Recommend me some car headlamp bulbs please

Easiest thing to do, if you don’t have the handbook handy is to go to somewhere like https://www.autobulbsdirect.co.uk/ and put your reg in. Other sites will do the same, it’s just where I bought my last bulbs from. It will give you all the options available including upgrades.

So 2014 Yaris, Bi Halogens gives this lot:

https://www.autobulbsdirect.co.uk/hir2-9012-LED-headlight-bulbs/?finder_tab=abd_bulbs&finder_end=front&finder_type=led_bulbs

May be cheaper elsewhere.

If you have the ‘projector’ head lamp (glass bauble) you’ll probably get away with LED easier (remember not road legal) as they aren’t as obvious, although won’t pass the MOT.

I think I have these in the Fabia – glass ‘ball’ inside the headlight unit?

correct, that’s a projector lamp. worth checking your actual car as some manufacturers use them in posh models and basic reflectors in cheaper cars. Projectors are great for pattern, but absorb a bunch of light from the bulb, so halogen-bulbed-projector-housing cars (a lot of vauxhalls) have much worse lighting than old-school holders.

although won’t pass the MOT

they shouldn’t pass an MOT, but frequently do, especially if the car had HID or LED bulbs available in the same housings in posher models (as is normally the case). Mine sail through

some LEDs also trigger the “bulb blown” message on canbus or flicker when not in use (as the car senses whether the bulb is good or not) – I had to buy something like this https://www.philips.co.uk/c-e/au/car-lights/headlights/led-bulbs/led-canbus.html to stop the errors.

Our 2008 Yaris had an MOT advisory about the headlights being clouded so I used the Meguiars headlamp polishing kit and swapped in the Philips RV160s from my T5, and treated the T5 to a set of the new RV200s. Very pleased with both upgrades and while MOTs ate only once a year decided I couldn’t be bothered with the hassle of swapping out LEDs or having to fit ballasts as VWs are apparently very fussy.

In March o swapped out the factory H7 in my Ducato for Osram Nightbreaker LED. Not sure if they’re allowed in the UK, but they make a massive difference.

Fortunately I don’t drive very often after sundown.