Silverstar Headlamps.

[rca2000]

Hey guys. I have an '01 Chrysler Town and Country Minivan, and the headlamps were sh#t on it. They put out barely enough light to see the road, and maybe about 150' in front of the van. With the brights, the situation was a little better, but the headlamps still sucked. I saw HID headlamps on the newer, expensive cars, noticed the nearly-white color of them, and wanted them, for my van. But money, and practicality killed that idea. I knew that there were those "blue" headlamps out there, but I wanted MORE LIGHT,and WHITER LIGHT, not just the "HID look".

SO, I saw the ad for Sylvania Silverstar headlamps, on tv. Didn't really think about it much, and figured it was just more hype, like any ad for a new product. Then, one day, about a week ago, I was fooling around on Ebay, and had "xenon lamp" in the search,for some reason, and up came Silverstar lamps. I found I could get them, for WAY less than list(around 25 apice), and then, did a little checking, on the web about them.

Turns out, Silverstars are what I would call a MODIFIED halogen/xenon cycle lamp, where they are a halogen incandescent lamp, with a charge of Xenon gas, which, after it warms up, causes a serious increase in light output, and whitens the light. Real HID-Arc lamps also use Xenon, but do NOT have a filament, and ALL of the light comes from the Xenon arc, producing that now-familiar blue-white, headlight pattern, that is now becoming familiar ,on some cars.

Anyway, there were a LOT of testomonials, as to how good silverstars were, and the light color was around 4000k(near white, just like HID), and they claimed a 15-20% increase in light output, over the original 9007 Halogen bulbs, that were stock, in my van. Hoping that I would get at least a modest increase in light output, I decided to try a set, and got a set off of Ebay, for $20, plus $6 for shipping.

I put the lamps in Saturday, and checked them Saturday night. BOY!! what a real difference!! I did not get a 20% increase in light output, but a 50% or MORE increase, and the light is WIDER, WHITE,EVEN, and stretches out for probably 400' or MORE, in front of the van. On the sides, I get useable, light, in LOW BEAM, which helps for "curb shopping", whereas before, I ALWAYS had to have my brights on , to do this, and even then, it was not enough. Now, I rarely am finding need for brights--- there is that much light, in low beam, that brights are not needed. BTW-- Silverstars are NOT super-high wattage bulbs, needing a special retrofit of the sockets or wiring harness, like some PIAA bulbs-- they are drop-in replacements.

I have not yet drove in a real fog or rainstorm, although I did drive in a little rain today, but I am sure these lights wll make a BIG difference, doing so. Now, I plan to put these in my mothers car, to improve the headlights in it.

SO-- if your headlights suck, and you want HID's, but cant afford them, or they are too difficult to adapt to your car, try Sylvania Silverstars-- I doubt you will be disappointed. Most of the HID benefits, at a price the common man(or woman) can afford.

[Crotalus]

Thanks for the review rca2000. My brother just put those in his Ford Focus and he was ranting and raving about how good they were. I was thinking about putting them in my wife's 98 Maxima. After my brother's good words, and now yours, I guess I have no reason not too. For the price, it sounds like ebay is the way to go.....did you have a good experience with the ebayer?

[heathkit tv]

Late model Mopars seem to suffer from miserable headlights, and it's not just the bulb's fault---poor design of the reflector and lens being a big culprit, but the bulb is realistically the only thing you can change.

Regardless, I caution you to be aware of any large wattage increase in the new bulbs as you can overload both the wiring and headlight switch. Quick way to check, after running the lights for at least 20 minutes, feel the plug on the back of the bulb, see if it's warmer than usual. If so, then you should consider installing a power relay to feed the lights directly....this is usually a good idea even without upgrading the bulbs as headlights in general suffer probably the worst voltage drop of all things in a car.

Anthony

[Don C]

I hate HIDs, and I wish they would get off their butts and pass a law about them. You think that you are safer because you can see a little better, but you will probably change your mind when someone that you have blinded plows into you.

