What should I do about lights?

[NorthLightingConcepts]

I don’t know why more people don’t just retrofit these lights. Super simple to do and the output is dramatically increased both further out and too the sides.
It’s a decent option to look into.

 

[Hypergram]

I just got generic regular blinkers from the parts store for $2 each (7507, also called PY21W but parts stores seem to know them by 7507). I don't mess with LED's for blinkers because they are the least important to look good and require resistors to avoid hyperflash. Another thing to note, the Euro's (OEM or replica) also support electronic leveling but it's all but impossible to get that to work since our harness and actual switch doesn't support them, they still have a bit of gravity/g-force leveling. So as a bonus to having the Euro's even in our cars, when you hit bumps the low beam doesn't shake up and down all rigidly, but has a bit of soft return that adds to the modern look and projector effect as well.

I found these for the fog lights. Any good? And on Amazon, there are a load of bulbs for blinkers here. Any recommendations or would just going to the part store be better.

 

[danbfree]

I don’t know why more people don’t just retrofit these lights. Super simple to do and the output is dramatically increased both further out and too the sides.
It’s a decent option to look into.

Could not agree any more. To me it's a little mind boggling to see people dropping thousands upon thousands into all these appearance and performance mods and still have reflectors that have such poor visibility. I mean it's one thing if you can't afford any upgrades at all, but yeah, weird to see some of these with literally thousands in upgrades and the headlights ignored... But also, I think that people assume the aftermarket replicas are poor quality when at least the Depo brand (TYC has issues and only $15 less each) is excellent quality and technically they are illegal since they don't have the corner marker, but morally and realistically I'm OK with that since we have markers/blinkers in our mirrors that make up for that. They also have the ECE cutoff instead of the flat DOT cutoff, which I also think is illegal but as long as you get Left Hand Drive Euro's and not the RHD one's for the UK/South Africa/Australia they do light up the correct way so you actually see the side of the road/pedestrians to your right better without blinding oncoming drivers. They also aren't widely available, the Fiesta is a an economy car so there aren't many aftermarket choices readily out there, it took me a while to even stumble upon the info on where to find these Depo's at such a reasonable cost. Honestly, I would have considered a 3rd party design over OEM replicas if they were out there.

 

[Von]

Wait a sec, you don't use switchbacks literally because the LED brow is now the marker and turn signal is separate, that's one of the major benefits to having the Euro's in the first place. Switchbacks are a band-aid solution for the marker/blinker combo on the reflectors to at least have a decent LED marker. And yes, it is $2 each for the new blinker bulb for generic ones from the parts store, but it's nice to just flip the switch to P for the LED markers or if you do the harness it's all automatic of course.

I dunno, nice to have options I suppose. Got so used to the turn indicators being on so much I kind of miss em haha. OTOH, I've seen the YouTube video of the English dood swapping out the LED strip for switchbacks. If there wasn't the whole cut it in half, splice into wiring, hope the silicone holds it tight thing I would be all over it like a hobo on a hot dog

View: https://youtu.be/mxB1sEo0VpQ


Sent from my Pixel 3 using Tapatalk

 

[danbfree]

I found these for the fog lights. Any good? And on Amazon, there are a load of bulbs for blinkers here. Any recommendations or would just going to the part store be better.

Those would be OK for the fogs but likely can find better for a little more... and THESE regular blinker bulbs are good name brand and cheap, what I would have gotten if I had known I needed them right away, LOL.

 

[danbfree]

I dunno, nice to have options I suppose. Got so used to the turn indicators being on so much I kind of miss em haha. OTOH, I've seen the YouTube video of the English dood swapping out the LED strip for switchbacks. If there wasn't the whole cut it in half, splice into wiring, hope the silicone holds it tight thing I would be all over it like a hobo on a hot dog

View: https://youtu.be/mxB1sEo0VpQ


Sent from my Pixel 3 using Tapatalk

Man, turning the LED marker into a switchback with progressive turn signals would be really cool! But yeah, exactly, they are a pain to do, but one advantage to aftermarket headlights is they use butyl and can be baked open instead of cut open like perma-sealed OEM's, some hardcore lighting nerds who want to upgrade the projectors start with Depo's so they can be opened easier, so there's that ...

 

[Hypergram]

Those would be OK for the fogs but likely can find better for a little more... and THESE regular blinker bulbs are good name brand and cheap, what I would have gotten if I had known I needed them right away, LOL.

Added these to my list lol. As every day goes by my planned mod list gets bigger and bigger lol.

 

[Hypergram]

Those would be OK for the fogs but likely can find better for a little more... and THESE regular blinker bulbs are good name brand and cheap, what I would have gotten if I had known I needed them right away, LOL.

Here's another fog I found, or here's a whole list if you wanna pick one.

 

[danbfree]

Here's another fog I found, or here's a whole list if you wanna pick one.

Notice how some of them have big fat chips on them (COB)? That's an older technology than the smaller chips. I'd go with something like THESE not too expensive at $28.50 once you apply that coupon and you get 3 colors and the 4 sides would work well in the round reflectors of the stock fog housings. Wait, those aren't auto switching, shoot.. I'll have to look more later, gotta get back to work for a bit, LOL.

