Aftermarket Fog light questions
01-20-2006, 02:04 PM
#3
How freaking wierd. I was just going to post this very same thread. I just took the in between plastic pieces off of my stock foglight locations yesterday and decided to post about it. I see most people are replacing with stock sets, which looks good. Good but not creative. I would also like to see some aftermarket setups. I'm thinking maybe some inserts cut to fit the location with round or oval foglights inserted to fit such. It would be easier and cheaper to install aftermarket IMO. Everything comes as a kit for much less than $130+.
01-20-2006, 02:15 PM
#5
Originally Posted by nitroz
My maxima does not have driving lights at all. When it is raining I can hardly see the road at all.
I was going to get the FF50 fogs last year and then ended up bailing... I need some extra lighting too... I'm so lazy 
01-20-2006, 02:20 PM
#7
Originally Posted by Dubbya
^ So why did you post in this thread then?
Actually, I just wanted to recommend the FF50s
I'd upgrade to the cefiros if the fitment was better.
01-20-2006, 02:31 PM
#9
Originally Posted by njmodi
Cos' I knew you would follow me here?
Actually, I just wanted to recommend the FF50s
I'd upgrade to the cefiros if the fitment was better.
Actually, I just wanted to recommend the FF50s
I'd upgrade to the cefiros if the fitment was better.
Oops. You snuck in before me. I was actually refering to the post above yours.It took me a long time to get over the fitment issue of the Cefiros and buy them. The light out put makes up for the so so fitment.
01-20-2006, 02:36 PM
#10
Originally Posted by Dubbya
Oops. You snuck in before me. I was actually refering to the post above yours.It took me a long time to get over the fitment issue of the Cefiros and buy them. The light out put makes up for the so so fitment.
To the OP: Don't get driving lights (for the safety of oncoming drivers). Driving lights are not supposed to be used to supplement your regular headlights - they have a beam-pattern that will blind oncoming drivers - and are meant to be used in rural areas/no or low traffic conditions.
Check out the Hella website for beam patterns for the ff50 driving vs. fog lamps and you'll see what I mean.
Other quality lights are PIAAs (but they are even more expensive).
01-20-2006, 04:13 PM
#12
i installed well half *** installed a set of Opliux, i dunno how to spell it. Its a brand made by Hella. They were about 30$ and smaller then FF50/75. Haven't aimed them yet. But the lighting from it isn't all that either. Brighter then stock fogs tho.
01-20-2006, 04:17 PM
#13
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2001
Posts: 174
Originally Posted by TurTLe*
i installed well half *** installed a set of Opliux, i dunno how to spell it. Its a brand made by Hella. They were about 30$ and smaller then FF50/75. Haven't aimed them yet. But the lighting from it isn't all that either. Brighter then stock fogs tho.
Do you have any pictures?
01-20-2006, 10:15 PM
#15
I got mine off of CE awhile back when they were on sale for $24.99 or something like that. I used to have stock foglights, but after enough rocks/pebbles that hit the glass, all of it broke off. I have the aftermarket ones but one side kind of cracked because of rocks and what ever that fly at them.
01-20-2006, 11:52 PM
#16
I've had my aftermarket fogs for almost 8 months now but the light output seems to be diminishing, perhaps its because they are cheap in quality. So I have been looking at the PIAA 510 series, the ion cyrstal, which lays down a yellow beam but illuminates blue. But for $210...I'm not sure I would want to pay that kind of money. So my next choice is the 1500xt, yellow, not as nice looking but around $120. I was curious to see how they would look on my car so I photoshopped them both on there. The lamps are pretty close to scale so this is how its going to actually look in the stock fog location on a 95SE Maxima.
PIAA 510 series:
PIAA 1500XT series:
Which one would y'all go with?
PIAA 510 series:
PIAA 1500XT series:
Which one would y'all go with?
01-21-2006, 06:33 AM
#18
Originally Posted by DR-Max
PIAA 510 series:
PIAA 1500XT series:
Which one would y'all go with?
I think both look nice in their own way. For me, this is a function over form decision. I'm actually going with Hella FF50s (I actually ordered some yesterday). Night-time driving, in the rain/snow with wet roads is downright frustrating with just the stock 9004s. The PIAAs are a fair bit pricier than the Hellas - that's why I opted for the Hellas. Hopefully I won't be disappointed with the light-output.
Since I have GLE, and don't want to mess around with cutting the bumper, I'm going to mount mine in the air dam space under the license plate.... hopefully it won't look too
As long as I get some good light, I'll live with however it looks asthetically 
01-21-2006, 07:23 AM
#19
Originally Posted by njmodi
I think both look nice in their own way. For me, this is a function over form decision. I'm actually going with Hella FF50s (I actually ordered some yesterday). Night-time driving, in the rain/snow with wet roads is downright frustrating with just the stock 9004s. The PIAAs are a fair bit pricier than the Hellas - that's why I opted for the Hellas. Hopefully I won't be disappointed with the light-output.
