Headlight bulbs

[Patrick Slinn]

Hello !,  Where can I get some good white headlight bulbs from for my 2015 Yaris Hybrid.

[Mick F]

Optiwhites are the ones you want, from your local Toyota dealer.  Tremendous improvement over the standard ones.  Highly recommended.

This is from another thread on the subject .................

The Optiwhite upgrade bulbs only became available around October/November last year (2017). Prior to the Optiwhites becoming available Osram bought out upgrade HIR2 bulbs earlier in 2017, which are around 20% brighter (as opposed to 60% for the Optiwhites) but at around £70 a pair (Optiwhites £48.77 a pair).

Mick.

[severnsider]

I am pleased to report that I bought a pair of Optiwhites from Parts-King on here, took about 30 seconds to fit them and the wife reports a major improvement! 

[Parts-King]

1 hour ago, severnsider said:

I am pleased to report that I bought a pair of Optiwhites from Parts-King on here, took about 30 seconds to fit them and the wife reports a major improvement! 

[Hakies]

On 12/6/2019 at 3:42 PM, severnsider said:

I am pleased to report that I bought a pair of Optiwhites from Parts-King on here, took about 30 seconds to fit them and the wife reports a major improvement! 

 

[Hakies]

How much do they cost?

[FROSTYBALLS]

37 minutes ago, Hakies said:

How much do they cost?

See:

 

[stevecrvn]

6 hours ago, FROSTYBALLS said:

See:

 

I Paid £52 for the pair fitted a few weeks ago in my local Toyoya dealer

[Gerg]

It has been mentioned before but probably worth repeating, the quoted life on these bulbs on the back of the box is 500 hours.  That is a lot less than the standard bulbs.  From personal experience, perhaps due to tight modern production tolerances, they seem to fail in very quick succession.  If both bulbs blow (as happened to my daughter) you will be left with no high or low beam headlamps.  Carry one spare at least! 

[Mick F]

...

1 hour ago, Gerg said:

 If both bulbs blow (as happened to my daughter) you will be left with no high or low beam headlamps.  Carry one spare at least! 

........... and a torch so you can see to fit them.

[Mick F]

Today, I noticed that the LH headlight was out.

I fitted the Optiwhites November 2017 at about 26,000miles on the odo.  Car now done just over 44,100miles, so the bulb only lasted a tad over 18,000miles.

Just re-fitted the pair of originals as from brand new, and I'm doubtful that the £45 I spent on the Optiwhites was worth it.  Headlight bulbs in my experience seem to last almost forever.  Even our venerable Clio we had from brand new and sold at 100,000miles+ still had the original headlight bulbs.

Optiwhites don't have much longevity as stated.  Dunno how 500hrs works out into miles and months.

Mick.

[mrpj]

I've had a pair of Osram Nightbreakers in my Yaris since May 2016. Much, much cheaper than the Optiwhites. It would seem that they have a much longer lifespan too.

Osram have brought out an "upgrade" to those but from some reviews they don't last that long.

[Parts-King]

43 minutes ago, Mick F said:

 

Optiwhites don't have much longevity as stated.  Dunno how 500hrs works out into miles and months.

Mick.

18,000 miles, average 30 MPH, 600 Hours??? 

[Gerg]

If you did want some more Philips bulbs, then these are similar/same but without the 'E' marking, still made in Germany, then sent to USA, and then back to Europe if you buy them.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01I3OTXHA/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?currency=GBP&ie=UTF8&language=en_US&psc=1

At £36 all in (it includes shipping and duties, it says), these were quite a bit cheaper a few months back, but the currency exchange rates have gone against this price recently.

But your Toyota bulbs have probably gone up quite a chunk too since last year, after a (January?) price rise. e.g. genuine Toyota engine bolt, was £2.54 in October, now £3.60.

[Mick F]

10 minutes ago, Parts-King said:

18,000 miles, average 30 MPH, 600 Hours??? 

............. but they're not on all the time, in fact rarely.  Can't say for certain, but in those 18,000miles I suggest they have only been on for 1,000miles.  We don't do much night driving, although the lights are generally on automatic, but not always.  Perhaps being on auto, they're on and off a lot and that wipes out any longevity.

