facelift fog lamps removed + OSRAM DRLs fitted

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corsaire77

Active member

 Warsaw

• Sep 11, 2012

• #1

I've bought two OEM fog lamp covers.

51 11 7 158 835
51 11 7 158 836
http://www.bmwstore.pl/pl/katalog/diagram/51_5929-obudowa-zderzaka-przedniego/vLZ31262#part03

I've also purchased OSRAM DRLs - the Light@Day model, the only set which does not rely on chavvy spots of light but on the light guide technology. The result is an even line of light, not a cheap Christmas Tree festival.

Had the covers cut to measure and the DRLs wired by a local indy.

The final effect:

The DRLs light up when I start the engine and go out when I switch on the lights. The control module detects alternator cycles and a trigger wire is connected to the headlights. The only drawback is that - under extreme load, such as when parking - the electric power steering can fool the module for a second.

By the way, my fogs were pretty rusty, which explains the water ingress:

Mine were made by AL Autolighting and assembled in Mexico. The new replacement OEM fog lamps are made by Bosch, but I was unwilling to give them a chance.

I know the Endloesung is fitting an M-bumper, but it is a bit lower than the standard sideskirts, and I'm not in for the snow plough look.

 

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Adamski

Lifer

 Edinburgh

• Sep 11, 2012

• #2

I'm still not sold on DRLs. Dont think they suit older cars

But well done for the write up

 

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aquazi

Lifer

 Derby + N. London

• Sep 11, 2012

• #3

They look oem, so good work

not my cup of tea though.

 

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Stuart Truman

Lifer

 The Cotswolds

• Sep 11, 2012

• #4

Much nicer looking than the individual LED strips.

 

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corsaire77

Active member

 Warsaw

• Sep 11, 2012

• #5

I agree with Adamski and Aquazi - I also dislike DRLs, especially cheap Chinese knock-offs retrofitted on older cars. Hence my attempt at making my DRLs as OEM as possible, with no chav Saxo touch.

Still, on the continent, or at least in Poland, every second car, old or new, has DLRs. It's so common that nobody gives a monkey's. Xenon lamps are unlikely to fail, unless you switch them on and off on a regular basis. As my car is an urban daily driver, it seemed a reasonable choice. Cheaper than a new set of OEM fishtanks.

 

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ben g

Lifer

 Essex

• Sep 11, 2012

• #6

they look great.

deleted though? the word you're looking for is 'removed'.

deleted is just another scene word.

 

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corsaire77

Active member

 Warsaw

• Sep 11, 2012

• #7

ben g said:

deleted is just another scene word.

Click to expand...

Spot on. In case of my previous car, nobody had an aerial removed, they just had it "deleted". But the car was a classic boy racer toy.

 

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Evadd

Member

 Massachusetts

• Sep 11, 2012

• #8

I think that looks fantastic. And I agree, the string of little lights has already been played out with nearly every new car sporting them these days.

 

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Mowflow

Senior member

 Glasgow

• Sep 12, 2012

• #9

I like them.

Fogs are useless.... even when it's foggy.... even more so if they are full of water which the Z4 facelift ones always are.

 

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sammyz

Senior member

 Merseyside

• Sep 12, 2012

• #10

They look excellent Much better than the christmas tree look.

 

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a11y

Lifer

 Central Scotland

• Sep 12, 2012

• #11

Mowflow said:

I like them.

Fogs are useless.... even when it's foggy.... even more so if they are full of water which the Z4 facelift ones always are.

Click to expand...

+1, I'd much rather the fogs were "driving lights" where they come on with full-beam. I've got my VW van lights set up like this and the difference is noticeable.

 

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andysat

Lifer

• Sep 12, 2012

• #12

 

Wondermike

Moderator

Staff member

• Sep 12, 2012

• #13

I like them

 

C

corsaire77

Active member

 Warsaw

• Sep 12, 2012

• #14

a11y said:

Mowflow said:

I like them.

Fogs are useless.... even when it's foggy.... even more so if they are full of water which the Z4 facelift ones always are.

Click to expand...

+1, I'd much rather the fogs were "driving lights" where they come on with full-beam. I've got my VW van lights set up like this and the difference is noticeable.

Click to expand...

I think it could be possible.

http://www.z4-forum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=41947

mac27040 wrote:
try checking with ncsexpert coding as bmw coding :

NSW_BEI_ABBLENDLICHT = Front fog lights simultaneously with low beams
NSW_BEI_FL/LH = Front fog lights simultaneously with high beams in FTP

 

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a11y

Lifer

 Central Scotland

• Sep 13, 2012

• #15

Sounds like I need to get hold of a copy of ncsexpert then

 

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McKoval

Member

 Krakow

• Sep 18, 2012

• #16

The drls look great - almost oem
Could you show some pics of them switched off, because the light beam hides all the detalis of fog light covers.

TapaTalking

 

C

corsaire77

Active member

 Warsaw

• Sep 18, 2012

• #17

McKoval said:

The drls look great - almost oem
Could you show some pics of them switched off, because the light beam hides all the detalis of fog light covers.

TapaTalking

Click to expand...

Here you go, the DRLs switched off. As you can see the fog covers required some precise cutting.

The covers have a kind of inside shelf, which makes the installation easier.

Installing cheaper OSRAM DRLs like those http://www.arkona36.ru/images/stories/catalog/brands/osram/news/diods/osram-diods-drl-kit.jpg would be easier, but they have those chavvy multiple points of light that I am not quite fond of.

The other decent DRLs come from Hella and Philips. Stay away from cheap fleabay knock-offs, as well as the China-manufactured ones at, for instance, Norauto (though they also have Philips). They are dim, have plastic housings which cause them to overheat, and are likely to give up the ghost quite fast.