Just wondering because Lowes still has some on clearance, 175W clear MV for $4. I was thinking of getting one for my GE 201SA, to compare to the coated one it came with.

$4? Should be a no-brainer! Buy it! Even if it isn't a "good" HID bulb, you can't beat $4.

Just wondering because Lowes still has some on clearance, 175W clear MV for $4. I was thinking of getting one for my GE 201SA, to compare to the coated one it came with.

My Lowe's has those too. And yes, I'd say they are worth it.

out of the big three, I'd have to say Sylvania makes the best right now and has for quite awhile.  GE and Philips don't seem to last as long. 

Sylvania has used its current chinese mercury lamp mfg since about 2012, I installed several in 2013 at a campground (in 175w nema buckets) and as far as I know all but one are still working, so its safe to say they last at least the rated 24,000 hours. One thing is certain though, the phosphor coat on the DX lamps degrades rapidly, those same lamps at that campground greened out only a few months after installation. But 90% of them have lasted 5 years now dusk to dawn, which is something

Thanks guys, I bought one of them. They had Sylvania MH bulbs for $10, HPS for $5 and 300W incandescent for 94 cents also.

Sylvania has used its current chinese mercury lamp mfg since about 2012, I installed several in 2013 at a campground (in 175w nema buckets) and as far as I know all but one are still working, so its safe to say they last at least the rated 24,000 hours. One thing is certain though, the phosphor coat on the DX lamps degrades rapidly, those same lamps at that campground greened out only a few months after installation. But 90% of them have lasted 5 years now dusk to dawn, which is something

I have a 250w version in my garage lowbay that's been getting use since 2014 and it still isn't turning green.

 My local Lowe’s has switched to mostly GE products and has put the remaining Sylvania products on clearance. I picked up a 175w mercury and a 400w metal halide for about $10.

My local Lowe’s has switched to mostly GE products and has put the remaining Sylvania products on clearance. I picked up a 175w mercury and a 400w metal halide for about $10.

I wish we had the opportunity to buy these over here. 

I went back and got another MV bulb plus a 300W incandescent.

I went back and got another MV bulb plus a 300W incandescent.

You're lucky that you get a choice of what lamp type you can buy, over this side of the pond it's 90% LED with the rest CFL or Halogen, nothing else seems to be stocked any more 

And CFL and halogens have now been banned from being made so it will be LED or candles soon.

Interestingly, I went to Habitat and they had some Sylvania HID bulbs. There was a 175W MV, 150W HPS and 100W HPS plus two Feit 80W MV. They all had Lowes' clearance stickers on them still, so I guess Lowes took the leftover ones there for some reason. They were $2 each plus they had a lot of LED bulbs with C7 base from Lowes too.