Auxilary driving lights

[nordwulf]

I think we all have seen the images of Saabs and other cars in Sweden with those huge lights mounted on the front bumper. As far as I know, this is only common in Scandinavia. Or are they also common in other parts of the world?

There is a discussion about these on the Dutch forum and I am curious what others here on SaabWorld think. Useful or are they just for aspiring rally drivers?

My opinion is regular halogen headlights, especially the Xenon lights, are just fine on modern cars. Driving conditions, climate and darkness are very similar in the northern USA and Canada as they are in Scandinavia. I think they were useful 20 years ago when car lightning wasn't very advanced.

[rpiereck]

They are extremely popular in Alaska too for the same reasons as in Scandinavia: long winter nights, and large wild animals on the road. In Alaska they are nicknamed Moose lights, for a reason.

I had them on my 2008 Subaru Forester and they made a world of difference in dark winter roads.

At first I had them mounted on the outside of the Subaru's hefty grille, no shake, but it was vulnerable to parking lot vandalism and theft, as stealing them is popular in Alaska, especially on the cinema parking lot at night.


Later I fabricated a bracket and mounted them behind the grille, it was more secure and I didn't notice any less light output:


In the end however there were people that took it to an extreme. My two Hella 6" lights put out excellent light down the road, and I had the bulbs upgraded to 85 watt units. I have seen trucks that had four 6" units plus four or six 8" HUUUUUUUUGE units. When he lit up the road I bet he could melt the ice in front of his bumper, but also probably put his alternator on fire... Those were usually trucks with lifts and tires that were way too big. Add the big lights and you have a driver with a penis the size of a gnat's...

[nordwulf]

Interesting. I have never been to Alaska so I didn't know they were also popular there. I had Xenons on my Saabs in the last 5 years and I never really felt the need for more light. My 1990 MB 300TE, however, had the worst headlights of any car I owned so some of those driving lights would have been very helpfull on that one.

Perhaps I should mount a few on the Aero and see if I can blind some deer or moose.

[Brad Lauzze]

I have the Saab auxilliary/extra light kit wired into my cars flash to pass lights, handy especially when visibility is really poor.

[SaabScott]

I have to come up with something for my 93 900S ... it just doesn't put down the level of light I came to enjoy from the 9-5.

[nordwulf]

My 1990 MB 300TE had the worst headlights of any car I owned. Almost to the point where it was just dangerous to drive.

For some reason, they look good on a Saab estate. Well.... Maybe not.

[rpiereck]

Lights like that have a purpose, so on a car like that, or on a Rally car, they look great. Put that on a daily driver and you risk looking stupid... If you need those high distance driving lights on a 9-5 a set of two lights will probably be more than sufficient.

[Turbotogo]

I'd be spotlighting deer with those suckers, lol

[Burnsside42]

My first 9000/saab - I have these lights still too - Bosch units.


Delorean's 86 Notchback with Ecodes with HIDs and AUX Lights;


PaulH's 91' 900T with AUX lights;


I've personally installed Hella's on a 2000 9-3 and a 2001 9-5 wagon. Both owned by the same owner - they worked amazingly! Those cars are backwoods cars with high deer area's.

I love the extra lights - never enough light output IMHO.


Here's the rally car via 2005 SOC in VT