headlamp bulbs

[JFP_turbo]

My top tips

Get some long life bulbs, they cost maybe 20 - 40% more, but my current one have been in for 2 years. I found standard ones last months during the winter. Ask for the ones that taxis fit

Also, make sure the light are off when you start the car, I cannot prove it but they definately last longer if you do. The arguement may then be that the light switch may fail earlier, but thats life.

[Neil of Stevenage]

Get some long life bulbs, they cost maybe 20 - 40% more, but my current one have been in for 2 years. I found standard ones last months during the winter. Ask for the ones that taxis fit

As I said earlier my OEM bulbs lasted 11yrs, (almost to the day).

[nine-fiver]

Philips 90+ bulbs have been good on my Linear. Nice and clear with a sharp top edge. BUT I think they are dimming over time, and after three years or so I think they are not what they where.

Mind you, nothing comes close to the factory Xenons so it is a hard comparison....

[Audax]

I had some of those Phillips bulbs on my previous 9-5 which I managed to pick up on sale at Homebase (large diy chain store in the UK) for £2.37 for a set! I should have taken the bulbs out and put them into the current car but I didn't get time before it went, they seemed to be a bit brighter than the Osram but I couldn't tell you about longevity as the car was sent to the scrapper less than a year later.

[9-3.ttid]

I found the standard headlights really poor (2009 9-3) and a set of nightbreakers just about gets them up to a safe level of light. If you have a new shape 9-3 with standard bulbs you must live in a well lit area, or eat a lot of carrots.

[JFP_turbo]

"Mind you, nothing comes close to the factory Xenons so it is a hard comparison...."

Then again the Xenon bulbs are £100+, you will need to replace the self levelling electrics and spend hours polishing the headlight plastic to get rid of the staining.   

Personally I think the standard 9-5 lights are perfectly good enough (when the bulbs don't blow)

[Audax]

You still need to polish the plastics on the halogen lights as the outer covers are identical in construction and material.