I just got my buggy back from the body shop after having a new front bumper cover installed. (The old one and a fog lamp broke during our long, hard Wisconsin winter). I also had them install a set of blue LED fog lamps instead of the original factory lights. The pair cost less than $60 from "Blinglights.com". IMHO... the OEM's were useless as far as lighting up the road better and certainly didn't do squat in actual fog. My new LED's will be long lasting, won't get hot, use less juice, and they will help me be more visible to oncoming traffic; even if they don't light the road better for me. But most of all... they look COOL! :jaw:
Fog lights are intended to cast a wide, low beam for increased visibility during low visibility times. Those LEDs obviously do not function in any way like actual fog lights, I would not expect them to perform better than stock fog lights. Not my cup of tea, but to each his own.
I agree with you Swanny! These (substantially less expensive) LEDs won't "perform better than stock fog lights". My contention is that the stock lights did not do a very good job lighting a better path for me to see either. My theory is that the Prius is just too low to the ground to begin with for "a wide low beam" to do much good. My Ford Expedition and Subaru Tribeca have similar fog lights, higher off the ground, and both of them do light my path better.
On an HID-equipped Prius the fog lights are totally useless in conditions where you actually need fog lights, since way too much light is reflected off the fog back up into your eyes. Anyone who's driving in true fog conditions (CA central valley Tule fog for instance) knows this. Since they're totally useless, you might as well get some use out of them, by turning them into driving lights, or for a cosmetic feature. I don't have a problem with what the OP did since the stock fog lights were useless as fog lights (pkg 6 in 2005 has HIDs). If it was legal to drive with fogs only, that would be a different story, but since you can't (legally) in the USA, the fogs on an HID-equipped Prius are useless IMNSHO. I've never ridden in a Prius w/halogen headlights, so I can't comment on the usefulness of the stock fog lights w/halogen headlights.
Timm, the lights look great! I have to make the same repair due to a cat in the road. All 9 lives went up in smoke all at once. So did my front grill. The snow is making things worse (I live near Hayward so even getting out today was tough with the 12 inches we got over the weekend.... in APRIL!!!!) What did the bumper replacement run? I am trying to be prepared for sticker shock..
They look great, nice work! Are the fog lights the same as these? eBay Motors: 04-07 TOYOTA PRIUS BLUE LED FOG LIGHTS lamps 05 06 (item 280217246979 end time Apr-18-08 09:53:14 PDT) I might put that on my list of "wants" for my future Prius (which itself in on the want list...).
I am glad you had your car repaired and have the lights you wanted. That blue color is just a little "Ricer" for me though.
Won't judge you on the legalities on that but it does look cool. I like the first picture at the front quarter angle. Also, nice rims!! What are those?
Lights are fantastic! Your fog lights look fantastic. They are supposed to be low to minimize reflections. Thats why we have head lights and fog lights. Most OEM and store bought fog light are very wide angle and blind the incoming drivers thats why they are illegal in some states and for off road use only. Your LED lights seem to have a tight beam which is great. It'll allow you to see in front and not blind the incoming drivers. Congrats on your lights hybrid on!!
Re: Lights are fantastic! "Most OEM and store bought fog light are very wide angle" They are supposed to be this way. " and blind the incoming drivers thats why they are illegal in some states and for off road use only." All states allow fog lamps. Most States reference the industry stanard, SAE J 583, Fog Lamps, in their law and that standard prescribes that the fog lamp pattern be wide, with a sharp cut off, and that cut off be aimed 4 inches down from the center of the lamp when measured at 25 feet. Done so, they aren't supposed to glare. Unfortunately, some are mounted high, as on SUVs and pickups, some are not aimed and most are used under all night conditions including fog. Thus, they are often annoying. Many of the aftermarket lamps are fog lamps, many are driving lamps. Fog lamps are supposed to be used with parking lamps or with low beam headlamps, depending on each state's law. Driving lamps are really auxiliary high beam headlamps, to be used only when the main high beam headlamps are on. However, many aftermarket driving lamps are installed so they operate while the owner is driving, meaning whenever he or she feels like it, or maybe even all the time. Enforcement is very lax. So we have glare and there is really nothing that we can do about it. Most states also regulate driving lamps, referencing SAE J581, Auxiliary High Beam Headlamps, in their laws.
I like them! I don't have fog lights but would like to do something like that to have as "daytime running lights"...sort of.
Not a big fan of blue lighting, but looks good for what it is, if I ever replace mine for any reason at all I would opt for those but in white Right now all I did was change the oem bulbs to hipower yellow bulbs from nokya -cheers
