Silverstar Ultra 9003/HB2 vs OEM headlight bulb comparison

[CTScott]

This past weekend I replaced my headlight bulbs with Sylvania Silverstar Ultra 9003/HB2. I started doing the bloody knuckle method of replacing them, and then decided that it might be fun to pull off the front bumper to allow the headlamp assemblies to be removed as per the service manual. It only took me 30 minutes to change the bulbs this way (and that included about 15 minutes of taking pictures and looking over all that one can see with the bumper off.

to attempt to qualify the difference with the bulbs I took before and after pictures looking out of my garage with the car and camera in identical places. I mounted my digital SLR camera to my tripod, positioned it at head height height, and took pictures in full manual mode so that I could ensure that all settings would be identical.

Here are the pictures. Looking out of my garage door, my driveway rises about 8 feet over 75 feet to the road, and along the right side a 3 foot high retaining wall curves from the corner of the garage out about 50 feet to where the driveway narrows.

OEM Headlight bulbs:


Sylvania Silverstar Ultra 9003/HB2 bulbs:


Based on the Silverstar's advertised 50% brighter, 40% farther, 50% wider performace, I was expecting a big difference between the before and after shots. As you can see above, the biggest difference is in color.

After I buttoned everything up I took it for a spin and noticed a small difference in the range of the new bulbs, but nothing earth shatterring. I remembered that Bob mentioned in another post that adjusting the lights up a bit makes a big difference. I adjusted mine up about 6 inches at 20 feet and went out for another spin. Bringing them up that amount made a huge difference in range (probably 30 to 50 feet further illumination) and isn't enough to bother drivers approaching me.

I do like the much whiter color of the Ultrastars, but I think that adjusting the lights made the bigger difference for me.


Here are some pictures of my 09 LB as I removed the bumper to change the bulbs:

Bumper off (approximately 5 minutes to remove):


Headlight assembly mounting screws:







Headlight Assembly free:


Socket cover removed and bulb retaining clip released:


Inside of the 09 bumper:

[DESIGNZIT]

Bought and changed out bulbs for $8.00 labor at the dealership here ......better at that price than bloody knuckles ........Love the SilverStars... and there is a big difference i am seeing in distance and brightness......

[thebarber]

in my experience, silverstars are overpriced....you can get almost any other aftermarket halogen bulb for half the price and itll do the same job

i had 4 sivlerstars (not ultra's, granted) in my matrix (lows and fogs) 3 of 4 burnt within 2 weeks of each other after 10months of use

good luck with yours...

[Klink10]

CT....1st, thanks for the pics. Did you do the bumper remove yourself? How heavy was it? I am a 1 man operation and contemplating this in the future.

[CTScott]

Originally Posted by Klink10

CT....1st, thanks for the pics. Did you do the bumper remove yourself? How heavy was it? I am a 1 man operation and contemplating this in the future.

The bumper was really easy to remove - If memory serves me right, 6 screws on the bottom, 5 plastic pop fasteners on the top by the hood and 2 in the wheel wells. After removing all of them the bumper stays in place until you pull it out from the clips that are at the bottom edge of the front of the headlights.

The bumper could not have weighed more than 10 lbs. In the picture it is sitting on my creeper to keep it from getting scratched.

[ozmdd]

I agree that Silverstars are not going to give you an HID experience, nor are they drastically brighter than OEMs, but I haven't seen any aftermarket bulbs that are truly brighter; just different light colors. If you were to significantly crank-up the wattage of the bulbs, you'd generate more heat, which could be a problem in plastic housings. That being said, I agree that the color is more pleasing and crisper, and I've had some 6000K aftermarket (ebay) H4's in my Jeep for 4 years now that I REALLY like, and I don't get flashed ever, even when I forget that my hi-beams are on. :)
Also, you shouldn't be getting bloody knuckles when you change them, so long as you take your time.

