Ruinous expense - part 1

[Doggy]

I had a dip headlight fail last week as I was pulling off the drive to take the dogs for their evening constitutional. Mindful of how much I criticise others for having faulty lights, I immediately swapped it for its main beam neighbour. (Surprising how much you miss one main beam).

What a sod of a jpb it is on mine to change the n/s dip - Nitric has an extra relay or summat, clipped onto the battery box, immediately behind the access 'door' for the dip bulb. (The Dogmobile lacked this thoughtful, 'improvement'). Even with my ickle hands it was awkward, with a capital 'F'.

I realised these lamps are about 14 months old and as I do 20k+ a year, maybe half of it in the dark, they were about due for changing. (Aldi failed to come up with their 2 for £3.99 offer last autumn, hence no pre-emptive replacement took place).

Against my parsimoniuos nature and deep scepticism, I invested in a brace of Osram Nightbreaker Unlimited's which I have just grazed my hands afresh installing.

We shall see if they really are impressive.

Watch this space.

[Welly]

A set of Ozzies eh? you truly are a Cad my friend and bugger the expense

I'm hoping, no am sure, you'll notice an improvement after your bargain basement jobbies.

I'll await your feedback.........

[jonsowman]

I was very pleased with Nightbreakers in my old saloon. I've yet to fit them in the Coupe since it is blessed with projector lenses which are far, far better than the reflectors in the estate.

Be interested to hear your thoughts on them!

[rwb]

an extra relay or summat, clipped onto the battery box, immediately behind the access 'door' for the dip bulb. (The Dogmobile lacked this thoughtful, 'improvement').

I believe this improvement stops the radiator fan setting on fire.
There was a recall that involved changing the fan and loom on MUX cars following reports of them setting on fire. I believe this relay is part of the new loom and was clipped onto the battery box as there wasn't really anywhere else to put it.

Do the nightbreakers now have a blue filter on them?

[Welly]

The ones I've had (and there's been lots) have a blue tinted 'band' around the glass but not 'caked' in blue chavvy tint. Osram say this blue bit changes the colour temperature to the whiter side of, err white.

Come on Doggy I've turned up here expecting some OMGBESTBULBZEVAH review.

[Doggy]

These have a blue band below the filament, but don't look at all blue in operation, (thank god)!

Come on Doggy I've turned up here expecting some OMGBESTBULBZEVAH review.

I haven't really used them enough to say - there is definitely a difference, but how much benefit it is out of town, I have yet to see.
Should be able to give you a verdict tomorrow, (you'll just have to contain yourself, welly).

[dirtydirtydiesel]

Doggy,
I replaced my std bulbs with some Osram Nightbreaker + about six months ago when two of my bulbs blew. I had been toying with the Idea of fitting some HID kit's but after reading vairing reports on how good & legal these were I opted to go with the Osrams.
Well I would say that they are probably a 25% improvment on the standards & much better at the extreme edges , I'm loving them anyway & loads cheeper than HID kit's.
I paid £24 delivered for two pairs off flea bay, + they should last longer then cheep bulbs .
I would happly recomend them to anyone, I do lot's of driving down dark unlit country lanes , (on my way to & from work).

[mjb]

I put the Philips equivalent of Nightbreakers in my coupé and my god the difference was amazing

[Doggy]

Right, verdict time!

Yes, they are a BIG improvement. If they last reasonably well, I will be a convert.

I do about 20k miles a year, roughly half of it with headlights on. At an average speed of 40 mph, (which is what my trip computer reckons is typical), 10k miles = 250 hours.
These babies have a typical lifespan of 200 hours, (which is a big improvement on the 120 hours they were claiming a few years ago).
So, if I get a year, or close to a year out of them, I will be well pleased.

[Welly]

Yay!

I get about 12 months from a set, I only do 8K per year but the pesky headlights are on around the clock so probably a similar scenario to that there yours what you said, like.

[steve_earwig]

I'm going to have to confess that I, too, have joined the "dazzle the other road users" brigade (no, not with my pushbike, yet...). A while back I saw that Goran has some GE Megalight Ultra +120s (there's a name to inspire confidence ) for sale, sick as I am of being blinded by morons with misaligned and/or overpowered headlamps or the fools who don't know what the blue light on the dash means I was a bit reluctant to become a hypocrite but finally I enquired. They're crap apparently, Goran said he put some in a customer's Dacia and he couldn't tell the difference. However he suggested the Osrams. Which ones are they? Nightbreakers Well bugger it, if you can't beat 'em... About 9 quid a side for H4s for the yoyo. Difference noticeable straight away, even in daylight. It's my turn now

[steve_earwig]

And the verdict is... very nice Very noticeably brighter, with better definition on the cut off, I can actually see it sweeping over the bast... sorry, cars coming the other way. The main beam is preposterously bright Oh yes, I look forward to frying people's eyeballs with them

[Doggy]

The main beam is preposterously bright Oh yes, I look forward to frying people's eyeballs with them

I only did the dips.

The mains seemed mahoosively better beforehand, now they look more or less the same.

[steve_earwig]

They're H4s on the yoyo, dips & mains in 1 tiny fragile packet. I did notice the H7s are much more expensive, and the D9s would need 4 of them

[Doggy]

They're H4s on the yoyo, dips & mains in 1 tiny fragile packet. I did notice the H7s are much more expensive, and the D9s would need 4 of them

Unfortunately, they're different physical sizes.....
H7

H4