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Here are some Sylvania websites explaining the difference in lifespan between their regular halogen bulbs and the SilverStar bulbs.

Here's the website I got the bulb life information from:
http://www.sylvania.com/ConsumerProduct ... nProducts/

Comparison of regular, Cool Blue (CB), long life (LL) and SilverStar (ST) 9005 bulbs.
http://www.sylvaniaautocatalog.com/sylv ... Number=126

SilverStar 9005
http://www.sylvaniaautocatalog.com/sylv ... T,%20%20ST

Illuminating on why some folks get years out of their SilverStar bulbs, while others get only a few months.

Long story short, theyre just overdriving the filaments. Then they throw a blue coating on the glass and charge $30/bulb.

If you want a light that last a long time and put out more light than a S/S get these and put them in the low beam side (HL78163L - 65W Long Life, 1700 Lumens, 1500 Hr Avg Life) $7.62 per bulb.

http://www.rallylights.com/detail.aspx?ID=283

If you want to put out some serious light get these and put them in the low beam side(2700 Lumens) at $29.75 per bulb it's a lot of money but you get 1000 lumens more(per side) than the standard high beam ligh bulb.

http://www.rallylights.com/detail.aspx?ID=1414

I would not waste my money on SilverStar bulbs, but thats just my opinion.

ROD

It's interesting how much the lifespan of the bulb varies based on what they do in the design.

I'm not advocating one way or the other about SilverStar bulbs. I'm just presenting data about the lifespan.

Also, all 9005 bulbs put out 1700 lumens plus/minus 15%, or 1445 to 1955 lumens.

I run Silver Stars in both cars, and have never lost one to failure. Going on 5 years on the Zilla, and 3 years on the SLEeper. Keep in mind the lifespan issues seem to be in the 96 and newer headlight designs. Mounting is quite different, and vibration has been suspected of the failures.

Could be you have an older design that was better. Mighty interesting the lifespan discrepancies that are found between bulbs, and cars.

LeSabre in Buffalo wrote:It's interesting how much the lifespan of the bulb varies based on what they do in the design.

I'm not advocating one way or the other about SilverStar bulbs. I'm just presenting data about the lifespan.

Also, all 9005 bulbs put out 1700 lumens plus/minus 15%, or 1445 to 1955 lumens.

But we should put our thoughts out there on a forum like this to get the members the most bang for the buck. Why spend up to $87 on 2 light bulbs
http://www.subesports.com/products/cat/ ... rodID/1552
when you can get way more light from the HIR bulb for less money.
http://www.rallylights.com/detail.aspx?ID=1414

When one of the 9005 lights(in the low beam side) that are in Cindy's car(over 5 years now) burn out, I'm going to put the HIR bulbs in the low beam side for the extra light they give.

I think the lumens are set by law for all dot lights, and the PIAA(dot legal) does not give out any more lumens than any other bulb in the same wattage(+/- %).


ROD

A pair of silver star ultras lasted only several months in my wife's Grand Am, and burnt out at the same time.

That sounds more like an overvoltage condition from the alternator than a bulb problem.

Take a look at the rated lifespan for today's SilverStar bulbs. If she does a lot of night driving, then she could have blown through the lifespan of the bulb quickly.

Also, I stuck a multimeter onto the stock headlight harness, and got 14 volts with the car on. This was with no load other than the multimeter. So our cars aren't the worst for voltage drop to the headlights on the OEM spaghetti wiring. Resistance is another question, and one I don't know how to measure.

Seems like the variance is a result of spotty quality.

I Have had Silverstar ultra bulbs 9006 on my car for pretty close to 2.5 years now with no issues and I am driving a 96 SE.
The only explanation I could come up with is, I also replaced the headlight sockets (put in "heavy duty" ones) I am not sure if it helped any but for $12 it didn't hurt.

60 hours rated life? Wow, that's pretty sad for what they cost.

I guess I never used my high beams much. Silverstars have been in my high beam spot since they day I bought it. At least three years on one set and who knows how long before I bought it that they were in there.

Now, I've got standard Sylvania H1 bulbs in the high beam spot. 1550 lumens and 225 hours rated life. Didn't see the need for Silverstar with those figures.
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rrounds wrote:

LeSabre in Buffalo wrote:It's interesting how much the lifespan of the bulb varies based on what they do in the design.

I'm not advocating one way or the other about SilverStar bulbs. I'm just presenting data about the lifespan.

Also, all 9005 bulbs put out 1700 lumens plus/minus 15%, or 1445 to 1955 lumens.

But we should put our thoughts out there on a forum like this to get the members the most bang for the buck. Why spend up to $87 on 2 light bulbs
http://www.subesports.com/products/cat/ ... rodID/1552
when you can get way more light from the HIR bulb for less money.
http://www.rallylights.com/detail.aspx?ID=1414

When one of the 9005 lights(in the low beam side) that are in Cindy's car(over 5 years now) burn out, I'm going to put the HIR bulbs in the low beam side for the extra light they give.

I think the lumens are set by law for all dot lights, and the PIAA(dot legal) does not give out any more lumens than any other bulb in the same wattage(+/- %).


ROD

Because I can get these which make the Silverstars look weak http://www.autobarn.net/pia10925.html http://www.autobarn.net/pia10926.html For less.

Both of my 9006ST's burned out yesterday. Installed in Oct, 07.

On the newer packaging, the life span on is stated right on the back of the SS box. I never realized till recently this was the case. dont think the package gives an actual time frame, but the regular halogen bulbs have 4 bars, and the SS ultras only have 1 bar

ChilinMichael wrote:
Because I can get these which make the Silverstars look weak http://www.autobarn.net/pia10925.html http://www.autobarn.net/pia10926.html For less.

You won't find any bulb that puts out more light than these(except HID's).
http://www.rallylights.com/detail.aspx?ID=1414

ROD

All these headlight options are nice and everything, but at what level do the low beams, assuming aimed correctly, become too much for oncoming motorists? I am one of them safety conscious and considerate people.

Don't get me wrong though, I have no problems giving people sunburns with the high beams.

first got my 97 bonne in april of 04, put silverstars in june of 04, switched them to the 92 i got in july of 05, then to my 02 in may of 08, just had 1 burn out in dec. when i got another set for the 97, 1 burned out in 2 weeks....

don't know what the deal is but i also work for advance auto parts and in 5 years with the company i've heard nothing but complaints.


James

RJolly87 wrote:All these headlight options are nice and everything, but at what level do the low beams, assuming aimed correctly, become too much for oncoming motorists? I am one of them safety conscious and considerate people.

Don't get me wrong though, I have no problems giving people sunburns with the high beams.

If your lights(low beam) are aimed correctly you will not bother oncoming cars. I have not had anyone flash their lights at me and I've had the 9005 bulb in the lowbeam side for over 6 years now. Aim your car at a wall at night(about 10 to 15 feet back), then put on your high beams and mark on the wall where the top of the light hits the wall. Then do the same for the low beams and you will see that there is a cutoff line that the light will not go over. If the light does not shine up and into the eyes of oncoming cars you can't blind them. HID's put out way more light than a 9005 bulb and if the HID's are aimed properly they don't bother anyone, neither will your 9005 bulb.

Just Do It.
If you don't like it you spent all of $7 to $8 per bulb. Just do one side(take out your high beam bulb and modify it) and see what the difference is. If you like it go buy two new 9005 bulbs if you don't like it, just put the 9005 bulb back in the high beam side and it will have cost you $0.
So far I've not heard of anyone that has done this mod to have gone back to the 9006 bulb.

ROD