[Closed] H4 headlight bulbs: much of a muchness?

I'd just get standard Osram or Philips bulbs. Tolerances are better and they're not that expensive. If you warn better lighting, Osram Nightbreaker Plus or the Philips +90 Vision Xtreme or whatever they're called, but they're expensive. Work well though.

I'd just get standard Osram or Philips bulbs. Tolerances are better and they're not that expensive. If you want better lighting, Osram Nightbreaker Plus or the Philips +90 Vision Xtreme or whatever they're called, but they're expensive. Work well though.

I'd just get standard Osram or Philips bulbs. Tolerances are better and they're not that expensive. If you want better lighting, Osram Nightbreaker Plus or the Philips +90 Vision Xtreme or whatever they're called, but they're expensive. Work well though.

Thank you apple 🙂

I'd just get standard Osram or Philips bulbs. Tolerances are better and they're not that expensive. If you want better lighting, Osram Nightbreaker Plus or the Philips +90 Vision Xtreme or whatever they're called, but they're expensive. Work well though.

I'd just get standard Osram or Philips bulbs. Tolerances are better and they're not that expensive. If you want better lighting, Osram Nightbreaker Plus or the Philips +90 Vision Xtreme or whatever they're called, but they're expensive. Work well though.

aaaarrgghhhhhh - what's happening to me 😥

( 😉 )

I'd just get standard Osram or Philips bulbs. Tolerances are better and they're not that expensive. If you want better lighting, Osram Nightbreaker Plus or the Philips +90 Vision Xtreme or whatever they're called, but they're expensive. Work well though.

I'd just get standard Osram or Philips bulbs. Tolerances are better and they're not that expensive. If you want better lighting, Osram Nightbreaker Plus or the Philips +90 Vision Xtreme or whatever they're called, but they're expensive. Work well though.

This post has brought to you in association with Osram, in partnership with Philips - for all your lighting needs.

so 3 from BWD, 2 from scaredy and 2 from jam bo.

You chaps think Im made of money?!?!??

roight. osram £4 each ish. Looks ok.
cheers BWD and his echoes 🙂

Stuck some H4 nightbreakers in our oldest car several years ago (old P reg with frosted style headlight) and they are still working very well (probably going to blow one now!) and give out fantastic light comparable to modern style lights with normal bulbs.

Just got a set of the new Nightbreaker + H7s to go in my new car as they had 30% off at Eurocarparts (£9 a pair). But that's my main car and I do lots of night driving.

PS buy them in the blister pack not the one with the hard case as they are cheaper.

I'm selling some on classifieds right now, but they're more than £4 so I've reported you

cant really go for the ultrabright ones as the campervan spends a lot of time on the continent and since no lamp masks work perfectly I dont want to upset M. Le Frog by casting laser light across the carriageway.

cheers andy - have gone for some blister packaged osrams from ebay. a pair for £6.

if you don't use it in the uk much you could always fit some lhd headlights and fit masks when in the uk.

Main use is UK, so that wouldnt be necessary.
I do though leave the masks on all year round.

cant really go for the ultrabright ones as the campervan spends a lot of time on the continent and since no lamp masks work perfectly I dont want to upset M. Le Frog by casting laser light across the carriageway.

You won't have any problems with that in a T4.

The power at the bulbs is so low on the standard VW wiring setup that even the super power bulbs won't cause any issues.

If you fit the Headlight wiring loom upgrade and use Osram Nightbreaker+ you will see a [b]huge [/b]difference in output though.

I've got that setup and have never noticed getting flashed when I drive in Europe.

never knew that, Neal.

TBH I dont really notice low light output.

I agree with Badlywireddog but I think scaredypants is talking rot

never knew that, Neal.
TBH I dont really notice low light output.

I didn't either until I borrowed another T4 while mine was being re trimmed.
The difference is incredible !!

It's about £30 if I remember right for the wiring loom. Easy to fit if you can hold a screwdriver and follow a few instructions. Takes about 15 minutes.

Doesn't make it look like its got fancy xenon search lights or anything, it just makes them work properly. With 12v+ at the bulb.

Stepson has just replaced his loom on his T4, must ask if its made a difference.

bigyinn - Member
Stepson has just replaced his loom on his T4, must ask if its made a difference.

please do. Not that I dont trust neal of course 🙂 but good to have corroboration....

The power at the bulbs is so low on the standard VW wiring setup that even the super power bulbs won't cause any issues.

