Bulbs and how long yours lasted?

[SilentRacer]

Share your bulb experiences, make sure you list the manufacturer and how long they lasted. I'll start.

Eurodesigns xenon bulbs - trash lasted 1 week.
Phillips Hyper White - 2 years and still going!

[Reason]

This could be an interesting thread, I shall sticky it!

[Plays_with_Toys]

Hella yellowstars (rallylights.com): one lasted a week, the other bulb has lasted 8 months or so, still going
Eurovizion Yellow xenon bulbs (ebay): 10 months and still going (also the same brightness/color as the hella's)
Silvania Silverstars: 6-9 months, and still going, but I took them out for the yellows.

[bubaru21]

silverstars- lasted 3 months (i think due to a wirring problem)

[Wiscon_Mark]

OEM-2 years, burnt
Halogen Xtravision-1 year, burnt
Silverstar-2 months, still working (sucking)...

[jey]

I use Sylvania XVs.

My left headlight has been working for 28 months and 43000 miles.

My right headlight was installed for 14 months and 23000 miles before the filament broke, but that was because the headlamp assembly flew off the car and onto the Interstate at 70 mph.

And I keep my lights on all the time, day and night time.

[bubaru21]

what are XVs

[shazapple]

Ive had my car for 3 years and 60,000 km. Stock headlights still going, but not very strong. Theyre always on as well

[Wiscon_Mark]

what are XVs

The XtraVisions that I mentioned.

[legacy4ever]

Philips Blue Vision - lasted for 3 years, then 1 gone. I always turn the headlights on, when on long trips and in winter all day long.

Now I got Philips GT 150 - they have same output power and color temperature, but make the reflectors look incredible - people just stare at my lights, they don't know what the hell bulbs are there :grin:

Let them work and see how long...

[edit] talking bout Phillips - they introduced recently these bulbs :arrow: http://www.nam.lighting.philips.com/us/ ... epower.php (http://www.nam.lighting.philips.com/us/automotive/products/xtremepower.php)

maybe the best halogen bulbs so far... :smile:

[rougeben83]

Silverstars; 2 years and running (on another vehicle using H4 bulbs)
Cool Blue; 3 years and running (another vehicle, using 9007 bulb as the Legacy)
PIAA Superwhites; 8 months and still running (On the Legacy 9007 bulb, switched out for HID's).

[blackgtbeauty]

Silverstars sucked in my jdm's. I got about 6 months out of both and the blew within a week of each other.

[ooberdoob]

fuck silverstars!

one blew last night... after about a month of use.

here's my silverstar track record:

first set in the truck: 8mos
first set in scooby 10 mos
first set in tori's civic: 6 months
second set in scooby: 2 months. *
third set in scooby: 1 month

*H1s for the JDMs, tapped the rear of a neon (scuffed bumpers) day before they blew.

NEVER AGAIN!

[outbackmike]

OEM are still on since i got the car,around sep.i dont know if they changed it before i bought the car.
got Sylvania silverstar in my room waiting to be installed tomorrow,will inform on how it works.

[LegacyRob]

I replace the H1 silverstars about every 2 months and the H3 silverstars about once a yr. Not sure why the H1 bulbs blow so often. I like the light they give but would like to try something else to see if the blow as often.

[LeggoMyLeggy]

I had Silverstars that I replaced after both failed within 60 days. I switched to GE Nighthawks and the first one just failed last month, just shy a few weeks of 2 years.

/Leggo

[LegacyRob]

I had Silverstars that I replaced after both failed within 60 days. I switched to GE Nighthawks and the first one just failed last month, just shy a few weeks of 2 years.

/Leggo
I've never seen a GE Nightwawk in the H1 bulb?

[sansMYSTi]

I went thropugh many pairs of Eurolites in my bugeye before I gave up on them - one only lasted 2 months. However, I had them in my wife's Blazer for several years before they failed. It must be something about Rex's that can make them eat bulbs. I keep OEM's in my Leg and I think they are fine - I don't drive much at night anyway.

