Hi guys,

As of recent I bought a 2005 Mini Cooper S and so far I love it!

Things that I would like to do are:

LED replacement bulbs- Maps, Dome, Footwells, License plate, and a projection Mini emblem under door lights.

WHAT LEDs actually work with no errors or problems with electronics after? My last car had some real strange issues with the power consumption differences between stock and LED replacements. This would be great help. I have ebay LEDs, but I feel they may not be good for my Mini.

I also would like to install fogs that did not come OEM with my car. Probably thinking of yellow lens. If not yellow lens I would du 6000k LED fogs (Just for bling)

I also would like to install the rear fog, but not OEM because it's way too much money to install.

Suspension Mods - Strut Tower Bar, Control Arm Bushings

1. Do strut tower bars protect against "Shrooming" there seems to be mixed opinions about that?

2. Powerflex Street Bushings or OEM?3. Is it cheaper to buy the control arm with bushing or Just the bushing?ENGINE

I was looking at a short RAM / cold air intake. Can I still use the stock behind grill intake to get cold Air? Or am I forced to stick the filter behind the hot engine without actual cool air flow? It seemed like the K&N Typhoon sort of just tucks it back there.

One thing that I would like to do is put the stock box back in for winter as the short RAM seems to make things run worse in cold temps. How easy is it to get the stock box in and out?

I'm not looking for a huge performance boost or a ton of money to be put in. The roads here suck so I want to reinforce the strut towers the most. I also NEED to replace the bushings. I'm looking for inexpensive mods first. Then maybe Supercharger mods, exhaust, injection etc later. Feel free to ask for details on what I'm talking about maybe I could give better explanations.

 

http://www.c0op3r.com/MINI/LEDInteriorLighting.html

 

The rear fog itself is cheap,about 25 for the lens and the car already comes pre wired for it but you do need a new toggle switch and programing to make it work or you could use it as a 4th stop light

 

Thanks for the link! I know what the bulb sizes are, but I didn't know if there are special "No Error" LEDs that need to be used. I know in my brothers VW Golf the T10 LEDs would just dimly strobe when put in the map lights. I want the right LEDs for the right lights. Not shorting, flickering or causing other electrical problems!

That is a great link though. Don't get me wrong about that.

 

Does it come pre wired if the lens isn't there and just the filler panel is? What does programming require? There are no MINI dealers nearby me. Also for what I have seen the rear fog goes for at least 45ish dollars: MiniMania and I would want it in clear not red. Red does very little for backup light.

THIS POST shows some of the Jtech 9W Eagle Eye White Back Up LEDs. Those seem pretty awesome, but probably don't fit stock wiring.

 

Since you have an 05 and you said the rear fog light, I assumed that you wanted the rear RED fog light not a reverse light, MINIMANIA is overpriced in my opinion. Your year is pre wired for the rear fog if you take the cover off you will be able to see the wire and plug. You will need a new or used toggle switch that includes the fog or since you want a clear lens you can just wire it to your reverse light

http://www.ecstuning.com/Mini-2005-C...ghts/ES174869/

http://www.ecstuning.com/Mini-2005-C...hts/ES2207526/

Rear Fog light and rear reverse light two different things for different years

 

Excellent! Thanks for the link! I'll probably take the easy way out and just use a toggle switch anyway. I'd rather not modify as much of the wiring as possible.

 

I guess the last things that need to be covered are if a strut bar will provide similar support as the reinforcement plates. I'd rather not buy 200+ dollars worth of reinforcement plates to find out my 100 dollar strut bar does the same thing...

And what LEDs make a good replacement for the stock bulbs without flickering, errors or electrical damage. I know the sizes I just needs LEDs that are known to NOT cause issues. The ECSTuning kit is nice, but very expensive compared to getting a handful of LEDs on Ebay.

 

I believe that the M7 strut bar has reinforcement plates build in, don't quote me on that but I think that there is at least one manufacturer that have it. Check with Way motor works, call them I think that they sell them.

