I've blown a headlight bulb in my 2009 VW Touareg.
Manual says H7.
Checking on line, there is a bewildering variety of choices.
LED or halogen (I assume)
Some are "super bright" or for example Philips Racing Vision GT200 H7
+200%.
Osram Night Breaker Laser H7, +150% more brightness.
The lights aren't that effective, but that could be the reflectors and lenses.
Are these extra bright bulbs worth it?
I assume that I would have to replace both sides if I went away from
standard bulbs.
Because you have to remove the whole headlight unit to replace the bulbs,
I am weighing up getting someone like Halfords to do the swap.
I've blown a headlight bulb in my 2009 VW Touareg.
Manual says H7.
Checking on line, there is a bewildering variety of choices.
LED or halogen (I assume)
Some are "super bright" or for example Philips Racing Vision GT200 H7
+200%.
Osram Night Breaker Laser H7, +150% more brightness.
The lights aren't that effective, but that could be the reflectors and lenses.
Are these extra bright bulbs worth it?
I assume that I would have to replace both sides if I went away from
standard bulbs.
Because you have to remove the whole headlight unit to replace the bulbs,
I am weighing up getting someone like Halfords to do the swap.
Ho hum
Dave R
David <wibble@btinternet.com> wrote:
I've blown a headlight bulb in my 2009 VW Touareg.
Manual says H7.
Checking on line, there is a bewildering variety of choices.
LED or halogen (I assume)
LED headlights are illegal unless the car is designed for them.
Some are "super bright" or for example Philips Racing Vision GT200
H7 +200%.
Osram Night Breaker Laser H7, +150% more brightness.
The lights aren't that effective, but that could be the reflectors
and lenses.
Are these extra bright bulbs worth it?
Do you actually need the lights to be brighter? There appears to be
an arms race into making headlights brighter which is just dazzling
more drivers.
Are the lenses clouded - could they do with a buff?
I assume that I would have to replace both sides if I went away
from standard bulbs.
Yes, otherwise it would look very odd and the beam pattern would be
weird.
Because you have to remove the whole headlight unit to replace the
bulbs, I am weighing up getting someone like Halfords to do the
swap.
Possibly wise, especially if they'll include fitting in the price of
the bulbs.
The Headlamps on my 2012 Seat Toledo are awful (also H7), I have tried
130% brighter
I believe there is one fairly common car, I forget which, where it is necessary to remove the alternator to replace one headlight bulb.
I don't know what the current, no doubt EU, regulations say
On a side note I don't really know why the lights are so bad, they seem misaligned to me and point too far to the left, but I ask at every MOT
if the alignment is OK and it always is. Interestingly looking at the
first MOT 3 years from when it was new headlight alignment was the only
thing it failed on
For some reason the Seat seems to eat bulbs, but as main and dipped beam
both use H7 I usually go for a pack of 10 standard lamps off ebay
Not much help, but my experience.
Gordy <joe.blogs@home.com> wrote:I think 'MOT compliant' and 'usable on unlit roads with oncoming traffic
On a side note I don't really know why the lights are so bad, they seem
misaligned to me and point too far to the left, but I ask at every MOT
if the alignment is OK and it always is. Interestingly looking at the
first MOT 3 years from when it was new headlight alignment was the only
thing it failed on
Headlights are designed to light the verge more than light oncoming
traffic - ie they point to the left by design. Are you sure they aren't doing what they're designed to?
Theo
Gordy <joe.blogs@home.com> wrote:
On a side note I don't really know why the lights are so bad, they
seem misaligned to me and point too far to the left, but I ask at
every MOT if the alignment is OK and it always is. Interestingly
looking at the first MOT 3 years from when it was new headlight
alignment was the only thing it failed on
Headlights are designed to light the verge more than light oncoming
traffic - ie they point to the left by design. Are you sure they
aren't doing what they're designed to?
On 18 Mar 2025 21:24:40 +0000 (GMT)
Theo <theom+news@chiark.greenend.org.uk> wrote:
Gordy <joe.blogs@home.com> wrote:
On a side note I don't really know why the lights are so bad, they
seem misaligned to me and point too far to the left, but I ask at
every MOT if the alignment is OK and it always is. Interestingly
looking at the first MOT 3 years from when it was new headlight
alignment was the only thing it failed on
Headlights are designed to light the verge more than light oncoming
traffic - ie they point to the left by design. Are you sure they
aren't doing what they're designed to?
They should also have a weak beam upwards to the left, to illuminate signposts.
Gordy wrote:
The Headlamps on my 2012 Seat Toledo are awful (also H7), I have tried
130% brighter
Are the 130% ones still 55W, or actually 71W?
Is the "brighter" just a special bluey whiteness from a coloured sleeve?
Gordy <joe.blogs@home.com> wrote:
On a side note I don't really know why the lights are so bad, they seem
misaligned to me and point too far to the left, but I ask at every MOT
if the alignment is OK and it always is. Interestingly looking at the
first MOT 3 years from when it was new headlight alignment was the only
thing it failed on
Headlights are designed to light the verge more than light oncoming
traffic - ie they point to the left by design. Are you sure they aren't doing what they're designed to?
Theo
I believe there is one fairly common car, I forget which, where it is necessary to remove the alternator to replace one headlight bulb.
I've blown a headlight bulb in my 2009 VW Touareg.
Manual says H7.
Checking on line, there is a bewildering variety of choices.
LED or halogen (I assume)
Some are "super bright" or for example Philips Racing Vision GT200 H7
+200%.
Osram Night Breaker Laser H7, +150% more brightness.
The lights aren't that effective, but that could be the reflectors and lenses.
Are these extra bright bulbs worth it?
I assume that I would have to replace both sides if I went away from
standard bulbs.
Because you have to remove the whole headlight unit to replace the
bulbs,
I am weighing up getting someone like Halfords to do the swap.
Ho hum
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