[thebarber]

Originally Posted by ozmdd

I agree that Silverstars are not going to give you an HID experience, nor are they drastically brighter than OEMs, but I haven't seen any aftermarket bulbs that are truly brighter; just different light colors. If you were to significantly crank-up the wattage of the bulbs, you'd generate more heat, which could be a problem in plastic housings. That being said, I agree that the color is more pleasing and crisper, and I've had some 6000K aftermarket (ebay) H4's in my Jeep for 4 years now that I REALLY like, and I don't get flashed ever, even when I forget that my hi-beams are on. :)
Also, you shouldn't be getting bloody knuckles when you change them, so long as you take your time.

ive had hid's....no halogen is anywhere close to bright

i run higher wattage bulbs in my yaris (with a heavy duty harness) but its nowhere near hid's...

[CTScott]

Originally Posted by PK198105

Scott, a little side note if i may. when you took the pictures did you keep the White Balance setting on auto or did you use the ambient white ( blank sheet of paper so the SLR can measure the white)? with this i believe you can achieve a better comparison

I set it manually using a white card.

After I completed the swap and downloaded the pics, I realized that it would have been better to do the comparison somewhere flat and wide open.

[gid]

I believe the filaments need time to break in . We use the ULTRAs in the '08 sedan . The sedan bulbs are much easier than the Liftback . No need to remove the bumper . The headlights were out of align from the factory , so had to raise the drivers side up . Seems fine now . Figure these should last longer since the '08 sedan doesn't have daytime running lights . These bulbs seem to blow during extreme changes in temperature , especially beginning of winter .

[LtNoogie]

Originally Posted by Klink10

CT....1st, thanks for the pics. Did you do the bumper remove yourself? How heavy was it? I am a 1 man operation and contemplating this in the future.

You can find the shop manual for removing exterior trim here:

http://www.etimago.com/yaris/repairmanual/Exterior.pdf

[Klink10]

CT- Thanks
LT Noogie- I got the manual, was just curious.

[YarisSedan]

Originally Posted by thebarber

in my experience, silverstars are overpriced....you can get almost any other aftermarket halogen bulb for half the price and itll do the same job

i had 4 sivlerstars (not ultra's, granted) in my matrix (lows and fogs) 3 of 4 burnt within 2 weeks of each other after 10months of use

good luck with yours...

if they are burning out its because you got the oil from your fingers on the bulb. Any halogen bulb will burn out after 2 weeks if you get any fingerprints whatsoever when installing.

[PETERPOOP]

i think you read it wrong. he said after 10 months of use, the bulbs burnt out within 2 weeks of eachother? i think that's right

[33OH]

I've never removed the bumper to get my headlight bulbs out. In fact, I've never removed anything. Just get your hand behind the bulb and unclip the clip and pull the bulb out. Wasn't hard.

And I agree, I went from OEM to SilverStar Ultras and didn't see hardly any difference besides color.

I went to 8000K HID's and I can see everything. I do get brighted/flipped off/the hand/etc. though, and I have mine pointed down farther than stock to try and not blind anyone.

But it's worth it!

[CTScott]

Originally Posted by ryank

I've never removed the bumper to get my headlight bulbs out. In fact, I've never removed anything. Just get your hand behind the bulb and unclip the clip and pull the bulb out. Wasn't hard.

And I agree, I went from OEM to SilverStar Ultras and didn't see hardly any difference besides color.

I went to 8000K HID's and I can see everything. I do get brighted/flipped off/the hand/etc. though, and I have mine pointed down farther than stock to try and not blind anyone.

But it's worth it!

Did you just do the 8000K HID bulbs, or did you change the entire headlight assembly?

[33OH]

Originally Posted by CTScott

Did you just do the 8000K HID bulbs, or did you change the entire headlight assembly?

Just the 8000K bulbs. Same with the SilverStars, just the bulbs.

[CTScott]

Originally Posted by ryank

Just the 8000K bulbs. Same with the SilverStars, just the bulbs.

No problems with overheating with the HID bulbs? Most of the ones I've seen advertised are 100W, which is almost double the rating of the OEMs or SilverStars.

[33OH]

Originally Posted by CTScott

No problems with overheating with the HID bulbs? Most of the ones I've seen advertised are 100W, which is almost double the rating of the OEMs or SilverStars.

(They come with the ballasts too, not just the bulbs. not sure if that's what you were asking up above.)

I've had them installed since August (or around there) and no problems yet.

I did have to disable my DRL for them to work though, so I only run them at night now.