Which type of headlight is best for you?

While the following pages (which you can access using the links at the top left, or bottom of this page) will explain how each type of bulb works, knowing how to choose between them as a car buyer is a different kettle of fish.

Halogen bulbs are the oldest type of light on this list and if you’re looking for cheap, relatively reliable bulbs, you shouldn’t have worries with a set of halogen headlamps. However, they lack the high-tech look of more expensive options and cannot match the likes of LEDs for light output, efficiency and lifespan.

Xenons on the other hand help modernise the look of a car with their crisp blueish light, so could help with the saleability of your car. The cost of replacing xenon bulbs is more than halogens, due to their added complexity, and while the xenon bulb should outlive a halogen one, LEDs can beat them both.

• Best headlight bulbs on sale

LED lights range from relatively simple affairs to some of the most complex (and therefore expensive to repair and replace) units on the market. LEDs not only look modern, but at the higher end of the market offer something commonly referred to as matrix technology. Here LEDs are teamed with mirrors and sensors to adapt their beams and give maximum coverage of the road ahead, even taking into account oncoming traffic. The style and added safety of better night vision is highly desirable and may go a long way when it comes to selling your car.