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View Full Version : Cheapo Foglights?


Jehu
02-28-2008, 12:18 AM
Was the consensus about the $80ish a pair Fog lamps from Hong Kong (http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/BMW-E34-Smoke-Projector-Front-Fog-Light-M5-89-95-NEW_W0QQitemZ180219444461QQcmdZViewItem?hash=item1 80219444461)etc that they really aren't as problematic as many may want to believe? Both my Fog Lenses are cracked AGAIN with one now full of water having shorted the bulb tonight. These are $160 a pair less than OE Hellas . Since I drive so much and the roads here are so abysmal always throwing up debris cracking the lenses AND I F'ed one of my Lamps trying to solder the wire to the plug element melting the plastic and now have an appliance plug Electrical taped to hold it in place making the connection with the harness becasue the plug wires broke AGAIN,are there any real solid reasons to shell out for the OE brand on these? I don't see how they can make something like this "Too" cheap.
Blitzkrieg Bob
02-28-2008, 01:17 AM
I am on the same E bay hunt too.

I have one stone chipped and one sand blasted fog light.

These cheapo DEPO lights look pretty good.

Tempting isn't it........
Jehu
02-28-2008, 02:09 AM
in light of how frequently I find myself in need the only alternative is getting new lenses from say Bavarian Autosport for around $40/ea. For the same price i can get new everything which will look fifteen years old in a few months anyway so i suppose it matters as much as how many angles can dance on the head of a pin.

I just thought I'd read some people decrying the "cheapness" off them warning others to avoid them but i can't really see a whole lot that can go wrong . If the plastic isn't too brittle that it breaks very easily or the glass isn't too thin and cracks easier than the Hellas or they have fitments issues what can you screw up in something as simple as a fog-lamp?All you see is the glass of the lense anyway. If it holds the bulb and the plug and bolts in place that should be enough. I can take reports of other non oem parts being less than successful more seriously when they are in high stress areas with more important fuctions.
shogun
02-28-2008, 02:25 AM
No light bulb included
That does not matter, but:
offer does not mention if they are for H1 bulbs and connectors or the U.S. style 9005/6.
That you should ask them before buying.
Jehu
02-28-2008, 02:28 AM
That does not matter, but:
offer does not mention if they are for H1 bulbs and connectors or the U.S. style 9005/6.
That you should ask them before buying.

Thanks. Noted and done. I'll post the reply here when it arrives.
Dave M
02-28-2008, 07:07 AM
BMWlight distributes plastic fog lenses (http://www.bmwlight.com/bmw_e34.htm) and such. I think they come out of RSA, with a distributor somewhere in the southeast US and A. FWIW, I'm now running two or three headlight lenses and both fogs with no problem. Fitting was a breez (clear silicone) and they look fine.

Dave M
shogun
02-28-2008, 08:13 AM
The difference is that in Hongkong you get complete fog lights cheaper than the lenses only, which they offer for "WAS $49.99 NOW $44.99 per set"
bad_manners_god
02-28-2008, 09:07 AM
Since I have already bought these off ebay, I'll chime in.

These are the ones i bought: http://cgi.ebay.ca/89-95-BMW-E34-5-Series-Crystal-Fog-Light-Lights-Set_W0QQitemZ300202252947QQihZ020QQcategoryZ33709Q QssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

They're great, plain and simple. They use H1 Bulbs, HOWEVER they have conversion harness inside the plastic cover. The Plastic Cover outside is 9006 like stock and on the inside of the plastic cover, there's 2 wires (color-coded) coming from the 9006 original harness.

Plus they look really sweet. I put HID's in mine so it was a bit of custom work, but we'll worth it. Plus they give it that clear Euro look. I'll have them installed soon and take pics.

The only thing i can't remember at the moment is that if the outside lense is clear plastic or glass. When I get to my garage later on today, I'll check them out and post.

But, value wise, it's 70$-80$ for a pair of fog lights, it's EXTREMELY worth it, espically since how much 1 single fog light alone is.
Dr. evil
02-28-2008, 10:47 AM
ive had a set of DEPO projection style fogs and have beeen very happy with them only thing that wasnt correct was the connector.

i like DEPO lights good quality.
pgrindstaff
02-28-2008, 11:04 AM
Was the consensus about the $80ish a pair Fog lamps from Hong Kong (http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/BMW-E34-Smoke-Projector-Front-Fog-Light-M5-89-95-NEW_W0QQitemZ180219444461QQcmdZViewItem?hash=item1 80219444461)etc that they really aren't as problematic as many may want to believe?...

