Installed some of those Sylvania Cool Blues
01-07-05 | 03:48 PM
#1
Thread Starter
Southwind Seven
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 298
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From: Kansas
Installed some of those Sylvania Cool Blues
I went to the parts store the other day with my xmas gift certificate to purchase those Sylvania Silverstars that are so highly rated, but would have had to cash in my 401k to pay for them. So I ended up buying the Cool Blues. I installed one for a comparison against the old lamp and couldn't believe how yellow the 20 year old lamp was. I went for a spin that night and could tell a very big difference. They appeared to shine too low and need to be adjusted up a tad. I'm happy with them and don't see anything "blue" about them. (not ricey) FYI...it was easier to remove the old lamps by removing the 6 screws that holds the black plastic bezel on.
01-07-05 | 04:54 PM
#2
Function > Form
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 10,890
Likes: 3
From: Catonsville MD (baltimore suburb)
I have a pair as well and for night driving one of the best up grades you can do.
FYI: you're supposed to take off the black housing before removing the lights, that's why it's easier.
FYI: you're supposed to take off the black housing before removing the lights, that's why it's easier.
01-07-05 | 05:34 PM
#3
Rotary Enthusiast
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 1,118
Likes: 4
From: Virginia
The Silverstars sold in the US market under the Sylvania brand are NOT highly rated. They are simply highly priced and you are paying for marketing hype. "For best headlamp performance and best value, choose only bulbs with clear glass." This should explain:
Osram, the well-established German lampmaker, sells a line of automotive bulbs they call "SilverStar". These are Osram's top-of-the-range headlamp bulbs, equivalent to Philips VisionPlus and Tungsram Megalight Premium. They produce the maximum legal amount of light while staying within legal power consumption limits. They have clear glass.
Osram bought the well-established American lampmaker Sylvania in the early 1990s, so Osram is now Sylvania's parent company. Sylvania also sells a line of automotive bulbs they call "SilverStar", but it's not the same product at all. These bulbs have a blue coating on them. Light output is of legal levels, but as with all blue-filtered bulbs, you do not get more light from them. The Sylvania SilverStar bulbs have a very short lifetime, because the filament is selected so as to be overdriven. This is necessary because the blue filtration coating "steals" so much light that only an overdriven filament can push enough light through the filter to be legal. The Sylvania SilverStar bulbs are also priced quite high. This is not because they cost a lot to make, and not because they're based on some exotic new technology. It's because the goal with this product is to take market share away from other overpriced bulbs like the PIAA line.
For best headlamp performance and best value, choose only bulbs with clear glass.
Daniel Stern Lighting (Daniel J. Stern, Proprietor)
http://www.danielsternlighting.com/t...good/good.html
Osram bought the well-established American lampmaker Sylvania in the early 1990s, so Osram is now Sylvania's parent company. Sylvania also sells a line of automotive bulbs they call "SilverStar", but it's not the same product at all. These bulbs have a blue coating on them. Light output is of legal levels, but as with all blue-filtered bulbs, you do not get more light from them. The Sylvania SilverStar bulbs have a very short lifetime, because the filament is selected so as to be overdriven. This is necessary because the blue filtration coating "steals" so much light that only an overdriven filament can push enough light through the filter to be legal. The Sylvania SilverStar bulbs are also priced quite high. This is not because they cost a lot to make, and not because they're based on some exotic new technology. It's because the goal with this product is to take market share away from other overpriced bulbs like the PIAA line.
For best headlamp performance and best value, choose only bulbs with clear glass.
Daniel Stern Lighting (Daniel J. Stern, Proprietor)
01-07-05 | 06:54 PM
#5
I have the Cool Blues on my Toyota 4x4, and they are rather amazing compared to worn out stock lights.
David, I agree with RX7Rox, theres nothing blue about the Cool Blues at all. Even when driving towards the vehicle and at side angles, they dont look blue to me. I tested the theroy because like you, Im not a fan of them either and if these did it, I was going to return them.
~T.J.
David, I agree with RX7Rox, theres nothing blue about the Cool Blues at all. Even when driving towards the vehicle and at side angles, they dont look blue to me. I tested the theroy because like you, Im not a fan of them either and if these did it, I was going to return them.
~T.J.
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01-09-05 | 12:34 AM
#11
siverstar
cosmic, on the back of the package of the silverstars that i got for my other vehicle say osram sylvania products and they are clear with no coating and they produce a
very white light with no glare and have a broad beam angle, could sylvania be selling these to different places in the us with different packaging? Right now on my se i have the hella's with the replaceable bulbs, they are about $40.00 a side
and are pretty decent, i am only running the stock wattage, 55/65 watts. I might try the 100watt ones but will probably get nailed by the highway patrol. rx7doctor
very white light with no glare and have a broad beam angle, could sylvania be selling these to different places in the us with different packaging? Right now on my se i have the hella's with the replaceable bulbs, they are about $40.00 a side
and are pretty decent, i am only running the stock wattage, 55/65 watts. I might try the 100watt ones but will probably get nailed by the highway patrol. rx7doctor
01-09-05 | 09:39 PM
#12
EliteHardcoreCannuckSquad
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 4,126
Likes: 4
From: Acton, Ontario, Canada
Originally Posted by jays83gsl
The blue they put into the lights cancels out the yellow. Therefore, you get an almost pure white beam.
ANYTIME you are subtracting or "canceling" out light, you are making your headlight dimmer....
"pure white" or not.
Most oftan, people with older cars like ours replace nasty sealed beam "standard" bulbs with ANY newer type of bulb they are blown away by the difference. But "Cool Blue" or "Ultra White" bulbs are only maginally better in real world use. It's like saying a Honda Civic is better than a Geo Metro. They both suck, so who cares if one is better?
For a real difference in headlights you really have to go to a premium white bulb with no colour filter.
01-15-05 | 02:18 PM
#15
Rotary Freak
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 1,879
Likes: 0
From: Austin-Houston Texas
I'm not trying to be an *******, but If your going to do somthing do it right like HID convesion. Ive seen people just go to a BMW junkyard and get the HID set up off them and then modify them for there car ,and it makes it SOOOOO much better
01-15-05 | 07:26 PM
#16
84SE-EGI helpy-helperton
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 3,366
Likes: 380
From: Phoenix, AZ
I was very impressed after installing the SilverStar lamps in my SE. I was using the 'standard' Sylvania bulbs for the last year (purchased new 1 year ago) that I installed after my repaint and new emblems, but the SilverStars are a huge improvement in light output.
The light is cast to the sides more than my standard bulbs, which helps to illuminate curbs and road markers. Further, the lights project a very solid beam straight ahead, which helps to light up down the road. At first I was thinking that the lights are just aimed too low and projecting onto the ground, but raising them resulted in too much light into oncoming traffic. I lowered them again, and know that they're just that much brights than standard lamps.
HTH, worth the money,
The light is cast to the sides more than my standard bulbs, which helps to illuminate curbs and road markers. Further, the lights project a very solid beam straight ahead, which helps to light up down the road. At first I was thinking that the lights are just aimed too low and projecting onto the ground, but raising them resulted in too much light into oncoming traffic. I lowered them again, and know that they're just that much brights than standard lamps.
HTH, worth the money,
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