If you fit the Headlight wiring loom upgrade and use Osram Nightbreaker+ you will see a huge difference in output though.

i also did this to my t4. Bought an uprated wiring loom off ebay. THe difference is night and day 🙂

Stoner, he's just text me to say "yeah much better", so I guess neil is right too.

anybody got a link to the wiring upgrade???

sick of the poxy headlights on mine 🙂

Dont really want to look like a male chicken

I'd be starting with something a bit more fundamental then. 😛

Have a look for a guy called "upspex" on the T4 forum.

His kits are the best I've used.

(Or DiscoDave but I'm not sure he does them anymore?)

Or T4sRus, or TidyT's

I would avoid ebay ones personally, unless from one of the people mentioned above.
All those guys work with T4's every day and know what they are doing.

eBay ones can be a bit "unknown" quality wise.

Osram Nightbreakers are really good. Shame you're not near Portsmouth, got a few H4 bulbs from my old 306 that are just sitting there

cheers for the tips.

Mine was from discodave 🙂

Mine was from discodave

One of mine was too. He even fitted it for me 😉

ouch, £43 from T4sRUs 🙁

But have just checked with the accountant and she say yes....

£43 for something that improves your night time visibility is well worth it IMO.

that's the mrs' reasoning too. she's been complaining about visibility on country lanes so I wont resent the spend.

I drive with my eyes closed most of the time anyway 😉

Surely it's just a relay and a bit of wire though so £43 seems a little steep, guess it's a bit like those split charge systems that go for £100+

Id think so too, rob, but theres 3 "one-man-band" guys Ive seen selling them on the web (each their own design too) and they are all c.£40 + p&p so its probably a fair market.

Harness tutned up yesterday.

Seemed pretty well put together
[img] [/img]

I tested the voltage at the lamps before replacing the harness. The battery was fully charged. Passenger side was showing 13.6v and driver's side 14.3v - so not too bad, but I wonder if those voltages would have been much lower if the battery was taking a fair chunk from the alternator?

Anyway, with the new harness passenger side went up to 14.3v and driver's side was pretty much unchanged at 14.4v

Will take the van out tonight and see if the difference is marked or not.

After replacing the harness,

been thinking of a harness upgrade for my defender for the same reason.

I guess they are illegal but I was looking yesterday at the H4s with 90watts on the dipped beam. Anyone tried them ?

I have Philips extreme bulbs and the upgraded loom on my T4.. it will make you realise how crap the original headlights are on dimmed

Surely it's just a relay and a bit of wire though so £43 seems a little steep

You could always buy all the bits and make one yourself, if you know what needs to be done, and how to do it ?

But for most people buying a ready made setup, made by someone who knows what they are doing, with all the right connections fitted, and instructions of how to fit it, is by far the best option.

And to be honest, £43 is well worth it for the difference it makes.

And I presume that came with a set of upgraded bulbs as the loom was £35 on their site when I last looked ?

nope - just loom. I got some osrams from ebay. didnt bother going for superdooper ones.

£35 before P&P

You could always buy all the bits and make one yourself, if you know what needs to be done, and how to do it ?

I've made a few myself, a couple for a Mk2 GTi and one for my Corrado. If you want to do it properly, it's not that cheap - some of the eBay looms are really poorly made: non-waterproof fuse holders, basic crimped joints, cheap relays etc. I'd rather do it myself and solder and heat-shrink the connectors etc. Plus you'll need, at the least, a decent crimping tool, proper waterproof fuse holders, good quality wire etc. The costs soon add up.

Yes, you can do it on the cheap, but do you really want to be driving along with shonky headlight wiring under your bonnet?

It makes a huge difference on older VWs particularly if you also upgrade the bulbs at the same time.

If you fancy tinkering and get real light perfomance OEM style browse here

http://www.theretrofitsource.com/

I changed my mind from eBay to these kits, and don't look back.

£35 before P&P

Makes sense, forgot about p&p

I've always bought off Ade at shows so never paid postage before.

Still, its a properly put together loom using decent bits and its tried and tested by loads of people before.

Well worth the money I reckon.

Struggling with the Eorocarparts website so tried elsewhere - reviews pan the Osrams for very short life - typically less than a year (only weeks in some cases).

Any experiences on here with short life?

My Multivan has the same set of Osram night breaker+ bulbs in since 22nd December 2009.

I fitted them, and the wiring loom, at the garage in Berlin the day I bought it, so I could drive it home with decent lights 🙂

It gets a lot of use too, roughly 25k miles/ year.

My old T4 had one set of the same bulbs in the 2 years I owned it.