Sylvania Silverstars -- forget it

Yousuf Khan · 2006-09-03T02:03:43+00:00

I was really interested in trying out Sylvania Silverstar headlights on my 2001 Pontiac Grand Prix, since the GP headlights are really really underpowered. As it turned out instead, one of the headlights in my 2000 Subaru Outback died first. So I replaced both sides with the Silverstars, just to keep them matched (so I had one good regular headlight bulb left over). I'm glad I kept the old light bulb, because 4 months later the driver's side Silverstar died. Then one month after that the passenger side Silverstar died too. So I've gone back to standard lightbulbs all around again, at 1/3rd the price (and probably 3 times the durability).Now during the time I tried those Silverstars, I noticed their characteristics. The SSs do throw their light a little further out than regulars. However, I also noticed that the SSs don't have as wide an angle of dispersion as the regulars. I saw less stuff out the sides with the SSs than with regulars. I was more interested in getting a wider dispersion on the Pontiac than further distance, so the SSs would've been exact wrong type of lights to have anyway. Yousuf Khan

Sep 03, 2006 24 Replies

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Yousuf Khan 19 years ago

So are you saying that Osram SSes are lower current than their Sylvania SS siblings? Why would they name them the same thing with such basic design differences?

Yousuf Khan

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CompUser 19 years ago

I am.

Presumably the Sylvanias are burning hotter/at higher wattage to make up for starting out in the hole (having to overcome the cheesey "wannabe- HD" tint),compared to clear-capsule bulbs.

Heck if I know. Anyone know any Osram/Sylvania marketing types?

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Rick Courtright 19 years ago

Hi,

I don't know any marketing types, but they've got a FAQ at

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might answer some questions. BTW, a comment was made about the Silverstars using more current, thus shortening their life. This appears to be incorrect: check the ratings sections, and the voltage/current requirements are the same as several other models. Life expectancy is probably more closely related to the materials used.

Rick

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bigjim 19 years ago

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nobody > 19 years ago

Now it's my turn to admit to being "not so bright". The RH Silverstar burnt out after less than 3 months use. I replaced it today and it DOES have a blue tint. I looked at new ones at the store in passing and the tint *is* very light. It gets darker after use.

That's the last of Silverstars for me (except the remaining LH bulb goes in the junkbox as a road spare). The *first* LH bulb lasted all of 3 days. It wasn't my greasy fingers that killed it either; I spent years repairing projectors - I *know* bulbs.

I'm now using the XtraVisions; will see how that pans out.

FWIW; someone else mentioned a different cutoff for the XVs. That's highly unlikely unless the filament is mounted off the focal center. The only way the cutoff points could change otherwise is to physically change the reflectors built into the headlight housing.

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