Fog lights - White vs "White" (halogen/OEM) vs Amber/Selective Yellow

[Traveler]

I have a couple questions here for the people here, specifically for those driving in Malaysia:1. Do you use foglights to see the road better (on dark roads)?- if yes then, which colour foglight do you think helps you the best: the White that is similar to Xenons (4300K and above), the white of halogens or OEM bulbs (I believe these are around 3000K) or Amber/Selective Yellow?2. Do you use (front) foglights in heavy rain/poor visibility conditions (day/night)?- if yes then which colour foglight do you think helps you the best (see #1 for the 3 colours),I would think that in case #1, the Xenon/HID type White is the best, while for #2, Amber/Selective Yellow would be best since in case #2, I presume we switch on the foglights so oncoming cars can see us better (since for the most part we don't experience heavy fog like in Europe/NA). Any comments? I am contemplating replacing my OEM fog lights as I think they are neither here nor there (ie, not bright enough to help much in case #1, and not as great for case #2).

 

[maxxsp]

I have a couple questions here for the people here, specifically for those driving in Malaysia:

1. Do you use foglights to see the road better (on dark roads)?
- if yes then, which colour foglight do you think helps you the best: the White that is similar to Xenons (4300K and above), the white of halogens or OEM bulbs (I believe these are around 3000K) or Amber/Selective Yellow?

2. Do you use (front) foglights in heavy rain/poor visibility conditions (day/night)?
- if yes then which colour foglight do you think helps you the best (see #1 for the 3 colours),

I would think that in case #1, the Xenon/HID type White is the best, while for #2, Amber/Selective Yellow would be best since in case #2, I presume we switch on the foglights so oncoming cars can see us better (since for the most part we don't experience heavy fog like in Europe/NA).

Any comments? I am contemplating replacing my OEM fog lights as I think they are neither here nor there (ie, not bright enough to help much in case #1, and not as great for case #2).

1. Yes i have my foggies on most of the time. In pitch black conditions such as highway driving at night xenon white is the best.

2. Yellow ones are the best, especially in fog.

I use the OEM halogen ones as it is the best compromise between both, my HID headlights are useless in the rain so I have my fogs on to help light up the road.

what you can do is get some higher output aftermarket halogens to try.

 

[Traveler]

So it looks like my options would be:

1 - Change to white fogs (4300K) that match my xenon headlights - better for pitch dark night, but not great for heavy rain/low visibility
2 - Change to amber/selective yellow - great for heavy rain/low visibiilty but not great for pitch dark night
3 - stick to halogen fogs but switch to higher output bulbs - compromise between #1 and #2.

I'm now trying to think of when I would be driving in conditions similar to #1 and #2.
#1 - usually when going outstation - not very often; can see it useful if driving at night on NSE (outside of KL-SJ area), or up to Cameron especially via Simpang Pulai, etc. Usually when this happens the dark road conditions will last quite a long while >1hr or more.
#2 - when it rains heavily - quite often given our weather; I ignore foggy conditions because in my lifetime, only encountered heavy fog 3x in Malaysia, all 3x at Genting peak. That also, the fog not as heavy as I have encountered in Europe/NA.

So what do others think?

 

[astroboy]

Fact 1: E90 bumper light is hopeless because the coverage of the beam is low and wide.. unless if you frequent narrow lanes like crossing wooden suspended bridge Indiana Jones style..

Fact 2: E90 bumper light switch is a reset type, so every time you off the engine, the switch will be defaulted to OFF. So got to remember to switch it on again, every time! Unlike our headlight dial. I use "A" for Auto, so I never need to meddle with the headlight switch because lighting condition sensor takes over.

I love mine to be Yellow so I can mimic the legendary Initial-D AE86... also yellow fog light, perfect for mount Akina drift! :love:

... our bulb not cheap le... and yours is different type compare to mine.. ENEOS selling about RM100 per set.. Most brand don't carry our "size"..

I think u using H11 and I'm using H7.. please double check.

 

[Traveler]

AB, are your fogs yellow now? If so.. next time TT can I have a look at your fogs? You are right, we have different bulbs. I think the M-Sport bumpers have 9006 bulbs in the fogs.

I do remember my E36's fogs having better coverage than the E90. But the E90 have brighter (Xenon) headlights.

 

[astroboy]

Nope... cannot convince myself to part with RM100 just because I like YELLOW.. can buy a crate of 24 cans Calsberg le!

What I tried to say earlier was even if you go Xenon.. the coverage remain limited and does not help in highway.. despite brighter.. so might as well go yellow.. since its not projecting far anyway..

My OEM bulb is Phillips.. replacement available is Machibai.. or something like that..

...what you can do is get some higher output aftermarket halogens to try.

If the higher output is measured by power consumption, watts, then U can potentially harm your light assembly reflector due to the greater heat from halogen bulb.. avoid if possible.

.. and yes! You on 9006 bulb! Not H11 or H1N1..

 

[sharp]

i prefer HIDs for my fogs

 

[Traveler]

Nope... cannot convince myself to part with RM100 just because I like YELLOW.. can buy a crate of 24 cans Calsberg le!

What I tried to say earlier was even if you go Xenon.. the coverage remain limited and does not help in highway.. despite brighter.. so might as well go yellow.. since its not projecting far anyway..

