I need to see the road. What bulbs?

[Niklas1]

Just started using my 03 xlt again after driving a brand new car for a while and I realised that the head lights are really bad. There are some old standard bulbs in it now.

What should I get? Philips?
There doesn't seem to be that many of the better bulbs available for 9007/hb5.

Or can I convert the plug to fit another standard? Or convert i to LED or is that still a bad option? Patchy light and fogging problems? It's legal here to do it (imported to Sweden).

 

[toypaseo]

I have Philips X-treme Power bulbs in my Explorer and my Paseo. Great bulbs. They are discontinued, and the Philips X-treme Vision was the next version.

 

[UtahX]

I like SilverStars.

 

[boominXplorer]

Silverstar or Silverstar ultra. I don't recommend HIDs or LEDs for the average person. Theres alot involved getting them right and always a risk of fire unless probably done, they like to get real hot.

 

[koda2000]

Better bulbs can certainly help, but unless your headlight lenses are clear as glass you're wasting your money. Cloudy lenses defuse the and degrade the light significantly. How are your headlight lenses? If not perfect, replace them.

 

[N2FORD]

I have silverstar's in my trucks. As Koda said the lenses are just as important. There are polishes that help renew the lenses or new ones on ebay cheap.

 

[UtahX]

Yeah, get some of those Diamond Clears if they still make them.

 

[swshawaii]

I found no need for expensive headlight refinishing kits. Orange rubbing compound and foam pad on a drill works wonders.

 

[koda2000]

I have silverstar's in my trucks. As Koda said the lenses are just as important. There are polishes that help renew the lenses or new ones on ebay cheap.

I've tried "restoring" headlight lenses. It seems to work for a while, but only for a month or so. Newer, more expensive, headlight restoration kits include some sort of UV coating you apply after polishing, but I recommend you buy replacement headlights.

 

[Niklas1]

The lenses are not perfect, but not bad either. I ordered some Philips X-treme vision last night so I'm waiting for those, but I might order some Silverstars as well and compare. Extra bulbs is always good to have anyway. And I will try to polish the lenses and see if it gets better as well. In the end I might have to buy new headlights anyway.

The annoying thing is that I live in Europe and have to order everything from the states so it takes some time to get stuff.

 

[koda2000]

The lenses are not perfect, but not bad either. I ordered some Philips X-treme vision last night so I'm waiting for those, but I might order some Silverstars as well and compare. Extra bulbs is always good to have anyway. And I will try to polish the lenses and see if it gets better as well. In the end I might have to buy new headlights anyway.

The annoying thing is that I live in Europe and have to order everything from the states so it takes some time to get stuff.

You may already know this, but do not touch the glass part of the bulbs with your fingers. If you do, clean them with alcohol. Any oil from your skin will cause a hot-spot on the bulb, which will cause it to burn out fairly quickly.

On a funnier note:
I once sold a guy a set of Silverstars. He came back the next day an complained one had exploded. I gave him a replacement bulb, but the next day he came back again saying it too had exploded. I went outside to look at his car. His headlight was literally 1/2 full of water (seriously, you could have put a gold fish in there). He did not receive another free bulb.

Another guy came back and complained the expensive bulbs he'd purchased did not improve his lighting at all. Back in the late 80's/early 90's Chrysler's plastic headlight lenses would eventually turn milk white. That was his issue. Bulbs were not going to help that.

 

[UtahX]

The lenses are not perfect, but not bad either. I ordered some Philips X-treme vision last night so I'm waiting for those, but I might order some Silverstars as well and compare. Extra bulbs is always good to have anyway. And I will try to polish the lenses and see if it gets better as well. In the end I might have to buy new headlights anyway.

The annoying thing is that I live in Europe and have to order everything from the states so it takes some time to get stuff.

Let us know how it goes.

 

[Niklas1]

Been using the Philips X-treme visions for a while now and it's an improvement for sure. It's not like night and day difference but good enough. Polished the left headlight the other day to see if it made a difference but not that I can see. But I'll do the other one as well since it looks better.

Ordered Silverstars as well to try out and have as backup when these burn out.

The bulbs that were in there from before was Philips standard. But probably very old.