MS3 fog light bulb replacement
- Thread starter BSTD3
- Start date
builthatch
Member
i got HIR bulbs from rallylights.com for the fogs. they offer them for 9005 and 9006 fitments (9011 and 9012 with modifications). this means that those of us with HID can have incredible lighting for the high beams and the fogs to match the low beam HID.
here is some info about HIR
http://hirheadlights.com/
http://forums.beyond.ca/showthread/t-164266.html
i have not installed them yet because i don't have my ms3 delivered yet, but i can assure you these are the best bulbs you can buy.
those look pretty sweet, never heard of them. I just ordered some hoen xenonmatch fogs and silverstar ultras for high beams
Where did you order your fog light bulbs from and how much?
OK so the owners manual says that you have to replace the whole light assembly and cant change JUST the bulb - is this true or are they full of dog turds?? Cuz I have been wanting to get some brighter fogs too - whats the point in having such weak-ass foglights when your headlights are HID????
builthatch
Member
i think the asterisks confused you. They did that to me for a second when i was first reviewing bulb options. if you notice, there are 3 kinds of asterisks-
*
*1
*2
the *, which is next to the fog light info, means "some models". what they are saying is not all models of the 3 have foglights.
*1 means the whole unit needs to be replaced, and that is next to i think the 3rd brake light and the side marker
*2 means the rear LED lower brake lights on the gt need to be replaced as a whole
in other words...what i'm saying is you will be a-ok to replace your fog light bulbs.
builthatch
Member
ehh...
it's the angle of the reflector and reflector/lens type that determine whether or not the fog will be able to do it's job. a fog pattern is super flat and very wide and is meant to extend underneath the inclement weather and NOT reflect off of the fog/rain/snow. the brighter the bulb, the longer the reach just as long the angle and said reflector/lens, etc are in order and filament placement is kept in check. That's why retrofitting some sort of HID setup into your stock fogs meant for halogen bulbs would be a horrible idea (similar to when you put a retrofitted HID kit into a halogen headlamp). the light goes where it shouldn't because the light source is not in the place where it should be, so the reflector can't do it's job properly.
here is an example of a perfect fog beam, from a Hella micro DE...
How so? The light is only 35 watts... Mine work fine is the fog.
actually.... the power consumption is 35 watts, watts are for current, not for light output
cut from wiki:
"presently they produce the greatest amount of light per unit of electricity."
"Beginning in the early 1990s, HID lamps have been employed in motor vehicle headlamps. This application has met with mixed responses from motorists, who appreciate the improved nighttime visibility from HID headlamps but object to the glare they can cause"
"Disability Glare describes effects such as being blinded by an oncoming cars lights, or light scattering in fog or in the eye reduces contrast"
Light output is measured in lumens, which if I'm not mistaken, most 35w HIDs are about 3300-3500 lumens, whereas the most efficient halogen bulb only gets 2500 lumens from 68 watts (the info on the halogen is cut from wiki, not sure how accurate it is)
Last, but certainly not least, the typical yellow-orange hue of reg fogs helps to cut through the fog, whereas the white-blue of most HID kits scatter and reflect more in fog.
I tend not to use fog lights because where I'm from, if theres fog, no light is going to help you. Some nights it was so bad, I had to turn off my headlights and use my parking lights and hazards to navigate the rd at a crawl.
this is my opinion, take it as you will. If you use the fogs for as driving lights everyday, then is doesn't matter which you go with.
