looking for a good set of fog lights. . .

[98FWDSM]

ok, the fog lights that i have on my car now are circular, made by "Pilot" and they have a yellow light output with a black housing....the only problem with them is that they have a very crappy light output and for some reason they keep cracking anyways, the ones that i have been using are only $20 but i am willing to fork out $75 bucks on a set as long as they are GOOD! i would prefer the yellow/amber light but all the fog lights that i find are not circular and therefore would not work in the stock 97-99 fog light location.

Thanks

 

[ClevSilverEclip]

Try looking at PIAA or CATZ auctions on eBay. If you're patient and a smart shopper, you can often find great deals on either of these.

Of the two, CATZ units will likely be more in your price range. Although they are quite well made, it does seem to me that PIAA units do have better optics.

Being a frequent bad-weather driver, though, I can tell you from experience that the CATZ units will be more than sufficient.

One thing you'll want to keep in mind is what type of beam output you're looking for. Both of the above-mentioned manufacturers do offer different beam patterns for either "driving" or "fog," and this consideration should be kept in the foremost while you make your shopping decision.

Also, it's not that you can't find good, cheap units sitting on the shelf at your local AutoZone or Pep Boys. It's just that it's often a bit harder..... If you're willing to deal with the trouble of trying-out different units for a day or less and then returning them and re-installing another unit, having these first-hand, on-car "auditions" can net you an excellent light at a very low price. A friend of mine actually "auditioned" about a half-dozen different units this way. It was painstaking work, but at the time, he had more free time than money, and it was a great way to get a good light at a decent price.

Best of luck!



-A
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[Defiant]

Hella.

JCWhitney.

 

[98FWDSM]

One thing you'll want to keep in mind is what type of beam output you're looking for. Both of the above-mentioned manufacturers do offer different beam patterns for either "driving" or "fog," and this consideration should be kept in the foremost while you make your shopping decision.

ok, now i feel stupid because i had no idea that there were different beam patterns, what's the difference?....HELP!

 

[ClevSilverEclip]

Hey, NP - we've all gotta begin somewhere, sometime. No need to feel stupid!

The PIAA website offers some good info:

http://www.piaa.com/Lamps/LightAimingGuide.html

http://www.piaa.com/Lamps/LampSelectionGuide.html

A few things to note -

I do not subscribe to their (PIAA's) claims of "x-Watt = y-Watt" (i.e. "60W = 120W" for their 9005 "Xtreme White" bulbs) nor do I subscribe to their claim of superior lighting performance for "Dichroic" lenses.

However, I do find that the above guides are rather good for beginners.

Overall, I prefer an amber/yellow color for fog/foul-weather use as our eyes are very sensitive in this color range - most drivers typically will agree on this point.

For long-distance illumination, I find that I like the cold (actually, of course, it's a higher color temperature) white beam that's more representative of OEM HID units to better suit my needs, but this can vary quite a lot between drivers. I think that my preference for "yellower" bulbs as high-beams (again, to better cater to our natural eye sensitivity) may contribute to my preference for a "whiter" auxiliary beam in this context, but again, I've found this to be a highly personalized selection.

---

And doh! Forgot totally about Hella lamps! Don't know why, as they are excellent, and are decently priced to-boot. Many Hella products are also available at your local brick-and-mortar retailers, as a side-benefit.

-A

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