Originally Posted by JudgeS

I think PIAA's are better

Originally Posted by J_Westy

Quite honestly, PIAAs are hype too.

Originally Posted by JudgeS

The only reason they are "hype" is the price, they do look better, and are better quality than any bulb out there short of Hoen's (which are about the same quality, look, much better price), but are they twice the price better, I don't think so.

Originally Posted by Daniel Stern

Some people feel that "whiter" light is better. Some people prefer the appearance of the headlamp when fitted with these bulbs. And then there are the True Believers, who ascribe all kinds of magical (and imaginary) benefits to "whiter" light.



Some companies (PIAA...) even capitalize on this by claiming that their 55W bulbs are as bright as 85W bulbs, among other pseudoscientific claims. Here's how this claim works: Higher-wattage bulbs of a given type generally appear whiter than lower-wattage bulbs. Think of the last time you replaced a 60W bulb in your home with a 100W bulb. So the idea with these "blue" filtered bulbs is to have a lower wattage bulb that mimics the color of a higher wattage bulb, but not its performance. However, there's no getting something for nothing. The altered light color does not mean you're getting more light, or better quality light, just that the light is of a different color.
In fact, you get less usable light from such a bulb than from a regular clear bulb, and here's why: A blue filter removes nonblue components of the light passing through it. Halogen bulbs produce very little light in the blue frequency range. When you put a blue filter on the bulb or lamp, you are reducing the amount of usable light that gets from the glowing filament to the reflector, to the lens and from there to the road. Prove it to yourself using nothing more than the windshield in your car...drive towards a yellow-orange Sodium vapor street light and watch the light as it shines first through the clear portion of the windshield, then through the blue strip at the top. Up there through the blue, it certainly looks "whiter"...but it's also dimmer. If a bulb's sales material focuses on the color of the light rather than the amount of light, you should ask critical questions about the amount of light the bulb produces before choosing to use it.

Originally Posted by J_Westy

"Look"... arguably, but better light? No.

In an H13, it's hard to beat the Philips X-treme +80 bulb. And at $35 shipped, you can't beat the price either. (Not paying for the hype BTW)

Here's some info from the link I posted above.

Originally Posted by Mavryk03

do you have these on your car now? and where did you get them at a local auto parts store?

Originally Posted by J_Westy

I have them in my 2005 (H7 size) and my wife's Jeep (H4 size). Awesome plain white light with no blue bling.

In an H13, you're really limited on options for quality light w/o hype.

Amazon is a safe bet price-wise -- link above. Otherwise some local shops carry them - for example Checkers in my area.

Originally Posted by Mavryk03

right on souinds good was looking at getting the xenons for the mini but dont know if i want to spend $600 ( $500 for xenons and $100 for the white turn sigs) since they dont let you just get the lights.

Originally Posted by Mavryk03

right on souinds good was looking at getting the xenons for the mini but dont know if i want to spend $600 ( $500 for xenons and $100 for the white turn sigs) since they dont let you just get the lights.

Originally Posted by mrod79

Forgot to post this, Silverstar Ultra H13's are not yet out for Countryman.
From what I was told by Pepboys, they will be released during the Fall.

I'm going to try the Philips X-treme bulbs.

Originally Posted by Mavryk03

I'm wondering how well the Philips X-treme +80 bulb or piaa or the silverstar work compared to xenons. Never had xenons so dont know how well they work and the price compared to these other bulbs are way much more? What does everyone think about that?

Originally Posted by dlpruk

I have 205/55/17 Bridgestone Dueller run-flats and sport suspension and love 'em both. The car rides beautifully with just the right amount of firmness, roll resistance and compliance and is far better in those respects than my Clubman was - both on the OEM 16in Goodyear Excellence run-flats and after swapping to normal Vredestein Sportraks. People who dis run-flats from experience with the first versions may not realse how much they've improved.

Originally Posted by Mavryk03

I have read some stuff in there as well, check this site out about some xeneon-max 100% bulbs, http://www.ringautomotive.co.uk/xenon-max.asp not sure about these, are these about the same as the xenons that come in the mini if you look at the video on the left?