Advanced Driving Hub

I had a look at the dipped beam of the headlights, and they're surprisingly dim, but main beam is suitably bright...

Is it possible for H4 bulbs to dim, just on the filament you use more than the other?

I decided not to bother as 90% of my sister's driving is urban or during the day, so they might as well be candles in jam jars.

TheInsanity1234 wrote:Is it possible for H4 bulbs to dim, just on the filament you use more than the other?

Of course. As I explained earlier, the filament gradually oxidises and burns off. In an H4, the two filaments are mounted differently. The dipped beam is mounted sideways, with a little mini-reflector to direct the beam down. The little reflector will get darkened over time, just like the inside of the glass.

TheInsanity1234 wrote:I decided not to bother as 90% of my sister's driving is urban or during the day, so they might as well be candles in jam jars.

It really is very cheap, and next time you're out on a murky night, you might begin to re-think. Still, it's your money.

Mr Cholmondeley-Warner wrote:

TheInsanity1234 wrote:Is it possible for H4 bulbs to dim, just on the filament you use more than the other?

Of course. As I explained earlier, the filament gradually oxidises and burns off. In an H4, the two filaments are mounted differently. The dipped beam is mounted sideways, with a little mini-reflector to direct the beam down. The little reflector will get darkened over time, just like the inside of the glass.

TheInsanity1234 wrote:I decided not to bother as 90% of my sister's driving is urban or during the day, so they might as well be candles in jam jars.

It really is very cheap, and next time you're out on a murky night, you might begin to re-think. Still, it's your money.

Personally, I use the main beam more than the dipped beam at night. The only time I'm not on main beam at night is when I'm doing a strictly urban journey which is fully street lit, or when there's a car coming the other way.

The issue is, in Halfords it was £20 or something for a pair of normal H4 bulbs, so I've decided to put it off a couple of weeks and then get new ones in April when my student loan comes in. I'll also be splashing out on some new tyres in April or May, as I think the grip level on my tyres are... susuiciously low, but then they have done 16k miles and are almost 2 years old. Still plenty of tread on them though. However I seem to recall reading somewhere that it was recommended people changed their tyres every 18 months because as the rubber ages, the grip detoriates. I also might need to pay out on sorting out the suspension, I'm sure I've mullered it.

TheInsanity1234 wrote:However I seem to recall reading somewhere that it was recommended people changed their tyres every 18 months because as the rubber ages, the grip detoriates.

4-5 years, maybe. Not 18 months.

jont- wrote:

TheInsanity1234 wrote:However I seem to recall reading somewhere that it was recommended people changed their tyres every 18 months because as the rubber ages, the grip detoriates.

4-5 years, maybe. Not 18 months.

Oh... Maybe the grip was just shit lately because it's cold...

TheInsanity1234 wrote:The issue is, in Halfords it was £20 or something for a pair of normal H4 bulbs

Halfords "normal" bulbs - £12 for 2
Lots more choices (including a pair of Bosch for £13 delivered if you've got Prime)

... and as I said - starting from £0.99 on your favourite online auction site.

FYI

http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/car-news/c ... ent-review

Currently using Philips Xtreme +150 and +130, and H4 LED replacements without any "complaints" (so far).

A couple of bulbs plus getting a Halfords bloke to put them (if feeling lazy) is less than a tank of go-juice. No brainer.

TheInsanity1234 wrote:I'll also be splashing out on some new tyres in April or May, as I think the grip level on my tyres are... susuiciously low, but then they have done 16k miles and are almost 2 years old. Still plenty of tread on them though.

Maybe they're designed for a (relatively) long life and aren't at their best in cold wintery conditions? Perhaps you might wait until the tread is lower and, in the meantime, research replacements that are better suited to the range of conditions you are likely to meet.