# Any difference between OEM Halogen bulb and Autozone Bulb



## Desertnate (Mar 11, 2002)

Before the brutal assults for me being an idiot begin, let me provide a little background...

While living in the UK, I blew a lowbeam bulb. Since the local BMW dealer was ring on my way home from work, I dropped in and bought a bulb. The service desk even had a dispay on the counter so you wouldn't have to back to the parts counter (price was cheaper than local parts store). After installing the "Euro" OEM bulb I noticed it burned whiter and brighter than the original bulb on the other side (US vs Euro OEM parts :dunno: ) You could even tell the difference as the light was projected on the ground. Not a big difference, but there was a difference. A year or so later the other bulb went, I replaced it with a matching OEM bulb and all was well.


This morning as I was leaving the gym for work, I blew another headlamp. Since I drive in the dark a lot, it will be replaced today. My question is this...If I just go to Autozone/O'Rielley's and pick up a standard Halogen bulb, will it be that different from the OEM one I would pick up at the dealership? I'm not talking one of the high priced, burn out in a year, "super white" bulbs of questionable quality and luminescence, just a good 'ole fashioned H7 headlamp bulb.


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## jvr826 (Apr 22, 2002)

For halogen bulbs, I like Sylvania SilverStar. They're about $40-50/pair. I have xenon in my car, but I use these bulbs in my truck and love them.

I've tried Phillips Vision Plus in the high beams in my BMW and they are also bright, but not as white as the SilverStars.



Desertnate said:


> Before the brutal assults for me being an idiot begin, let me provide a little background...
> 
> While living in the UK, I blew a lowbeam bulb. Since the local BMW dealer was ring on my way home from work, I dropped in and bought a bulb. The service desk even had a dispay on the counter so you wouldn't have to back to the parts counter (price was cheaper than local parts store). After installing the "Euro" OEM bulb I noticed it burned whiter and brighter than the original bulb on the other side (US vs Euro OEM parts :dunno: ) You could even tell the difference as the light was projected on the ground. Not a big difference, but there was a difference. A year or so later the other bulb went, I replaced it with a matching OEM bulb and all was well.
> 
> This morning as I was leaving the gym for work, I blew another headlamp. Since I drive in the dark a lot, it will be replaced today. My question is this...If I just go to Autozone/O'Rielley's and pick up a standard Halogen bulb, will it be that different from the OEM one I would pick up at the dealership? I'm not talking one of the high priced, burn out in a year, "super white" bulbs of questionable quality and luminescence, just a good 'ole fashioned H7 headlamp bulb.


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## Desertnate (Mar 11, 2002)

jvr530i said:


> For halogen bulbs, I like Sylvania SilverStar. They're about $40-50/pair. I have xenon in my car, but I use these bulbs in my truck and love them.
> 
> I've tried Phillips Vision Plus in the high beams in my BMW and they are also bright, but not as white as the SilverStars.


I still may go that route...thanks for the advice. Where did you get them? How is their longevity? These are not the SilverStars you see on the mass market i.e. Wal-Mart and local auto parts store are they?

My immediate problem is I am out one low beam and will be driving home in the near dark and in the pre-dawn darkness in the morning and can't wait for bulbs to come in the mail


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## Nick325xiT 5spd (Dec 24, 2001)

Just make sure that they have the special ZHP gas in them, for that extra bit of additional light output.


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## Desertnate (Mar 11, 2002)

Nick325xiT 5spd said:


> Just make sure that they have the special ZHP gas in them, for that extra bit of additional light output.


 :doh:

I almost forgot that...thanks for the reminder. Hmmm...Since my car is a humble 323i SP can it handle the special ZHP bulbs? Is my car worthy? I don't want to melt the front facia on my car or anything... That ZHP gas in the bulbs migh have a violent reaction with the Halogen in the high beam bulbs :eeps:

:angel:


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## jvr826 (Apr 22, 2002)

I got them at a local auto store, auto zone I think. I've had them in my truck for 18 months and no problems, but I don't drive it very often. But, I live in a rural area and night time driving is in pitch dark, wooded mountain roads. I can see very well with these, even in foggy conditions.

I've had the Phillips Vision Plus (high beams) in my BMW for about the same amount of time and that I drive alot more often, and at night. No problems with them either. They're a little more yellow and I can drive in low to medium fog without switching to low beams.

If you search around on the forum I'm sure you'll find lots of exchange on aftermarket bulbs, and there may be a comparo on bmwtips.com. General feeling is there are some mega-buck bulbs out there (not naming any names) on E-Bay etc that are bunk. I figured for $50 I'd try out the better rated ones from Sylvania and Phillips and see what I thought for myself.



Desertnate said:


> I still may go that route...thanks for the advice. Where did you get them? How is their longevity? These are not the SilverStars you see on the mass market i.e. Wal-Mart and local auto parts store are they?
> 
> My immediate problem is I am out one low beam and will be driving home in the near dark and in the pre-dawn darkness in the morning and can't wait for bulbs to come in the mail


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## Desertnate (Mar 11, 2002)

Thanks,

I thought I had read somewhere that the Sylvania/Osram bulbs found at the parts stores are not the same quality that you get on line at some of the specialty places.