My OEM bulb is Phillips.. replacement available is Machibai.. or something like that..

If the higher output is measured by power consumption, watts, then U can potentially harm your light assembly reflector due to the greater heat from halogen bulb.. avoid if possible.

.. and yes! You on 9006 bulb! Not H11 or H1N1..

Yeah I was thinking that going HID on the fogs may not gain me unless I get a new projector housing altogether with a different dispersion pattern. But that may be too much hassle for me. So altogether, not very appealing.

Going yellow gains visibility especially with respect to oncoming traffic being able to see me better. Alternatively just use a higher output (lumens) but same power (55w) halogen bulb, so retain dispersion pattern and colour, but gain a brighter light. So I think I am leaning towards either yellow or brighter halogen bulb.

 

[astroboy]

Go YELLOW!! :58:

 

[initialM]

Machibai..

U must be drunk lar. Its Michiba lol:love:

 

[loafer]

I'm using HID for both my headlights and fogs in 4300k. Don't want to give the wankers at roadblocks any reason to stop me.

 

[astroboy]

Now that's smart! Kill 2 birds with one stone...

Go HID yellow!! U get the brightness, u get the attention! :wink:

 

[Traveler]

Now that's smart! Kill 2 birds with one stone...

Go HID yellow!! U get the brightness, u get the attention! :wink:

Interesting idea. Get a HID but with low temp (3000K = Selective Yellow). But to do that, I would need to have a projector housing (I think the Msport fogs are reflector, but I will check later), so I don't blind oncoming cars. Hmmm.. perhaps I should go the cheap way first, and get brighter yellow bulbs, and if not satisfied then only I will go for the HID yellow projector option. Ok now, to find them bulbs..... shesh.. I've never done any aftermarket changes to my cars before (except for adding CD changers or the head unit, and even those, paid someone to do it, lol). Whats a good place/shop to go look for these bulbs? Or should I just head over to Stuttgart and get everything done in one go (planning to add some Performance items, a few LED light changes)?

 

[sharp]

nah, dun worry, HIDs on reflectors fogs wont blind oncoming traffic

 

[loafer]

http://www.powerbulbs.com/

 

[astroboy]

Wah! didn't know mod bugs have just got to u?!

Performance part upgrade? Aiyoo... I think your MSport's true potential has not been unleashed by your "matured" driving style. So on the scale of 10, u have only push your car till 6/10 and now you want to upgrade further so u'll be doing 7/15 of your cars potential..

Want your car to look handsome and sound hunky izzit?! :listen:

My E90 stand bumper using H11 la... keep getting it wrong.. MSport using 9006..

H11, £24.50 for 1, so x2 =...

9006 (HB4), £23.45 for 1.

Thanks loafer for the head up on the about useful website!

 

[Traveler]

Wah! didn't know mod bugs have just got to u?!

Performance part upgrade? Aiyoo... I think your MSport's true potential has not been unleashed by your "matured" driving style. So on the scale of 10, u have only push your car till 6/10 and now you want to upgrade further so u'll be doing 7/15 of your cars potential..

Want your car to look handsome and sound hunky izzit?! :listen:

My E90 stand bumper using H11 la... keep getting it wrong.. MSport using 9006..

6/10? Are you nuts??? I think only 4/10 lah.... hehehehehe. What can I say, I love gadgets and that Performance steering wheel makes me drool. Partly triggered by finding that my current steering wheel is starting to peel. I think I better call in and setup a visit to Sapura/Ingress before my warranty runs out next month.

In any case, my "matured" driving style is influencing the sequence of what I want to install, starting from the steering wheel, brakes (pads are due for replacement in 7K and 15K km anyway); and only then will I look at the air intake, and probably the interior CF trim (coz of all the dents in the door panel from the seat belt, and some idiot who dropped something on the central piece next to the gear shifter). Don't think I will go for the exhaust, spoiler or diffuser as like you said, I probably won't even notice the difference and the MSport stuff is already pretty nice. So I get a hensem car that doesn't get a workout...lol.. in the end maybe as 6/12 of the potential lah..

 

[astroboy]

An under utilised bimmer can get sick and things start to clog up.. your crank case is getting stuffy and having breath difficulty.. I can hear your internal parts yelling... "GET SOME FRESH AIR IN HERE!!!"

Please let her loose once in a while.. like how Schwepps made her cum at least once every morning.. she'll appreciates u and serve u well.. :wink:

 

[Traveler]

An under utilised bimmer can get sick and things start to clog up.. your crank case is getting stuffy and having breath difficulty.. I can hear your internal parts yelling... "GET SOME FRESH AIR IN HERE!!!"

Please let her loose once in a while.. like how Schwepps made her cum at least once every morning.. she'll appreciates u and serve u well.. :wink:

In KL hard to let loose, I only get to tekan minyak sikit for about 5 secs when entering the stretch from Smart tunnel to the Fed highway. The last time I lepas geram was driving back from Brinchang to KL via Gua Musang. Got tekan minyak a lot

Back on topic: Cost-wise, should I buy these bulbs from online retailers and have them shipped to Malaysia (customs tax?) or should I try the car accessory shops? Or just go to one place like Stuttgart and have them do all the hard work while I goyang kaki and sign the credit card bill?

 

[sharp]

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