hids, but hids in standard light units do tend to distort thats why i'am upgrading to xenon upgrades with hid then the beam pattern is controlled with a plate inside the projector, but if you really dont want to go down the road of hids then it's expensive h4 bulbs osram and phillips ect

[Liverpool-Lad]

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Philips-12342-XVS2-X-Treme-Power-Bulbs/dp/B00440CWBW/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1354007547&sr=8-4

Dont forget not to touch the glass when you put them in!

[Chezlow]

Osram Nightbreakers are a good choice I had them in our Fabia but the wife still complained. Now running Philips rally competition 80w which has stopped the wife complaining. The problem with the Rally ones is they are Not road legal & others will say you could burn your wiring out with pulling more amps though the cable. My answer would be I rather see where I was going, than putting the car in a ditch & as for burning the wiring out? That's why we have fuses.

The Osram are £11.79 + 2.99 p&p on E-bay

The Philips £25.53 + 2.49 p&p on E-bay

[Liverpool-Lad]

Has anyone had experience (good/bad) fitting the higher watt bulbs on the Octavia?

[KenONeill]

well it's hard to get better light if you don't want hids, but hids in standard light units do tend to distort thats why i'am upgrading to xenon upgrades with hid then the beam pattern is controlled with a plate inside the projector, but if you really dont want to go down the road of hids then it's expensive h4 bulbs osram and phillips ect

Er, dip range is pretty constrained by aim requirements; a newish H4 +50% Quartz-Xenon bulb in an Octy 1 has a range of a mile on full beam and just how much more do you want?

I've never paid more than £6-20 (actual price delivered, includes BOGOF when applicable) for H4 upgrades, or seen even the cheapest, Chavviest plasma discharge units for less than about £30 each.

TL;DR version - complete MBF!

[tomsimmons]

Osram Nightbreakers are a good choice I had them in our Fabia but the wife still complained. Now running Philips rally competition 80w which has stopped the wife complaining. The problem with the Rally ones is they are Not road legal & others will say you could burn your wiring out with pulling more amps though the cable. My answer would be I rather see where I was going, than putting the car in a ditch & as for burning the wiring out? That's why we have fuses.

The Osram are £11.79 + 2.99 p&p on E-bay

The Philips £25.53 + 2.49 p&p on E-bay

When you say they're not legal, is that fail an MOT illegal?

Looks like it's probably between:

Osram Nightbreaker+

Philips X-Treme

Philips claim 100% brighter, Osram only a measily 90% brighter, but they are cheaper.

Any one experience of both and recommend one over the other?

Tom

Edited 27 November, 2012 by tomsimmons

[KenONeill]

Osram Nightbreakers are a good choice I had them in our Fabia but the wife still complained. Now running Philips rally competition 80w which has stopped the wife complaining. The problem with the Rally ones is they are Not road legal & others will say you could burn your wiring out with pulling more amps though the cable. My answer would be I rather see where I was going, than putting the car in a ditch & as for burning the wiring out? That's why we have fuses.

The Osram are £11.79 + 2.99 p&p on E-bay

The Philips £25.53 + 2.49 p&p on E-bay

Has anyone had experience (good/bad) fitting the higher watt bulbs on the Octavia?

Leaving aside the illegality of 80W and higher bulbs (oh and the fact that Octys use H4 headlight bulbs where Furbies use H1 or H7), I've heard of people melting the bulbholders out of plastic reflectors using high wattage bulbs.

[tomsimmons]

Er, dip range is pretty constrained by aim requirements; a newish H4 +50% Quartz-Xenon bulb in an Octy 1 has a range of a mile on full beam and just how much more do you want?

I've never paid more than £6-20 (actual price delivered, includes BOGOF when applicable) for H4 upgrades, or seen even the cheapest, Chavviest plasma discharge units for less than about £30 each.

TL;DR version - complete MBF!

To be honest, the full beam isn't bad. The dipped is so poor that I have now taken to using the fogs to see the lines/edge of the road.

Tom

[demonufo]

Philips X-treme power every time (a definite improvement over the night-breakers). Higher wattage isn't really recommended since the headlights are plastic, and the lights aren't run off of relays, so it is particularly hard on the light switches (especially the dip/main beam on the steering column).

If you have headlight protectors, throw them away. This makes quite a difference. If the headlight reflectors are foggy, then the only thing that's going to help is new headlights.

[Fear]

i thought the same about my bulbs, Ive ordered the Philips off ebay:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/330759576294?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1497.l2649

Just waiting for the postman to drop them off.

Replaced the mrs fiesta lights with halfords better bulbs and the results were pretty good so my hopes are high for the philips!

[Liverpool-Lad]

The Philips were £1 cheaper on amazon, oh well.

[nitrovrs]

i've used nightbreakers and phillips extreme, i prefer the nightbreakers.... horses for courses i guess.

[dubDEAN]

I GOT RING ULTRA 120% MORE LIGHT OOOOOOOSH 14.99 EBAY

[Chronicbint]

Nightbreakers or extreme, neither are going to significantly improve the lights, they are better but still not amazing.

[Coops]

In my experience, the previous version of Nightbreakers were pretty poor, especially in terms of reliability, so I've used Philips Extreme. Recently Osram have released the Nightbreaker Plus, which is supposed to give improved reliability.

I just got a pair of H7s from ECP for under £10 to try out.

There isn't much in it between the Philips and Osram to be honest.

[Lloyd55vrs]

I had piaa 150/150 compition platinum whites iirc

they were pretty brite

Was a while ago now so they may have stopped doing them ?

[Clarkyzs]

I've got 100/90w bulbs in my octy. No distortion or melting of anything yet and that includes a two hour journey at night. It is winter though which maybe keeping the headlight lense temps down. Paid around a £5 off eBay for a pair. Only got them as most places want over a £5 just for one standard H4!!

[naked_brummell]

I have halfords ultra bright or super bright or whatever their 'top range' one is claimed 120% brighter and to be fair I can't fault them, very minor blue tiny around where the light is emitted in the lens other than that glorious white light Nd currently BOGOF in halfrauds

[Volvomeg]

I have halfords ultra bright or super bright or whatever their 'top range' one is claimed 120% brighter and to be fair I can't fault them, very minor blue tiny around where the light is emitted in the lens other than that glorious white light Nd currently BOGOF in halfrauds

I've had same ones for over a year now and are quiet impressed with them over standard bulbs

[STSKODA]

philips uprated ones are meant to last longer and be better than the osram ones.

that auction site has all varieties at the best price I've found