Now you can take advantage of the styling and safety benefits of daylight running lights (DRL) on your own vehicle! The trend amongst today’s newest vehicles is to implement a daylight running lamp which remains illuminated constantly whilst driving.

It assists drivers in being able to be seen, thus improving safety as well as vehicle styling. In line with European Regulation 48, this type of lighting system will become mandatory on all new vehicles from 2011. Studies suggest that the adoption of DRL could save between 1,500 and 2,000 lives per annum across Europe.

It’s not just safety that makes DRL an attractive option. More and more vehicles are using DRL as a styling addition; it’s now featured on cars such as the Audi R8, Audi A4, Mercedes E Class, Audi Q5, Opel/Vauxhall Insignia, Porsche 911 and many more.

It’s easy to use and easy to fit.

• The kit can be installed on the vast majority of today’s vehicles. Using the best LEDs in the world, the high powered LUXEON LEDs give a bright white light (6000k), use a low amount of energy and last the lifetime of the vehicle.
• The slim design and clip on system ensures that the kit will fit most cars with a minimal installation time.
• It is fully road legal for use in Europe, complying with European Regulations (ECE R87).
• The easy electrical connection means there is no risk for the user or vehicle and the automatic on/off switch means it’s simple to use.

Find out more and buy securely online today

Learning to drive can be a stressful experience. With so much to take in, increasingly difficult tests and more and more road users, it’s important that learning to drive is made as safe and comfortable as possible for the student.

Paul at Licence to Drive -  a Wakefield Driving Instructor – has a few tips to make the process easier.

The first recommendation of course would be to use an approved driving instructor who can offer professional and patient tuition. They keep up to date with the latest legislation and can advise on much more than just passing the test itself but equip students with knowledge to be safer drivers for life.

Accident prevention is also a priority. Following the Highway Code is an obvious essential but drivers should also take steps to make their vehicles as safe as possible. Many accidents occur at night so upgrading your car bulbs is one way in which you can make night time driving safer, giving you more light ahead and thus more ‘thinking distance’. This is vital in the first few years of driving.

With the number of cars on the road certain to increase significantly over the next decade it is vital that best practice is adopted by all new and existing drivers to keep accident levels low.

About this post
This post was contributed to by Licence to Drive – an approved driving instructor offering Driving Lessons in Wakefield.

At the moment we’re all looking to save money where we can. More and more of today’s vehicles are fitted with D2S and D2R Xenon HID Bulbs when a gas discharge system is installed from manufacture. This system is often referred to as ‘xenons’ or ‘xenon lights’ and rather than using a filament, as a traditional halogen bulb does, it instead produces an electrical arc between two tungsten electrodes.

As you can imagine, this system is quite technologically advanced. The lamps used in the system are mainly either the D2S or D2R fitting and generally last around five years. When it comes to replacing these many drivers initially look to their vehicle main dealer. On average the cost of a replacement from the dealer would be in excess of £115 each – a substantial sum of money.

Power Bulbs can provide the same high quality Philips components for a fraction of the main dealer price, delivered direct to your door with free worldwide delivery. You continue to have the assurance of using an original equipment quality part, of the exact specification that your manufacturer would supply, but benefit from a substantial cost saving.

Take a look at our range of Xenon HID Bulbs. If you require any specific information then don’t hesitate to contact our helpful customer service team.

365 Drivers, a Wakefield based HGV Driver Agency and CPC Driver Training firm, has recommended that heavy goods vehicle drivers use OSRAM Truckstar, a new product for the 24v market that delivers 100% more light on the road but also lasts twice as long as standard.

OSRAM Truckstar delivers up to 100% more light on the road for increased comfort and safety whilst driving. The new technology also allows the bulb to last up to twice as long, therefore reducing overall service costs.

The advantages are clear:

• Up to 100% more brightness in the 50 – 100 m range: more and better quality light on the highway = reduced driving fatigue, improved accident prevention
• Up to 100% longer service life: significant economic advantages from longer replacement intervals

Brighter lights improve driver reaction time!
Thanks to special technology and the new breakthrough coil construction, OSRAM Truckstar lamps produce up to 100% more light than conventional 24-volt lamps. This is a major advantage since headlight brightness is an important safety factor, especially on long drives. A brighter field of vision in front of the truck allows the driver to recognise and react earlier to hazardous situations.

Upgrade today with OSRAM Truckstar and Power Bulbs for improved performance and service life.

The Institute of Advanced Motorists has written an informative article which has some useful tips that motorists can take advantage of. Whilst it’s correct that this is more important in winter, as we all know the weather can change quickly and often without warning, so it’s just as important to observe these tips in those unexpected summer thunder storms as it is in winter snow showers. Make sure your car bulbs are working as they should be…

Check the lights

• Regularly check that all lights work. While someone observes the lights around the car, switch on each light one-by-one: headlights, sidelights, fog lights, indicators, brake lights, reverse lights, hazard warning lights and number plate lights
• If alone, park by a reflective surface such as a garage door, illuminate all lights in sequence and look for the reflections

