Looking for real Silverstars

Hey! My first post here.

Does anybody know if Osram Silverstar bulbs are available in Canada? NOT Sylvania Silverstars....Osram! They're the better Euro version.

FYI...

The first site's a little hard to navigate but it's got a ton of info...
http://lighting.mbz.org/tech/info/ (he's in Toronto)
http://faq.auto.light.tripod.com/general-faq.htm

I can get them from England from...
http://www.powerbulbs.net/products/product.php?prodid=oss&type=H4

but would rather buy local if I can.

I thought that Osram and Sylvania were the same companies?

I've always seen the name written as "Osram-Sylvania". The Silverstar lights look the same to me.

Click HERE (http://www.hondasuv.com/forum_crv/viewtopic.php?t=744&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0) for another forum string that I've been talking about this in.

Here's a cut n past of my info from that string (sorry some of the links may not work)
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While searching for "Sylvania silverstar halogen" on Google, I found this...

http://lighting.mbz.org/tech/info/bulbs/blue/good/ part of Stearn Lighting's (Toronto) web page. See also http://lighting.mbz.org/tech/info/

Their web site can be hard to navigate, but it explains a lot of this tech/marketing stuff about headlights.

I'm gonna get me some Silverstars!
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I sent the guy at http://lighting.mbz.org (Stearn Lighting in Toronto) an email asking for his opinion on the Silverstars. Here's what I got back...

"Definitely not. Sylvania SilverStar is just another blue-coated,
short-lived piece of trash. Shame on Sylvania. I guess I can't blame them
for realising that there is a lot of money to be made on high-priced,
short-lived, low-performance bulbs hyped as high-performance bulbs, and
with the "nifty kewl" blue colouration, but shame on them regardless.
They did not build their good reputation on junk products like this.

Note that this is NOT THE SAME product line as the European Osram
SilverStar, which is a super-high-performance, NON-blue-coated,
good-quality bulb. Osram SilverStar bulbs are available only in H4, H1
and H7, not in US types 9004, 9005, 9006, 9007."

I responded, asking for clarification. At the bottom of his web page http://lighting.mbz.org/tech/info/bulbs/blue/good/ he describes his recommendations as...

"For those who want the best possible performance from their headlamps and are more concerned with their ability to see rather than the appearance of their headlamps, the major bulb companies offer optimized bulbs WITHOUT the light-stealing blue coloration. Sylvania Xtravision (in the pink-and-black package), Osram Super and SilverStar(outside North America); Philips High Visibility (North America), Premium and Vision Plus (outside North America); Narva RangePower are the ones to look for."

Looks like this guy only likes Sylvania Xtravision, Philips High Visibility and Narva RangePower.

I'm awaiting his reply as well as one from Sylvania, to whom I forwarded the same info.
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He defended his position and recommended the H4 Osram SilverStars from www.powerbulbs.com for my 2002 V. No reply yet from Sylvania.

Unfortunately powerbulbs is in England so I have a concern about legality here in Canada. I've ask him to clarify. I've asked for the same clarification from powerbulbs and Sylvania.
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From sales@powerbulbs.com

The Silverstar H4 will your CRV and shipping is free to Canada

We sell hundreds of sets to customers in Canada it is generally accepted that although the Euro version is much better designed and performs much better I am pretty sure it is designed to meet the requirements of your vehicle although I could not comment on whether it was legal in Canada

Please follow the link for more information

http://www.powerbulbs.net/products/product.php?prodid=oss&type=H4


From Xenarc.WebMail@Sylvania.Com

The OSRAM SilverStar is available in H7 and H4 only. They are uncoated
lamps with Silvertop masking. The removal of the blacktop coating and
replacing it with Silver gives the lamps increased lumens, along with a
redesigned coil. The OSRAM Silverstar tends to be brighter due to its
design. The North American Silverstar lamps are available in
9003,9004,9005,9006,9007 and some standard sealed beams have just been
released in the Silverstar version as well. These bulbs are coated with
a blue enamel and silver tipped (accept for the high beam).

Check with your local regulations regarding use in Canada. We are not
in a position to interpret the Canadian regulations. Hopefully the
following links will lead you to the information you need. The links to
Transport Canada's web site leads to two documents that cover automotive
lighting for the most part. Note: read the disclaimer on the web site.

Technical Standard Document 108 (this is the US FMVSS108 as modified for
use by Canada)
http://www.tc.gc.ca/roadsafety/mvstm_tsd/tsd/1080rev3_e.pdf

Specific Canadian regulations that supplement the TSD are given here:
Motor Vehicle Safety Regulations Standard 108
http://www.tc.gc.ca/actsregs/mvsa/jan98/english/mvsr108.html

I've since also asked for more info on the specific differences between the Euro and North American version from csc@osram.co.uk (Osram in the UK). No word yet on legality from STERN LIGHTING in Toronto
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welcome to AF :wave:

Here's an update on my search for real Silverstars...

I asked Daniel at Stern Lighting in Toronto (http://lighting.mbz.org)

Are the Osram Silverstars legal in Canada?
What bulb would you recommend (9003 - H4 - for 2002 Honda CR-V) from what you sell or what's available in Canada?

