fog lights
 

so my car has fog lights but i want get them brighter so that i can tell a difference that they are on or am i just screwed and have stay with what i have

You can get brighter bulbs like Silverstars, or you can get HIDs.

how much do those go for a pair? and like can i get them at napa or adv auto?

The silverstars are usually around $30-$50 a pair and you can get them at any auto parts store, and even Wal Mart. HID's you can get on Ebay for anywhere between $50 and well over $100 a set, depending on where you get them.

Looks like there might be another option or two. One at least, likely depends on whether you have plastic or glass lenses.

The stock bulb (for my '04 at least) is the #893 version at 37.5 watts.
Some have used the #880, which uses the same mounting configuration but, at only 27 watts, sounds like a downgrade to me. Power-wise. Probably couldn't find the 893 Silverstars in stock and thought they would work?
According to the Silverstar chart, the 880 puts out 565 lumens, while the 893 can put out 990 lumens. Big difference.
So if you only find 880's at your local store, I say pass, until you can find 893's.

Evidently there is also an #885 with a 50 watt rating that fits, but I don't see those listed in the Silverstar listings. In standard Sylvania trim, it's listed as having 1250 lumens. Sounds promising.

Mixed reviews on whether it's wise to run the higher wattages in plastic lamps. Those with plastic lenses who run their lights on all the time have damaged the lens. From simple bubbling of the center, to a melt-through.
If you only use them on cold foggy nights, maybe it won't be so bad?
Or if you have glass lenses, you're good to go.

Should still theoretically have a shorter bulb lifespan, being in such a small housing and not able to dissipate the heat as rapidly. Still, it might be worth a shot.

Think I'll go try a set of each (885 and upgrade set of 893) and see what they look like.

I haven't been out to verify, but aren't our Regal lenses plastic?

Paul

Silverstars have approx 4-6 month life span(@$38-$44 a pair). If you want usable fog lights, skip the CSI: Miami 10K-16K bulbs/kits unless you looking for DNA evidence. 4K-6K will git you where you want to be. HIDs can be done but you have to make sure the wiring can handle it. Improper HID fog light instal

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3133/...b91c6fc4f0.jpg

i have plastic covers i think and i put some napa brand ones in

Yeah, checked and mine are plastic too. And pristine clear still.
Oh well, hate to waste perfectly good lenses, but I'm going to try the big bulbs anyway.

Picked up some Silverstar 893's ($22. each) and a pair of Eiko standard 885's ($8 each) to try.
Hmm, 37.5 watts for 22, and 50 watts for 7?
Talk about the 885's winning the bang-for-the-buck award!

We'll see how it goes.

Paul

Well, I'm slightly disappointed.
I just installed the 50 watt standard halogen 885's and am not impressed. Sure, they're brighter, but not enough to be happy if the lamps melt while using them.

I realize of course, that it's not only the bulbs that dictate how a lamp works. The size and shape of the lens and reflector are are even more critical than the overall output in many cases. But these really are kind of wimpy lights.
They are fairly small though, so maybe style triumphed over function again.

Not only that, but now I can see why some worry about too much wattage for the plastic lights. The reflectors were already showing healthy signs of burning from extended use. And that with just the regular 37.5/38 watt bulbs!
So although I think the lenses can survive some abuse, I bet the reflectors start melting first.
I'm going to keep trying though. Use them for awhile and see just how effective they can be in real darkness or in fog.

I could clearly see that there was a longer reflective range with these new bulbs, but the actual light-on-the-ground did not seem to improve more than say, maybe 7-10% overall. It was not totally dark though, so I'll reserve final opinion 'till later.
Maybe it's just too much power for the circuits (very small wires) or the lens and reflector combo can't take full advantage of the higher output.
Reminds me of when I tried to put some 100 watt H2's in my Cibié 75 fog lamps. Brighter, but not enough lamp for the bulbs.

Hope other people's experiences are better. Maybe I'll like the Silverstars better, but now I'm thinking of not committing to opening the packages on almost $50 worth of bulbs, when the higher output ones are not so great already.
Again, we'll see.

Paul