Dean,
I disagree !!
I have put SilverStars in several brand new vehicles and the improvement was very dramatic.
I took my old 2 year old SilverStars from my 2001 Sport Trac and put them in my new 2003 Sport Trac and got the same improvement and that was replacing new OEM bulbs with 2 year old SilverStars
I also put SilverStars in my new 2013 Hyundai Tucson, because the OEM bulbs were terrible. Again, the SilverStars made a huge difference in lighting way down the road.
It's not an Old bulb vs New bulb issue. SilverStars are brighter on high-beam because they are 65 watt bulbs vs the OEM 55 watt bulbs. That varies for different models of SilverStar bulbs
They also have a shaped mirrored shield over the tip of filament so the brightest light does not blind oncoming drivers but is focused down the road. The key is to getting more light down the road is to properly aim and focus the light.
We also have a member (Caymen) who tested the bulbs with an industrial light meter and the SilverStars were significantly brighter.
The DOT requirements for headlight bulb brightness only applies to OEM bulbs, not to aftermarket bulbs There are headlight high-beam bulbs available that are about 80 watts, but require a wiring upgrade. Also, you can mount driving lights on your vehicle and as long as you dim them to on coming traffic, they are perfectly legal...the same rule applies to headlights.
...Rich