Use the lights

• When away from street lighting, visibility is limited to the range of the head lights.This varies greatly between dipped and full-beam; slow down when driving on dipped head light.
• Lights give motorists an early warning of each other’s presence. Look for approaching lights when driving around corners, adjust the position of the vehicle accordingly and dip your own headlights to avoid dazzling other motorists.
• If oncoming drivers forget to dip their lights, slow down and give your eyes time to adjust to avoid blindness. Never stay on full-beam to retaliate.
• It is difficult to judge approaching speed in the dark so take extra care when making a manoeuvre and always allow traffic to pass when waiting to pull out at a junction
• The weather will also dictate when to use headlights and fog lights. Use fog lights sparingly; switch them on only when visibility is below 100 metres. Leaving them on after fog has disappeared is an offence and a danger to other motorists
• A general good rule of thumb is to switch on dipped headlights during heavy rain and poor light
• Never use lights to dazzle or cause discomfort to other road users – this is against the law

For more information and other informative articles, take a look at the Institute of Advanced Motorists web site.

This year it seems that more and more people are holidaying in Europe and choosing to drive. It’s a great option as it enables you to see your destination at a pace to suit you, without the hassles of the airport or renting a car.

Driving on the continent is different to driving at home though. You need to be aware of local laws and regulations to ensure that you’re driving safely and legally. Clearly one important thing to remember is to drive on the right instead of the left!

One key requirement that most European countries insist on is the carrying of a spare bulb kit. Whilst it’s a legal requirement, it’s also a really good idea as bulbs can fail at the most inconvenient of times.

Make sure you get your spare bulb kit before you travel.  We have a wide range of European spare bulb kits that cost less than £10 with free delivery.

To further add to the already long list of honours and awards that Philips Xtreme Power has received, Auto Express has just included the bestseller in their recent Product Awards.

They said:

Dutch bulb maker Philips created the ultra-high-performance sector of the market, and the company continues to dominate it. X-treme Power may claim ‘only’ 80 per cent more light 75 metres up the road, but in the light tunnel it clearly outshone those who boast of more. Currently this has to be the ultimate road-legal halogen headlamp bulb. Simply brilliant!

What’s more, to celebrate this excellent achievement, Power Bulbs is offering Philips Extreme Power at an amazing price of just £19.99 per pair in both H7 and H4 fittings. You’ll also benefit from our standard free shipping and a free pair of Philips Blue Vision W5W upgrade sidelight bulbs.

This offer is whilst stocks last and for a limited time so make sure you don’t miss out!

Courtesy of Flickr (Pieter Musterd)

Just when we thought that summer was upon us the British weather deals another predictable blow and covers the country in rain.

Barbecues have been replaced with brollies and the outlook for the next few days doesn’t appear to be much better. The local area around the PowerBulbs office has seen heavy amount of rainfall with deep puddles causing traffic to slow down as motorists proceed with extra caution.

In these driving conditions it’s all too easy for accidents to occur so take extra care on the roads. It’s advisable to use your dipped beam headlight bulbs in heavy rain to make it easier for other road users and pedestrians to see you.

Let’s hope that the sun comes back out soon!

In the UK motorists are legally obliged to ensure that their headlight bulbs are in full working order. Indeed in many European countries it is mandatory to carry a spare bulb kit to ensure that if a bulb failure were to occur the driver would be able to change the bulb at the roadside.

Given that these laws are in place, why is it that some vehicle manufacturers are making it almost impossible for the average motorist to conduct this formerly simple task?

Writing in The Telegraph, Lucien Watkins states:

Once, such a job would have taken a couple of minutes, but not these days. And it seems I am not alone. I was heartened to read a letter to Honest John from a reader who could strip down and rebuild an entire engine but was totally defeated in his attempt to replace a bulb on a Peugeot 207. A Renault Mégane owner also complained about the difficulty of carrying out such a supposedly simple task: “You need the grip of a vice, the patience of a saint and the abilities of a gynaecologist,” he said, believing it to be just another motor industry rip-off, forcing customers to seek professional help.

The problem has even sparked an e-petition of the Prime Minister’s web site.

Thankfully this problem does still affect a minority of vehicles on the road. The vast majority of our customers are able to change the bulbs themselves relatively quickly. However, we feel that it’s important that a message is sent to the vehicle manufacturers to ensure that they produce their cars in such a way that motorists – their customers – can stay within the law without the need to visit one of their dealerships.

“I’m looking at upgrading my car bulbs. Which is the best? Philips X-Treme Power or OSRAM Night Breaker?”

This is one of the most common questions we get asked and it’s clear to see why. There’s not much between Philips and OSRAM; both invest heavily in European production facilities and are original equipment (OE) manufacturers. We always recommend choosing an OE manufacturer because it guarantees that the product has been made to the same high standards that your vehicle manufacturer insists on. Choosing a high street brand bulb doesn’t give you this guarantee and could even cost you more!

So, which is the best? Auto Express regularly tests a wide range of headlight bulbs each year. Year after year, because of their high manufacturing standards, Philips and OSRAM top the table. This is indicative of the investment and quality that you’ll find from these manufacturers. At the moment Philips have the prestigious top place – the ‘Best Buy’ award – with Philips X-Treme Power. OSRAM came a close second with OSRAM Night Breaker.

To conclude, if you buy either product you’ll be getting an excellent quality headlight bulb. The choice between which is really down to your budget and whether you have a preference for a particular manufacturer.