However, since my last posting here I did a little searching and the official Sylvania/Osram website directed me to my local parts store as an official dealer :thumbup: If they have any in stock I may give them a try. My Toyota needs some brigter lights and I can use my car as a test bed.


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## Desertnate (Mar 11, 2002)

Well tonight I answered my own question... :tsk: 

I purchased an average H7 bulb from O'Reiley's. That in itself was a task since the guy behind the counter was sure I had the wrong bulb. His all knowing computer said I needed a 9006 for the low beams and a 9005 for the high beams... :tsk: He wouldn't believe me until I showed him the bulb. The 9XXX weren't even close.

Once home and installed, I noticed the average bulb was noticably dimmer and more yellow than the Euro OEM bulb in the other side. Another interesting observation was the light pattern was very different as well. There was one large hot spot and no cut off point at the top of the beam...it just threw light everywhere and looked like that light was WAY out of adjustment. Also this bulb didn't seem to seat right and would easliy fall out of the socket

Sooo....since the dealer was closed I headed over to Auto Zone to discover they actually had the H7 Sylvania Silver Stars in stock. After returning to the house and installing I found them to be whiter and slightly brighter than the Euro OEMs, yet had the same beam pattern with cut off. They fit in the socket perfectly. I installed a matching bulb on the other side and called it a day...satisfied.

Only after all the work was done and I was looking at the burned out bulb did I notice the word "Osram" painted on the underside. Had I know that I would have never bothered with the first bulb and would have gone straight to the Sylvanias. 

Oh well...Lesson learned. Now to put a set in our Toyota.


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## blockpavick (Dec 22, 2004)

Desertnate said:


> Well tonight I answered my own question... :tsk:
> 
> I purchased an average H7 bulb from O'Reiley's. That in itself was a task since the guy behind the counter was sure I had the wrong bulb. His all knowing computer said I needed a 9006 for the low beams and a 9005 for the high beams... :tsk: He wouldn't believe me until I showed him the bulb. The 9XXX weren't even close.
> 
> ...


Use what you got, but when it comes time to replace, use European Silverstar H7's, or Philips Vision Plus.
The US Silverstars are different trendy colored, cost more and shorter lived than European Silverstars available here: http://www.electricalconnection.com/other-lighting/bulb_euro-hl.htm. Regards,
Joe B.


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## Desertnate (Mar 11, 2002)

blockpavick said:


> Use what you got, but when it comes time to replace, use European Silverstar H7's, or Philips Vision Plus.
> The US Silverstars are different trendy colored, cost more and shorter lived than European Silverstars available here: http://www.electricalconnection.com/other-lighting/bulb_euro-hl.htm. Regards,
> Joe B.


Thanks for the link...interesting that the Euro bulbs and the US bulbs from the same company are different.

As for the color of the Silverstars, I didn't notice any real bluish tint to the light. In fact, compared to the Euro OEM Osram bulbs I bought at the dealer in the UK, they are brighter and whiter. Viewing the lights from the front of the car, they appear white, no bluish tint whatsoever. That was a big worry for me...I didn't want some low-rent blue poser bulbs. I was after the best white illumination available from a Halogen bulb.


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## jvr826 (Apr 22, 2002)

I didn't realize the Silverstar bulbs were different either. I did, however, order my Vision Plus bulbs from an online site and I think they came from the UK. 

I have an H4 in my motorcycle and gave one to a couple of buddies for theirs. We all like them way better than the OEM bulbs. I had to ask one guy if he had his high beam on while riding behind me, he didn't . They're very bright! 

Glad it worked out for you!


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## alpinewhite325i (Jan 20, 2002)

I went to Autozone about a month ago and just bought a 2 pack of plain Slyvania H7's for $22 and put them in.

Looked the same, fit the same, and illuminated the road the same as the original bulbs.

Maybe I'm not as discriminating!!


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## Desertnate (Mar 11, 2002)

alpinewhite325i said:


> I went to Autozone about a month ago and just bought a 2 pack of plain Slyvania H7's for $22 and put them in.
> 
> Looked the same, fit the same, and illuminated the road the same as the original bulbs.
> 
> Maybe I'm not as discriminating!!


Plain Sylvania's weren't available at any of my local stores...you are lucky. All we have here are he SilverStars.

The first bulb I put in was not only measureably dimmer and the beam pattern was really odd. Count yourself fortunate.


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## bluebee (Mar 2, 2008)

alpinewhite325i said:


> bought a 2 pack of plain Slyvania H7's for $22 and put them in. Looked the same, fit the same, and illuminated the road the same as the original bulbs.


Found this thread looking for "real" information about choosing the right H7 bulb for my bimmer.

After only a day's research, it seems buying a "standard" bulb is what gets the best night vision, despite the marketing hype to the contrary.


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## vocalthought (May 5, 2008)

The local Kragen guy said that his SS customers usually come back after a year to get a new set. I got a set of Sylvania Xtravision instead. It had Made In Germany stamped on the metal part of the bulb. The Kragen guy said that the XV will last at least three time longer than the SS. My Corolla's OEM set lasted me 10 years.

The whiter the bulb burns, the shorter its life. I think that's why BMW did not pick a whiter bulb for its angel eyes. The bean counters at BMW AG were probably too cheap to go LED.


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