Up to date advice headlight/sidelight bulbs

disting

Member
Apologies for covering this subject once again, but technology constantly evolves and so to revisit the subject and to get up to date advice :-
Anybody changed their standard H7 dipped/ H3 high and sidelight bulbs (‘or someone they know’ has:) that gives a marked improvement.?
Either higher watt halogen, or led’s..and experiences with
1/ any problems with MOT
2/ beam pattern
3/ ease of fit (plug and play)
4/ compatibility with cars
 
Hi.
I have these sidelight lamps fitted to my A2 and have been performing really well for over a year now. 501 Philips X-treme Vision LED 12V W5W 4000K.
No issues with DIS lamp fault etc and a nice light output. I use the standard Bosch halogen main lamps as from experience they don't burn the headlamp lens and last!
Steve
 
Five and a half years ago, @timmus helped me with a headlamp upgrade. We used the HIDS4U H7R Xenon HID kit which has since been replaced by a much cheaper kit: I have no experience with the current kit.

The HID upgrade is a vast improvement. The first set of bulbs lasted almost four years (edited).

I am also keen on this method of (non-abrasive) headlamp lens restoration, which is still available:
https://www.autobulbsdirect.co.uk/twenty20-crystalite-rapid-headlight-restoration.html

Front sidelights: I fitted these LED bulbs and run them as daylights, i.e. I drive the car on sidelights
Edit: <not sure what specific item I fitted>
They are a clean white light, rather than a standard yellow candle. Fitted in <not sure> and going strong.

My MoT tester is aware of the upgrades, and of the recent change to regulations.

Andrew
 
Last edited:
Five and a half years ago, @timmus helped me with a headlamp upgrade. We used the HIDS4U H7R Xenon HID kit which has since been replaced by a much cheaper kit: I have no experience with the current kit.

The HID upgrade is a vast improvement. The first set of bulbs lasted thee, maybe four, years.

I am also keen on this method of (non-abrasive) headlamp lens restoration, which is still available:
https://www.autobulbsdirect.co.uk/twenty20-crystalite-rapid-headlight-restoration.html

Front sidelights: I fitted these LED bulbs and run them as daylights, i.e. I drive the car on sidelights
https://www.hids-direct.co.uk/mtec-...ion-5w-cree-canbus-white-led-sidelight-bulbs/
They are a clean white light, rather than a standard yellow candle. Fitted in Sep-2017 and going strong.

My MoT tester is aware of the upgrades, and of the recent change to regulations.

Andrew
Thanks for that .
Have restored my lights, outside and inside (the hard way) recently so now on to the bulbs themselves ....
 
Glad this topic has been raised - I think the question for me is:

In the light of recent technology advances, which is the “best” option (judged by performance first and foremost, however also by reliability & ease of installation) for the main and dipped beam headlamp lighting:

1) Upgraded halogens (Osram Nightbreaker are meant to be good and bright);

2) LED (used to be poor but I suspect the tech now is good if you pay decent money)

3) HID (is this even legal anymore?)


Thanks
 
Hi.
I have these sidelight lamps fitted to my A2 and have been performing really well for over a year now. 501 Philips X-treme Vision LED 12V W5W 4000K.
No issues with DIS lamp fault etc and a nice light output. I use the standard Bosch halogen main lamps as from experience they don't burn the headlamp lens and last!
Steve
Do you think 100w halogen would burn the lens?
 
Do you think 100w halogen would burn the lens?
Well as A2 headlamps in good condition are quite rare, and to buy new ones(if you can find them) £150++ is it worth the risk? The extra heat inside the headlights will be a factor. All moving components inside the headlight to adjust the beam are plastic! What are your lenses like? As said above, If they are discoloured then refurbish them first before experimenting with different lamps.
Good luck
Steve
 
Isn't any wattage above OEM (CE, homologation etc) illegal? Also, if you fit them, although you may see a bit better, other drivers certainly won't!
Mac.
 
Well as A2 headlamps in good condition are quite rare, and to buy new ones(if you can find them) £150++ is it worth the risk? The extra heat inside the headlights will be a factor. All moving components inside the headlight to adjust the beam are plastic! What are your lenses like? As said above, If they are discoloured then refurbish them first before experimenting with different lamps.
Good luck
Steve
Ok thanks Steve, noted.
Yes done the refurb already , thought I had read some members or ‘friends’ were using 100w halogen and was asking to see if they had any actual issues . Thanks for the reply
Wonder if the led’s would run ‘cooler’ ? Although I know the base of them can also get quite hot too. Mind you I dare say halogen lamps do too to a certain extent ..
 
Isn't any wattage above OEM (CE, homologation etc) illegal? Also, if you fit them, although you may see a bit better, other drivers certainly won't!
Mac.
Many Thanks Mac.
I certainly don’t want to dazzle other drivers that’s for sure.
But what I do want to do is what I did when I refurbed my 70’s TVR - replace what were perfectly acceptable bulbs in the 70’s , for more technologically advanced bulbs which were brighter , better pattern, therefore safer, and within the law at that point in time- (although regulations change also over time , obviously .) thanks again
 
Old thread on headlight bulbs - https://www.a2oc.net/community/index.php?threads/poor-headlight-output.34233/post-296737

I used the H4 version of these Philips LED bulbs in my wife's car and they are incredible. Well controlled beam pattern, sharp cut off, brighter than the factory Xenons in my Audi Q3 and have passed the MOT for the last 4 years without comment The heat sink on the back of the bulb is big so not sure how they would work on the A2 though

Cheers Spike
 
Well as A2 headlamps in good condition are quite rare, and to buy new ones(if you can find them) £150++ is it worth the risk? The extra heat inside the headlights will be a factor. All moving components inside the headlight to adjust the beam are plastic! What are your lenses like? As said above, If they are discoloured then refurbish them first before experimenting with different lamps.
Good luck
Steve
IIRC 100w bulbs are not street legal. They will produce more heat so the chance of burning the headlights is quite high IMO
 
I have Osram Nightbreaker Laser filament lamps for the dip and main beam of our A2. Quite a difference in a good way.
Would also agree with the LEDs stevec mentions for the sidelights (above), marked difference which make them usable.

Have previously used 100w for main beam in a different car and have found the beam can be less perfect due to poor positioning of the filament away from the actual focal point of the reflector. A mm makes all the difference where this is concerned.
 
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