Sylvania SilverStar 9007 and H3 difference?

[snoballz]

I would love to get true HID's but in the interim I would like to at least change the bulbs. After purusing the Sylvania site, the suggested headlamp replacement is Part number 9007 and the replacement for the fog is Part number H3.

Is it possible to use the H3 for the headlamp in lieu of the 9007? I do not see a problem since both are 55w and should not pose a problem with wiring. But I am new to this so I hope you folks to lead me toward the right path.

TIA

[Hank3]

You cannot interchange bulb sizes - they simply will not fit. Also, if you have a 2004 WRX as your profile indicates, you need H1s for your low beams, 9005s for your high beams, and I believe you're correct on the fog bulb being H3s.

[CreoWRX]

What Hank said. And in case you're wondering, here are pictures of the H3 and 9007 (respectively);





-Mike-

[snoballz]

Thanks!!!

Jeez, looks like the replacement part numbers in the Subaru Manual is the same exact part numbers of the SilverStar. Coincidence?

[bmorton]

Those are industry-standard bulb type numbers, not Sylvania part numbers, so that's why they're the same. I have Philips H1/9005 bulbs in my 2004.

[z wrx]

I believe the Silverstars are on sale at Pep Boys (if you have one).

[ButtDyno]

Why would you put Silverstars in your fogs? Or your low beams for that matter?

http://www.danielsternlighting.com/t...good/good.html
fogs: http://www.danielsternlighting.com/t...ght_color.html

john

[brentlz]

Nope: I'd only put them in if they were Osram Silver Star's: leave the Sylvania Silverstars for the HID wannabee's. If you must do Sylvania, use the XtraVision's...at least they're an improvement in light output.

Brent.

Originally posted by ButtDyno
Why would you put Silverstars in your fogs? Or your low beams for that matter?

http://www.danielsternlighting.com/t...good/good.html
fogs: http://www.danielsternlighting.com/t...ght_color.html

john

[NeoteriX]

Originally posted by brentlz
Nope: I'd only put them in if they were Osram Silver Star's: leave the Sylvania Silverstars for the HID wannabee's. If you must do Sylvania, use the XtraVision's...at least they're an improvement in light output.

Brent.

Word.

[esteve]

Originally posted by brentlz
Nope: I'd only put them in if they were Osram Silver Star's: leave the Sylvania Silverstars for the HID wannabee's. If you must do Sylvania, use the XtraVision's...at least they're an improvement in light output.

Brent.

I'm thinking of getting the xtravisions, are they really that noticeably better than stock?

[NeoteriX]

In my opinion, unconditionally yes.

For me to see, I installed only one side of the bulbs first and then saw the difference in lighting while in the car and while outside looking at the headlights. When you see the difference, it's quite obvious.

Since then though, I've upgraded to apparently what is a slightly better (from what people say, although here I didn't notice a difference), but somewhat more rare bulb, the Phillips Hi-Visibility series. Same concept, a 33% brighter bulb based on lower tolerances and better construction... WITH NO BLUE TINT.

[brentlz]

esteve:
Hard for me to make a direct comparision between the Subaru OEM and XtraVision bulbs:
I have the Sylvania XtraVision's in my SE-R. They are brighter than the factory Nissan bulbs.
Also running Osram Silver Star's in my WRX (EDM projector low beams). Much improved lighting compared to the factory H1 bulbs.

I would highly recommend Osram Silver Star's and have also heard good things about the Philips Vision Plus bulbs. FWIW, both claim "50% more light". YMMV.

Brent.

[Kraziken]

Dammit, wish I had seen this about 4 months earlier.

All I can say is, I can't fully discredit the Silverstars. Unfortunately I don't think I've ever seen the Xtravisions in my local stores.

All I can say is in my mom's practially pitch black neighborhood, I felt I could see easier.

The other options recommended are probably a better solution. All I can say is the Silverstars are better than the stock ones I had. Although, that in of itself, is probably not a hard thing to do.

If I could strap a couple of maglights to my front bumper, I think they'd be better than the stock lights.

[esteve]

Thanks guys. Are there any chain stores that sell the Phillips Vision Plus bulbs or did you have to order them?

I have to admit the Sylvania Silverstars seem pretty good, I guess they're deceptive. My brother put them in his car and we did a side-by-side comparison and my stockers looked far yellower and noticeably dimmer.

[NeoteriX]

Just to clarify -- the Silverstars aren't bad. They're pretty good bulbs, in fact, they are made in the same exact way that the XtraVisions are made. They are both bulbs built to higher specifications and output more light than the stock bulbs.

However, don't be fooled, it's the same basic halogen, filament based light technology... which means naturally yellow light. The only way to get the whiteish xenon HID type light is to use a filter -- thats why silverstar bulbs are BLUE -- just imagine taking blue saran wrap and wrapping it around your headlights or desklight -- instant blue light! The problem is that you get blue light because a filter filters out all the color wavelengths except for the color of the filter. What ends up happening is that you end up actually sacrificing some of the light output in order to get whiter light.

