Fog lamps (yellow/amber, not expensive)?

[msanford]

I'm looking for a pair of fog lamps for my 04 Matrix (base), but am not interested in paying 300 $ a pop for OEM (price quoted by the local dealer! Holy cow!) I'm looking for amber/yellow lamps in particular.

Is there a part company I should look at, or really stay away from?

I don't mind paying a little premium for good lamps, but 300 $ a pop is too much for me. If the only good ones are in that range, I guess I won't be getting any any time soon.

(This thread was the only one that popped up in my search, and it wasn't all that useful.)

Thanks!

[peterdouglas]

I just got a set of Piaa 510 foglights. I got a deal on them as I was buying an alarm and a stereo at at the same time, but I think the fog lights cost me $340 installed. A bit more than I wanted to pay, but there wasn't much available on short notice and the grilles are a nice touch. I'd have bought them anyways and you know the quality is good.



Here's the link to lights on the Piaa website. http://www.piaa.com/Lamps/Lamp-pages/510.html

They list them as fitting a 2005 Matrix with a bit of work. Mine is a 2006, so pretty much the same. A bit of a tight fit, but they look cool with the grilles and the white lenses with a bluish-yellow tinge the bulb gives. They shine pure yellow. So far I've only used them in heavy rain and at night but so far so good. I got a late 90's RAV4 fog light switch and it fits nicely in place of the coin holder next to the "security" light on the left side of the dash.

[Corolla_reps]

nice i haven;t seen those on Tirxes....but if you really need one go to Ebay they sell it dirt cheap....

[msanford]

@peterdouglas I really appreciate your reply (with photo)! PIAA was actually one I had considered. I have to admit that, from the photo, they don't look all that bright. Are they actually (just a camera issue because of the bright sky)?

@Corolla_reps thanks.

[Smar969905]

I had fog lights, but spun my car out back in april and that ruined one of them, as well as my front bumper. I have gotten the front bumper fixed now, and i was just working up the funding for several things, including new fogs. i was going to go with some hella fog lights, the optilux 2500. those are supposed to fit the matrix, but i havent gotten them yet. i will probably go and change out the bulbs in them for HIDs at some point as well.

[peterdouglas]

Originally Posted by msanford

@peterdouglas I really appreciate your reply (with photo)! PIAA was actually one I had considered. I have to admit that, from the photo, they don't look all that bright. Are they actually (just a camera issue because of the bright sky)?

@Corolla_reps thanks.

Ideally I should take a picture of the fogs on at night, and/or in fog, later on, in heavy snow. Yeah, they don't look that bright in the pic, possibly because of the angle, and being during daylight hours. I've only had these fog lights for 1 week, but I did have them on at night (without fog) and they were actually quite bright. I'm not sure how these rank on the quality scale, but based on the recommendations and price, I'd have to think they are in the mid to high range of quality.

eBay is a good idea if you can find a decent brand name for a good deal. I'd avoid lesser brands or brands you've never heard of selling dirt cheap. I've found you usually get what you pay for. I'm not sure how soon you're looking at getting your fog lights, but over the week I'm driving to Montreal, then Maine for a few days and will try to get some pics at night, and out there am more likely to encounter fog, so that will be a good test.

[peterdouglas]

I just took a look at that picture again, and although the fog lights may not look that bright, they look brighter than the headlights in that pic. Those are stock headlights and bulbs and they don't look as bright as the PIAA fog lights. Keep in mind, this was during the day, with no fog, and possibly the angle of picture, along with the plastic fog light grilles, make the lights look less bright. Next week I'll try and get some pics at night, and if possible, in the fog when I'm out in Maine.

If you've got time to look around for deals, that's great. I had very little notice I'd need to make the drive across the country and really wanted my fogs, alarm and stereo before leaving so had to buy what was readily available. Originally I was going to get Bosch or Hella fog lights - both really good quality. If it's any indication, my Hella H4 conversion headlights with Optilux bulbs on my '84 Land Cruiser are a big step up from stock sealed beam headlights, but not as bright as I thought (and I had them laser aligned at a garage after I installed them).

[SoCal_CJ]

Originally Posted by Smar969905

I had fog lights, but spun my car out back in april and that ruined one of them, as well as my front bumper. I have gotten the front bumper fixed now, and i was just working up the funding for several things, including new fogs. i was going to go with some hella fog lights, the optilux 2500. those are supposed to fit the matrix, but i havent gotten them yet. i will probably go and change out the bulbs in them for HIDs at some point as well.

HELP!! I need height adjustment screw from Fog light!!

if you buy new ones for your car you will already have a set with the new lights..

RIP OFF!!! Toyota does not sell
it separate!!

The stock XR Fog light on my 2005 is held in by 3 points,

Left and Right clip that allows the light to pivot,

and on the bottom a 3 inch screw, it has a molded cap that snaps into the tab in the bumper so the darn screw is custom to Toyota...maybe you have a set that cracked and you replaced it??


I think this type of rip off stopped in the 80s but I guess not, they sell the light with the screw....

Really ticked and bummed, any help?? RSVP thanks!

[peterdouglas]

OK, it took me forever to get the pictures off my camera but here's some pics of the foglights:


foglights off - the plastic grilles stay on at all times


This is how yellow the foglights look at night - they can come on independent of any other lights thanks to the DRL kill switch


The shade of yellow is a bit off - it's more yellow than the headlights and quite bright too, but it's hard to capture it at night and in the rain. In this pic, all lights, including the high beams are on.


Just before dusk - only the foglights on here


Low beams and fog lights


Low beams, high beams and foglights all on

[peterdouglas]

If you want to see more pics, the majority of the last 15 photos in this album show pics of my foglights in various lighting conditions:

http://flickr.com/photos/montreal_3/...7604584328425/

[msanford]

SOLD! (on PIAA)

Great pics Peter, thanks!

[Squashtowner]

I bought aftermarked fogs on ebay for $100, and a headlight switch with fog controls from a Vibe, on Ebay, for $30.

Plug and frickin play.

Swapped in the switch, installed the fogs, found the plugs hanging beside the rad, and stuck a horn relay in the fog relay hole, and voila! Fogs!

Same for delay wipers, and cruise control (which I also installed, from a Vibe.)

[SiLLy R@bbit]

got my fogs on ebay as well ... 108 out the door, shipped to canada

using Nokia bulbs for the yellow look

.... if anyone has trouble finding the relay, check the wreckers, they always have full fuse boxes

[mistamatrix]

Originally Posted by SiLLy R@bbit

got my fogs on ebay as well ... 108 out the door, shipped to canada

using Nokia bulbs for the yellow look

.... if anyone has trouble finding the relay, check the wreckers, they always have full fuse boxes

Was this one of the eBay vendors? Link, if so?