[s-cars] City Lights, Badges, and CDN Headlights

[Dave Forgie]

S-gruppees: I just went through Sunday's postings and decided that I
could make a contribution to the "cause" (in thanks for the help I
received):

1. AFAIK, IME having traveled in Britain and lived a year in Europe,
city lights are nothing like North American parking lights (sorry
James).  As far as I remember, in Britain, you did not run your low beam
("dipped")  headlights while in town at night in areas where there is
adequate street lighting.  You run your "city" lights (some low wattage
bulbs in the headlight housings) so other drivers (and pedestrians) can
see your car.  Its not about you being able to see.  You can do that
already because of the street lights.  That's why we have idiots running
in North American cities at night with no lights on sometimes - they
think their headlights are on because THEY can see your car. (In Canada,
the DRL are on (newer cars) but the "idiots" don't have their taillights
on). (Except CDN UrS4's - headlights and taillights are on the DRL
circuit).

As another (potentially) interesting note, I have driven cars in Europe
with a second position on each left and right "signal" light.  When you
activate this position, the signal light stays on - no blinking.  The
idea is when you park in a narrow street (probably on the sidewalk) you
put the signal light on, on the side that the traffic is going by.  That
way, the hope is you won't get sideswiped. (Yeah, right - I've seen
countless cars in Paris, Hamburg and Rome that have been sideswiped -
despite this "precaution".)

2.  Badges:  The 92 spec S4's, including the elmwood Canadian "93" cars
(not including the carbon fibre 93's) had their rear S4 badge on the
right side of the trunk (this by the way, points out that the S4 on the
Finnish rail (courtesy of Miika) -  was a 92 S4).  All true 93's and
beyond, including the S6's, had the rear badge on the left side of the
trunk. All UrS4's and S6's had the front S-badge on the passenger side
of the front grill.  Proper location is about 2" from the edge of the
grill with the top of  the S badge at the vertical centre of the grill,
i.e. the badge is below center.

3.  Canadian Headlights:  My 93 manual talks about H1 and H3 bulbs.
Yeah right.  It also talks about the trip computer.  Ha.  When I first
looked at my bulbs 6 years ago (I bought the car in 1998 as the second
owner), I found that I had 9006 55 W capped low beams, 9005 65 W high
beams and H3 fogs.  Still do, sort of.  I have converted the low beams
to 65 W 9005 using the info at:

http://www.bmwe34.net/e34main/Upgrade/More_light.htm
(or .html if the above doesn't work).

Sean, I don't want to contradict you but I think you should check your
bulbs again.  The high beam bulb should be a 65 W 9005, not a 55 W
9006.  The H3 fog should be correct but I have never seen an H1 low beam
bulb (then again I haven't seen your 97 headlights up close and personal
like).  Maybe next meeting?  (If I am wrong, I'll buy you a beer (or
Coke)).

Just trying to help.

Dave F.