The biggest question is if it is orderable. Common sense would entisipate them to show up at dealers for color matching another headlamp that has been working a few years already. That has not happend and may not happen at all due to general dealer knowledge. Price may play a role here as well. It would not surprise me if they end up price wise between a original 85122 and the Ultinon: 130-160 each.
Two new original 85122 is currently 120 something dollars from heydenchan on ebay. If application is a standard Philips/Hella 35W ballast then why not just change both sides while u are at it. This satisfies color matching for a lower cost.
Herman, do you believe those bulbs are really genuine philips for that price?. I mean, I've bought from heydanchan and henrylampa and they are good price and they sure look genuine philips to me but I always wondered if they were really new and genuine. The fact autolamps or suvlights sell these at over twice the price calls my attention, and if you go to a BMW dealer for one, not two of these bulbs be prepared with 280 bucks. The bulbs I got from Henry are NIB but I always wondered how they are able to get them so cheap.
The phenomenon of SDCM or colour shift is well known. The 5000KCM is the product that Philips has introduced to replace accident damaged lamp at around the 1000 hour point. You of course can deduce from this that the 4100K after 1000 hours has an approx colour temp. of 5000K. This is so the replacement gives you a matched appearance of the existing OE fit. They are priced at the same level as the 6000K Ultinon and we have been selling them for over 6 months. Unlike a rebase it much harder to pass off Asian lamps as the base is clearly marked. Marked in what way I am not prepared to say online as this will just enable the copiers to replicate these identification points. If you want the security go to a reputable Philips dealer and these are clearly marked as authorised by Philips on material and websites.
Nick
www.autolamps-online.com
Herman, do you believe those bulbs are really genuine philips for that price?. I mean, I've bought from heydanchan and henrylampa and they are good price and they sure look genuine philips to me but I always wondered if they were really new and genuine. The fact autolamps or suvlights sell these at over twice the price calls my attention, and if you go to a BMW dealer for one, not two of these bulbs be prepared with 280 bucks. The bulbs I got from Henry are NIB but I always wondered how they are able to get them so cheap.
I bought from him just because there is no dealer (or reseller) in entire Toronto selling D2S Philips bulbs. The thought of color matching with Osram or a GE bulb was not good in my mind.
Anyways, I could not tell any visual difference on the outside, inside, performance etc etc. Its been in the car for 6 months and its so close in color and output to the other headlamp (which has 14 months on it now).
If it is an Asian copy, or if heydenchan buys from overstocked bancrupt rebase companies, or if he lets them go really low price... well who knows. I can't tell.
So then what do you do a few years later when the 85122CM finally burns out? Then you have to go get an Ultinon to match that CM bulb? So you gradually just accidently made the transition into ricerland, without you even noticing it
Josh wrote, "So then what do you do a few years later when the 85122CM finally burns out? Then you have to go get an Ultinon to match that CM bulb? So you gradually just accidently made the transition into ricerland, without you even noticing it"
I totally agree with all all of ya. Heck, for $130 I got NIB 4100K philips and like Herman says I can't tell the difference from the ones from autolamps, they are identical and I'm not really blind the deatails are there. And leave the used bulb as your CM replacment when you need it down the road. Hehe