Mick.

[flash22]

I had Phillips whitevision bulbs on my Nissan for 6 years they were still in the car when sold (oem on some vag cars)

[snowBALLs]

5 hours ago, Mick F said:

............. but they're not on all the time, in fact rarely.  Can't say for certain, but in those 18,000miles I suggest they have only been on for 1,000miles.  We don't do much night driving, although the lights are generally on automatic, but not always.  Perhaps being on auto, they're on and off a lot and that wipes out any longevity.

Mick.

It's pretty bad that these optiwhites cost a lot and bearly last. I do understand that they don't last but shameful on the cost really. Much prefer cars that has 2 for dipped and 2 for main if they don't have hid/led. 

[Mick F]

We really love our Yaris Hybrid, but it does have a couple or three design issues, not least of which are the poor headlights.  Why they had to have a single bulb that only gets redirected dip/main, I will never understand.

I did raise the question on here about fitting a pair of auxiliary driving lights that come on when in full beam.  That would sort it out somewhat, but the design of the front of the car would need quite a bit of modification to fit them.  Pity.

Mick.

[FROSTYBALLS]

22 hours ago, Mick F said:

Optiwhites don't have much longevity as stated.  Dunno how 500hrs works out into miles and months.

Usually upgrade halogen bulbs do have a shorter life than standard halogen. For example, the datasheet of the latest Osram Nightbreaker Laser bulbs states a life of 300 hours.

[Mick F]

5 hours ago, FROSTYBALLS said:

Usually upgrade halogen bulbs do have a shorter life than standard halogen. For example, the datasheet of the latest Osram Nightbreaker Laser bulbs states a life of 300 hours.

Thanks for that.  Wise words.

The originals that went back in yesterday, worked fine today.  Crap weather with rain and spray on the A38 Cornwall this afternoon.

Mick.

[Mick F]

17 hours ago, FROSTYBALLS said:

Usually upgrade halogen bulbs do have a shorter life than standard halogen. For example, the datasheet of the latest Osram Nightbreaker Laser bulbs states a life of 300 hours.

Just surfing the 'net over an early morning cuppa, and found these on Amazon UK and also on eBay UK.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/DZG-Halogen-Bulbs-Headlight-Pieces/dp/B07K24S74P/ref=sr_1_2?qid=1581835612&refinements=p_n_feature_browse-bin%3A4924673031&s=automotive&sr=1-2

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/DZG-Hir2-9012-Halogen-Bulbs-12V-100W-Headlight-Lamps-5000K-Hir2-9012-100W/401947881838?hash=item5d95f5f16e:g:CEcAAOSwY8tdwghA

I know they aren't road-legal as they're 100w, but they don't say that.  It does say 1,500hrs of life expectancy .................... and cheap too! 

Mick.

[snowBALLs]

Not road legal. 

However I think the law on this is a bit outdated. Halogen lighting on the whole isn't good enough, so higher wattage usage should be allowed. 

Do know some cars wiring and headlight units could melt but that's another issue. 

[Mick F]

Yes, like I said, they aren't road legal ............... but WE know that.  Do other people know it?  Neither Amazon nor eBay say anything about the legality, so maybe people buy and fit them unknowingly.

So what?  Does it actually matter?  Car headlamps come in a wide variety of whites, and some are dazzling even on brand new cars.

Mick.

[FROSTYBALLS]

Not illegal to sell them, but is illegal to fit them for road use.

[Mick F]

1 hour ago, FROSTYBALLS said:

Not illegal to sell them, but is illegal to fit them for road use.

Spot on of course.  No arguments from me at all and I've already said that they aren't legal on the road.

I'm on here a few times stating the legalities or otherwise of non-original-specific headlights.  No arguments from me.

However, the lights on the Yaris model wot we have are pitiful, and not everyone as savvy as you and me would buy these bulbs, and why should they not?  They aren't legal on UK roads of course, but who would know or care?  Does it really matter considering the horrible lights on brand new cars?

Mick.