Has anyone assessed the differences between the two types of replacement driving lamps available and is the £100 cost difference for the Dealer supplied option justified.
Can anyone advise in detail what the fitting of the Cibie (scoobysport) units entails.

Thanks

The Scoobysport lights replace the existing fogs and come with their own heavy duty wiring and relay. Step by step fitting instructions are included and include photos of wiring/relay location points etc.

The lights are fixed rigidly to the car and cannot droop or wobble over poor surfaces.

They are activated by selecting full beam and have a range of over 400m.

I've just fitted a set of the CIBE lights from Scoobysport.

Fitting was a doddle with the supplied instructions & the ammount of light produced is amazing. All you need to be careful of is when you dip the lights it all goes very dark.

Thanks for the replies, it looks as if I will be phoning Scoobysport for the Cibies.

Pete, can you advise if the SS light wiring allows for the spotlights to be switched off from the fog light switch currently fitted. (I am aware that the driving lamps work from the high beam switch but would prefer the option to switch off the driving lamps all together and still use "normal" main beam).
Thanks

I agree with BobC, the ability to turn them off would be quite usefull. Also, are there any clear protectors for these lights?

Hi Bob

Hi Bob

We can supply a seperate circuit that utilises your existing fog light switch to de-activate the Cibies.

[This message has been edited by Pete Croney (edited 09 December 1998).]

I ended up having a "long discussion" with my dealer because he wired up my cibie lights wrongly in the first place. When I asked him to wire them in to the existing fog lamp switch he said it could not be done. This is something I do not understand as to me a switch is a switch and if it worked for the fog lamps it should be able to turn on/off my driving lights. He came up with some technical terms as to the reason but since I'm in Sweden and my mother took the car to the garage for me, I think he just fobbed her off. However as they had made a mess and wired them up illegally in the first place they got me a PIAA switch out of one of their kits and fitted it in one of the blanks next to the existing fog light switches for free.
If anyone was on the RAC in foggy Wales you will realize how important this capability is. I would advise everyone to have switchable lights.

If you want to know exactly why what your dealer said is a load of #$!#&**. Go to this site http://lighting.mbz.org/faq/ it has a lot of info that is specifically American. But it also has good facts on xenon bulbs, relay circuits and aiming headlights.

Jon

Pete

While I'm here, I don't mean to be repititious and I don't mean any harm buy it, but yet again you were asked about the scoobysport lights and haven't said what lights are used in the kit. Is it just me or does anyone else think it is a bit strange to buy lights without knowing anything else except they project light 400m down the road. I hope you are not offended Pete cause I really am only searching for information http://bbs.sidc.co.uk/smile.gif

Regards

Jon

Jon, I'm fairly certain that it tells you on Scooby Sports web page, but anyway the light that Pete uses are "Cibie Oscar plus" and mighty good they are too. If I had my pick of any light on the market they would be Cibie. Apart from that they have a flat back case and are probably one of the only lights out in the shops that fit into the Impreza aperture (perfectly as well). Uncle Pete did his homework well. If you get some go for the 130w.

Answering Bob's original question - there is practically no difference in performance between the two lights. The only advantages of the PIAA set (which I have) are that several finance companies won't include the Cibies in with an ordered car - so you can't get your company to pay.
As well as the PIAA I have fitted 100/80 bulbs which work on an STi4 loom. The downside is that people try to blind you when coming the other way (thinking that you have full beam on). The downside for them is that you can then put the full-beams on. This tends to stop their silly game.
The PIAA need to be adjusted correctly to avoid 'droop'.

Nigel, Cibie Ocar Plus are indeed a good light thanks, thats for the details thats all I wanted to know.

Jon

Am i correct in thinking that:

a) The Cibie lights as suppliued by Scoobysport only work on main beam?

b) The PIAA lights work on main beam (bright) and dip beam (not so bright), thereby improving both.

Mike...

Both light kits are activated by main beam only. The power output is so high that it would be VERY dangerous (and illegal under UK lighting regs) to have them activated by a seperate switch.

