If you want to be legal, silverstars are great, but wait until you put on E-code headlights, its like night and day.

I have 100W high beams, and I have my lights aimed just perfect, so I can really see very well. I didnt notice how much junk, and animals were on the road until I got euro lights.

Osram and Sylvania are the same company, sylvania is for the US market name.

The Sylvania Xenon conversions I have heard are also quite good, but expensive. When they first came out they were very very expensive, but I dont think they sell very many, so they dropped the price.

When the siverstars just came out, I bought a few sets they were about 30 dollars a bulb for 9004!

Eventhough people are in the way, sometimes flashing people can really blind them especially if they are an older person because their eyes dont adjust as fast as a yonger persons eyes.

Daniel W. everyone sees a little differently, and many older people react better to yellow light, while most yonger people react to white light better because they are more used to it, like white florescent lights. But there are some younger people that see better with yellow light as well...

I heard that Xenon lights might be banned, but I really doubt it. Too many cars have them now. In some cities they really dont like them because astronomers cant filter out xenon light because it "broadcasts" every color in the spectrum. Did you ever wonder why street lights are Yellow (Sodium Vapor) it only has one color, and it is very easy to filter out with a filter on a telescope.

Hope you guys enjoyed reading my light knowledge, I used to really be into headlights a few years ago.

__________________
Current Stable:
1994 S500 v140, 210k miles, white with grey.

Former Mercedes in the Stable:
1983 300CD Turbo diesel 515k mi sold (rumor has it, that it has 750k miles on it now)
1984 300CD Turbo Diesel 150 k mi sold
1982 300D Turbo Diesel 225 sold
1987 300D Turbo Diesel 255k mi sold
1988 300 CE AMG Hammer 15k mi sold
1986 "300E" Amg Hammer 88k mi sold (it was really a 200, not even an E (124.020)
1992 500E 156k mi sold
etc.

Omega, I don't know if you meant it, but the above statement implies that the Sylvania and Osram silverstars are the same. They most definitely are not, the Osram bulbs I got from the UK are completely different from the Sylvania ones you can get from your local McParts.

I am pretty sure they are the same. How are they different?

__________________
Current Stable:
1994 S500 v140, 210k miles, white with grey.

Former Mercedes in the Stable:
1983 300CD Turbo diesel 515k mi sold (rumor has it, that it has 750k miles on it now)
1984 300CD Turbo Diesel 150 k mi sold
1982 300D Turbo Diesel 225 sold
1987 300D Turbo Diesel 255k mi sold
1988 300 CE AMG Hammer 15k mi sold
1986 "300E" Amg Hammer 88k mi sold (it was really a 200, not even an E (124.020)
1992 500E 156k mi sold
etc.

Omega, the following is from suvlights.com

What is the difference between the Sylvania Silverstar and the Osram Silverstar?

Osram Sylvania is one and the same company, within the US they use both Osram and Sylvania, outside the US its Osram. The Osram Silverstar is a clear bulb with Xenon gas boost to increase brightness up to 50% color is similar to standard halogen though it is slightly whiter. The Sylvania Silverstar is the same bulb but with an amethyst blue coating with 30% more light than standard halogen and 4000K light color which is comparable to Xenon/High Intensity Discharge Light Systems as seen on high end cars from Acura, Audi, BMW, Cadillac, Lexus, Mercedes Benz, Porsche to name a few.

Sylvania Silverstar is currently available in 9003/H4, 9004, 9005, 9006, 9007 & sealed beam sizes, the Sylvania Silverstar is the Super White (blue/grey coated) version of the Osram Silverstar (clear) which is available in H1, H4, & H7. Osram Silverstar color is slightly whiter (very slightly) than regular halogen. We also have the Narva Range Power Blue bulbs are made in Germany and DOT compliant. The Osram Silverstar is E code (ECE Reg 37) but not tested for DOT compliance (FMVSS 108) since the bulb is made for the European market, but most likely meets US DOT standards if tested. All these bulbs are stock wattage so it will not have any effect on wiring.

so the osram silverstars are xenon boosted, and the sylvania silverstars are just filtered with the coating.

Thanks for clearing me up, I apprecate it.

Can you get Osram silverstars H4 100/80 and H3 100W? Where can I buy those?

__________________
Current Stable:
1994 S500 v140, 210k miles, white with grey.

Former Mercedes in the Stable:
1983 300CD Turbo diesel 515k mi sold (rumor has it, that it has 750k miles on it now)
1984 300CD Turbo Diesel 150 k mi sold
1982 300D Turbo Diesel 225 sold
1987 300D Turbo Diesel 255k mi sold
1988 300 CE AMG Hammer 15k mi sold
1986 "300E" Amg Hammer 88k mi sold (it was really a 200, not even an E (124.020)
1992 500E 156k mi sold
etc.

Omega, this is from sylvania's webpage


What’s the difference between European and North American SilverStar?


The Sylvania North American SilverStar bulbs have an amethyst blue coating to help give the whiter light appearance. The European SilverStar does not have a coating for the whiter light. Both bulbs offer greater luminance or increased brightness.

The european silverstar just has the xenon gas though, but no coating. I think I understand now.

__________________
Current Stable:
1994 S500 v140, 210k miles, white with grey.

Former Mercedes in the Stable:
1983 300CD Turbo diesel 515k mi sold (rumor has it, that it has 750k miles on it now)
1984 300CD Turbo Diesel 150 k mi sold
1982 300D Turbo Diesel 225 sold
1987 300D Turbo Diesel 255k mi sold
1988 300 CE AMG Hammer 15k mi sold
1986 "300E" Amg Hammer 88k mi sold (it was really a 200, not even an E (124.020)
1992 500E 156k mi sold
etc.

Omega, the SIlverstars are only available in the stock wattage 55/60. If you are looking for high wattage bulbs check out the Philips Rallye line, the have H3 and H4 available in 100W, just remember to use beefy wiring.

Cool, I will thanks.

__________________
Current Stable:
1994 S500 v140, 210k miles, white with grey.

Former Mercedes in the Stable:
1983 300CD Turbo diesel 515k mi sold (rumor has it, that it has 750k miles on it now)
1984 300CD Turbo Diesel 150 k mi sold
1982 300D Turbo Diesel 225 sold
1987 300D Turbo Diesel 255k mi sold
1988 300 CE AMG Hammer 15k mi sold
1986 "300E" Amg Hammer 88k mi sold (it was really a 200, not even an E (124.020)
1992 500E 156k mi sold
etc.

OK headlight sherpas, help me navigate this...

I've got an 87 420SEL and not sure whether I can swap out the bulbs or if the lenses and bulbs are one assembly. Anyone know?

Depending on that answer, what would most closely approximate the *brightness* (aesthetically the color of the light makes no difference to me) of my A4 that has xenons. The 16 year old lights on my SEL are like driving with oil-lamps for headlights compared to the xenons.

Thanks,

John

__________________
04 C230K Sedan
01 Boxster

00 C230K Sedan (sold)
87 420SEL "Phatryd" (sold)