Osram Nightbreakers
Author
Discussion

MartynVRS

Original Poster:

1,953 posts

240 months

Saturday 9th November 2013
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Are they any good? Lights on my Fabia vRS have never been great and now with a long commute on Mid Wales roads to do I thought it best to improve them. I have read they don't last that long.

williredale

2,866 posts

182 months

Saturday 9th November 2013
quotequote all
I've had them on my Volvo which has the lights on all the time for over a year without problems. They are much better than the ones which were there before.

trickywoo

14,232 posts

260 months

Saturday 9th November 2013
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Not worth the bother. Just keep your lights clean and you'll be fine.

littleredrooster

6,410 posts

226 months

Saturday 9th November 2013
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trickywoo said:
Not worth the bother. Just keep your lights clean and you'll be fine.
Nonsense. They're a vast improvement over standard bulbs. Nightbreakers or Philips Vision Plus always win the comparison tests. Beware of fakes on Ebay, however.

51mes

1,557 posts

230 months

Saturday 9th November 2013
quotequote all
williredale said:
I've had them on my Volvo which has the lights on all the time for over a year without problems. They are much better than the ones which were there before.
Upgraded the lights on my Octavia vRS with these and then carried them forwards 18 months later to my Scout which still was using them 2 years after I fitted them when I got rid of the car.

Definately an improvement - a whiter light and less tiring on the eyes than the standard halogens.


Simes.

haggishunter

1,315 posts

273 months

Saturday 9th November 2013
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Having read about the projector lamps on the vrs being crap I bought a set of night breaker plus bulbs. It made a small difference, the biggest difference was running the car onto a mot ramp and properly adjusting the headlights. They were so low it wasn't funny, this would be better money spent initially. Just to add the car was new and bought during the summer so it's been driven at night twice up until 3 weeks ago.

al

ohtari

805 posts

174 months

Saturday 9th November 2013
quotequote all
trickywoo said:
Not worth the bother. Just keep your lights clean and you'll be fine.
Leave.

Upgraded bulbs are a fantastic buy, I've done it to my last few cars. The difference on high beam (when you can't blind anyone) is amazing, brighter, clear, better. For the sake of 20 quid, I can think of no better thing you can do with your car.

Do it, you will not be disappointed

Pooky67

577 posts

189 months

Saturday 9th November 2013
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We fitted them to our Seat LCR and whilst notably better they weren't the miraculous enlightenment of tarmac I was hoping for but I think without going HID or illegal wattages, I think they're as good as you can get. We also had one blow within two years, 'upgraded' to the gold edition with a free small torch. No noticeable difference between standard and gold

catman

2,504 posts

205 months

Saturday 9th November 2013
quotequote all
trickywoo said:
Not worth the bother. Just keep your lights clean and you'll be fine.
Wrong. a big improvement over standard bulbs. Phillips also very good, but dearer.

I always get mine from Amazon or Ebay to keep the cost down.

Tim

MartynVRS

Original Poster:

1,953 posts

240 months

Saturday 9th November 2013
quotequote all
Yeah I read the lights could have been set too low from new. I turned them on and moved them both up one full turn to see how they are. My new commute will be 80 miles a day and now in the winter months will all be in the dark. I've found them fine on roads I know well but after doing a test run it definitely isn't enough.

RDB

334 posts

209 months

Saturday 9th November 2013
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I've got them fitted in all 3 of our cars and had a set in my previous car too. I find they make a great difference and wouldn't run a car without upgraded bulbs.

I wouldn't worry too much about longevity. The Saab I've just sold had them fitted for about 3 years with no problems. At £10-12 a set they're worth a try. Amazon was cheapest when I bought some recently.

ohtari

805 posts

174 months

Saturday 9th November 2013
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Pooky67 said:
We fitted them to our Seat LCR and whilst notably better they weren't the miraculous enlightenment of tarmac I was hoping for but I think without going HID or illegal wattages, I think they're as good as you can get. We also had one blow within two years, 'upgraded' to the gold edition with a free small torch. No noticeable difference between standard and gold
It's when you're overtaking somebody on an unlit motorway/DC and engage your high beams as you pull alongside, that you really notice the difference over a standard bulb.

Remember that your eyes are especially good at adapting to the available light, hence why you might not have noticed a marked improvement in "brightness". Your pupils simply closed a little to compensate.

OP, do it. You won't spend the money on anything better!

haggishunter

1,315 posts

273 months

Saturday 9th November 2013
quotequote all
Mine needed a good few turns to set them right, I wouldn't have turned the up so much if I was guessing or had them pointed at a wall. I thought they were too high but I've not been flashed yet and I followed my mate Dow the road the other night and he said they were fine. Get them adjusted properly, buy some night breakers and keep them clean.

al

agtlaw

7,413 posts

236 months

Saturday 9th November 2013
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Another recommendation here.

wiliferus

4,219 posts

228 months

Saturday 9th November 2013
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Upgraded bulbs are definitely worth the cash, although for the money i'd go for the Philips Extreme Vision, they were a bit better IMHO. A bit brighter and whiter.

dbdb

5,235 posts

203 months

Saturday 9th November 2013
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I have the Phillips Extreme vision equivalent of nightbreakers. They're excellent - a real improvement. I recommend them.

Watchman

6,391 posts

275 months

Saturday 9th November 2013
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littleredrooster said:
trickywoo said:
Not worth the bother. Just keep your lights clean and you'll be fine.
Nonsense. They're a vast improvement over standard bulbs. Nightbreakers or Philips Vision Plus always win the comparison tests. Beware of fakes on Ebay, however.
I bought 2 sets from Halfords so I hope they were genuine. They lasted "days" only. Wouldn't bother again. For a marginal increase in output, the drastically-lower life expectancy isn't worth it.

hardcorehobbit

1,103 posts

225 months

Saturday 9th November 2013
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We have a thread on Briskoda for this...

Albeit in the Octavia section.



Consensus was that Phillips or Osram are great, standard are rubbish for both.


I've just fitted a set of Nightbreaker Unlimiteds to my Octavia, and they're pretty great so far. Much brighter than standard.

fangio

989 posts

264 months

Saturday 9th November 2013
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Watchman said:
I bought 2 sets from Halfords so I hope they were genuine. They lasted "days" only. Wouldn't bother again. For a marginal increase in output, the drastically-lower life expectancy isn't worth it.
Didn't get fingermarks on them, did you? Mine have been in for 2 years.

TRUENOSAM

763 posts

200 months

Saturday 9th November 2013
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They are my first purchase for any car that I own. A noticeable difference for sure.

Always buy from a shop on eBay as they are sub £20

Just don't touch the glass of the bulb when fitting them as that causes premature failure