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[cruisetopoland]

One of the first jobs I do on every car I buy is to upgrade the standard dismal headlight bulbs with legal super bright bulbs.  I have tried all of them but agree with Auto Express that the Philips Xtreme +80% bulbs are the very best.

My other car has 12 LED sidelight bulbs (very slightly bluey-white) and Halfords Extreme Brilliance (blue cap) and these are like turning the day back on-staggering, but the patchy light pattern can be distracting.

The Omega with standard bulbs are poor, so just bought the Philips Extreme H7s (£16pr delivered-ebay with voucher) and have had to make do with Osram Nightbreaker +80% for the H1s (£10.80pr delivered-ebay with voucher).  They are not as good as the Philips Xtreme H1-but could not justify cheapest deal at £22pr.

I will stick in some 12 LED sides at the same time as I have a box here.

This "little" job usually transform night driving-it makes me wonder why they are not a legal requirement as they are cheap and massively increase safety-as long as your lights are correctly set up and don't blind others.

Anyone else tried others in their cars?  :-?

[TheBoy]

I've never owned any Vauxhall with great headlights, and always end up scraping around for something better (which in the old days was invariably 100/130 bulbs)

[cruisetopoland]

Yeah-my old favourites!
Those new Philips xTreme have been outstanding in previous cars and give an even (non-distracting) focused light pattern....when they arrive for the Omega I will update the thread.

Any tips on easy fitting?  Battery area looks tight by NS cluster.   

[tunnie]

stuck NightBreakers in mine, big improvment 

[cruisetopoland]

Oh good-just ordered those reluctantly as could not get deal on Philips xtreme H1s.

Using xtreme H7s and Nightbreaker H1s-will update when fitted 

[tunnie]

Oh good-just ordered those reluctantly as could not get deal on Philips xtreme H1s.

Using xtreme H7s and Nightbreaker H1s-will update when fitted 

H7 being side lights? never bothered to upgrade them thought it would not make any real difference to light output at night?

Sidelights on during the evening produce zero light on the road?  :-/

[cruisetopoland]

Twin lights on my facelift-2 bulbs per side.

H1 are the dipped headlights
H7 are the main beam
Both make a huge difference if upgraded.

I use 12LED 5w sidelights as a cheapo alternative to DRLs-they are ok to make you  a bit more visible down the back lanes, but only if 12+LEDs per bulb and of good quality.  They save a tiny bit of fuel over using headlights, but give you no extra visibility at all.

DRLs (daytime running lights-like on new Audis) will be standard fit from 2010(2011?), and the UK will fall into the driving with lights on at all times ruling.... :-/

[cruisetopoland]

Tunnie-H4s have the two filaments per bulb-Omegas use separate H1 and H7 bulbs.

Sidelights are a waste of space 

[tunnie]

ah ok, i upgraded the H1's they made big improvment. (doing a lot of night driving now)

Full beam has always been excellent, does upgrading them make much difference when dipped?

[Kevin Wood]

DRLs (daytime running lights-like on new Audis) will be standard fit from 2010(2011?), and the UK will fall into the driving with lights on at all times ruling.... :-/

I hope they make some less chavvy DRLs by then.

Kevin

[cruisetopoland]

Full beam has always been excellent, does upgrading them make much difference when dipped?
Big difference-I liken it to same on dip with upgrade as main beam on old bulbs.

Philips Xtremes are best for dipped-no dark spots.  Well worth the money.

[cruisetopoland]

DRLs (daytime running lights-like on new Audis) will be standard fit from 2010(2011?), and the UK will fall into the driving with lights on at all times ruling.... 
I hope they make some less chavvy DRLs by then.

Agreed 

I howl with laughter at some of the NASTY retro fits I see, and some of the factory fits are shocking 

Not sure how effective DRLs are-no safer it is said.  You notice the cars-but not the bikes, pedestrians etc 

[tunnie]

i might order some H7 then... the bulbs i replaced were the standard ones with the two metal clips, behind the dust cover.  :-/

[cruisetopoland]

Fitted both H1 and H7 today-but still poor, even though better than before.  May need to adjust....

Will update 

[cruisetopoland]

Posted back on another similar thread already....

Problem was the inner headlight mounting to the outer shell had bust in both lights, so a trip to welung666 was undertaken today.

We have replaced one headlight complete and repaired the inner on the other side (welung not me!) so the inner part is no longer loose within the outer.

Now 100x better, so many thanks 

Point of interest-bought Philips Xtremes for the main beam, all ok, but the Osram Nightbreakers for the dipped lasted one week and both gave up-one dropped a filament out, the other just stopped working