[Carmine]

Late model Mopars seem to suffer from miserable headlights, and it's not just the bulb's fault

It's an industry-wide problem, but yes, the minivan's, LH's, and non-HID Mark 8s are some of the worst. That's why the T&C got bigger headlights in 02. Problem is, for a while everybody wanted the narrowest front end possible, (aerodynamics) but that makes it damn hard to do a proper reflector. Now that the overturned-bathtub look is in vogue, (300C) they have the room for a proper reflector.... Just in time for HIDs to get cheaper, lol.

I bought Sylvania "premium" headlights (forgot the proper name, but it wasn't silverstar) for my '89 5th Ave because I did so much late-night driving through the desert. They made a nice improvement.

RCA2000, have you been "brighted" by oncoming drivers since the switch? I used to get a little of that after my upgrade, but in the desert everything seems bright (plus it's hard to remember your name).

[Crotalus]

Heathkit TV, according to Sylvania's own website, the wattage of both their Silverstar lights and their standard halogen lights are the same.

[dgwojo]

We make our own version of the xenon at our Wagner Lighting plant in Pennsylvania under the BriteLite name, they do work excellent, we also make the Tru-Views which eliminates glare for oncoming drivers if you care about them!!
BriteLite; http://www.federal-mogul.com/cda/content/front/0,2194,2442_9284_7602,00.html
TruView; http://www.federal-mogul.com/cda/content/front/0,2194,2442_9284_9682758,00.html
HalogenGold; http://www.federal-mogul.com/cda/content/front/0,2194,2442_9284_7595,00.html
LazerBlue; http://www.federal-mogul.com/cda/content/front/0,2194,2442_9284_7583,00.html

[Yamaha B-2]

Got a set for my wife's M-B. Now have to get off my deadass and get them installed. She always complains about driving at night, so hope these help.

[rca2000]

Thanks for the review rca2000. My brother just put those in his Ford Focus and he was ranting and raving about how good they were. I was thinking about putting them in my wife's 98 Maxima. After my brother's good words, and now yours, I guess I have no reason not too. For the price, it sounds like ebay is the way to go.....did you have a good experience with the ebayer?


yes-- My Ebay experience with these lamps was great. QUICK delivery, sealed, new, perfect product, properly packaged.

And-- for those who do not like high intensity discharge Xenon (HID) lights, and hope they will be outlawed, or go away--- I DOUBT IT. properly installed, HID's have LESS glare, (as I am told, anyway), than regular halogens. As soon as the price comes down on them, to where they are say no more than a $100 penalty over stock lamps, for BOTH headlights, you will be seeng them a LOT more, on less and less expensive cars, until probably ALL cars have them. (They already are a lot less expensive than about 12 years ago, when they were first introduced on BMW's and Mercedees, at the time, each lamp assy. was around $1000, NOW, less than half of that.)Think about the advantages-- 40% less power draw, 3 times the light output, 5 times longer lasting, whiter,(although xenon halogen bulbs do come close on all of these aspects, except they are not QUITE as bright, and use the same power as regular halogens) . I for one, like the HID lights, but can't begin to afford a car with them-- as of now, anyway, and for the forseeable future. Until that situation changes-- Silverstar xenon-halogens wil do. So far, I have only been "brighted" once, and that used to happen, with the original lights, every so often.

If someone could come up with a "drop in " replacement HID lamp, that could somehow combne the ballast, and starting ckt, into a package, that would fit a regular socket, and need nothing else-- at $100, or so--(probably not possible) It would sell like hotcakes.

[heathkit tv]

Carmine, you have a 5th Ave? Is that the old "Diplomat" M body? Those came with plastic low beams! My 86 GTS also has them and FINALLY one of them burnt out the other week and I changed it to a new Halogen glass bulb (nothing fancy) but the increase in light is amazing! I don't know if the other one is dim from age (like me) or if there really is that much difference between the glass and plastic lamps.

dgwojo, didja know that Wagner Electric was at one time part of Studebaker-Worthington, cum McGraw-Edison? Yes, Stude the car company, and yes, THAT Edison. Small world ain't it?

Anthony

[e2e4c7c5]

I hate HIDs, and I wish they would get off their butts and pass a law about them. You think that you are safer because you can see a little better, but you will probably change your mind when someone that you have blinded plows into you.

