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Thread: Foglight replacement, OEM or aftermarket?

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Nov 2008
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    Vancouver, WA
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    2006 330i sport/prem

    Question Foglight replacement, OEM or aftermarket?

    I put my 2500k Nokya bulbs in my fogs yesterday, and like everything else plastic on these dang cars, the tabs were so brittle, one broke off the driver's side light. Now that there is only one tab holding it in, I doubt it can be adjusted very well.

    If I want to replace both I could almost buy an M5 replica bumper shipped with new fogs! From Jared at EAC the OEM lights are about $120 each. On ebay they've got knock offs for about $35 and up. Does anyone have any experience with the replicas? Did they fit well and work ok? If so, any recommendations on who to buy them from?

    FWIW, my car is a 2001 with the "facelift" small round lights, but not the Mtechnic ones.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    May 2006
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    Chesterton, IN
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    1998 540i/6, 2002 M5
    I got a set of ebay fogs for $25... and they were so poorly molded that they didn't fit together at ALL. I used the new lenses on my old hardware. I couldn't believe it, but the ebay ones had no chance at life. They were just terrible.

    I just got my replacement OEM fog in the mail from Jared.

  3. #3
    Join Date
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    I have a set of OEM fogs in great condition. First 115 takes them!

    Another FP5241 Creation
    Parting out M54 Engine. Intake and all. Cats avail as well. PM ME!

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Feb 2009
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    2001 530iA Sport
    OEM, no contest! I found a pair on ebay a few weeks back for $75 shipped and they were in excellent condition. My drivers side had a crack in the lense so I swapped them out.

    Gumbi's price of $115 is a GREAT DEAL!!

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Oct 2005
    Location
    Virginia Beach
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    679
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    1999 528i
    Quote Originally Posted by Gumbi4u View Post
    I have a set of OEM fogs in great condition. First 115 takes them!
    You sir are lucky I just bought a set last week, otherwise you would've already received the PM and payment

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
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    burnaby, bc, canada
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    bmw 528i,
    Why don't you cement back the broken tab with super glue and reinforce it with Devcon Epoxy. I did both tabs on my fog light which broke when I pulld my bumper that got caught on a rebar sticking above a bumper stop. It gets covered up by the grill.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Jul 2004
    Location
    Long Island, NY
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    2003 Topaz Blue 540i
    I used the EBAY replacements when I cracked one of my OEM M-technic lenses. They looked exactly the same, and are just simple fog light housings so I figured why not.

    The subtle differences between the replicas, and OEM were not noticeable until I installed them.

    The Ebay specials do not install from the front like the OEM's, I had to install them from behind the bumper. Also the beam adjustment had too much play in it, and took me forever to dial in properly.

    The old addage that you get what you pay for definitely applies here, and if I break another, its only OEM for me from now on.

    Not sure how good the replica 2001 lenses are, but the replica M/Mtechnic lenses are crapp.
    Last edited by Mr Hyde; 03-21-2009 at 05:43 PM.

  8. #8
    Join Date
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    Quote Originally Posted by gurmukhbhogal View Post
    Why don't you cement back the broken tab with super glue and reinforce it with Devcon Epoxy. I did both tabs on my fog light which broke when I pulld my bumper that got caught on a rebar sticking above a bumper stop. It gets covered up by the grill.
    because I don't want it to break the second I bolt it back in. By the time I buy the Devcon Epoxy (I'll admit, I don't know what that is) and get some super glue, then take the time to try and fix the broken tab, as I swear and scream to no one in particular because it isn't working, I could just order a new one. I just wasn't sure whether or not the replicas were ok. It sounds like they aren't.

  9. #9
    Join Date
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    Yep oem lights are superb but they are 100 bucks a piece. I had crappy ebay ones from ddm and they fell apart before i even put them on. The quality is horrid.

    Another FP5241 Creation
    Parting out M54 Engine. Intake and all. Cats avail as well. PM ME!

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Oct 2003
    Location
    Jackson, MS
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    2002 525i Sport/5
    Definitely get the oem and invest around $20 for some laminix that will keep them in one piece.

  11. #11
    Join Date
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    Luckily, I haven't needed the laminix. My lenses are all intact, its the mounting tabs that broke when I went to re-install the driver's side after changing the bulbs out. While Gumbi's price is reasonable, I hate to spend money on 6 year old used lights that may break the tabs as soon as I mount them again. I only need one, so I may have to suck it up and spend the $117 with Jared and get a new one.

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Oct 2003
    Location
    Jackson, MS
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    2002 525i Sport/5
    Quote Originally Posted by teedub21 View Post
    Luckily, I haven't needed the laminix. My lenses are all intact, its the mounting tabs that broke when I went to re-install the driver's side after changing the bulbs out. While Gumbi's price is reasonable, I hate to spend money on 6 year old used lights that may break the tabs as soon as I mount them again. I only need one, so I may have to suck it up and spend the $117 with Jared and get a new one.
    I wish I could of said the same. Both of mine were toast within a month of moving down to Mississippi. After forking out over $220 for the replacements, the lamin-x made sense in my case.

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