I bought these fog lights for my 530i a couple of years ago and only had an issue with one of the lights. Something happened to my right fog light and it did not project the light the same as the left. This may have been caused by me accidentally hitting a curb when parking or something else.

They have the H1 plug on the back and use H1 bulbs. The only thing I found annoying was the rubber gasket that goes around the glass came off of both of mine but that's not really a deal breaker. For the price you can't beat them.
Qube
02-28-2008, 04:44 PM
Here's the bottom line. They work. That's about it. Given the location (close to ground!), the shitty stuff is prone to moisture issues. Believe me.

I've tried what... 5 sets? From OE 'look' replacements to now the clear projector type. More than half of them had moisture issues eventually in their short life. The final set I sealed up real good myself because I have HIDs in there.

The key here is probably to put a clear laminate protector on there.
philbyil
02-28-2008, 06:57 PM
Next time, put some 3m clear protector film over them!!
Did that with both my ellipsoids and my fogs here in TX (chip and tar roads!!!)and also my wifes Subie and my BMW RT ($600 for the light!!)....no problems.
Bought mine from Stongard....work great!!
shadowpuck
02-29-2008, 09:04 PM
wow, that's even cheaper than the set I bought on ebay awhile back....looks like the same lights, though.....

i had one with a bad seal and moisture got inside. otherwise, they've been fine. i bought extras and just swapped out the bad one recently. i did have to convert the plugs for the H1 bulbs, but that was REALLY easy.....
bad_manners_god
03-01-2008, 01:48 AM
Here's the bottom line. They work. That's about it. Given the location (close to ground!), the shitty stuff is prone to moisture issues. Believe me.

I've tried what... 5 sets? From OE 'look' replacements to now the clear projector type. More than half of them had moisture issues eventually in their short life. The final set I sealed up real good myself because I have HIDs in there.

The key here is probably to put a clear laminate protector on there.

I took your advice on this one, before I installed them I took off the outer seal, which was almost completely off anyway and re-sealed all around with urethane.

Any other spots you suggest I seal up before I install them?
Qube
03-01-2008, 01:58 AM
Make sure those vent tubes are pointing the right way... Down! I had a set that was pointed up and started to collect water before I realized.
Jehu
03-04-2008, 04:06 PM
Bit the Bullet or pulled the trigger if you prefer and grabbed these (http://cgi.ebay.com:80/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=180221071283)
Blitzkrieg Bob
03-04-2008, 05:00 PM
Bit the Bullet or pulled the trigger if you prefer and grabbed these (http://cgi.ebay.com:80/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=180221071283)

Ha ha haa, bought the same set this past weekend too.

pretty good deal.
Jehu
03-05-2008, 09:50 PM
Ha ha haa, bought the same set this past weekend too.

pretty good deal.

Did you find out if they take the OE/stock Bulb? What is that H3? I emailed but got no answer. Maybe if you get yours before i do if you don't otherwise know you could post what you find out.
Blitzkrieg Bob
03-05-2008, 10:57 PM
Did you find out if they take the OE/stock Bulb? What is that H3? I emailed but got no answer. Maybe if you get yours before i do if you don't otherwise know you could post what you find out.

I think they take H1s
89_525i_PhoenixAZ
03-22-2008, 11:50 PM
I just installed this same exact set on mine. Mine used H1 bulbs. I am happy with the way they look...
Jehu
03-23-2008, 04:10 PM
I just installed this same exact set on mine. Mine used H1 bulbs. I am happy with the way they look...
If you installed H1 bulbs either those weren't the same fig lights or you forced the clip over the mis fitted H1 H1 bulbs didn't fit in what I got from that auction. H3's were an exact fit. its the metal collar/disc that the bulb rests on in the openeing that in the lamps i received from that auction were designed to accept the H3 bulb. The seller finally responded as well after i discovered this fcat by stating they are Euro Spec. So if you bought them from these guys from another of these auctions they must have a variety of stock on hand and sent you a US Spec pair if H1 bulbs were an exact fit. The one thing I notioced about mine was they didn't appear to me to have the smoked lenses you see in the auction. Not a problem but I was kind of expecting them to be smoked.
mikell
03-23-2008, 04:23 PM
My US OEM fog lights use H1s - it's only the hi and low beams tha take 9005 & 9006 lamps.
Jehu
03-23-2008, 04:36 PM
My US OEM Poglamps took H1's too,they all do. These were Euro Market spec Lamps. The poster said he bought the same lamps and used H1's and i was just pointing out they could not be "the same" as I initially tried H1 bulbs in the Hong Kong Lamps and found they do not fit but H3's fiit exactly.