Need help fitting front foglights

[liuleichan]

>Thanks very much for taking the time to write that
>comprehensive guide on fitting fog lights.
>I sent a cheque off yesterday to buy a second hand set of
>lights and switch. When they arrive I'll order the relay etc
>from Volvo.
>It's going to be a pain removing the bumper to fit the
>brackets. I'll have to look into how thats done.
>Thanks again

Not wanting to be overly repetitive, but reading that list, and the problems - is it really worth the effort?

Sounds like a reasonable amount of expense, plus effort - even using 2nd hand parts.

Do you really drive in such foggy conditions that they would be useful in - because as I said, in over 3 years, I've never needed mine once, and over that time I've driven around 83k miles.

[sholtby]

No its not worth the effort. It possibly would be if there were some aftermarket fog lights that could be fitted that had a decent light output and still looked as thought they were a standard fitment.

Simon.

[liuleichan]

>No its not worth the effort.

Damn straight.

>It possibly would be if there
>were some aftermarket fog lights that could be fitted that had
>a decent light output

Fog lights (at least front ones) aren't about huge amounts of light output - they are about beam pattern and cut off - they are only meant to light up quite a "near" distance to the car - namely the kerb and the white line.

Often referred to as the "dead zone" - because unless you are driving quite slowly, the area that front fog lights should light up, is so near, that you wouldn't have time to react to anything there.

The last thing you want shining in front of you, when it truly is foggy, is a lot of light - they are really just there to be able to pick out the edges of the road at *slow* speeds.

>and still looked as thought they were a
>standard fitment.

Well now you cut to it - likely the real reason why most people want front fog lights - how their car looks, and their perception of what others will think.

Sometimes I wonder whether the muppets you see with front fogs on all the time, think it somehow makes their car look like some concept car - something windswept and interesting, when in reality...

Front fogs have such a small envelope for when they are truly useful, that unless you drive in seriously foggy conditions, regularly, and at quite slow speeds, they are pointless.

[sholtby]

I fitted the fog lights today and have just tried them for the first time. They are as everyone says rubbish. I've always found with previous cars that if you turn all the lights off except the fogs that you can just about see where you are going. With the 850 fog lights there is a faint glow in front of the car but thats all.
A couple of points to add. I couldnt get the rubber seals to fit as the lights fit so tightly in the holes in the bumper.
The fog light relay that Volvo now supplies is just a standard relay that you sometimes get with aftermarket fog light kits.
I also fitted some HID lamps. Now these are a totally different kettle of fish. Its like driving in daylight compared to halogen bulbs. The bulbs that were fitted were also high output Silverstar items which are about the best halogen bulbs you can get.
So the lesson from this is forget about the fog lights and put your money towards a HID kit which costs about £200.

Simon

[liuleichan]

>I fitted the fog lights today and have just tried them for
>the first time. They are as everyone says rubbish. I've always
>found with previous cars that if you turn all the lights off
>except the fogs that you can just about see where you are
>going. With the 850 fog lights there is a faint glow in front
>of the car but thats all.
>A couple of points to add. I couldnt get the rubber seals to
>fit as the lights fit so tightly in the holes in the bumper.
>The fog light relay that Volvo now supplies is just a standard
>relay that you sometimes get with aftermarket fog light kits.
>I also fitted some HID lamps. Now these are a totally
>different kettle of fish. Its like driving in daylight
>compared to halogen bulbs. The bulbs that were fitted were
>also high output Silverstar items which are about the best
>halogen bulbs you can get.
>So the lesson from this is forget about the fog lights and put
>your money towards a HID kit which costs about £200.

Front fogs are never going to allow you better lighting that headlights.

The beam pattern and cut off is just so different. They are only meant to light up a fairly close and specific area in front of the car.

That and dazzle other drivers in the wet, and signal that there's a muppet around.

Don't get me wrong - if you truly drive in heavy fog a lot, and on roads where they make a difference - but you'd have to be driving pretty slow, otherwise the "dead zone" would just be a distraction.

But otherwise, they are just another lens that might crack, and a bulb that might blow - not truly a problem, though, 'cos I've never needed them, and I don't think they were checked at MOT time.