Cheap headlight bulbs

Merlin5

Merlin5

Merlin5

Soldato
Joined
17 Aug 2009
Posts
18,572
Location
Finchley, London
I replaced my dipped headlight bulbs yesterday from Halfords, 2 x 477 for £19.99, heavy duty anti vibration.

Looking on ebay, there's tons of cheap H7 477 12v 55w bulbs, even supposedly Lucas ones, going for just under £2 per bulb, and even 10 unbranded for just over £5. Are they all rubbish or has anyone had experience of cheap halogen bulbs from ebay? Just wondering if it's worth buying any for future use.
 
I find that when it comes to lamps, you get what you pay for. I've never had any cheapo jobbies that came anywhere close to a good pair of Bosch.
 
I've been using <£1 h7 bulbs in anything non xenon which I've had for years, they...are fine, they light up the same as any other non enhanced bulb
 
This is what I was thinking. They may work fine but probably not for long and I'd be continually changing the bulbs.
 
I bought the Tesco kit for bulbs and they were rubbish.

However I then bought 8 bulbs for £4 on a Amazon deal and they haven't broke yet (I do a lot of mileage with lights on) so I think it's hit and miss. The Amazon ones I'm using are perfectly fine.
 
#Chri5# said:
The cheapo H7 bulbs I last tried from eBay had a very poor life span, so I'd avoid. YMMV.
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They have always seemed OK to me, the more expensive non enhanced bulbs are probably all built in chinese factories for pennies anyway
 
I've had cheap halogen bulbs and more expensive Ring/Osram ones and the difference is outstanding.

Is the same true with HID/Xenon bulbs?
 
I found the Phillips X-Treme Vision ones good for hallogen bulbs. They are WAY brighter than the crappy OEM ones that I had before on my Fiesta ST.

You definitely get what you pay for with bulbs though.
 
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The ones Halfords etc sell for a high price ARE cheap ones, just with a monumental markup on them. Trade discount is hilarious on basic bulbs at Halfords.
 
As i say, ive been using cheap H7 bulbs in any non xenon cars for years and they seem "fine" to me. There isnt much to say about them, they seem the same as any non enhanced bulb ive either been given by my local garage or bought locally. The halfords normal bulbs are probably built in a similar factory for about 0.00001p each anyway. My village garage will swap out dead bulbs without mention or charge for them any time i use them, the garage must get them very cheaply in order to not even mention them.
 
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In that case, I'll take a punt on cheap bulbs and see how they go. If they only last a few days or a couple of weeks only, then not much money lost.
 
Never touch the glass part of the bulb, oil from your skin will cause hot spots on the glass and they will fail far quicker.

Only touch the casing.

We've got Osram bulbs in both our cars, can't fault them. Had them for a few years.
 
its not about the failing quickly its the quality of the beam, why people buy the £1 bulbs is beyond me, £14 for a pair of osrams and better safety on the road, no brainer really.
 
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