I posted about light bulbs but cannot find the post but said I would come back with more information.
Tempted by some advertising I tried a set of PhilipsExtreme that cost £24.99 with a pair of side lights thrown in. First thing I noticed was the light was probably whiter and the dip was very sharply defined between illumiated area and dark area. It was like a line had been drawn but on full beam the bulbs I already had gave better long range vision and were better to drive with on country roads.
Reading the advertising again I decided to try the Osram as they claimed an extra 90 metres but did not say 90 metres over what. It took until the weekend to fit them and try them out. With one Osram and one General Electric fitted it was obvious that the Osram was whiter in appearance from 100 yards away and just like with the Philips the dipped beam was very sharply defined and had very good range. If anything the Osram was better than the Philips in this area and better than the General Electric but on full beam although the Osram was still good the General Electric was still the best bulb.
In terms of full beam vision I think the General Electric plus 60 were best closely followed by the Osram then the Philips. In terms of dip I think the Osram was best followed by the Philips and General Electric.
Overall I am disappointed because I have spent £50 with big expectations to improve my lights but I have now put the General Electric plus 60 back in.

While I was waiting for the Osram to arrive I saw Alcazar post that General Electric plus 60 were similar bulbs to the Halford gold box so I guess they will be half the price from Halford's for what might be just as good a bulb but I have spent enough money on bulbs for another Winter.

What you've found ties in exactly with what Auto-Express found when they tested the bulbs.

Since GE MAKE the Halfords bulbs, it tends to be those I recommend, especially since they are BOGOF.

Alcazar

I am fairly new to this bbs so let me in to the secret. /what is BOGof

Buy One Get One Free

i have a set of osram silverstars that i use throughout the winter, and although i never use main beam to be honest, i do agree that dipped is awesome, the best good quality legal bulbs i have ever used, during the summer i normally use a set of blue tinged bulbs to match the sidelights, and have tried various types in the past.

ring 100watt jobbies (ok but blow quite often)
various cheap plasma blue jobbies from fleabay (beam pattern was completely ****e, REALLY bad, gave them all away!!! one light even needed reaglined after fitting some of these crappy things)

i have just bought a set of "ULTRA" blue tinged bulbs from a local scooby specialist and was quite surprised to see the beam patters on dipped were quite sharp!!! not up to the osram silverstars, but still damm good, light output, as expected with any "blue" tinged bulb is not as good as a proper white one (unless you go stupid like 100watt jobbies)

Good write up. I changed from HIDS to the recommended Halfords GE 50% brighter bulbs at BOGOF which I am really happy with considering the crap subaru lights. Me things morrettes might be on the cards.

was this the thread? http://bbs.scoobynet.com/lighting-other-electrical-14/642644-fitting-piaa-driving-lamp-kit.html