Philips X-Treme Power bulbs

corcaigh07

could do with new bulbs, are these my best option?

http://cgi.ebay.ie/PHILIPS-X-TREME-POWER-H4-EXTREME-XENON-BULBS-VOLKSWAGEN_W0QQitemZ380164861536QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM?hash=item5883976e60

bazz26

That's a good price for them. Also have a look at the Osram Nightbreakers which are similar to the X-Tremes.

Note though that these type bulbs have roughly half the life expectancy of a normal halogen bulb. If they are used as Daytime Running Lights you will be replacing them fairly regularly which is expensive.

Neilw

bazz26 wrote: »

That's a good price for them. Also have a look at the Osram Nightbreakers which are similar to the X-Tremes.

Note though that these type bulbs have roughly half the life expectancy of a normal halogen bulb. If they are used as Daytime Running Lights you will be replacing them fairly regularly which is expensive.

I have the x-treme power bulbs in my car nearly 2 years now, still going strong. I thought they were worth the money performance wise.

EPM

I've used them in the past but moved back to nightbreakers as I found them better. Also buy two packs together-view usually go in pairs and a lot more regularly that normal bulbs

cadaliac

I have the Orsam Night Breakers.......great job. Real world difference to your night time driving.

Anan1

I have the Philips bulbs in a car, find them good.

BlackWizard

I use Lidl ones

colm_mcm

I got HIDs

OldmanMondeo

colm_mcm wrote: »

I got HIDs

You can get a cream for that.

BlackWizard

Can I buy the Phillips or Orsam Night Breakers from halfords?

bazz26

BlackWizard wrote: »

Can I buy the Phillips or Orsam Night Breakers from halfords?

You can but be prepared to be fleeced.

EPM

BlackWizard wrote: »

Can I buy the Phillips or Orsam Night Breakers from halfords?

They only stock their own brand. Powerbulbs.co.uk are good, and often throw in a set of sidelights too

Eoin

JHMEG posted a link with reviews of different bulb manufacturers a short while ago, might be worth searching for it and having a read of it.

_Kaiser_

BlackWizard wrote: »

Can I buy the Phillips or Orsam Night Breakers from halfords?

No and their own brand "extreme brilliance" ones are (in my opinion as I had a set recently) rubbish and downright dangerous by the poor output they gave.

KamiKazi

Stuck one in my bike a week ago, made a huge difference over the stock bulb. Great with the darker evenings now

BlackWizard

I'm actually having an issue seeing the road it dim lit areas especially on back roads. Current bulbs are fine during the day and at night. But in the evening especially when wet out, the road on front isn't lit up that well.

So I might invest in a good set of bulbs.

I remember that thread, I'll have a look for it.

corcaigh07

so the philips or the osram nightbreakers? i take it there are no other brand really worth talking about in terms of H4 Bulbs...

_Kaiser_

BlackWizard wrote: »

I'm actually having an issue seeing the road it dim lit areas especially on back roads. Current bulbs are fine during the day and at night. But in the evening especially when wet out, the road on front isn't lit up that well.

So I might invest in a good set of bulbs.

I remember that thread, I'll have a look for it.

I'm having the same problem... dark country N-roads

I put a set of the Philips in on Friday and things ARE better, but I think I'm gonna just bite the bullet and get the full xenon kit at this stage.

corcaigh07

eoin wrote: »

JHMEG posted a link with reviews of different bulb manufacturers a short while ago, might be worth searching for it and having a read of it.

found that, it was http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/products/products/243109/bulbs_we_test_30.html

the osrams got 4 star, they are about 5 or 6 pound cheaper than the philips on that ebay seller's site.

the philips xtreme-power got 5 star.

corcaigh07

EPM wrote: »

I've used them in the past but moved back to nightbreakers as I found them better. Also buy two packs together-view usually go in pairs and a lot more regularly that normal bulbs

what made you feel the nightbreakers were better? better dims, better fulls, brighter light?

Eoin

I got a set of Osram bulbs a while ago, and was pretty underwhelmed. They may not have been the top of the range line though, I need to check my invoices. The replacement one I got from a tyre fitting place seemed just the same.

BoardsRanger

A previous post of mine about the Philips bulbs.
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=59250939&postcount=48

corcaigh07

mmm, interesting. were they the nightbreaker branded bulbs?

these are the nightbreaker H4 bulbs from the same seller, more appealing price than the philips, only about 14 euro

BlackWizard

I picked up a set of Osram nightbreakers from micksgarage.ie yesterday. They are definitely a bit more brighter. But I was expecting them to be a lot brighter.