I absolutely agree!!! :yes:

[dgwojo]

dgwojo, didja know that Wagner Electric was at one time part of Studebaker-Worthington, cum McGraw-Edison? Yes, Stude the car company, and yes, THAT Edison. Small world ain't it?

Anthony
Very small world!! I also found out last week that we're tearing down a vaccuum tube factory that was part of Wagner, my response was that tubes were the "up and coming", DON'T DO IT!!!", oh well, that's progress I guess? Dave. :no:

[dgwojo]

I hate HIDs, and I wish they would get off their butts and pass a law about them. You think that you are safer because you can see a little better, but you will probably change your mind when someone that you have blinded plows into you.
I'm with you, I can't see $HIT at night when "pickemup" trucks are oncoming with a load of $hit in the bed that tilts the vehicle up and makes the beams come straight in your face, ever notice the fog lights become the driving lights because the headlights are aimed so high that they're useless?? I feel bad for young, inexperienced drivers, they need to know it's best to stare straight into the beams and hold the wheel for a straight course!! I guess irritating headlamps and pickemup trucks are just part of country living!! :gigglemad

[merrylander]

The major problem with new car headlamps is all in the design. When it finally dawns on the manufacturers that optics is a science and not an artform we might get decent headlamps. While I applaud the car makers for hiring the visually impaired I really do think they should not be the ones adjusting headlamps. Have you noticed that about 33% of all new cars have one headlamp aimed high? Then there are those pickup trucks with the riding lights in the bumper and they are always aimed wrong. As for HID I hope that the oncoming driver they blind is driving a semi, which makes me wonder, when was the last time you were blinded by the lights of an oncoming semi? My experience is that 95% of them have properly adjusted headlights, but of course most of them use sealed beams. When I still had the Probe I put in a set of Hellas - great lights! Not DOT approved but then DOT approval is pure BS because the car makers approve their own lamps then tell the DOT how good they are.

Rob

[merrylander]

Heathkit TV if you want great lamps for your Chrsler check out a company called Imparts in ST. Louis. They sell Hellas sealed beams in all shapes and sizes. The nice thing about the Hellas is they are 65/55 watt. The low beam (where you spend most of your time) is so well designed that it floods the road with light but does not illuminate the car ahead above the trunk. You can always tell a well designed low beam because the bottom half of the reflector is dark. Of course the Hellas use the H4 halogen, a well designed bulb, not those POS 9000 series bulbs.

Rob

[heathkit tv]

The things I detest about the HIDs is that color sparkle they throw....there's a purple in the spectrum that actually hurts my eyes when I get a blast of it. Then there's the shitty pattern they put out....yes, it's VERY sharp, TOO sharp. There's a distinct cut off, especially at the top....with every undulation in the road the driver's illuminated view is always being shifted up and down (at the far top end of the beam....if you've seen this you know what I'm talking about)

My argument against this very thing is that it forces the eyes to strain more.....conventional bulbs have more "scatter" which means the edges of the viewable light has more of a glow to it and is easier to see and less stressful. I bet if they did (or ever release) any studies on this, what I say will back up my opinion.

I remember reading somewhere that they developed some sort of Ultraviolet lighting system back in the 50's but part of it would require special windshields or at the very least special sunglasses...don't know if there would've been any adverse effects on pedestrians etc.

Anthony

[grumpy]

There was an article in the News here a couple years back where a study showed the newer Blue/White head lamps caused Headaches in a lot of drivers.

I hate driving head on toward one of the newer vehicles that use them but as I age and my eyesight gets worse I may end up switching to them.

Always used Hella's for off roading. They are light ( scuse the pun ) years better then KC's but they cost more.

[Jstas]

If someone could come up with a "drop in " replacement HID lamp, that could somehow combne the ballast, and starting ckt, into a package, that would fit a regular socket, and need nothing else-- at $100, or so--(probably not possible) It would sell like hotcakes.


Sylvania already did. They have drop in HID lamps with the bezels and reflectors and lenses with ballast kit included, a complete set, for many cars. Not all but many. The real issue is if your state allows them to be installed. In NJ, if your car didn't have them stock, you can't install them as aftermarket pieces.