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So it's 2015 and although there are many thread here and on nasioc discussing how crappy the oem fogs are, most are years old.
First question - what the problem with them? Is it the bulbs, the shape of the reflector or the position on the bumper?
Second, what's the best upgrade without mods? I don't want to go HID and I don't care about color. I just want more, effective light when I push the button.
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They are flashlights not foglights.
You can make them yellow with film or bulbs but they aren't ever going to be useful unless you swap them out for something that was actually designed for the purpose.
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Since we're on the subject...wiring fog lights to be on it's own separate switch? I like the OEM switch but I would like to be it's own thing. (I.e. Not need to have headlights on to work them, or likewise, be able to use them with high beams on.)
Last edited by Skorpion25i (2015-01-10 17:33:08)
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I have a set of PIAA driving lights down there. They didn't fit stock but they are very bright. Before I had them angled right I got flashed from other driver's thinking I had my brights on. Only pain is the damn bulbs seem to burn out too quickly so I'm looking to source some that last a big longer. I have to take off my fucking bumper to get to them 
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The OE fogs are merely parking lights with expensive bulbs.
Go Micro DE or PIAA, both have real optics. My MicroDE have reasonable bulb access thru the fender liner, but bulb life (Hi Efficiency 50+, 55W) has been phenomenal, and they are used very, very often (deer spotting, saved my bacon more than once).
Skorp, search the archives here or NASIOC for a simple jumper mod that'll do what you ask. Can't help you much on this, sorry, it was 9 1/2 years ago.
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OP, not too much you can do w/ the stock ones to make the output better. As it's been said before those fog lights are 'to be seen, not to see'. I have bright white LEDs in them and have had yellow film on the stock fogs previously. Both look cool but don't help you see. Buying better aftermarket fogs is the best thing you can do if you're looking for functional fog lights.
Skorpion25i wrote:
Since we're on the subject...wiring fog lights to be on it's own separate switch? I like the OEM switch but I would like to be it's own thing. (I.e. Not need to have headlights on to work them, or likewise, be able to use them with high beams on.)
I believe this is the link that Scargo is referring to: https://saab92x.com/viewtopic.php?id=5761
I hate working on car electrical so when I had a fog light that wasn't working, I took it to a respected electrical shop here in town and had them fix the light wiring and perform the 'fog lights on w/ DRL' mod listed in the PDF that's linked in that thread. Wiring diagrams like that just make me 
so I don't dare attempt them myself.
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ikbrown wrote:
OP, not too much you can do w/ the stock ones to make the output better. As it's been said before those fog lights are 'to be seen, not to see'. I have bright white LEDs in them and have had yellow film on the stock fogs previously. Both look cool but don't help you see. Buying better aftermarket fogs is the best thing you can do if you're looking for functional fog lights.
So categorically, there are no other options in the stock fitment- either other subaru models sharing the part number or the prius equivalents?
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I thought 08 Impreza fogs but they're the same foglight so no better visibility.
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Nonlinear wrote:
ikbrown wrote:
OP, not too much you can do w/ the stock ones to make the output better. As it's been said before those fog lights are 'to be seen, not to see'. I have bright white LEDs in them and have had yellow film on the stock fogs previously. Both look cool but don't help you see. Buying better aftermarket fogs is the best thing you can do if you're looking for functional fog lights.
So categorically, there are no other options in the stock fitment- either other subaru models sharing the part number or the prius equivalents?
FWIW, at least in the USDM, there seems to be NO factory fogs that appear to do much, not even factory projector fogs. The best of them seem to be designed to have very limited forward projection (like under 100 ft) which makes the universality of this appear to be some form of US DOT regulation. Sadly, the 9-2X fogs don't even make this level of performance. In either case, the optical design (very short focal lengths) mean adding higher output bulbs will do nothing to improve their performance.
CN: the only way to improve fog light performance? Reputable aftermarket fogs. Of note, fog light optical design is much more difficult to get right than driving lights or floods. The only thing harder...low beams.
