164 fog lights, and Chevron gas AD #914

["C.M. Smith" <cmsmith@domain.elided>]

Can't help you with the replacement problem but can offer a nifty solution
to the breakage in the first place. In Canada we use a lot of gravel on the
roads in winter (about 3 years is max life for a windshield because if the
pitting doesn't drive you nuts in three years I guarantee a bullseye or
crack will) so a local guy "invented" a glue-on plastic coating which
spreads the impact of a stone sufficiently that the lense does not break. 8
years with this film on my headlights and foglights and no breakage. My
SAAB 9000 turbo has factory stone guards with metal grilles with approx
quarter inch holes, lost a headlight this winter, amazing how the stone
must have gone in point first exactly through the quarter inch hole. First
headlight lost in 13 years though.

The plastic film is self adhesive (3M, I think) and the plastic is
reasonably scratch resistant and lasts about 4 years before it starts to
turn yellow from the UV. Of course, for fog lights yellow is a plus. If you
want a set they are CAN$29.95 for the large size which should be enough to
do the headlights and foglights with some judicious cutting and fitting.
CAN$39.95 will get the jumbo size which will cover any size headlight with
enough left over to do the fog lights with no seams. For real money deduct
one third, say US$22 or US$28 respectively. I'd be happy to get you a set
from our local dealers if not available where you live.

I concur with the post about Chevron gas. Not available in Alberta, too
bad, but when I travel in BC I use it exclusively in my SAAB Turbo which
has a knock sensor and really cranks out the torque with 94 Octane (Canada
uses a different Octane calculation I think, 87 is rotgut regular, 89 is
medium and 91 or 92 is standard Premium depending on how lucky you are, 94
is Heaven if you have a turbo with a knock sensor). Chevron does appear to
have superior cleaning qualities because my Alfa 164 loves it too and it
has no knock sensor so the octane is wasted. Both cars run better for weeks
after returning from neighbouring BC where Chevron is readily available. 
Michael Smith
Calgary, Alberta
Canada
91 Alfa 164L, White, original owner 

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