[boypaulkim]

My 230i has arrived! which might be one of the earliest in the country if not in the state of CA. (if that means anything at all lol)

anyhow, sticking to the topic.
upon receiving my 230i, i have noticed a pair of what seemed to be 2 fog lights installed on intakes. (shown in red squares)
as you can see in the photo, my model has m-pkg,lightning pkg.

at first, i thought it came with the lightning package.

so i went on BMWUSA configuration page and found out that it didn't, with the exact same option. (2nd attachment with red square)

can someone tell me where these came from? is this a new feature for 230i transitioning from 228i?
if so, perhaps the BMW configuration screen hasn't been updated to reflect the change?

or

is this a 228/230i vs m235/m240i thing?? i've also noticed that some m235/240 models have a small line (splitter?) across the center of the intake and some don't (red model on the top left corner of this website has it too)
i'd like to know the difference on this as well if possible.

i may be knit-picking here but look of the car is very important and i'm not quite sure how i feel about extra pair of fog lights.

or perhaps i should laugh it off since it may enhance my visibility. who knows.

[boypaulkim]

i was just browsing through post your photos forum and found out many non-us models come with two fog lights, but cannot confirm if only these models get them. now i'm thinking i may have received the non-us exterior specced 230i.

[Joe240]

The m235/m40 with that "splitter" in the side intakes is a European market things. Not sure if it's in other markets, but the UK market doesn't get dual coolers like the US Spec models do. Same thing with the wind curtains being blocked on the m235/m240 US spec models, but I believe the UK models they are open. Unless that's strictly a difference between the 228 and 235.

As for your fog lights I have no idea. It's possible it's a new feature and it hasn't been updated on the configurator yet.

[Rayscott]

Not a big fan of fog lights. I don't think they give you much better lighting than the Xenon lights. On dark roads I just flip on the high beams. I got the package on my 228ix and was glad the fog lights were eliminated. Cleaner look IMO.

[wtfbrah]

Wtf I don't want that bullshit on my M240

[Joe240]

Originally Posted by wtfbrah

Wtf I don't want that bullshit on my M240

I'm pretty sure the m240i is exempt from this. The US spec 240s that have been delivered so far don't have fog lights.

[zkeeper]

I'll take odd man out I guess...but personally, I think they look great, cool, and add a touch of Euro to the car. BUT that's old Brit in me for it all.

[Sportstick]

Originally Posted by boypaulkim

or perhaps i should laugh it off since it may enhance my visibility. who knows.

Originally Posted by Rayscott

Not a big fan of fog lights. I don't think they give you much better lighting than the Xenon lights. On dark roads I just flip on the high beams. I got the package on my 228ix and was glad the fog lights were eliminated. Cleaner look IMO.

Consider it an upgrade. There does seem to be some misunderstanding on the purpose of the lights. They are not for normal weather on dark roads and they represent improved lighting function if you encounter fog.They are not to be compared with the Xenon headlamps; they have a different reason for existing in their location. If they give you even close to the comparable forward visibility in fog of Xenon in clear weather, that is a major accomplishment!

The water droplets which make up fog hover a foot or so above the ground. If you use lights at the height of headlamps, the light reflects off the water droplets, do not penetrate for visibility, and bounce back, reducing your forward vision. The fog lights are at their height to illuminate the road UNDER the fog. They are not for any other purpose, but when in fog, they make a major difference in your ability to see, which, for many, is the most critical matter. The most rational reason for not having them is if you live somewhere where you never encounter fog.

[Tpeterson]

Don't like the look or care for the function of fog lights. In my experience,they illuminate below the fog, but the headlights are on still bouncing back off the fog! One reason I paid for the MSport option is to get the bigger black side grills and to ELIMINATE the fog lights.

[Joe240]

Take it back to the dealer and tell them they fucked up?

[raleedy]

Every BMW I've had before this one had fog lights. They are helpful in fog. Giving them up for the M-Sport fascia was an unwelcome compromise for me. I'm interested to know if the OP's car has a fog light button on the headlight switch. The best feature of the fog lights for me is the ability to turn them on, along with the headlights and tail lights in low visibility conditions when the lights are not automatically activated. The advantage is that you don't have to remember to turn them off.