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Scargo wrote:
CN: the only way to improve fog light performance? Reputable aftermarket fogs. Of note, fog light optical design is much more difficult to get right than driving lights or floods. The only thing harder...low beams.
The Micro DE are awesome and after bumping them forward about 1" the side pattern isn't as heavily cut-off as when I first installed them. Highly recommended. Unless you want the car to look like a rally car there are few options that will be better than the MicroDE.
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would have to admit, a pair of Hella 2000's wouldn't look out of place above the bumper of the 9-2X
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I have been tempted to fit a pair of 550's into the lower opening.
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They would fit better than the Hella 550's.
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Yeah the intent of fogs is to be mounted low on the bumper so that other vehicles can see you. If they were to project or improve visibility from the driver's seat they might make things worse in an actual fog situation, just like how using hi-beams in fog just makes the cloud in front of you look bigger and more dense. I think it'd be cool if road car manufacturers started calling them auxiliary lights so you could spec a 'fog light' or 'trail light' or 'dark country road deer spotter light' option for the housing.
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Proper fogs DO project a beam. It's wide and low cut, wide b/c since there is limited projection, seeing shoulders can still guide a vehicle at reduced speed, low cut to minimize glare feedback to the driver. GOOD fogs, by virtue of a clean cut-off, can project a beam forward. FWIW, I've had Hella 550's on a previous ride, now Micro DE on the Saabaru. Both were/are capable of driving alone with enough reflective distance to travel at around 48 MPH on a clear day. My visual estimate of the Micro DE is about 120 m of clear usable (550s could match that) projection and an astonishing 200 m of lateral reflection at 100 m (550s could do about 60% that, but old tech certainly got beaten) That translates to around 5 seconds of lit reflected travel at 48 MPH, i.e. about 3 seconds margin over the recommended 2 second following distance.
CN: REAL fogs can be used to actually drive (low beams off) in difficult weather, albeit at reduced speed. Far more than mere markers to be seen with. Sorry to say no USDM factory fog I've experinced meets that level of performance, even from fairly pricey manufacturers (although I'm betting that perhaps the M-B LED models may actually make the grade).
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Has anyone tried LED fogs?
https://www.theretrofitsource.com/subar … 77%2C49211
A few people over at Legacy GT have tried them and like them.
Currently don't have any fog lights on the Saabaru, looking to get a set installed sometime before next winter.
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I would be interested to see how the light output is compared to the Micro DE's. I find the output of the Micro DE's does not even come close to the 550's. I would have to see what the dimensions of the LED's are compared to the stock "fog" lights for fitment.
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Yep. They're not bad. https://saab92x.com/viewtopic.php?pid=1518666#p1518666
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Do you have any beam patterns of what the LED's look like on a wall? I built a set of headlights for my 4runner with an HID projector kit from retrofit a couple of years ago. Came out pretty good, especially when I went with a decent bulb for them. Might add the LED fogs to it for DRL's. Currently planning on putting a set of Hella 550's on it. Still trying to figure out where to mount some fog's of any type on my RX-7. I am currently running a set of 100/55 Hella ECE's on it.
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They have a pretty decent cut-off, but don't have my setup to be able to run fogs only so hard to tell how they look with my headlights going. Only pic was from mocking them up off the car. They're not bad, though honestly don't end up using them too often since my primary HIDs in projectors are good.
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That looks like you did not have to do to much fabbing to get them in. What size did you end up getting?
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countriccati wrote:
Yep. They're not bad. https://saab92x.com/viewtopic.php?pid=1518666#p1518666
Thanks for the pics.
Couple questions: Do they really help in fog and bad weather? Too much light would be the same as using your high beams when it's foggy.
Did your car already have fog lights? Our Saabaru doesn't have factory fogs, just the plastic filler panel. I haven't looked closely at it, but I'm hoping it's possible to find a bracket to hold the fogs.
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