What Are The Best Non-Hid Replacement Halogen Headlight Bulbs For Our

[Emery Moore]

I am looking for suggestions on what kind of headlight bulbs to use, what are you all using?

[cduluk]

Is this for an 07-09 RX350? Do you want to replace your low beams or high beams?

Does your RX have HID low beams already? The RX comes with 3 different versions of headlights, two with HID and one with halogen.

[Messerchmidt]

sylvania bulbs work well, cheap at wal-mart

[cduluk]

the factory bulbs are Sylvania...

And they're not always the best; Sylvania does make a "cheap" version of their bulbs. If you go to a store like Autozone or Advanced Auto Parts, on the shelf you'll find $40 Sylvania bulbs and $20 Sylvania bulbs... There IS a difference. The factory Sylvania bulbs used in the Lexus are the $40 ones...

[Messerchmidt]

mine has HIDs from the factory, so using the el cheapo syl. bulbs as my DLRs (factory ones died). Using the better white/blue tinted silverstar ones in the fog lights (25$ at walmart for the set) - again becauase the factory ones burnt out. Swap the headlights to projectors and install and HID kit, well worth it

[olya]

always find high quality hids to avoid headaches. don't settle for refurbished ones. it's a big no no... ;)

[dcfish]

I always use Sylvania Silverstars...

[vietxtcboi6]

I always use Sylvania Silverstars...

for some reason buying sylvania's i (personally) seem to have problems with them after 3-4 months being burnt out. I would have to replace them and its not cheap. Even with aftermarket bulbs with tint of blue, they all seem to die out WTH.. (LOW BEAMS)

[The G Man]

Those high performance bulbs burn hotter, so they burn out fasters, there is no way around it.

[dcfish]

Well, I change my headlight bulbs every 2 years if they are good or not, Keep them for spares. The reason is ALL bulbs dim and yellow over time, I treat headlight bulbs like wiper blades. An ounce of prevention You Know !!!

[cduluk]

I always use Sylvania Silverstars...

for some reason buying sylvania's i (personally) seem to have problems with them after 3-4 months being burnt out. I would have to replace them and its not cheap. Even with aftermarket bulbs with tint of blue, they all seem to die out WTH.. (LOW BEAMS)

Oh god, those blue "tinted" halogen bulbs are some of the WORST aftermarket bulbs- both in terms of quality and especially in reliability. The ONLY way a halogen bulb can produce a "whiter" light than the standard is if the glass is tinted with a blue coating, or if the coil is of a different material than what's usually used. However, having blue tinted glass simply "filters" the blue light out which reduces intensity (and not to mention looks ridiculous) and increases the amount of light energy bouncing back onto the filament, causing it to heat up beyond its limits and burn out. In an ordinary bulb, light from the filament goes straight through the clear glass. However the tint in these such "tinted" bulbs causes some of the energy released by the filament to remain trapped inside the bulb causing it to heat up; just like how black cars get hotter in the summer v.s. white ones. Here's an example of such aftermarket tinted bulbs:

There are direct halogen replacement bulbs given the name HIR, which use a special coating in the clear glass to reflect light energy back onto the filament to get it to burn hotter and thus brighter. But these manufacturers plan for this and ensure that the filament can take the extra heat. The intensity of these bulbs is outstanding (i use them) however the color is the same as the standard halogen.

And i agree with dcfish- headlight bulbs should be replaced often as they do become less efficient over time. Not to mention the fact that bulbs can severely damage the inside of your headlight assemblies if they "burst". There's enough energy in a bursting bulb to chip and melt the chrome and plastic housings!

[The G Man]

You mean HIR bulbs right?

Its too bad HIR bulbs are not widely used in the auto industry, it produce 75% more light than halogen. GE has the patent and they are using it mostly for household bulbs.

[cduluk]

Yepp indeed. HIR are incredible but a little more expensive...