306 headlight bulbs

Post by **myglaren** » 13 Sep 2008, 11:04

My son has a 306 D Turbo, "R"-reg.

He has just been complaining that the headlights are a bit on the dim side.
I've seen a mod for Xantia's involving a relay to shunt more current straight from the battery and also have seen, somewhere, that there are brighter bulbs than the standard ones to be had.

If anyone has done this mod on theirs or has info on better bulbs I'd appreciate hearing about it.

Unfortunately he dropped this on me, together with is computer that is sick, and buzzed of to Scotland for a few days, in the car, which kind of limits my options for doing anything about it at the minute or supplying any additional information.

Thanks for any info returned.

reblack68 · Post by **reblack68** » 13 Sep 2008, 11:34

The uprated bulbs are Osram Silverstars, available in H1, H4 and H7 versions. There is a Philips equivalent but I can't remember what it's called, Vision maybe?

They will make a bit of difference but I think adequate headlights are a forgotten technology, along with car radios that work more than 2mm from the transmitter.

Silverstars on eBay

Post by **myglaren** » 13 Sep 2008, 11:52

Thanks redblack.

Any idea what the differences are between the H1...H7 bulbs might be?
(When one goes in my car I yank it out and take it to the shop and ask for a couple like it) and if H7's physically fit the 306 of that vintage?
There's a pair on the link that I'll go for as long as they are suitable.

Agreed on the lights. There seem to be continual claims of improvement but the improvements are hard to detect.
That said I don't really have any complaints about mine, or those on the Xantia, that draws so much criticism.

The best ones, probably coloured by nostalgia, were on my GS. They were stunning inasmuch as they were so much better than anything I had seen before.

reblack68 · Post by **reblack68** » 13 Sep 2008, 12:07

They are three different fittings. H4 is the familiar double filament type, H7 is like an H4 that's shrunk in the wash and H1 is the single filament type found in cars that have individual lights for dip and main beam, like the Xantia.

The best thing to do is take the bulbs out and look, the type should be stamped on it somewhere.

Post by **myglaren** » 13 Sep 2008, 13:29

Thanks again - typical he should have taken the car away this weekend, I won't be able to progress this until he returns. No big deal, I suppose.
I bet they will turn out to be common-or-garden H4s.

lolingram · Post by **lolingram** » 18 Sep 2008, 19:23

My son has a 306 D Turbo, "R"-reg.

He has just been complaining that the headlights are a bit on the dim side.
I've seen a mod for Xantia's involving a relay to shunt more current straight from the battery and also have seen, somewhere, that there are brighter bulbs than the standard ones to be had.

If anyone has done this mod on theirs or has info on better bulbs I'd appreciate hearing about it.

Same story as the Xant I reckon myglaren. Check the +Ve at the bulbs - first without, then with the engine running. Xants typically show 12.2V and 14.4V. If this is so, just do the relay mod, which will restore full power to the bulbs.

This is far better value for money that fancy (read costly) bulbs. I have a schema in .xls if you would like it sent direct.