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Originally Posted by tastade  I also found that the bright slyvania lights my brother used burned out faster than the cheap bulbs, making them even more expensive than the price difference would indcate. I think they only last about half as long. It is probably that slight bit more light they are emitting. |
Having just gone thru and researched this last week for H7 bulbs for our Passat I can comment here. The Silverstars (at the stock spec wattage) will be slightly brighter and are worth it for low beams. Be sure to get the OSRAM brand and not Sylvania. Even though OSRAM owns Sylvania the concensus is that German made OSRAM bulbs last much longer than Sylvania. They also offer a Cool Blue design which tints the light to be bluer but is still legal because it's the same wattage. Looks good but any film or tint reduces the amount of light. To be brighter AND bluer/whiter you must up the wattage which then puts your lenses, bulbs and electronics at risk of failure sooner. That said, I was very surprised to pull out the bulbs from the Passat to find they are 100W Cool Blue and despite being way higher than the OEM spec 55W the lenses look great and the bulbs lasted 3 years at least. The value of matching high beams and fogs is strictly cosmetic and personal IMO.
If I have to do it over again I will put 100W Cool Blues back in the Passat and OSRAM Silverstars all around in the bimmer. The OEM light output in the Passat was downright scary and I have good vision.