Silverstar zXe

[BlueCrush]

Anyone tried these yet? Just wondering how you feel they compare to the Regular or Ultra SS. I have been having so many problems with my HID's on my 5th set-up. Not sure why I keep having problems, but I keep having lights go out, then back on, then out. Back and forth, lef and right headlights within a month of the replacements. I am not sure if there is just not enough power getting to the ballast @ start-up or what. all the grounds are good and all connections are sealed. I am tired of it. So, I am considering these if the next free replacement set-up does not work out. Btw, I have only paid for 2 of the set-ups. Anywho, let me know if you have any feedback on the newest SS bulbs. Thanks!

[dustie]

I am curious as well.. I was looking at them today.. There are so many options out there I have no idea what I want to buy.. lol

[chadhgraves]

I still have some life left on my headlights, but I've found a couple that I want to try next. I usually buy some type of silverstars but they only last around a year. I'm going to try one of these next time I replace them. http://www.amazon.com/gp/produ...X0DER http://www.amazon.com/gp/produ...X0DER

[vibenvy]

I haven't tried them yet, but I plan on trying them eventually. I am always surprised when people say their SilverStars only last for a year at the most. I've had them in both our Vibes for almost three years now. I had them in both my Sunfires for quite a few years too.

[KITT222]

Quote, originally posted by J_TO_ENVY »I haven't tried them yet, but I plan on trying them eventually. I am always surprised when people say their SilverStars only last for a year at the most. I've had them in both our Vibes for almost three years now. I had them in both my Sunfires for quite a few years too.My Silverstars are a few weeks past a year. I want to try out the Phillips Xtravision lights for my next bulbs.

[chadhgraves]

My silverstars would only last a little over a year cause I would always get the ones with the most light output.

[MrHatchWagon]

I just use cheap-o 5$ bulbs, I was thinking about HID's in the near future but I know a lot of people that have had problems with their kits.Re: Your HIDs burning out, have you disabled your DRLs? My friend had the same problem with his Protege 5, when he starts his car without first turning on his headlights, one bulb won't start, and I bet he's putting more wear on the bulb. I read somewhere online, that the DRLs send less power to the bulbs, and that kills ballasts really quick, so people using HIDs should disable their daytime running lights for optimal results.

[Wolfman213]

Not disabling your DRL's while running HIDs will kill them much quicker. I'm sure Keith or joatman could probably give you the specifics on volts and amps and such, but basically yes, if you stil lhave your DRL's active on HID's, you are risking premature failure. Everyone hates stuff that is premature.

[ou.grizzly]

They been out for a few months now and I tend to sell more Ultra and zXe's than SS now... Haven't had any comeback yet either... People really need to use dielectric grease on their connections and use a pair of disposable gloves when installing. On a side note, always keep your receipt and packaging as Sylvania DOES offer a 1 year satisfaction guarantee

[vibenvy]

Quote, originally posted by ou.grizzly »People really need to use dielectric grease on their connections and use a pair of disposable gloves when installing.x2 !

[KITT222]

Quote, originally posted by ou.grizzly »People really need to use dielectric grease on their connections and use a pair of disposable gloves when installing. I don't touch the glass, only the metal. So I still need the gloves? And what are the benefits of the grease?

[vibenvy]

Quote, originally posted by KITT222 »I don't touch the glass, only the metal. So I still need the gloves? And what are the benefits of the grease?I too am careful to only hold/touch the base of the bulb, but I still always wear gloves in case I happen to accidentally touch the glass itself. Better to wear gloves then ruin a bulb .The dielectric grease protects electrical connections and wiring from salt, dirt and corrosion. It extends the life of bulb sockets and prevents voltage leakage around any electrical connection.

[KITT222]

Thanks! Good to know. For me, though, I make sure the old bulb is out, and anything blocking the housing (battery) is moved, so I got straight from package to housing, in less than 8 inches of travel. Of course, if while holding the bulbs someone touches me, that bulb is toast. I get jumpy when I get too careful. As for the grease, I haven't noticed any issues with rust in my connections (even though the rest of my engine bay is infected with FeO for some reason) but I'll have to check it out next time I'm under the hood.

[ehoff121]

Have to say the Phillips bulbs did not last a full year, so I'm disappointed in the lifespan. They were brighter than stock, though.

[rAERRK]

Quote, originally posted by ehoff121 »Have to say the Phillips bulbs did not last a full year, so I'm disappointed in the lifespan. They were brighter than stock, though. to all of you having bulbs burn out within a year; how often do you drive at night and are your DRLs disabled?

[ehoff121]

I drive about 15 mins per day in darkness and my DRL's are not disabled.The previous bulbs lasted almost 4 years with more night driving.

