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Sylvania: Silverstar vs XtraVision

Zach

Member
Joined
March 8, 2002
Messages
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City, State
Salt Lake City, UT
Year, Model & Trim Level
1999 XLT 4.0L SOHC
I was just on the sylvania website and was comparing the silverstar and the Xtravision. I was wondering if anyone has any knowledge of which lights the road better (not necessarily looks whiter). The site says that the Xtravision are 30% brighter than stock and the silverstars are 20% brighter than stock, but whiter. I want to upgrade my bulbs to light the road better not be whiter. Which would you suggest?
 



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Super H and Hiper

Also what do you think about the Super H and Hiper Bulbs that are higher wattage, but cheaper. They are way above specs at 80 watts (spec 55/65). Has this caused people problems? Is it worth the risk? Thanks
 






I just installed some Silverstars yesterday and I'm very pleased with them.
 






I have had XV's for about 3 months and they are much brighter than standard bulbs. I don't know nothing about silverstars but I like the XV's
 






Hartman?

Hartman, Do you have smoke light covers? If you do did your bulb upgrade make a big difference?
 






ANYONE

Does anyone know how the 2 sylvania bulbs compare head to head? Advantages/ disadvantages of each?
 






Hartman: bulbs through covers

DId your bulb upgrade make a difference through your haedlight covers?
 






Zach, the bulb did help a little through my headlight covers. The bulbs won't really help me until I get clear corners, which will be soon. I just got them early for the color -- so they'll match my xenon foglight bulbs.
 






I just got some XtraVisions tonight, and am going to install them tomorrow morning. I went with them because they are about $20 cheaper than the SilverStars, are suppose to be just as bright as them, and they should last longer since they don't have a tint that makes the bulb burn brighter and thus shorten its life. I like the SilverStars from what I have read and seen, and wouldn't mind buying them just to see what they are like. I'm sure you you be pleased with them, but at Wal-Mart the XtraVisions are only $18.43, and the SilverStars are $38.
 






I bought a set of Silverstars off of eBay for $18 and I have to say, that's probably the best $18 I've spent in years. The bulbs are such a huge improvement over my stock ones which barely did anything, the low beams + fog lights lit the road better than the high beams did. Now I get the output a headlight should give with the Silverstars.

I don't know anything about the Extravision lights, but I have no reason to bother trying them out until these lights burn out. As for your question about the higher wattage, I'd stay away from them. Higher wattage = higher temperature and the housings might melt or become damaged because of that.
 












I'm a ge nighthawk fan, buddy of mine has silverstars and side by side theres no doubt his are white/bluer then mine are but light on the road, harsh weather, field driving at midnight.... Hands down to the nighthawks i get more output more distance... silverstars look cooler though... I'm a output guy though... Jus my 2 cent
 






Not sure if they have changed but the silverstars are wayyy brighter than stock and have the cool hid/blue color. But I went through 2 sets in less than 6 months as did alot of people. Back then (1yr) they were $40 a set. So I gave up and put the stockers back in, that are 6 yrs old.
 






Sylvania XtraVisions put out 20-30% more light than the regular bulbs at about 50-75 meters, which helps you see better, and gives an improved margin of safety. Philips Hi-Visibility and the GE NightHawks are good improved bulbs as well.

Sylvania Silverstars are just cranked up XtraVisions to get enough light through the tinted coating, which gives them the white/blue "HID" look for the sake of appearances. It *looks* better on lighter pavement surfaces, when reflected on signs, etc. but actually puts out LESS light, AND the blue/white light gives extremely poor visibility on dark pavement and in wet conditions. They also burn out quickly from burning so brightly to get enough light output through the coatings. Sylvania has been marketing the Silverstar line as their top offering and the "safest" choice, but in reality they were just a market share grab, and a cosmetic item for people who think others really care what color their headlights are.
 






I had the silverstars and those bulbs do not have good usable light output. They were especially bad on the highway my stockers were better. So i ended just putting my stock ones back in that came with my explorer. Two years and they are still not burned out.

Maybe a big improvement would be switching to diamond clear headlights with those xv bulbs.
 






I have Silverstars in my Paseo. They are terrible in rain or snow. Good thing I only paid $5 per set new at my local Habitat For Humanity store :D

I wish they had HIR available for 9003 bulbs...

I wish they had HIR available for my 96 Explorer...
 












I wish they had HIR available for 9003 bulbs...

I wish they had HIR available for my 96 Explorer...

You can get OSRAM (NOT Sylvania) Silverstar bulbs in the 9003/H4 size on the internet for about $25-30, which are +50% bulbs, and probably the best bulb you can get. The Sylvania XtraVisions in the 9003 or H4 size are actually the OSRAM +30% bulbs, which are excellent as well.

For 900X bulbs, Sylvania XtraVision, Philips Hi-Visibility, or GE Nighthawks are probably the best you can get.
 









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