How often do you need to replace the head light bulbs?

How often do you need to replace the head light bulbs?

I purchsed XD3 (5000K at 80W) from eBay 2 months ago, but both of them burnt out this week. On the website, the seller claims that it lasts 2000 days/15 minutes per day, which is far less than the actual usage on my car.

I really like its color but the life seems too short. I am not sure which brand I should choose next time. I tried SIlverstar but it still seems yellow comparing to 5000K XD3.

Is it normal for high waltage bulbs? I disabled DRL and used the light upgrading kit to protect the stock wires and harness as well. How often do you have to replace the bulbs (Aftermarket ones) and what's the brand you use?

thats weird, did u touch the bulbs when u put them in? that could have blown them. but if you have a harness and no DRL's, they shouldnt have popped. i think the original headlight bulbs should last about 5 years, or at least thats how long they lasted on the previous cars in my family. rarely blew a bulb

plain and simple aftermarket bulbs suck........i've gone through so many from eurolite's to silverstars and they all burn out too quick.......silverstars were the best.

stock bulbs own

How long did SilverStar last?

i never do, i replace my bulbs like maybe once every 2 years?? heehee

after about 8 months one burnt out........so i went a bought a bulb to replace it, 2 weeks later the other burnt out and i said the hell w/ it and put the stock bulbs back in.

Cool, just wonder if you use the stock bulbs or aftermarket ones?

piaa

I have Piaa xtrem white in my car for a year now and they still look great and i have no drl disable

I've got 2 cars right now - a 2003 Corolla and a 1995 Corolla and haven't replaced a bulb in either yet.

Most of the aftermarket bulbs are crap.

PIAA seem to be good, but they better last a long time as much as you pay for them.
Silverstars are made by sylvania which is the maker of most OEM bulbs and seem to last much longer than the other aftermarket bulbs. But they are also more expensive than the cheep bulbs at these import shops

I have modified 9005 silverstars. It's been less than a year since I've had the car... so far so good. I would expect that one will end up burning out (since they're highbeam bulbs) before I've owned the car for a full year. At that time I'll be searching for an Osaram replacement. I've always had good luck with German made bulbs... or I'll upgrade to HID - still looking for an OEM HID setup.

BTW... PIAA's are crap. I had a set in my Jetta before I upgraded to HID. 8 months was the longest for any PIAA bulb I've owned. The same goes for all of the rest of the non e-code aftermarket... I would like to find some OEM Camry bulbs... supposed to be greater lumen and whiter from clear bulbs - sign me up.

I've Been Using The "Eurodezign" brand of blue xenons off eBay. Dirt cheap and still going strong after 2 months. Of course your mileage may vary. I do a lot of commuting, as much as 70 miles per day. No burnt bulbs

my two cents.
crooner

Don't buy Eurodezigns

I bought 3 pairs of Eurodezigns for LB, HB and Fog. They are the worst quality and I stress to anyone not to buy them. Fogs burned after a day without being touched. LB and HB had the filament off centered in the glass casing that cause lights to focus in different directions. The HB pointed at about 15 degrees up from the horizontal. Pathetic!

One of my Silverstars just burned out today -- that's about six months on the spot, with DRL's on all the time. Another "screw it" -- and I put the OEM bulbs back in. Not gonna cough up fifty bucks every six months for "the look."

thoots

thank god for HID...

Sorry to hear you had such a bad luck with the Eurodezign ones.
I guess I got lucky. Mine may not be fancy HID, but my ride surelly gets noticed out there. I just love that blue tint.

Also, just noticed my local walmart started selling Silverstars. They also sell a variety of the Xenon bulbs...

Haha, stop it Zero. Stop making me jealous.
But if it's true that HID is worth the investment in the long run if you are buying aftermarket bulbs every few months.

what's the average bulb life of HIDs?
Do they last longer because of better quality or because they run cooler?

they run cooler...um don't quote me on this but i think the average life on HID bulbs are about 40,000 hours

...is it still possible to get the Catz HID kits even though the federal gov has basically made the aftermarket HID kits illegal? I've replaced both of my low beams already, they lasted more than 8 months, but it's an expensive replacement overtime...sadly the euro spec Silverstars and Philips Vision Plus aren't available in 9006.

You wouldn't have had that problem if you had the 9006/9005 Harness upgrades

PM me or stinky, if u need a set.

i havent changed my light bulbs (aftermarket NG TEC 100W/130) since November of last year (2002).

After 2 burnt outs, I had it, and invested into the kit, and it never burnt out ever since, even if I keep them on everyday!

The main purpose and function of headlight upgrade kit is to protect the harness and supply even MORE wattage, thus in theory it Decreases lifetime, not increases. The length of bulb lifetime is due to the qaulity of the bulbs, not the harness.

I made harness upgrading kit myself and I used it all the time, however, the XD3 bulbs still burnt out in 2 months. Also IMO the brightness didn't increase much with the upgrade kits, but the color certianlly seemed whiter thanks to the full wattage.

I have had 2 out of my 4 mtec bulbs burn out in about a span of 2 weeks. I am not bothering with any more aftermarket bulbs, I am sticking with stock. I do have the harness from stinky too, but i just then the mtecs are crap. Plus I definately noticed a deacrease in visibility, the blue tint made things harder to see, and forget about the black road in the rain. How I wish I invested in a real HID kit now, with $100 down the drain.

Yes you are right, but only half right.

It does supply more wattage.

But it also gives stable current to the lights so they do not burn out. If you really had a 'real' harness kit, you would not have burnt out your bulbs. Ask Stinky on this one, or anyone that has the harness kit.

Secondly, reasons why bulbs burn out is because of unstable current flow. I dont know, but your 'self-made' harness kit probably did not have a good quality relay to help you stablize the current. That is why, your lights burnt out so easily.

Also.

Reason for these harness kits, are not to brighten up your bulbs. Is to protect your aftermarket bulbs from burning out again. Simple as that.

no its not possible..but theres always ebay! ...best bet is to retrofit an OEM hid kit from another car to yours ...i think theres like a HID expert on here....distantxtreme is the name i think..and from i heard and seen the CATZ HIDs arent all that...at least the 4500k ones..seems yellowish