Best bulbs?

Pesto2606 · Dec 17th, 2015, 10:50

Hi everyone, First Post new here today

Looking forward to finding out more about my Volvo

Quick one for you, Since winter has drawn in and I'm driving at night I've noticed the standard halogen lights fixed to my car are pretty poor. Don't emit light very far and awful dull yellow colour.

Also, I saw a very nice BMW on the motorway last week and immediately noticed his lights. Bright white like a square box around his car. Looked really nice. So decided to take a look to see what bulbs are out there.

Came across the Phillips whitevision bulbs which claim to be 40% brighter and provide 60% more light on the road. I know to take those figures with a little pinch of salt but they seem like a good balance of style vs. performance wanted to see if anyone had any other suggestions? I guess I am looking to get that HID look, with a bit more visibility look staying road legal.

jodiexii · Dec 17th, 2015, 10:56

Hid only bright light for volvo lights.
Cheap and easy to fit

Pesto2606 · Dec 17th, 2015, 12:01

Thanks jodiexii, As I know very little about how to go about doing this can you provide a bit more info?

Is it easy to convert my car to a HID system? I wouldnt be able to do this myself so would I need to go to the dealer or any garage?

When you say cheap, how cheap are we talking?

thanks

andyg · Dec 17th, 2015, 12:17

Welcome to the Volvo community! I hope you enjoy your V40. Yours is a common complaint for all cars with standard H7 halogen bulbs on dipped beam. If you search around this forum you will find lots of advice. In summary the advice says the first thing to do is adjust the dipped beam on both sides up slightly. They seem to be set conservatively low in the factory. If you are careful this will not fail an MOT but gives much better illumination on an unlit road, especially of the nearside road markings and kerbs. The second thing to try is brighter H7 halogen bulbs. Osram Nightbreaker Unlimited or Phillips X-treme Vision get good reviews. They are standard replacement bulbs so are totally legal and easy to fit. In my experience they do provide a slightly whiter, stronger beam, but their service life is reduced to about 60% of a standard bulb so you will need to replace them a bit more often.

I have never done it myself, but some try fitting after-market HID kits or LED bulbs. The advice on this forum is that none of these are legal because the headlamp housing and reflectors are not designed to take these types of bulbs. They will almost certainly cause you problems at MOT time and could even lead to being pulled over by a bored traffic cop!

Hope that helps,

Andy

Pesto2606 · Dec 17th, 2015, 15:10

Thanks for the advice Andy! Yeah little bit nervous of switching to HID without knowing much about it. The only thing I do keep hearing is that aftermarket kits can be quite dodgy if you don't know what you're doing/looking for

Great advise about adjusting the dipped bulbs though, I will try that and see if it makes a difference and then settle on which Whiter bulbs to go for next

Dec 17th, 2015, 10:50	#1
Pesto2606 Volvo V40 D3 SE LUX Last Online: Nov 28th, 2017 13:06 Join Date: Dec 2015 Location: Leeds	Best bulbs? Hi everyone, First Post new here today Looking forward to finding out more about my Volvo Quick one for you, Since winter has drawn in and I'm driving at night I've noticed the standard halogen lights fixed to my car are pretty poor. Don't emit light very far and awful dull yellow colour. Also, I saw a very nice BMW on the motorway last week and immediately noticed his lights. Bright white like a square box around his car. Looked really nice. So decided to take a look to see what bulbs are out there. Came across the Phillips whitevision bulbs which claim to be 40% brighter and provide 60% more light on the road. I know to take those figures with a little pinch of salt but they seem like a good balance of style vs. performance wanted to see if anyone had any other suggestions? I guess I am looking to get that HID look, with a bit more visibility look staying road legal.

Dec 17th, 2015, 12:17	#4
andyg S80 D3 Geartonic 2013 Last Online: Oct 28th, 2019 17:01 Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Warminster	Try these 2 steps.... Welcome to the Volvo community! I hope you enjoy your V40. Yours is a common complaint for all cars with standard H7 halogen bulbs on dipped beam. If you search around this forum you will find lots of advice. In summary the advice says the first thing to do is adjust the dipped beam on both sides up slightly. They seem to be set conservatively low in the factory. If you are careful this will not fail an MOT but gives much better illumination on an unlit road, especially of the nearside road markings and kerbs. The second thing to try is brighter H7 halogen bulbs. Osram Nightbreaker Unlimited or Phillips X-treme Vision get good reviews. They are standard replacement bulbs so are totally legal and easy to fit. In my experience they do provide a slightly whiter, stronger beam, but their service life is reduced to about 60% of a standard bulb so you will need to replace them a bit more often. I have never done it myself, but some try fitting after-market HID kits or LED bulbs. The advice on this forum is that none of these are legal because the headlamp housing and reflectors are not designed to take these types of bulbs. They will almost certainly cause you problems at MOT time and could even lead to being pulled over by a bored traffic cop! Hope that helps, Andy __________________ ____________________ 1980s: 1 x 745 petrol. 1990s: 3 x 855 petrol. 2000s: 1 x S60 diesel. 1 x S80 diesel. 2010s: 1 x S80 diesel.

Dec 17th, 2015, 10:56	#2
jodiexii Senior Member Last Online: Mar 26th, 2024 15:54 Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: durham	Hid only bright light for volvo lights. Cheap and easy to fit

Dec 17th, 2015, 12:01	#3
Pesto2606 Volvo V40 D3 SE LUX Last Online: Nov 28th, 2017 13:06 Join Date: Dec 2015 Location: Leeds	Thanks jodiexii, As I know very little about how to go about doing this can you provide a bit more info? Is it easy to convert my car to a HID system? I wouldnt be able to do this myself so would I need to go to the dealer or any garage? When you say cheap, how cheap are we talking? thanks

Dec 17th, 2015, 15:10	#5
Pesto2606 Volvo V40 D3 SE LUX Last Online: Nov 28th, 2017 13:06 Join Date: Dec 2015 Location: Leeds	Thanks for the advice Andy! Yeah little bit nervous of switching to HID without knowing much about it. The only thing I do keep hearing is that aftermarket kits can be quite dodgy if you don't know what you're doing/looking for Great advise about adjusting the dipped bulbs though, I will try that and see if it makes a difference and then settle on which Whiter bulbs to go for next

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