With front fog lights, I would also be looking for the Euro headlight switch for this car, which would activate the rear fog lights -- a useful safety feature in low visibility conditions. I've installed that switch, which was strictly plug-and-play, on my last two cars.

[SteveInfante]

Now I might be able to get the dang fog light inserts for the M Sport bumper I have been looking for since I got my car. Euro Spec models get them. I'm glad they are making their way to the US. I personally like having the fogs. Mine came coded to turn on based on which way I'm turning and they also come one when I'm in reverse. I have the non-M Sport 228 and want to the convert to the bumpers but didn't want to lose the fogs. I guess now I don't have to.

[boypaulkim]

ok i can confirm that my car is the only one with two fog lights with m-pkg bumper compared with 228i with m-pkg.
i've yet to see any photos of 230i with m-pkg so... hopefully someone can post a photo once he/she gets it.

the switch to turn the fog lights is there so this might be a facelift although i believe BMW has stated that only change from the 228-230 transition was going to be the engine.

another thing to notice is that the side intakes where two fog lights are installed are completely closed off(not half way, but completely) making only the middle(big) intake open. current 228 with m-pkg have them only half way closed off.

mine also has side reflectors as all U.S specced models do.

so to summarize,

either there IS a facelift for 230 with m-pkg, or my car has a EU/US hybrid m-pkg bumper (highly unlikely lol)
or.... perhaps somebody was having a little too much to drink at the factory. (also high unlikely... hopefully)

[mmmmm235i]

Originally Posted by Tpeterson

Don't like the look or care for the function of fog lights. In my experience,they illuminate below the fog, but the headlights are on still bouncing back off the fog! One reason I paid for the MSport option is to get the bigger black side grills and to ELIMINATE the fog lights.

I agree, considering how rarely the fogs are utilized and the general lack of effectiveness in my opinion, I don't know why BMW would bother. I think it takes away from the aggressiveness of the front fascia, which I love on the 2. I can't imagine that many people opting to pay for the m package on a car like this would prefer fog lights over additional cooling intakes. BMW even offered a performance bumper for the e90 that deleted the fog lights and replaced with air intakes, but I guess their philosophy continues to shift away from enthusiast friendly.

[harma24]

Originally Posted by Sportstick

Consider it an upgrade. There does seem to be some misunderstanding on the purpose of the lights. They are not for normal weather on dark roads and they represent improved lighting function if you encounter fog.They are not to be compared with the Xenon headlamps; they have a different reason for existing in their location. If they give you even close to the comparable forward visibility in fog of Xenon in clear weather, that is a major accomplishment!

The water droplets which make up fog hover a foot or so above the ground. If you use lights at the height of headlamps, the light reflects off the water droplets, do not penetrate for visibility, and bounce back, reducing your forward vision. The fog lights are at their height to illuminate the road UNDER the fog. They are not for any other purpose, but when in fog, they make a major difference in your ability to see, which, for many, is the most critical matter. The most rational reason for not having them is if you live somewhere where you never encounter fog.

I'm glad someone out here understands how fog lights function and when they should be utilized. I love it when I see people driving with high beams on in the fog...

[pz619]

Do you have the track package? If I recall if you get M sport on the 340i, you'll get fog lights. If you get M sport with track package you'll get the foglight delete.

[inc235]

I always wondered why do people use fog lights for general nighttime driving on clear nights?
Do they do it for wider lighting (kinda like cornering lights)?

As for the purpose of fog lights, I also heard yellow light can be perceived further away in fog during daytime and make you more visible by other drivers like DRLs supposedly.

[Joe240]

Originally Posted by pz619

Do you have the track package? If I recall if you get M sport on the 340i, you'll get fog lights. If you get M sport with track package you'll get the foglight delete.

I was wondering the same thing because I asked my SA yesterday about this and he said the track pack deleted the fogs, not the m performance pack.

[Joe240]

I checked the build sheet I have and it says the m sport package is supposed to remove option 520 which is the fog lights. The track package doesn't mention anything about removing it. But I think the build sheet is wrong because the m sport bumper is larger than the stock on in those areas and they obviously have mesh to fill that house fogs. I'm thinking my SA is right that it's the track package that removes the fogs with the m sport package.