Fog light woes

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cooknerkid
Joined: Sun 05 Aug, 2012 15:30
Posts: 48

  Z3 roadster 2.8

Fog light woes

Post by cooknerkid »

I have recently bought a 2001 2.0 z3 which has both front fog lamp lenses smashed. On my previous z3 the same thing happened to the fog lights - within 12 months of purchase. Does anyone use a protective film or similar to save buying new fog lights every month ? Looking for inspiration- thanks
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motco
Joined: Tue 18 Aug, 2009 18:12
Posts: 728

  Z3 roadster 2.2i

Re: Fog light woes

Post by motco »

If it is any consolation I had one broken within a few weeks of purchase in autumn 2009, but both are still intact after nine years and several thousand miles. It is a lottery I'm afraid. I do not know of any protective film but a stainless steel woven mesh guard could be fashioned to stand off from the fronts. For what little use the foglamps are you might as well cover them up anyway.
Mike Fishwick
Joined: Fri 19 Jun, 2009 10:27
Posts: 2093

  Z3 roadster 2.8
Location: Daglan, France

Re: Fog light woes

Post by Mike Fishwick »

Yes - given the the Z3 headlamps have a sharp cut-off anyway, fog lamps are pretty useless - apart from to the people who insist on using them as running lamps in the belief that it looks 'cool.'

In 19 years of Z3 use I have yet to have a broken fog lamp lens, so assuming that you are not travelling too close to the next car, try making a lens cover out of perspex, and attaching it with three blobs of clear silicone.
A Z3 is not just for Christmas - it's for life!
cooknerkid
Joined: Sun 05 Aug, 2012 15:30
Posts: 48

  Z3 roadster 2.8

Re: Fog light woes

Post by cooknerkid »

Thanks, I think mikes forgotten just how rubbish British roads are - spoiled by French road maintenance! I did have the previous Z3 over three years and didn’t replace them again - I remembered when at school we used to cover our books in clear fablon - would something like this take out the sharpness of the stone hit ? Or would it melt when/ if you used the lamps ?
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motco
Joined: Tue 18 Aug, 2009 18:12
Posts: 728

  Z3 roadster 2.2i

Re: Fog light woes

Post by motco »

That would ensure the broken lens fragments remained in situ but not that is wasn't broken. A rigid piece of acrylic or polycarbonate, as suggested by an earlier reply, is the way forward. Or save your swear box money to replace the next broken lens! :P :?:
Mike Fishwick
Joined: Fri 19 Jun, 2009 10:27
Posts: 2093

  Z3 roadster 2.8
Location: Daglan, France

Re: Fog light woes

Post by Mike Fishwick »

Yes - I am spoilt by French roads - Even those which have not been resurfaced for thirty years are better than a lot of UK roads. I am not looking forward to dodging potholes on motorways etc when I visit next week! We do have one local road which was resurfaced suspiciously quickly , and is now falling to pieces - they must have found how the Brits do thing! In such cases the contractor has to rip off the surface and do it properly at no charge.
A Z3 is not just for Christmas - it's for life!
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Z3crazy
Joined: Thu 04 May, 2017 13:37
Posts: 49

  Z3 roadster 1.9i
Location: Breda, The Netherlands

Re: Fog light woes

Post by Z3crazy »

Mike Fishwick wrote: Fri 06 Jul, 2018 07:37 Yes - I am spoilt by French roads - Even those which have not been resurfaced for thirty years are better than a lot of UK roads. I am not looking forward to dodging potholes on motorways etc when I visit next week! We do have one local road which was resurfaced suspiciously quickly , and is now falling to pieces - they must have found how the Brits do thing! In such cases the contractor has to rip off the surface and do it properly at no charge.
Idem ditto here in The Netherlands... really great roads. Belgium has really bad roads just like Britain, but it is improving. I was in Devon a couple of years ago (Cullompton area) and i'm sure there are roads there that haven't been resurfaced since the 40's (part of the reason the Railway branch lines were closed last in Devon and Cornwall). Actually, the best surface was on Uppotery Airfield (Band of Brothers), Smeatharpe.

I really don't understand that when a road in Britain is resurfaced, the drains are kept at the original height which can be inches below the road surface !!!. Probably because I studied IT instead of Civil Engineering.

End of rant (for now)
If it ain't broke, don't fix it
Z3 1.9 2000, Cosmos Schwartz
Mike Fishwick
Joined: Fri 19 Jun, 2009 10:27
Posts: 2093

  Z3 roadster 2.8
Location: Daglan, France

Re: Fog light woes

Post by Mike Fishwick »

I wonder if the pre-October 1998 foglamp lenses - the prismatic type - are more prone to being broken that the later clear type? After twenty years my October 1998 car is still on its original foglamps . . .
A Z3 is not just for Christmas - it's for life!
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