[rougeben83]

Silverstars; 2 years and running (on another vehicle using H4 bulbs)
Cool Blue; 3 years and running (another vehicle, using 9007 bulb as the Legacy)
PIAA Superwhites; 8 months and still running (On the Legacy 9007 bulb, switched out for HID's).

Oh yeah, forgot to add, I'm running the Osram variety Silverstars, not the Sylvannia ones that people seem to be having bad luck with...

Sold the PIAA superwhites though. Running HID's in the headlights now.

Running Osram Silverstars in the H7 Hella ff75's, Osram +30 H3's in the factory fogs (soon to be aftermarket units).

[Payback45]

I am really getting sick and tired of SS H1. I have gone through 3 bulbs in less than a year. And I just had another blow out 2 nights ago. I need a different brand but all the stores only sell SS. I know I can buy on line but I don't want to drive around with a light out. don't want to get pulled over ya know.

[Wiscon_Mark]

You won't get a ticket right off the bat. If they pull you over, they issue a 10 day warning, where you have to get it fixed in 10 days (might be a little different in your state) and if it's not by then, you get a fine or something.

But if you must buy store brand, get the Sylvania Halogen Xtravision.

[jeremod]

I have GE nighthawk bulbs right now. They've been going strong for about a year and a half now. Not super bright but very decent.

Just a stupid little tip but if a headlight is burned out you can usually turn the lights on and then get out and slap the headlight and the bulb will work until you shut the lights off again. Kinda nice if your broke or need to drive on the highway at night or something.

[The Deej]

I have a set of cheap-o euro's. I think they look great, really give off the bright white look. I had a set of PIAA Hyper whites for about 6 months and they blew. I figured it had to be something with the day-time running lights. I talked to a couple friends who were driving WRX and they showed me how to turn of the DTM. Sucks.
$75 PIAA's - 6 months
$9 cheap-o ebay lights - year and a half.

If your interested, there is a write up for it on http://www.lightsout.org/disable.html#Subaru
happy driving[/url]

[Khanhfucious]

I went through roughly 5 pairs of SilverStar H1s over a span of 14 months. I dont know why I kept going back to them..

Then I went HiD..and now Im back to Standard $5 H1 bulbs..

[ooberdoob]

if you can get your hands on REAL european Hella bulbs, go for it. i love mine. they are very clean, very bright, and have lasted well so far.

(jdm headlights w/hella h1s and h3s.)

[Emily]

I had one set of SilverStars that lasted 3 months...Thinking it was a fluke I replaced them. They blew in about 6 months.

I received a new set for Christmas. I figured what the hell and put them in. Six months later...they blew with in one week of each other.

I am going back to the cheap, basic bulb.

*Is it the daytime running lamps that are doing it?*

[SilentRacer]

*Is it the daytime running lamps that are doing it?*

No, look above, silverstars are just crap.

[Jedi Taxi]

I have OEM bulbs on my eclipse. they still work even after the engine fire i had. i've had them for 4 years now and never had to touch the assembly to play with them. I'll find out what they are.

[JourdanWithaU]

Wow... it seems like anything other thna OEM just sucks...

I have been driving a 1998 legacy outback for two years now...never had to replace a bulb... The car had been in the family for about seven years... I don't recall having to replace any bulbs... and the original owner owned the car for about two years... it is possible that the original owner had replaced the bulbs... but I doubt it... So if the original owner never replaced a bulb and I never replaced a bulb then that means that the bulbs I have now have been going for almost 10 YEARS!

There was a period of time after I noticed that the lights automaticaly turn off when the I turn off the car so I left the lights on all the time...

recently... the driver's side headlight whent out... I opened the hood ti make sure it was still connected and what not and the light didn't come back on... I said to myself, "well I guess i have to get a new bulb." and closed the hood... as soon as the hood latched the light came back on...

