When the long nights draw in, you may need to consider buying some new headlight bulbs for your car. You may have suffered a sudden burn out, or your bulbs’ brightness has weakened to the point where it’s just too dim to be effective. It is quite common for most headlight bulbs to lose 20%-30% of their output over the course of 2 years, so replacing them ahead of dark evenings will help keep you and other drivers safe.
When it’s time to replace your bulbs it is important to know what choices are out there. With all the varieties available on the market it can be difficult know which is the right bulb for your car. In this article we’ll explain the basics and help you find the right bulbs to fit your needs.
What Should You Consider When Buying New Headlight Bulbs
There are 3 things to look at when it comes to replacing or upgrading your headlight bulbs. These are life expectancy, brightness and whiteness. Ideally you would want all 3 in one bulb, however this may not be possible for a variety of reasons.
Life Expectancy
Life expectancy is the amount of time your headlight bulb will spend behind the glass before it burns out. Of course this is important to everyone, however, if you have daytime running lights or drive long distances at night this could be even more important to you. Another aspect to consider is how difficult your headlight bulbs are to change, a longer life expectancy means fewer awkward changes or trips to the garage.
Brightness
A brighter headlight bulb will give you better forward vision whilst driving, as well as improved side road vision. It is important to remember that brighter headlight bulbs work harder and therefore have a shorter life expectancy. Drivers who live in rural areas tend to go for brighter headlight bulbs.
Whiteness
While both white and yellow bulbs are legal in the UK, there are several advantages to having a whiter headlight bulb. A whiter headlight bulb gives you a crisper, high definition view, allowing you to pick out more detail; especially in your peripheral vision. Whiter headlight bulbs also give an upgrade in style and appearance to your vehicle, mimicking the more expensive HID (High Intensity Discharge) systems.
Another advantage of whiter headlight bulbs is the way it reflects off road signs. It makes for a quicker, easier read, allowing you to stay more focused on the road ahead.
With free standard delivery and next day delivery available on many of our products, you can get your car parts in no time at CarParts4Less.