His reply...
> Are the Osram Silverstars legal in Canada?
Yes.
> What bulb would you recommend (9003 - H4 - for 2002 Honda CR-V)
Osram SilverStar.
> what you sell
CAD$26.99/ea.

Sounds like the Euro version is available here, although he's not exactly clear on that. I'm gonna call him on Tuesday. His price of $26.99 CAN each seems steep considering he had earlier recommended I go to Powerbulbs (http://www.powerbulbs.net/) where they sell them for $33.58 CAN a pair.

Stay tuned...

CORRECTION - Powerbulbs.com price is $52.96 CAN a pair. I converted the wrong currency in previous post. His price is competative.

I double checked again with Daniel about the Silverstars and some more info I got from Powerbulbs. I had earlier asked them their opinion of the Silverstar v.s. the Philips Vision Plus, which they also sell.

ME: I've asked the fellas at Powerbulbs.com for their opinion on the Osram SilverStar and Philips VisionPlus. Here's their response...

PowerBulbs: "I would go for the Vision Plus it is slightly superior due to the lamp being made from Quartz as opposed to the Osram hard glass."

Daniel Stern Lighting: This difference is only critical if your lamps have cracked lenses that allow water in (quartz can take small water droplets landing directly on it without shattering). There is no performance advantage to fuzed quartz over hardglass, and the Osram product does produce more light. Either is a top-performing bulb that will improve over what you have now."

OK, I'm sold. I've ordered 2 pair of H4 Osram Silver Star bulbs from Powerbulbs (http://www.powerbulbs.net/products/product.php?prodid=oss&type=H4) . As part of a special promotion, along with my order I hope to be getting a free set of wedge bulbs (http://www.powerbulbs.net/bvoffer.htm) which I hope to use to replace those weak yellow parking lights. Final price was $52.96 CAN a pair ($34.03 US) - shipping is free!

Info from Osram Sylavania national sales manager for automotive lighting (Canada):

"The Silverstar manufactured in the US for North American use is whiter (4000K) and 20 to 30% brighter than standard halogen. The OSRAM (European) product is brighter by 50% but not whiter (3200K).

The OSRAM bulb is available in H1, H4 and H7, but we do not carry these in North America and have no plans to. If the end user is inquiring about the H4, the equivalent lamp in Canada/US is the 9003ST, which is legal in all provinces in Canada. Should you still wish to purchase the H4 from Powerbulbs in England, you would need to check with the Ministry of Transportation to verify their legality in Ontario/Canada. Our national sales manager doesn't seem to think it would be an issue, legally, but you would need to confirm with the MOT."

Just save your money for HID's, youll be alot happier in the end

Before I get on my soapbox, I don't mean any disrespect here, but IMO I think most HID kits are a waste of money. Most people who buy them are only using them for show. They think the HIDs look cool. Well, to the rest of us on the road, most of them don't. These HID kits fit poorly. They don't sit in the correct focal point of the reflectors that were originally meant for halogen bulbs. This causes the beam to spread and annoy other drivers in the oncoming lanes. No amount of headlight aiming can fix a bad beam. The only HID kits worth buying come complete with an entire headlight assembly. That's the only way to assure that the beam pattern is correct. From your pic, it looks like that's what you're got WNY.

I do a lot of nightime highway driving and it drives me nuts when you see these purple lights coming at you from a distance. You know that 8 times outa 10 you're about to get blinded by somebody's ego beacons.

Now before I dig myself into a hole that I can't get out of here, I think some aftermarket HID systems are ok. The OEM installs and full blown kits, I mean. They are engineered and constructed so that their light is directed in the right direction. The only way they can achieve that is by supplying the reflector or lenses to match the bulb, not just the bulb. And how much do these cost? Way too much for me. Any accessory that costs more than a mortgage payment is not worth it. That's what you'll pay for a proper system. Anything less and you should be asking why. There are no properly designed inexpensive HID replacement kits.

The other HID kits that only replace the bulb (balast & harness included) are an absolute waste of money and time. They spill too much light out the sides rather than directing it down the road where it's supposed to go. The people who buy these are looking for that that "cool purple" HID look, but I don't think they realize just how much less light is being directed in front of them. That's not for me. I want to see more of what's in front of me at night.

OK, some say even the cheap systems give you a whiter light. Some lamps that produce whiter light seem brighter even if their true light output (lumens) is less than a normal yellowish halogen. You may think they are brighter, but that's just because of the way your eyes and brain interpret the whiter light. Unfortunately people that buy the bad HID kits or the blue tinted halogens (don't even get me started on blue halogens) think their lights are brighter when in fact the new lamps project less light down the road where it's needed.

Check the tech info on this site http://lighting.mbz.org/

Besides, until someone comes up with a proper full replacement HID kit for 2nd gen Honda CR-Vs, I'll stick to good quality halogens (clear not blue).

Phew! OK, I'm done. Sorry but I had to get that off my chest. Didn't mean to offend anybody.

Silverstar replacement lamps are made by Osram Sylvania. Most versions are manufactured in Germany. Check the bottom of the lamp, and you can find the country of origin. To be street legal, they must meet certain standards. There is NO difference between Osram, and Sylvania. Same company. These aftermarket lamps will NOT last as long as OEM. This is marketing. They are brighter. FYI, the correct terminology is the word "lamps" in the automotive world. "Bulbs" are planted in the ground to grow flowers.