Since I have GLE, and don't want to mess around with cutting the bumper, I'm going to mount mine in the air dam space under the license plate.... hopefully it won't look too As long as I get some good light, I'll live with however it looks asthetically
Since I have GLE, and don't want to mess around with cutting the bumper, I'm going to mount mine in the air dam space under the license plate.... hopefully it won't look too
As long as I get some good light, I'll live with however it looks asthetically
01-21-2006, 07:34 AM
#20
Originally Posted by njmodi
I think both look nice in their own way. For me, this is a function over form decision. I'm actually going with Hella FF50s (I actually ordered some yesterday). Night-time driving, in the rain/snow with wet roads is downright frustrating with just the stock 9004s. The PIAAs are a fair bit pricier than the Hellas - that's why I opted for the Hellas. Hopefully I won't be disappointed with the light-output.
Since I have GLE, and don't want to mess around with cutting the bumper, I'm going to mount mine in the air dam space under the license plate.... hopefully it won't look too As long as I get some good light, I'll live with however it looks asthetically
Since I have GLE, and don't want to mess around with cutting the bumper, I'm going to mount mine in the air dam space under the license plate.... hopefully it won't look too
As long as I get some good light, I'll live with however it looks asthetically Also in the market for aftermarket fogs. How much did you pay? Looking on eBay and mostly all of them are driving kits
01-21-2006, 08:21 AM
#21
That's true, PIAA's are pricey, you're paying for the name and performance. I wen't to this place called Performance in Van Nuy's, CA. They have all their fog systems hooked up to a power source so you can test them out. The light output of the 510 is insane! I looked for a Hella equivalent of the 510 but they don't have anything. So I guess I'm going to bite the bullet and go for the 510.
One thing I don't understand is that why do so many fog systems come in blue now. I thought that blue beams don't illumate as well as white or yellow beams. PIAA and Hella almost have blue versions of every light series.
One thing I don't understand is that why do so many fog systems come in blue now. I thought that blue beams don't illumate as well as white or yellow beams. PIAA and Hella almost have blue versions of every light series.
Originally Posted by njmodi
I think both look nice in their own way. For me, this is a function over form decision. I'm actually going with Hella FF50s (I actually ordered some yesterday). Night-time driving, in the rain/snow with wet roads is downright frustrating with just the stock 9004s. The PIAAs are a fair bit pricier than the Hellas - that's why I opted for the Hellas. Hopefully I won't be disappointed with the light-output.
Since I have GLE, and don't want to mess around with cutting the bumper, I'm going to mount mine in the air dam space under the license plate.... hopefully it won't look too As long as I get some good light, I'll live with however it looks asthetically
Since I have GLE, and don't want to mess around with cutting the bumper, I'm going to mount mine in the air dam space under the license plate.... hopefully it won't look too
As long as I get some good light, I'll live with however it looks asthetically 
01-21-2006, 03:20 PM
#23
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2001
Posts: 174
Originally Posted by mendon99
cheapo's from autozone:
i'm not big on lighting. these combined with 9007 conversion, and i barely need high beams.. good enough for me
i'm not big on lighting. these combined with 9007 conversion, and i barely need high beams.. good enough for me
01-21-2006, 03:27 PM
#24
Originally Posted by Stagnet04
I would go with the first pic the 510 series. $210 is steep but just like everything else, you want it to look as good as it works.
B.T.W. what photoshop do you have ? Adobe?
B.T.W. what photoshop do you have ? Adobe?
<ot>that's the only kind of photoshop there is.</ot>
01-21-2006, 06:52 PM
#28
Originally Posted by descent
how do you plan on wiring them up?
Since I have a GLE, I know I'm pre-wired for the factory fogs, so I might try to a retro with the fog-light stalk and use the factory wiring.
OR
I might just keep it simple and use the harness they provide and just run a seperate switch altogether into the cabin. Like I said, I need this for function more than form and given the temps are in the 30s around here, I'll be keeping it as simple as possible to start off with. When it gets warmer, I might get more creative.
01-21-2006, 06:55 PM
#29
Originally Posted by JaTaN
http://www.hella.com/produktion/Hell.../FF50/FF50.jsp
Also in the market for aftermarket fogs. How much did you pay? Looking on eBay and mostly all of them are driving kits
Also in the market for aftermarket fogs. How much did you pay? Looking on eBay and mostly all of them are driving kits
, but almost all of them are driving kits. I ended up ordering from autoanything.com - 69 bucks 
free shipping Btw - if you order a set (FF50s or otherwise), perhaps we can do the installation together...
01-21-2006, 07:01 PM
#30
Originally Posted by DR-Max
That's true, PIAA's are pricey, you're paying for the name and performance. I wen't to this place called Performance in Van Nuy's, CA. They have all their fog systems hooked up to a power source so you can test them out. The light output of the 510 is insane! I looked for a Hella equivalent of the 510 but they don't have anything. So I guess I'm going to bite the bullet and go for the 510.