I paid 23 euro for them. I wanted them for this weekend so I hadn't time to check out online prices.

EPM

corcaigh07 wrote: »

what made you feel the nightbreakers were better? better dims, better fulls, brighter light?

I found them better in dark conditions. I do a lot of very early morning runs and I think they lit the road up much better under those conditions

corcaigh07

fair enough, dunno which ones ill get now. the nightbreakers are quite cheap and i only have a 96 golf anyway lol!

batman2000

To bring up an old thread but I just put in Philips Ultimate White 5000K.
Have yet to drive with them at night. Here are before and after pics. Got them from Autobulbsdirect.co.uk

Mc Love

I have these in H7 and they are unreal. Great light off them, so much so, sometimes people flash me but i flash them back letting them know how good my bulbs are

Flesh Gorden

I've the Philips, Very powerful, to the point where trucks on the other side of the M8 motorway were flashing me!

Got them off ebay a few months back for the price of a single bulb in halfords

mondeo

A year ago I got the Halfords "Super brilliance" bulbs 50% brighter etc etc, and I found them a big improvment over the standard ones I had in. They have not blown yet, I have not tried the Osram range of brighter bulbs so maybe I am missing out on something but for the moment or at least until these Halfords ones blow I am satisfied with what I have....

Mc Love

I have a pair if you want them?

15 euro

_Kaiser_

Well as I mentioned earlier in this thread, in the end I just went for an aftermarket 6000k Xenon kit (with matching LED sidelights - thank you eBay ) and the difference between this and all the standard halogen bulbs I'd tried is very noticable - especially at the sides of the roads.

L1011

Did you fit the self-levelling units and washer jets? Cause otherwise what you've got is illegal...

I've got Xtremepower's in my my car and they do make a noticeable difference. They're a lot whiter than the OEM bulbs so I need to look at changing my sidelights as they look very yellow along side.

BlackWizard

Mc Love wrote: »

I have these in H7 and they are unreal. Great light off them, so much so, sometimes people flash me but i flash them back letting them know how good my bulbs are

Flesh Gorden wrote: »

I've the Philips, Very powerful, to the point where trucks on the other side of the M8 motorway were flashing me!

Got them off ebay a few months back for the price of a single bulb in halfords

I don't think that should be happening. Maybe the bulbs need to be aligned correctly or you are not dipping them.

Of course going over hills etc there's nothing you can do for oncoming traffic.

cadaliac

Mc Love wrote: »

I have a pair if you want them?

15 euro

Actually one of my dips went last night - is that offer still open?

_Kaiser_

MYOB wrote: »

Did you fit the self-levelling units and washer jets? Cause otherwise what you've got is illegal...

Link to that? I know that's true in the UK alright...

However my car has projector bulb housings, and several months on, I've yet to be flashed for "blinding" traffic - and I do a lot of driving at all times of the day and night, and they greatly improve my visibility of the road at night.
This is actually the 2nd kit as the first ones were 8000k and FAR too blue (and dangerous as they gave out far less light) for my liking.
I've also passed through 2 checkpoints without any comment.

How about we start with getting people to dip when approaching oncoming traffic (or even when behind someone), or better yet turn their lights on at night/in poor conditions before we start worrying about mine?

Fizman

Mc Love wrote: »

I have these in H7 and they are unreal. Great light off them, so much so, sometimes people flash me but i flash them back letting them know how good my bulbs are

Ah yes, the flash of admiration. I can't recall how many times I've flashed somebody to indicate my appreciation. Nothing to do with the fact that your lights are in all likelihood mis-aligned, as probably blindingly so at that.

When I see cars like your own coming towards me I just chuck some nails out the window in the hope that it knocks out 2 or 3 tyres. You know, just to show my appreciation.

L1011

Kaiser2000 wrote: »

Link to that? I know that's true in the UK alright...

European vehicle conformity standards, the reason its the case in the UK is the exact same reason its the case here.

batman2000

MYOB wrote: »

Did you fit the self-levelling units and washer jets? Cause otherwise what you've got is illegal...

I've got Xtremepower's in my my car and they do make a noticeable difference. They're a lot whiter than the OEM bulbs so I need to look at changing my sidelights as they look very yellow along side.

I have the Philips Ultimate 5000K (as mentioned) and they are very whiteon the road, but not sure they compare to Nightbreakers for distance. Mine are aligned so should be no problems there and they are still 55W. I tried changing my seidelights to LED and they would alight, then go off and the "bulb blown" light on the dash kept appearing...