The PIAAs come as standard with a switch to turn off the driving lights (to give main beam only). This is an essential feature in my opinion.

Also, I believe that *all* lights of this type are theoretically illegal in the UK (purely because they are simply too bright)?

Provided that the lights can ONLY be activated with main beam, they are classified as Auxiliary Lighting. The regs for Auxiliary lighting allow free location and no restriction on wattage.

The only restrictions relate to their use and the regulations say "It is an offence to use auxiliary lights in a manner which dazzles other road users".

All extensively researched ;-)

Pete,

Is it possible to rig up the Cibies to an on/off switch too, so that they needn't come on when you select main beam ? I know it's not essential but I think a lot of people would like the feature.

One of Pete's earlier replies above says that he can supply such a switch as an "optional extra".

Hi Colman

Yes it involves a second relay, sensing the old supply to your fog lights.

Easy to install and no work under the dash board.

Andy, oops so it does. I *really* should read back through the earlier posts before putting fingers to keyboard http://bbs.sidc.co.uk/smile.gif

Pete, that's good to know...when my MY99 arrives and I can persuade 'er indoors to allow me to spend a few quid on Cibies then I might very well get it done http://bbs.sidc.co.uk/smile.gif

Excellent stuff - but does anybody know where I can lay my hands on a genuine fog-light switch, because I presume my STi is not going to have one, since it ain't got no fogs ! (Don't they have fog in Japan ?)

I finally got round to fitting my Scoobysport Cibies today and have wired them so I can use the fog lamp switch to enable/disable them. Judging by the various I comments in this thread I thought it might be of interest to know how I did this - it's actually very simple- you don't need an extra relay, just two bits of wire, a scotchlock and an additional 15 minutes. In essence the ground end of the Cibie relay coil is wired to the fog switch, resulting in the Cibies coming on when only main beam AND the fog lamp switch is on. In detail, referring to the Scoobysport/Cibie kit, (although the same principles apply to any similar fitment):

1. Replace the short ground wire supplied attached to the relay (coil energiser ground), with a longer piece and route this through the engine bulkhead to under the dash. There is a convenient (large) grommet just in front of the glove compartment. Remove the glove compartment (2 screws at base) to gain access. Once through the grommet, feed the wire over the heating duct and for now let it hang down - it should be dangling down in the centre of where the glove compartment fits.

2. Directly above where the glove compartment fits, there is the fog lamp relay. This is a small round object (and can be identified by its clicking noise when switching the fog lamp switch on and off - with sidelights). Switch off the ignition and remove its 4 wire plug. This will NOT be plugged back in.

3. The 4 wires are colour coded as follows:
a) Black with white stripe and silver marks (goes to fog lamp switch).
b) White with yellow stripe and silver marks (+12V with sidelights).
c) White with black stripe and silver marks (relay contact - normally open).
d) Green with red stripe and double silver marks (relay contact - normally open).

4. Use a scotchlock to attach the wire fed through from the Cibie relay to wire (a). The switch will now work to enable/disable the Cibies. For the ultimate finishing touch, take a 10cm piece of wire and attach a male spade connector to each end. Use this to connect wires (c) and (d) together - i.e. using the female contacts in the 4 wire plug that was used to plug into the relay. Insulate with plastic tape. Now the light within the fog lamp switch will be illuminated when the fog lamp switch is pressed in - indicating the Cibies are enabled!

5. Finally attach these notes or something similar to the 4 wire "ex-fog lamp relay plug" so as your dealer doesn't get confused (especially Nigel's - see above!).

NOTE: This applies to the UK MY97 - other models are probably very similar, but if there are any differences, check with a meter first! And finally I accept no responsibility if you wire it incorrectly :-)

Hi Colin

We came up with our method as most people are not so technical minded and would prefer "a couple of hours of route canal dentistry" (as one customer put it), to laying under the Scooby's dash.

Pete

Graeme Goode have foglight switches in stock at about £40 (at least they did just before New Year).