Sylvania Silver Star Bulbs Short life span
- Thread starter Toy-Man
- Start date
Jason B
Official Vendor
Re: Re: Re: Just an update...
I've been selling the Piaa's for the 4th gen/3rd gen 4Runner for a long time.
I will say that most of what was said in here is true. Just about any aftermarket bulb like this won't last as long as your stock bulbs. I've had great luck with the piaa's and I think the quality is a notch up on the belt. I can sell both, but choose to only sell what I think is best, and that is the Piaa, which I also like the color better.
In comparison, with a silverstar and a piaa in each headlights., the piaa's make the silverstars look green.
Here's a shot on my own truck comparing stock vs piaa. More pics on the site.
I've been selling the Piaa's for the 4th gen/3rd gen 4Runner for a long time.
I will say that most of what was said in here is true. Just about any aftermarket bulb like this won't last as long as your stock bulbs. I've had great luck with the piaa's and I think the quality is a notch up on the belt. I can sell both, but choose to only sell what I think is best, and that is the Piaa, which I also like the color better.
In comparison, with a silverstar and a piaa in each headlights., the piaa's make the silverstars look green.
Here's a shot on my own truck comparing stock vs piaa. More pics on the site.
I've had three of mine go out in 6 months. I like them alot, but if I have to spend that much every 6 months then I'm not interested. I stuck the OEM's back in, and will leave them until I figure out a better long term solution. If I could have gotten a year out of them, I would have been happy. I think that I have my mileage written down when I put them in. If so, I'll post up how many miles they lasted.
4RunnerRon
New member
Jason B is right. PIAAs are higher quality and tend to last longer than the Silverstars. You get what you pay for IMO.
atomic punk
New member
Silverstar Replacement question: do you take them back to the autoparts store you bought them from (with the receipt) ? Or do you have to send them back to Sylvania?
Kmvreter
New member
atomic punk said:
I don't send them back to Sylvania (they probably don't have a long manufacturer's warranty.) I take them back to the retailer (Canadian Tire) who has a 1 year satisfaction guarantee. Not all retailers offer this. I keep the return transaction seperate from the replacement/rebuy in order to get a new 1 year time limit on a new purchase receipt.
smokey7722
New member
Well, I purchased a full set, low/high/fog on November 29, 2005. After driving about 6800 miles, approx 105 hours or so my right fog blew out. Then a day later, there went the left low. I just finished swapping all four low/fogs back to the stock bulbs as this is just ridiculous. I bout em at Pepboys and of course can't find the receipt. Guess I'm stickin to my stocks for a bit until I can find another decent brand that will not die in 2 months.
I drive mainly in Philadelphia and keep my lights on at all times (no DRL). i keep em on cause I tend to forget to turn em on in construction zones and they are all over.
I drive mainly in Philadelphia and keep my lights on at all times (no DRL). i keep em on cause I tend to forget to turn em on in construction zones and they are all over.
Uneek
Super Moderator
I've had Silverstars in my other car, they were about a month shy of lasting 2 years. The first one blew and then a week later, the second went. Before Silverstars, I had Sylvania Cool Blues, those lasted a pretty long time. I had them for a year in another car, then year in my second car and another year after the Silverstars went out. When the Cool Blues went out, they blew out within a day of each other. I always turned my lights on after starting the engine and turn them off before shutting off the engine to minimize voltage spikes and drop, maximizing bulb life.
IMO, there's a compromise with bulb life and brightness output. Now that I'm running stock bulbs again (lasting 10+ yrs), it was harder to tell the difference when upgrading from stock, to Cool Blues, then to Silverstars. But going backwards, I could tell how much dimmer stock bulbs are compared to Cool Blues and Silverstars.
Forgot to mention, I had friends who went with 9006 and some who did the 9005->9006 conversion. Most of them got about 6 months on average. I guess I was lucky getting more than a year out of mine.
IMO, there's a compromise with bulb life and brightness output. Now that I'm running stock bulbs again (lasting 10+ yrs), it was harder to tell the difference when upgrading from stock, to Cool Blues, then to Silverstars. But going backwards, I could tell how much dimmer stock bulbs are compared to Cool Blues and Silverstars.
Forgot to mention, I had friends who went with 9006 and some who did the 9005->9006 conversion. Most of them got about 6 months on average. I guess I was lucky getting more than a year out of mine.
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Gromulus
New member
Silverstars
My Silverstars died on the same day last month after 6 1/2 months of service. Of course I put on 13K miles in that time. I was also very careful during installation (wore latex gloves).
IMO any advantages in brightness over the stock 9006 bulbs were minimal at best. The Silverstars were "bluer" in appearance but I do not equate that with output or brightness.
Just for shits and giggles I installed a pair of the new GE Nighthawk bulbs last month. I think they throw out at least as much light as the Silverstars, and they do not have the blue coating on the bulb. Time will tell regarding service life.
They were also less expensive. I am seeing the Silverstars going for less now that the Nighthawks and others are on the market.
Interesting product. I can't remember a simliar product that has generated such a wide variety of reviews as the Silverstars. Some swear they are a great improvement, while some (like me) are not impressed.
My Silverstars died on the same day last month after 6 1/2 months of service. Of course I put on 13K miles in that time. I was also very careful during installation (wore latex gloves).
IMO any advantages in brightness over the stock 9006 bulbs were minimal at best. The Silverstars were "bluer" in appearance but I do not equate that with output or brightness.
Just for shits and giggles I installed a pair of the new GE Nighthawk bulbs last month. I think they throw out at least as much light as the Silverstars, and they do not have the blue coating on the bulb. Time will tell regarding service life.
They were also less expensive. I am seeing the Silverstars going for less now that the Nighthawks and others are on the market.
Interesting product. I can't remember a simliar product that has generated such a wide variety of reviews as the Silverstars. Some swear they are a great improvement, while some (like me) are not impressed.
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atomic punk
New member
If you want more output, put in 65w bulbs. No matter what the name brand. I won't go back to 55w in the low beams ever again. And I'm saving my receipt on all Silverstars I buy until I can afford HIDs.
RonMAIDEN
Super Moderator
Whiter doesn't mean brighter and it is proven that a 55w bulb casts the same light no matter the manufacturer. I still like my Silverstars but after these go I'll probably go with a cheaper option but mine have lasted over a year and half so far but there was a noticeable improvement Silverstars in the fogs but just a little in the headlamps over OEM.
atomic punk
New member
This topic has been beaten to death. And then beaten again.... but I'm glad it was resurrected because I get to put in another note that I'll be heading off to Autozone tonight with yet another burned out Silverstar and my receipt from the purchase in July of '05.
atomic punk
New member
With the Sylverstar's limited-life reputation and my experience with them: if they don't fizzle out on their own, I now "make sure" that they don't last the full 12 months. 11.999 tops. 
I'd hate to have them last 13 or 14 months - just past warranty expiration date - then blow.
I'd hate to have them last 13 or 14 months - just past warranty expiration date - then blow.
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