One thing I don't understand is that why do so many fog systems come in blue now. I thought that blue beams don't illumate as well as white or yellow beams. PIAA and Hella almost have blue versions of every light series.
One thing I don't understand is that why do so many fog systems come in blue now. I thought that blue beams don't illumate as well as white or yellow beams. PIAA and Hella almost have blue versions of every light series.
I figured for $210 - thats half the cost of an HID retro
and I read some good reviews about the FF50s - and at 1/3 the price the delta to the PIAAs was too much for me personally.I think the photoshop of the 510 look bada$$ - so I'm sure you'll be happy.
Do you have stock fogs right now? Maybe those of us who are finally taking the aftermarket foglamp plunge should discuss the installation/wiring/switching - we can take it off the org (email) or to PM...
I should get my kit sometime next week... I'll see what installation goodies and instructions are in there.
01-21-2006, 07:04 PM
#31
Seperate issue:
Installation aftermarket fogs into a 95/96 bumper with no cut-outs
1. If I do cut out the bumper, I was going to cut out the entire area that you would need for a stock setup.
2. If I do end up doing that, what do I need to cover up the rough edge that woudl result from the cut - is that the fog light bracket that is so high in demand in the classifieds section?
Installation aftermarket fogs into a 95/96 bumper with no cut-outs
1. If I do cut out the bumper, I was going to cut out the entire area that you would need for a stock setup.
2. If I do end up doing that, what do I need to cover up the rough edge that woudl result from the cut - is that the fog light bracket that is so high in demand in the classifieds section?
01-22-2006, 07:59 AM
#32
Originally Posted by njmodi
JaTaN - I looked on E, but almost all of them are driving kits. I ended up ordering from autoanything.com - 69 bucks free shipping
Btw - if you order a set (FF50s or otherwise), perhaps we can do the installation together...
, but almost all of them are driving kits. I ended up ordering from autoanything.com - 69 bucks free shipping Btw - if you order a set (FF50s or otherwise), perhaps we can do the installation together...
I don't plan on cutting my bumper lol
01-22-2006, 08:04 AM
#33
Originally Posted by JaTaN
I only see http://www.autoanything.com/products...f_50_light_kit and its under the "Lights & Lighting -> Driving Lights" category (don't see the fog one)
I don't plan on cutting my bumper lol
I don't plan on cutting my bumper lol
that link came up when I searched for FF50 fog lamps... so I didn't even notice the categories... 
I'll try to find them elsewhere...
I'm really not keen on cutting my bumper either - so I think I'll probably end up putting the lights in the air-dam area as I was originally leaning towards.
Thanks for pointing out that driving lights category!
01-22-2006, 12:51 PM
#35
http://www.classicgarage.com/classic...ffoglikit.html for the FF50 fogs...
Was thinking about getting some FF75 driving lights (yes I know, they're like super highbeams, so don't "warn" me
), but doubt they'd be aesthetically pleasing, as my car already has a set of fogs that I like (stock). Do you think there's a way I could mount them in the front air dam but far back/up, so that they're not very visible?
Was thinking about getting some FF75 driving lights (yes I know, they're like super highbeams, so don't "warn" me
), but doubt they'd be aesthetically pleasing, as my car already has a set of fogs that I like (stock). Do you think there's a way I could mount them in the front air dam but far back/up, so that they're not very visible?
01-22-2006, 01:40 PM
#36
Originally Posted by MorpheusZero
http://www.classicgarage.com/classic...ffoglikit.html for the FF50 fogs...
Was thinking about getting some FF75 driving lights (yes I know, they're like super highbeams, so don't "warn" me, but doubt they'd be aesthetically pleasing, as my car already has a set of fogs that I like (stock). Do you think there's a way I could mount them in the front air dam but far back/up, so that they're not very visible?
Was thinking about getting some FF75 driving lights (yes I know, they're like super highbeams, so don't "warn" me
, but doubt they'd be aesthetically pleasing, as my car already has a set of fogs that I like (stock). Do you think there's a way I could mount them in the front air dam but far back/up, so that they're not very visible?Thanks for the link. Once I get confirmation that my first order was cancelled, I'll reorder.
01-22-2006, 02:12 PM
#37
No prob.. just sniped an ebay FF75 driving light auction for $30 + $11 shipping... pretty good price. Noticed I should be able to install them pretty far back in the air dam, so we'll see when I get 'em.
01-22-2006, 02:38 PM
#38
Originally Posted by MorpheusZero
No prob.. just siped an ebay FF75 driving light auction for $30 + $11 shipping... pretty good price. Noticed I should be able to install them pretty far back in the air dam, so we'll see when I get 'em.
01-23-2006, 12:25 PM
#40
i was going to upgrade from stocker foggers to somethign nice still rectangular and retro fit them into the stock opening....hopefully using the stock wiring...but i might just make my own custom harness like danielsternlighting.com recommends
http://www.danielsternlighting.com/t...ys/relays.html
http://www.danielsternlighting.com/t...ys/relays.html