That's the whole clutch reason behind Silverstars and why they are a legal blue/white bulb is because of the better construction -- with the better constructed bulb, the light output is increased while the wattage stays the same (and safe), so the naturally increased output of the bulb compensates for the natural decrease of the output due to the blue film.

So what happens? In the end, I have a good hunch that the SilverStars are definitely going to be an improvement over stock. Let's just hypothetically say that the better contstructed bulbs increase brightness by 33%, and the film decreases brightness by 15%. You still have a 18% increase over stock.

The whole point about the XtraVisions is that if your goal is to increase light output because you think the stock headlights suck at life, then why not buy the best bulb you can get with a maximum 33% brightness increase? Why compromise that with the film? Not to mention the fact that since XtraVisions aren't "cool," they are in fact cheaper than SilverStars despite the fact that they are the same bulb, except without the light robbing blue tint film.

Now, if you're honest about things and you want to improve looks, and yellow bothers you, then thats another thing. Go ahead and buy the SilverStars. They are 10 times the bulbs the stockers are, and are 50 times the bulbs that the cheesy PIAAs and other pieces of blue crap that you'll find on ebay are. All I ask is that you acknowledge that you're compromising performance for... looks.

~ NeoteriX

edit: oh yeah -- I forgot to add. Yeah, it seems that you can only get the Phillips Hi Visibility bulbs like at only one store on the internet now. http://suvlights.tripod.com/suvlight...visibility.htm For $12 each. Pretty pricy.
A while back when K-Mart was going through financial restructuring to recover from its bankruptcy, several stores were selling them at like rediculous prices... I think I picked up like 6 pairs for $5 each or something. I ended up already selling them on NASIOC.

Honestly, I would go with the XtraVisions. You can find them more readily, and whereas I wasn't sure of a difference between the XtraVisions (eyes are notoriously poor judges of light -- thats why you'll get people wasting $$$ on crappy blue ebay bulbs and think that the light output is stupendous) and hivisibility bulbs, there is an absolute difference between the stockers and xtravisions. I even took a picture of the front of my car with one stock and one xtravision...

[snoballz]

Now I am dazed and confused. I thought the SilverStar is not blue... in fact I thought Sylvania had a different line.... "Cool Blue", which is their blue tinted bulbs?!

Also, I thought Osram-Sylvania is one compaany I didn't realize they manufactured seprate bulbs using the same trade name. Godd grief.

Thanks for the responses.

[esteve]

Neoterix,

Thanks for the info. I wasn't going to get the Silverstars, it was just a shocker seeing what I thought were decent stock lights pale in comparison to the Silverstars.

[esteve]

Originally posted by snoballz
Now I am dazed and confused. I thought the SilverStar is not blue... in fact I thought Sylvania had a different line.... "Cool Blue", which is their blue tinted bulbs?!

Also, I thought Osram-Sylvania is one compaany I didn't realize they manufactured seprate bulbs using the same trade name. Godd grief.

Thanks for the responses.

The Silverstars have a light-blue coating and give off white light, as opposed to the Cool Blues which have a much bluer tint and a nasty, dull blue light.

[brentlz]

The Sylvania Silverstar's are not that bad of a bulb when compared to some of the other "HID look" bulbs on the market...there are much worse out there. Just don't get fooled by the "whiter light is brighter" marketing claims of some manufacturers.

http://autozone.com has the Sylvania XtraVision 9007's listed at $9.99/bulb. Search for Part# 9007XV/UPP

The best place I've found to get the Osram Silver Star & Philips Vision Plus bulbs is http://www.powerbulbs.com in the UK: doesn't look like either are available in 9007 bulbs though...

Brent.

[Uncle Scotty]

I have the Sylvania Hi-Vis in my car and they are like laser beams compared to the stock bulbs.

EDIT: see http://www.sylvania.com/auto/silverstar.htm


LMAO!!!!

[esteve]

Originally posted by brentlz


http://autozone.com has the Sylvania XtraVision 9007's listed at $9.99/bulb. Search for Part# 9007XV/UPP

Brent.

That's an excellent price, at Pep Boys and Kragen they go for $13 or so each. I'll get a pair this weekend and am curious how much better they'll be.

[nhluhr]

do an upgraded wiring harness for it as well. I just did and the increased output on my 9005 high beams is amazing... and the H1/HID lobeams turn on MUCH faster now too.

You'll spend about the same on upgraded wiring/relays as you would on a set of Silverstar bulbs and the light output (with stock bulbs) will be much better.

[esteve]

I bought the xtravisions today at Autozone and they're a noticeable improvement over stock. The lighting is more full and even and a tad brighter. I thought the stock lighting was pretty decent but this is a nice improvement. Thanks guys.

[magisimo]

Originally posted by nhluhr
do an upgraded wiring harness for it as well. I just did and the increased output on my 9005 high beams is amazing... and the H1/HID lobeams turn on MUCH faster now too.

You'll spend about the same on upgraded wiring/relays as you would on a set of Silverstar bulbs and the light output (with stock bulbs) will be much better.

what kind of wiring harness would you suggest?

[wrx2k3]

Umm..

WRX's come stock with Sylvania XtraVisions bulbs (9007).

Correct me if i'm wrong.. but that's what I saw when I replaced mine.