B10 Front Fog Light OEM or dealer part?
You've had 2 recommendations for the MTECs nowMetrics wrote:http://www.hids-direct.co.uk/mtec-ver-3 ... -7-series/
Get some of these - expensive but the best you can get.
2001 Alpina B10 V8 #185
1982 Krauser MKM1000 #121 - sold
1982 Krauser MKM1000 #121 - sold
Here are what my fog lights look like. Left side I assume gets more of a hammering from splashes at the roadside etc. The right side needs cleaning to get the tar smears off it but otherwise the inside glass is not dirty at all and outside only has a few tiny stone chips marks on it up close. 50/50 on leaving the right one in. lol thanks Brett no prob
2001 E39 B10 V8 Saloon, Facelift, Alpina Blue Metallic, 18" wheels, No. 068/1
I decided to buy the Astrum left fog light only. I noticed that it is actually a TYC fog light in a TYC box with an Astrum label stuck on it...I assume Astrum are like a UK reseller brand for TYC. It doesn't seem to be an OEM part but 'OE specification' and made in China. The part was near identical to the original BMW fog light with some minor differences in the tabs that connect the side cover to the fog light, so when fitting the original side cover one really had to force one side to slide in all the way. Once installed, you can't tell any difference between the original and the TYC/Astrum unless you put your face to the bumper lol. The main difference is in the how the new bulbs look compared to the original. I put new Mtec 3300K yellow/amber bulbs in on both sides and looks almost like the original but brighter and less of a 'pearl' effect (i.e. more blinding lol). Whilst the right fog light housing looks fine from the front it is pretty badly corroded at the back so it won't last that much longer I don't think. We'll see. Will give me a chance to keep an eye on this TYC left fog light.
Did anyone find it hard reinstalling the fog lights? It seems if you just screw them in without aligning them, they end up too far indented in the bumper.
I didn't have the right sized spanner so used piers or wrench and they were hard to use on the upper screw on the fog light.
Will post some pics.
Did anyone find it hard reinstalling the fog lights? It seems if you just screw them in without aligning them, they end up too far indented in the bumper.
I didn't have the right sized spanner so used piers or wrench and they were hard to use on the upper screw on the fog light.
Will post some pics.
Last edited by PliSsK on Sun Mar 05, 2017 11:17 am, edited 1 time in total.
2001 E39 B10 V8 Saloon, Facelift, Alpina Blue Metallic, 18" wheels, No. 068/1
Thanks! Well, ideally you'd use a trim removal tool to remove the black plastic trim. If you work yr way around the top part with the trim tool, it can be worked loose and pulled out.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MS5K_2ItTLs
Our fog lights have the same two screws in the same place. The lower screw is easy to remove.
Here is the fog light I removed.
The angel eyes now look great, not really blue at all, but just pure white, which if funny for 7000K. However, whilst they don't make the xenon dipped lights look yellow, they do look a weird colour with the angel eyes on as well now, hard to describe, but it doesn't look great lol...this is in the daytime. It doesn't come out in the photos, they are overexposed relative to the lights. They didn't match before anyway so it's not a huge big deal.
When I first turned on the fog lights, I thought uh oh, should have gone for 5000K or 4150K, but after a brief period of getting used to it I now love them!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MS5K_2ItTLs
Our fog lights have the same two screws in the same place. The lower screw is easy to remove.
It's a tight fit and once unscrewed, I had to push it into the bumper, turn it sideways and pull it out. Used masking tape top and bottom of the hole on the bumper or I'd have scratched it up. The bulb replacement is an unclip and then a turn of the bulb but if new fog lights just unclip and throw away. The corrosion seems to come on the back of the fog light unit and spreads under the seal where the bulb is and that's when they mist up and crinkle.I didn't have the right sized spanner so used piers or wrench and they were hard to use on the upper screw on the fog light.
Hard to describe but I had to pull the fog light into position even if it wasn't lined up properly with the holes for the screws, then screw it in. If I pushed the fog light flat/flush against holes for the screws on the bumper, the whole fog light would be tilted by 30 degrees and indented. If this is occurring, unscrew and start again.Did anyone find it hard reinstalling the fog lights? It seems if you just screw them in without aligning them, they end up too far indented in the bumper.
Here is the fog light I removed.
The angel eyes now look great, not really blue at all, but just pure white, which if funny for 7000K. However, whilst they don't make the xenon dipped lights look yellow, they do look a weird colour with the angel eyes on as well now, hard to describe, but it doesn't look great lol...this is in the daytime. It doesn't come out in the photos, they are overexposed relative to the lights. They didn't match before anyway so it's not a huge big deal.
When I first turned on the fog lights, I thought uh oh, should have gone for 5000K or 4150K, but after a brief period of getting used to it I now love them!
2001 E39 B10 V8 Saloon, Facelift, Alpina Blue Metallic, 18" wheels, No. 068/1
Thanks for the help with fog light installation - I will do this on mine, hopefully this weekend.PliSsK wrote: The angel eyes now look great, not really blue at all, but just pure white, which if funny for 7000K. However, whilst they don't make the xenon dipped lights look yellow, they do look a weird colour with the angel eyes on as well now, hard to describe, but it doesn't look great lol...this is in the daytime. It doesn't come out in the photos, they are overexposed relative to the lights. They didn't match before anyway so it's not a huge big deal.
Regarding the xenon bulb v angel eye - there is a reason for this, and you won't like answer, sorry!
The xenon bulbs you have are almost certainly the factory originals and they'll be past their best for sure.
Take a look at my thread - will explain all: http://thealpinaregister.com/forums/vie ... 8&start=15
2019 G31 B5 Biturbo No.299
2012 F10 D5 Biturbo No.13
1993 Mercedes 190E 2.6 Sportline spec
1991 Mk1 Golf GTI Sportline cabriolet
2012 F10 D5 Biturbo No.13
1993 Mercedes 190E 2.6 Sportline spec
1991 Mk1 Golf GTI Sportline cabriolet
You are welcome. I hope your fog light install goes smoothly I'll comment on your main restoration thread. Some great info there, thanks for posting and sharing.Metrics wrote:Thanks for the help with fog light installation - I will do this on mine, hopefully this weekend. Regarding the xenon bulb v angel eye - there is a reason for this, and you won't like answer, sorry! The xenon bulbs you have are almost certainly the factory originals and they'll be past their best for sure. Take a look at my thread - will explain all: http://thealpinaregister.com/forums/vie ... 8&start=15
2001 E39 B10 V8 Saloon, Facelift, Alpina Blue Metallic, 18" wheels, No. 068/1
Your lights look great! From the pic it looks like the low beam Xenon and the angel eyes match perfectly. Do they look that seamless in the metal? You mentioned you were going to change the low beam bulbs - is this pic pre or post bulb upgrade? Mine look a bit greenish and a distinctly different colour to the LED angel eyes in the metal although it was near impossible to capture that difference with my camera without merging 2 photos together which I may try later.brett wrote:these are mine with the mtech bulbs(fog and halo and number plates
Just out of interest, what colour temp are those Mtec fog light bulbs?
2001 E39 B10 V8 Saloon, Facelift, Alpina Blue Metallic, 18" wheels, No. 068/1
Hi mate I haven't changed the low beam yet , to busy with work and preparing for the emma finals in Austria in 2 weeks , they do look seemless and the mtech bulbs are I believe 4300k but white not yellow I looked for where I purchased the from but cant remember ! Bloody old age !!
brett
E39 V8s (043)
E39 V8s (043)