[djkeev]

Quote, originally posted by ehoff121 »I drive about 15 mins per day in darkness and my DRL's are not disabled.The previous bulbs lasted almost 4 years with more night driving.FACT: The higher the light output of a bulb, the hotter it burns. The hotter it burns, the sooner the filament burns out. There is a price for brighter lights.... shorter life.My plans are to NOT disable the DRL's (I see them as a MAJOR safety factor that I desire to keep) but to rewire the DRL's to turn on the FOG lights (which I NEVER use) thus saving the high $$ bright bulbs for night time use only. This should greatly increase the service life of the bulbs. Yes, I'll go through more fog light bulbs but they don't have to be bright and I'll use the cheaper lower wattage options.I've not had time to study the tutorials on this site to come up with a rewire solution I'm comfortable with. I do wonder how the auto ON feature would work with the DRL's being the fog lamps instead of the headlights? Will the auto on still turn on just headlamps or will it turn on the fogs?So many questions that need so many answers! I need to clear my foggy brain and find a period of time to really study the factory wiring diagram as well as the disable DRL's posts on this site!Dave

[KITT222]

http://forums.genvibe.com/zerothread?id=38372 I disable my DRLs, but I put in LED lights to replace them. They're just wired to a switch I have on the interior. But I do like having a large amount of light, and these reflector-beams are far inferior to every projector-lamp car I've seen. I do want to do a retrofit eventually. In the meantime, I think my Silverstars are getting old and dull. With the heaps of night driving recently it'd make sense. But I guess the light bulb trade-off goes like this:Long life -- brightness -- lots of use <--- choose two

[vibenvy]

My income tax refund is supposed to be deposited into my account this coming Tuesday so I am thinking of going to Auto Zone and picking up a pair of zXe 9006s to try out in my low beams. If they are worth it, I will then order a pair of 9005s for the high beams and another pair of 9006s for the fog lights on eBay (much cheaper than Auto Zone). I prefer to have all of my lights match, so assuming I decide the zXes are worth it, I am going to get two of these so I can use 9006 zXes in the fog lights without any worries about melting wires, etc (factory bulb is 9145/H10). Also, for anyone considering buying zXes, check eBay. They retail for $59.99 a pair at Auto Zone, etc. but can be found on eBay for as low as $42.99 a pair .

[MrHatchWagon]

Let us know what you think of the zXe's if you go that route, and post pictures! I may decide to upgrade my cheap bulbs if the result looks and works better.

[vibenvy]

Quote, originally posted by MrHatchWagon »Let us know what you think of the zXe's if you go that route, and post pictures! I may decide to upgrade my cheap bulbs if the result looks and works better.Will do !

[vibenvy]

So, as promised I did indeed pick up a set of SilverStar zXe 9006s this past Tuesday. I had to stop at two Auto Zones and a Pep Boys before finally finding them at Advanced Auto. They were $59.99 a pair ($64.34 with tax). The glass is not quite as blue as they appear to be in pictures online, so that was a plus. They also have a chrome tip on the end which looks kind of neat, especially when installed in the headlight housing.I installed a zXe in the driver's side low beam so I could compare it to the Ultra in the passenger side low beam. The zXe was indeed noticeably brighter and had an ever so slightly bluer tint to it (not obnoxiously blue though) when parked in my driveway facing the white garage door. I attempted to take some pictures, but unfortunately they didn't turn out well enough to show the actual comparison between the two bulbs. Personally, I was extremely satisfied with the zXes and will be ordering two sets of 9005s for the high beams in both Vibes and another set of 9006s for my mom's Vibe's low beams. My only recommendation to anyone considering them would be to get them on eBay. They can be had on eBay for $40.00 - $50.00 which is obviously a much better price than the $60.00+ you'll pay at Auto Zone, etc.

[KITT222]

Important to know is that bulbs dim over time. My silverstar bulbs were yellow and only threw the beam only half as far at the end of their life as they did at the beginning. One of them went out the other day, so I promptly replaced it. I went for a Phillips Clearvision bulb. It's a white light with good spread. In order to do a proper bulb comparison, you really need two sets of brand-new bulbs. Because if you go from old and dull bulbs to brand-new bulbs there will be a definite difference, and not just because it's a zXe bulb vs an Ultra. It'd be like comparing a ten-year-old and never-been-sharpened knife to a brand-new ceramic knife. It won't be a fair comparison. Also, if you hate replacing your bulbs, get a CAI. You won't have to move your battery to replace the driver side bulb.

[vibenvy]

Quote, originally posted by KITT222 »Important to know is that bulbs dim over time. My silverstar bulbs were yellow and only threw the beam only half as far at the end of their life as they did at the beginning. One of them went out the other day, so I promptly replaced it. I went for a Phillips Clearvision bulb. It's a white light with good spread. In order to do a proper bulb comparison, you really need two sets of brand-new bulbs. Because if you go from old and dull bulbs to brand-new bulbs there will be a definite difference, and not just because it's a zXe bulb vs an Ultra. It'd be like comparing a ten-year-old and never-been-sharpened knife to a brand-new ceramic knife. It won't be a fair comparison.Although my SilverStar Ultras are about a year old, they are still nice and white. The difference between the zXes and the Ultras wasn't huge, but it was definitely noticeable.

[ponta2147]

I wonder how they compare to the HIR bulbs I got a couple years ago (which are still going strong)? We'll have to get together and do a test

[vibenvy]

Quote, originally posted by ponta2147 »I wonder how they compare to the HIR bulbs I got a couple years ago (which are still going strong)? We'll have to get together and do a test The HIR bulbs are pretty much the same color as a standard halogen bulb, whereas any SilverStar bulb has a significantly whiter colored light. We need to do another meet at Busse in early April!