Installing rear spoiler: dealer, independent shop, or DIY? - Page 5

White95Max · 11-09-05, 09:43

I can remember periodically turning my fogs on and off with the Maxima, to check if the bulbs were still working (sometimes I'd just think about it while driving). There was a clear difference between the lighting ahead of the car with the fogs on, compared to with the fogs off. They lit up a little more on the sides, and also added light in front of the car, generally only the first 30-40' in front of the car though.

Accumulator · 11-09-05, 01:32

The fogs on the Audis always work pretty OK (how's that for damning with faint praise

) in bad weather conditions. The ones on the MPV are better than I'd expected and actually *are* better than no fogs when the weather is, well, foggy. But not as good as the ones on the Audis. Can't remember how the ones on the Jag work, the covers haven't been off since the mid-'80s lest the lenses get chipped. FWIW, all these are mounted really low so they're at the right height to do the intended job.

Heh heh, too many people try to use fog lights as driving lights, and *far* too many people run around with fogs on when it's not foggy

thinking they look cool. I did it myself back in the '70s with my Trans Am- had yellow fogs mounted up beside the headlights, thought I was so cool

Local LEOs weren't too favorably impressed.

Setec- Don't see them these days, at least not in the catalogs I look through. Not that I'm about to go adding something like that to the vehicles I'm driving these days anyhow

Well, I could see maybe putting one under the bumper of the MPV; the dogs get bothered when that gets rear-ended.

Setec Astronomy · 11-09-05, 01:48

Well, I'm far from the fount of experience on fog lamps...I put a set on my mid-70's GM sedan, and I'm not even sure I got to use them before one of them got stolen and I took the other one off (I had the covers on them all the time, too). I mounted them to the bottom of the big chrome bumper which put them pretty high off the ground, and I think they were some off-brand rather than the brands we were talking about before. My '90 Bonneville SSE has them in the front chin spoiler; I don't think they actually work anymore, but I never got any measureable benefit from them in the fog.

Back in the late '70's/early '80's I used to thumb through my Auto World and similar catalogs and dream about a car with a set of Cibie fogs and driving lights, and the rear fog light. Of course, that was in the days when there was much less integration of the bumper/spoiler/grille than there is now, can't really imagine trying to hang on a bunch of gee-gaws like that now.

Accumulator · 11-10-05, 08:00

Quote:

Originally Posted by Setec Astronomy

.. there was much less integration of the bumper/spoiler/grille than there is now, can't really imagine trying to hang on a bunch of gee-gaws like that now.

Yeah, IMO it's pretty much the factory-option look or nothing these days. Otherwise things start to look like a Mad Max movie (or, to *really* date myself, like a truck from The Wages of Fear or Sorcerer).

White95Max · 11-12-05, 05:49

I saw a nice Protege with an OEM spoiler parked near my apartment today. Just to give you an idea of what the spoiler looks like...

I still think it would look good, but the drilling/wiring part is what makes me step back and think.

02silversihb · 11-13-05, 03:33

#2 and make sure it's done right

Accumulator · 11-13-05, 09:08

Quote:

Originally Posted by White95Max

I still think it would look good, but the drilling/wiring part is what makes me step back and think.

Now I'm checking out Proteges in parking lots all the time

The current CHMBL (Central High-Mounted Brake Light) is in a box on the rear deck, right? So you'll have to get a new rear deck (the one without a box made for cars with the light in the spoiler). What about the defogger elements? Do they follow the contours of the CHMBL box? Are they different on cars with spoilers? This is all assuming that the ones with the light in the spoiler don't also have the box....but man would that look hokey IMO.

White95Max · 11-13-05, 09:43

Quote:

Originally Posted by Accumulator

Now I'm checking out Proteges in parking lots all the time

The current CHMBL (Central High-Mounted Brake Light) is in a box on the rear deck, right? So you'll have to get a new rear deck (the one without a box made for cars with the light in the spoiler). What about the defogger elements? Do they follow the contours of the CHMBL box? Are they different on cars with spoilers? This is all assuming that the ones with the light in the spoiler don't also have the box....but man would that look hokey IMO.

Haha, nothing wrong with admiring Proteges in parking lots!

Yes it's a box on the rear deck. I never thought about getting a new rear deck. If I would have to do that, I'd just disconnect the CHMBL and leave it there. I've got tinted windows anyway, so you can hardly see the rear deck from outside.

Accumulator · 11-13-05, 01:13

Quote:

Originally Posted by White95max

I never thought about getting a new rear deck...

See how seemingly little things can snowball into major hassles

Quote:

..I'd just disconnect the CHMBL and leave it there. I've got tinted windows anyway, so you can hardly see the rear deck from outside.

BOO HISS nonfunctional thing that's only (already questionable) raison d'etre is to function

Tint or not, I'd reconsider that idea

Ain't I a pain sometimes

White95Max · 11-13-05, 01:16

Geez, you are going to be relentless until I say that I don't want a spoiler anymore!

Accumulator · 11-14-05, 10:14

Well, if you get the spoiler on there before I post pics of my vehicles/shop I promise I'll back off

And that just might happen at the rate I'm going

White95Max · 11-14-05, 10:17

I don't know if I'm getting a spoiler anymore. It seems like the reality is that it's much more work than originally thought.

I'll just get the fogs and then decide from there.