[canonguy]

I got silver stars because they worked great in my other vehicles, but not the h1's on my legacy. One lasted about 8 days, the other went out about 2 weeks later. I got a new pair in and its been about 2 months or so now, the h3 fogs about 4 months and the 9005 high beams i got a junk yard are about 3 months also. Thinking about going hid, but I've been told they can melt the headlight lens.


Edit- yeah the night I posted this both of the h1s went out, figures. I called osram sulvania and they told me i can send the bulbs back and get them replaced free of charge.

[SilentRacer]

Thinking about going hid, but I've been told they can melt the headlight lens.

What? Thats completely untrue, they do not melt anything and run on less power than stock bulbs.

[HeresMyMind]

my phillips d2s 85122+ hid bulbs have been good for over 2 years now. and i use them for about 20 hours a week.


(posted HID info write up)

-B

[LegacyRob]

I got some Narva +50 about six months ago and am really happy with them so far.

[subbyobs]

Hyper bulbs (85/80) bought in April 07, still working.
H3 Yellowstar (85) bought in Sept 07, still working (for Impreza RS)
Hella XB (100/80) burned one for 6 mos, the other one still working
Yellowstar (H4 bulb, 130/90), burned one for 3 mos, the other one replaced by the Hyper bulbs.

All bulbs are bought from Rallylight. Beside the Hyper bulbs, the yellowstar and XB are Hella boxed light bulbs.

I got a pair of PIAA GTX (or GT-A), the one with the purple coating, it lasted for nearly 2 years; but the output was dramatic lowered after 1 year or so.

[LegacyRob]

I got some Narva +50 about six months ago and am really happy with them so far.

well it's been about 14 months now with the narva +50 and they are still going strong.

[Black Sunshine]

In 2005 I decided that my OEM (I believe they were Sylvania) bulbs in my '97 Legacy wagon needed upgrading. They were orginal and still working, but I figured the output was probably deminishing. I replaced them with Sylvania Silverstars, they worked well until '06 when it seemed that the extra current they required caused a ground short and melted both of my connectors simotaneously. I've heard these vehicles have a voltage drop problem at the headlights. I replaced the connectors with some from a junkyard and I used a modiefed embry board to clean the all connective surfaces then I gooped all up real good with di-electric grease. This worked great until '07 when I hit Bambi's 150lb. mom at 55 mph. Once the shop replaced my entire front end they install the Phillips Silverstar counterpart. They didn't go through the great lengths I did to make sure their connectivety would endure. I was too lazy to mess with them since they worked fine. Then last summer the bulbs melted the connectors, again. I'm really bored with this problem so I'm going to upgrade to JDM/HID Bi-Xenon. I'm hoping that since the HID uses a separate more direct power source I shouldn't have any more problems.

Ironically, compared to most posts here, I never had any actual bulb failures. I currently have three bulbs out in the entire twelve year old vehicle. The left rear sidemarker/signal bulb, the illumination bulb for the HVAC, and the illumination bulb for the gear selector. I've been amazed that more of the bulbs haven't gone out. I never turn my headlights off, so the bulbs run all the time and I have 183k on it.

[beckleysuby51]

98 with factory bulbs and new lamp assemblys 106,908miles

[Legacy89]

The first thing i did when i got my car was to replace the bulbs.
H7 Osram Nightbreaker - Lowbeam
H1 Osram Nightbreaker - Highbeam
H3 Osram Nightbreaker - Foglight
H3 Osram Nightbreaker - Drivinglights
All bulbs are fine but they have only done 2 months, I got a set of Phillips Xtreme Power to see if there is a difference. The highbeams got a little break during the winter because of my HID but the output of the HID was crap so i removed it.

[Shale]

Hehe. OEM lasted 2 years for me... then when I got STi suspension, BANG.

Since then I've been through countless, countless bulbs. Only off the shelf brands worth considering here are Narva and Phillips; they last between 1 month and 6 months in my car. I can't even remember which ones fare slightly better now, as I'm buying new bulbs about once every 3 months.