 

[Hypergram]

Notice how some of them have big fat chips on them (COB)? That's an older technology than the smaller chips. I'd go with something like THESE not too expensive at $28.50 once you apply that coupon and you get 3 colors and the 4 sides would work well in the round reflectors of the stock fog housings. Wait, those aren't auto switching, shoot.. I'll have to look more later, gotta get back to work for a bit, LOL.

Thank you very much. I never would have figured this out without your help. Now I'm boutta drop like $500 on headlights lol. And you've mentioned a coupon a few times, what coupon?

 

[danbfree]

Thank you very much. I never would have figured this out without your help. Now I'm boutta drop like $500 on headlights lol. And you've mentioned a coupon a few times, what coupon?

Oh, just to save the $1.50 on those fogs, but those aren't auto switching, they have different bulb covers to get the other colors... I'm assuming you want the auto-switching ones?

 

[Hypergram]

Oh, just to save the $1.50 on those fogs, but those aren't auto switching, they have different bulb covers to get the other colors... I'm assuming you want the auto-switching ones?

The auto switching would be nice so I don't have to take them out everytime I wanna change colors. And I don't need the RBG with like 16 different colors. Just like a yellow and white switch would be cool imo.

 

[danbfree]

The auto switching would be nice so I don't have to take them out everytime I wanna change colors. And I don't need the RBG with like 16 different colors. Just like a yellow and white switch would be cool imo.

So this is where it boils down to what your functionality intentions are: Do you mainly want looks or do you want more actual fog light performance? The factory fogs are little more than adding a touch of close up visibility, they really don't have good performance, they kind of scatter everywhere when you put anything more than a regular halogen in them. I just have cheap 4300k LED's from AliExpress with yellow Lamin-X as I was experimenting and didn't know about other options when I first got the Lamin-X. So for stock housings, you may as well try those ~$20 ones for now. But if you want real performance, you can get projector housings for those too. Unlike the headlights, the fog housings are a quite common size so good projector housings are as low as $60 if you order from AliExpress, and you add your own H11 bulbs which can easily can keep you at $100 total. While you will see brand name complete fog lights listed through our vendors are $150-200+, and they have integrated LED's that you can't replace but are at least REALLY nice... A product they should put on the market would be little blackouts for the top 1/3rd of the stock fogs, then you could put whatever super bright stuff you want in there and not blind people by getting a fake projector w/cutoff effect, LOL.

 

[Hypergram]

So this is where it boils down to what your functionality intentions are: Do you mainly want looks or do you want more actual fog light performance? The factory fogs are little more than adding a touch of close up visibility, they really don't have good performance, they kind of scatter everywhere when you put anything more than a regular halogen in them. I just have cheap 4300k LED's from AliExpress with yellow Lamin-X as I was experimenting and didn't know about other options when I first got the Lamin-X. So for stock housings, you may as well try those ~$20 ones for now. But if you want real performance, you can get projector housings for those too. Unlike the headlights, the fog housings are a quite common size so good projector housings are as low as $60 if you order from AliExpress, and you add your own H11 bulbs which can easily can keep you at $100 total. While you will see brand name complete fog lights listed through our vendors are $150-200+, and they have integrated LED's that you can't replace but are at least REALLY nice... A product they should put on the market would be little blackouts for the top 1/3rd of the stock fogs, then you could put whatever super bright stuff you want in there and not blind people by getting a fake projector w/cutoff effect, LOL.

My main goal is performance, then budget, then style (yellow/white). But I can't spend $100 just on fog lights. I have to get two new tires, then I go back to college so my spending money becomes a bit more limited.

 

[danbfree]

My main goal is performance, then budget, then style (yellow/white). But I can't spend $100 just on fog lights.

Honestly, I just go with THESE. They are cheap, seem to be pretty bright and auto switch colors by pulling fog light on/off... Otherwise I'm seeing like $50+ for other ones that look more serious...

 

[Hypergram]

Honestly, I just go with THESE. They are cheap, seem to be pretty bright and auto switch colors by pulling fog light on/off... Otherwise I'm seeing like $50+ for other ones that look more serious...

Looks good. So, I think that should be everything, except for how eyebrows affect the lights. MRX330 mentioned something about plucking them? Will eyebrows negatively affect performance, specifically the carbon fibre ones on whoosh (since those are the only decent ones I can find in the US)

 

[danbfree]

My main goal is performance, then budget, then style (yellow/white). But I can't spend $100 just on fog lights. I have to get two new tires, then I go back to college so my spending money becomes a bit more limited.

Same thing even cheaper HERE

 

[Hypergram]

Same thing even cheaper HERE

I bought the ones you first recommended since they only had a few left and they were cheap. Once I install them, I'll let you know how it goes!

 

[danbfree]

Looks good. So, I think that should be everything, except for how eyebrows affect the lights. MRX330 mentioned something about plucking them? Will eyebrows negatively affect performance, specifically the carbon fibre ones on whoosh (since those are the only decent ones I can find in the US)

I was looking at those, was considering "real carbon fiber" ones on eBay/AliExpress for like $50-60, they would be only for appearance using projectors. But they can actually be quite functional for those using bright glaring LED's in their reflectors to cut down on the glare, but now that there are proper LED's available with minimal glare, there is less need for their functionality too...

 

[danbfree]

I bought the ones you first recommended since they only had a few left and they were cheap. Once I install them, I'll let you know how it goes!

You can always cancel within the first 15 minutes easily if you want to save like $2.. I know I'm a cheap-skate and would, LOL.