Crixtala

I love fog lights, and always have, but I hate the aftermarket ones that are made. They just look like ****. OEM fog lights just look good to me. My '89 GTU doesn't have fog lights, and I want to change that.

Here are my questions...
1.) I know that the second gens have fog lights... I've seen them on sale on eBay, and have seen the switches and everything on sale, but I'm not sure whether they're S4 or S5... or even if they both have fog lights. How do you know?

2.) Is there a difference between the S4 and S5 fog lights?

3.) How hard would it be to put fog lights on my car?

4.) Has anybody put OEM fog lights on their non-fog-light-second-gen?

Thanks in advanced.

sunshine

iTrader: (3)

I dont know the anwsers to your actual questions, but it would be no more difficult to wire in the OE fog lights, as it would be to wire in a pair of aftermarket PIAA's.

Its all the same electrics. Just use a relay and tap the fuse box. Very simple, even for a novice (I dont know if you are or not).

Crixtala

I am a novice.

sunshine

iTrader: (3)

Ok. Then I can give you a brief description of what you will need to do. Get a regular 30A automotive relay. It will have four prongs on it. One goes to ground. Another goes to your battery. The third you tap into your parking light power wire (which will activate the fog when you turn on the parking lights), the fourt goes to the actual fog light bulb. The second wire from the fog should also be grounded.

Icemark

The factory fog lights are for the S5 cars (89-91) so the should bolt and plug right in to a 89 GTU

NZConvertible

No S4's had fog lights, and AFAIK all S5's had them, so yours must've been removed by a previous owner. This should make installing them a breeze, since all the mounts and electrics should be there.

DAN CARWIN

NZ convertible you stand corrected, the ONLY 2nd gen rx7s that came stock woth OEM fog lights were the S5 89-91 2nd gens. NO s4 86-88 came with oem fog lights. (their is little room on the nose cone to even fit them muchless) the S5 GXL model was optional for OEM fog lights, the s5 convertiable came standard with OEM fog lights. the Turbo II s5 was also optional. the GTU, and GTUs did NOT come equipped with them but you could still buy some and put them in. CRIXTALA, I'm in the process of putting a S5 nose cone on my S4 and putting OEM s5 foglights in as well. it is a strait forward process. I'm however usin a after market wiring set up to run the foglights as oppose to the stock Mazda harness.

Scott 89t2

I don't think the lower models of S5 came with them in the states or the GTUs.

they all have them in canada since they are the daytime light.


edit: dam beat to it

DigitalSynthesis

The stock fog lights do little or nothing however. They are super dim and do not make any visible difference from the driver's perspective when the main lights are on. They do look nice from outside the car though.

I'd love to know if (with a rewire, of course) H4 superwhites or something would actually fit into the stock lenses or not, though. That would kick ***, so I don't have to get aftermarket lenses (which I agree are usually ugly as hell and the majority of the "affordable" ones say "RICE" all over them). I saw an H3->stock write-up but I don't think they are any brighter than the stock crappy ones.

run_rabbit_run

that write up you saw was written by Scott 89t2 (post above you)

http://1300cc.com/howto/how2/h3.htm

I am going to do that mod soon (springtime most likely). I will let you know if it makes a difference in candlepower...

Icemark

Actually there was a dealer installed Mazda Finish line set available in the USA

From the 86-87 Mazda RX-7 USA brochures:

NZConvertible

Um, that's exactly what I said...

Fog lights are not headlights. They're there so that other cars can see you, not so you can see in front of you. That's what the headlights are for. Two different designs for two different purposes.

I use mine anytime visibility is reduced (bad weather, dusk) but the headlights aren't required for forward vision. IMO people who drive around at night with only their fog lights on are idiots.

DigitalSynthesis

You learn something new every day. I was always told they were to add visibility in foggy conditions... never figured that that visibility was for OTHERS... hehe. Details... Anyway, I *do* like them very much for that purpose... they make my black 'vert look especially kick-***, and are therefore cool. But I still wish they were brighter and whiter, regardless of their intended purpose. But if that comes at a significantly increased electrical load, eh, I'd rather put that towards my 2x10" subs.

I *DID* know that headlights are for forward vision, just thought that fog lights were to augment them (in fog, ostensibly ).

Of course, I'm not one of those idiots, either. I like it BRIGHT in front of me at night. I still break the rule that says one shouldn't drive faster than they can stop in the distance illuminated by their headlights, but that's usually with streetlights to take up the rest of the distance. heh...

Sideways7

iTrader: (7)

Fog lights are designed to be below the level of fog, or at least below most of it. If you use you headlights in heavy fog, then your visibilty is actually reduced becuase the light reflects off of the fog. They are also used for making yourself visible to others, but they were originally desdigned to help your vision in foggy conditions.

Mr. Eccentric

That OEM side skirt looks good. As far as fog lights I'm using H3's in the S5 housings, that gives you a great variety of manufactures and bulbs to choose from over the hard to come by H3c's. Also they ravage you on the price of the H3c's.

SureShot

I just rewired mine as daytime running lights.
The 55 watt lamps do quite well and the beam pattern is fair.
They come on with the engine, but can be switched off.

<<-- The avatar pic shows a daytime view.

Crixtala

Thanks for all of the help. Hopefully I can find a pair for cheap on eBay that are in good condition. I'll probably get some people to help me install them, and hopefully they'll turn out good.

Crixtala

One more question... is there an actual place that I can get them? Like a store? Or is eBay my best bet?

NZConvertible

Mazda...

Crixtala

A dealership or their actual website...?

DAN CARWIN

MAZDA IF YOU WANT TO PAY OVER $400.00 DOLLARS, or you can get them off E-bay

sunshine

iTrader: (3)

Just spring for a set of PIAA's of Catz. They are very high quality, and look sweet.

zukskywalker

iTrader: (2)

Here's my chance!!!!!!!
Way back when the FC was new, SOMEBODY was offering a fog light kit that integrated with the headlight retractor mechanism so that the fog lights folded up(completely hidden) when the headlights were down and dropped down when the headlights were up. Pure stealth. Does anybody have any idea about who made this kit? Is there anything like it around now?

Crixtala

Like I said before sunshine, I hate aftermarket fog lights... they just say "RICE" to me. Plus, you can't do better than OEM. It guarantee's fitment. It guarantee's not being rice. It guarantee's that it's going to look right with the car no matter what.

Can anybody give me a good website (or two) of where I can get OEM Mazda parts...?
Thanks.

That actually sounds pretty cool. Maybe if I knew better of what it looked like, I would be interested in it as well. But right now, I'm just trying to add the OEM fog lights for as cheap as possible. I think it would be a simple, good looking mod that I could do for cheap.

DAN CARWIN

CRIXTALA, I'm glad to see that some one thinks the way I do. I think aftermarket fog lights are very RICE. they never look flush when mounted and never give a sleek look like OEM fog lights do. you end up drilling or what ever into your nose cone and ******* everything up. I had CATZ on my old GXL when I was 17 or so now looking back I think it was very Rice. nothing looks better than all factory Mazda parts IMOP. But look on this forum under parts for sale I see people selling stock fog lights all the time on here.