This is for foglamps and headlights. Tails and parks tend to last a year or so. I drive with all my lights on, as NZ is a cloudy b@stard and the road, sky and my car all share a colour in common... GREY.

IMO the bulbs I use would last longer if I didn't have my blasted current suspension. It eats bulbs and tyres something chronic. It's got what, about 10mm of travel in it...camber to feed the starving in Africa...and has created all sorts of rattles from one end of the car to another. But the handling is worth it. It really is :)

So it might be time for a HID retrofit :smt022

[99OBTT]

I used the Hella and Optilux all the time.

Hella H4 and 9007 (used for both Legacys), the XP with 100W (High Performance), last around 1 year.
Optilux (manufactured by Hella), last around 1 year.

Both are xenon bulb and given out not the white light and very good in the rain.

(Hella cost around 40 a pair, while Opt cost around 20-30 a pair).

[HeresMyMind]

phillips 85122+ d2s bulbs lasted me 4 years at 55 watts until i swapped them for phillips Dl-50's. both are still in perfect working condition.

-B

[grt3]

reg headlights have lasted over a year now.

[YVK]

got some Ebay H3 Yellow bulbs for fogs, one died out in like a month..

[Quest]

I got some Narva +50 about six months ago and am really happy with them so far.

well it's been about 14 months now with the narva +50 and they are still going strong.

My Narva +50s lasted 2 years. Replaced them with Osram Rallye 70/65 +50. They are only slightly overwatt and have more lumens. http://store.candlepower.com/64205.html

[geckoboy86]

Not Subaru related but Recently replaced a headlight bulb in a 96 Jeep...Had the manufacturing date on them 05/96...

mine last about 2-3 years.

[rkrenicki]

I have Narva 50+ for my low beams, and they are doing quite nicely after about 8 months now..

[98legwag]

I have Narva 50+ for my low beams, and they are doing quite nicely after about 8 months now..

I had H3 Narva 50+ in my fogs. One lasted 3 months, but the other is still good. I now have Hella Yellowstars in the fogs. My projector lows have Phillips Diamond Vision and are sweet. I don't know how long they've lasted since they were in the lights when I got them.

[Danny-G]

There was a set of PIAA H4 bulbs in my sedan when I started driving it in '09. They had been in the car since '07 I think. They lasted atleast four years, with alot of rough gravel road driving. My only complaints were them only coming in sets and those sets cost something stupid like $115 or so. But those were some damn good quality bulbs and if I wasn't running projectors in my sedan and 100w/55w bulbs in my wagon, I would still be using them. One from '07 still works without any issues.

As for the H1 bulbs that the projectors take, I had one go out cause the element came out of the base (bulbs were used and came in the projectors). I upgraded from standard 55w to 100w and that started melting the headlight lense a bit cause I put the projectors too close to the lense.

And for all the H3 bulbs I run. I've had three 100w blubs go cause the element came out of the base. I've blown a few 55w cause they got a bit wet while I was out playing in the wet.

[BlazingAsura]

2010 Legacy - OEM Bulbs: Driver Sider - 3 years and 65K and still going. Passenger Side - 3 years, burnt out at 60K in June. Replaced with OEM. Fog lights - OEM and going strong.
2006 Legacy GT - Bought the car in May, replaced both headlights earlier this month with Sylvania XV, doing good so far. Passenger headlight lost the retainer clip, so the headlight is of no use. Thankfully I have fogs, which were replaced in July due to both bulbs being out.

[Quest]

Osram Rallye 70/65 +50 lasted 6 months before I lost 1 low beam

[rkrenicki]

I have Narva 50+ for my low beams, and they are doing quite nicely after about 8 months now..


Ne-ne-ne-necrobump...

These Narva 50+ bulbs migrated to the high beams of both sets of my Japanese headlights. I still have them, and they still work great. If they were 8 months old in 9/2012.. that makes them 4 years old now. That being said, I dont really use my high beams that much, so that as artificially extended their life.