@Buz1500:

You have PM  “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” -where’s the fun in that?

“he who hesitates is lost” -Joseph Addison, 1713.

:GONE:

 “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” -where’s the fun in that?

LT wrote:

Thanks for the offer, but at this stage I'm seeking advice as to which replacement bulbs are now considered to be the best.

Thanks Bora20

Nice to know  “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” -where’s the fun in that?

@Buz:

Got the Nightbreakers fitted today, relatively straightforward on a TDV6 due to only one airbox to wrestle with.
It had the ordinary Osram Xenarcs in, just took it for a drive down a nearby unlit coast road and I’d say a worthwhile improvement, not “200%” as it says on the box, more like 30-50% IMHO (I’m no expert, just age-compromised)
I didn’t hit anything, so that’s a bonus!

Thank you for the very cheap upgrade!  “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” -where’s the fun in that?

Read the explanation of the 200%...

-if it’s on the box, = no chance!, no way am I going to hire an electron microscope to read the 0.0035-point font!  “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” -where’s the fun in that?

From memory, along the lines of 200% brighter than the legal minimum.

Thanks GraemeS, so that likely refers to halogen 35W bulbs, right?
Must do a bit more research on that, it would be interesting to find out the actual differences in lumens between halogen and xenon and led variants.  “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” -where’s the fun in that?

I have no idea of what such a standard might be, if one actually exits. It's all marketing hype to me.

Bora20 wrote:

LT wrote:

Thanks for the offer, but at this stage I'm seeking advice as to which replacement bulbs are now considered to be the best.

The Osram Night Breakers are.

Thanks.

I’ll think I’ll go for a set of the “next gen” ones. 220% no less.

roberlar wrote:

They're the ones

Dave, these are old hat nowadays, read up on LED bulb upgrades on here in “Search” above.
Take a bulb out, and post a picture of it on here, I was of the impression that all L405’s upmto MY2017 had D3S bulbs?

I got some D3S LEDS 2 years ago from AE for £25 the pair, and they’ve been great, way better than the Osram Nightbreakers I tried above. “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” -where’s the fun in that?

Hi,

Be wary of Night Breakers, I've had mine in for 2 years and they are showing a huge tail off in output recently, I put in the original D3S in and they are brighter.

So I estimate the Night Breakers have lost at least 50% of there power over the 2 years gradually and I've raised a case with Osram as they're supposed to have a 3 year warraranty.

Last week I took them out, a little cloudy, cleaned them with Isopropol and refitted them, no noticable change. Also checked the headlights covers but they're crystal clear.

Have yet to hear back about from Osram but I've lost faith and the sheer costs or replacing them every couple of years and gone for the Bevinsee D3S 80w versions, they're in the post so I'll let you know how they perform.

There is a 120w version D3S on Aliexpress but unknown brand, that seems a bit excessive for the road so I went for the 80w ones.

Huge difference in price, £170 for the Osrams, £21 for the Bevinsee's so worth a punt.

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005007791...cification

A. Fuji White / Jet 2012 4.4 TDV8 Westminster

I got these, with the THREE copper tube heatsinks and most heavily ribbed design I could find, -for obvious reasons!!!

Still going strong after nearly 2 years! At that price get 2 sets for spares!
Super light output but nice crisp cutoff beam pattern:

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005005593...1802Sguzbk “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” -where’s the fun in that?