Some LED's will flicker. I have my whole interior with Phillips LEDs including the glovebox in my 05, on my door puddle lights I had a hard time with the Phillips as they were shutting down the fuses for some reason so I put some cheap led's and the worked but the lighting is just that cheap looking.
I installed an LED bulb in the boot ad although it was nice with the boot opened it would flicker like crazy once it was closed and while driving, also the license plate ones will flicker while the car is off as you open a doors etc.. Once the car is on the flicker will stop, I just ignore it. ECS has them and the claim that they are flicker free but cost 50.00 I think, parking lights are LED and they do flicker for a sec when you start the car, looks kind of cool actually

 

you can use cheapy ebay leds for interior lights (like das boot) but you have to solder in a small resistor (like a 1k) between the 2 connections of the bulb to absorb the electricity after the bulb turns off, otherwise they flicker.

 

I've read mixed opinions on strut tower bars. Some say that with strut tower plates, yes, the bar will help prevent mushrooming. Some say the bar has a positive impact on reducing chassis flex and therefore improves handling. Others say the bar stiffens the MINI frame too much and causes understeer.

Another camp says get some Craven Speed Strut Tower defenders -- skip the bar -- and be done with it.

Opinions are like @ssholes so read all you can, digest, and make what is the best decision in your mind.

PS: if you're considering a cold air intake save a little extra and pair that with a 15% or 17% supercharger pulley. Cheap performance gains and a whole ton o' fun!

 

Can you do that with the license plate ones as well, sorry I suck at electronics of any kind.

 

ya, you have to do it with almost all the cheapy ebay lights. has nothing to do with the quality of the leds themselves, its just electronics on the mini.

may be why those "name brand" ones are so pricey; they solder in 1 pennys worth of leds onto each for you.

i also forget if i used a 1kohm or a 100 ohm, but i can check fairly easily.

 

Huh, Interesting. Maybe I'll try that. I have about 20+ T10 LEDs and some resistors so ruining a couple to put a resistor in may not be bad. Thanks for the tip.

After reading this and other forums I'm strongly considering just staying stock for instead of LEDs though. It sounds like they can be more hassle than they are worth. I know I wrestled with them in my 03 Hyundai.

On a slightly different note I have heard people say that Whiter / hotter headlight bulbs cause discoloration on the inside of the headlight lens. True? I like whiter looking headlights, but if they are gonna slowly burn my housings I don't care to have them. Also what are some good fitting front fogs? I like the idea of yellow, but I would settle for clear if they are known to be reliable. Also are the fog lights in the front the same as the back, where the wiring is there you just have to add the housing and the bulb?

 

you just have to do the resistor thing with the festoon bulbs, not the T10s / socket style leds.

 

There are several that have the Full Ring style that will provide you with the safety you are looking for from mushrooming. (M7 is one Dinan is another)

I received no errors in any of the bulbs I installed in my article, I would of noted that I had, and Would never suggest something that would cause errors.

 

The VIP strut plates + bar are better built than the M7.

 

Looking in the forum I found that there are 3 kinds that are known to work.

1. VIP Plates and strut bar (2 piece)
2. M7 Strut bar w/ plates
3. Dinan Strut bar and plates.

I had read online about Dinans actually cracking, flexing, bending or breaking. The M7's seemed more valued and of recent the VIPs are all anyone talks about.

I'm thinking M7 because it is the middle price and the plates look good as well as the bar. $220 vs $270 for almost the same thing.

 

What is it that makes them better built? This is just my Daily Driver so I don't need super stiffness or anything.

 

What's the point of putting in a strut bar that flexes? If you don't need stiffness you don't need a bar. Just get strut tower plates.

Sent from my Moto X using NAMotoring

 

I took off my CravenSpeed STDs and I installed the M7 strut bar and STD plates yesterday. So far I have noticed that the steering feels tighter, the car handles better, the chassis feels stiffer, it does not follow the road ruts anymore, it corners better, it does not flex nearly as much going over curbs or speed bumps, it looks cool, it protects my strut towers, and that is what I have noticed just driving it to work twice now. I also have the Racing Dynamics carbon fiber rear strut brace that goes inside behind the rear seats. That also was a noticeable improvement in handling.

 

get the anti mushrooming plates, and the cabrio braces. those $30 worth of braces was the MOST noticeable improvement i have yet to feel as far as bracing goes on the mini. easy cheese to install, no modding to do so (mostly), and you cant beat the $30-35 price tag!

spend your other money on a LOWER strut brace, like OMP. also an actual noticeable handling difference.

 

+1 on the cabrio braces I did this two weeks ago, very cheap and easy to install, the OP has an 05 so he/she will have the holes for it but on earlier models you have to drill tap the holes.

 

The M7 strut plates use stock tower nuts that would leave very few turns left to tighten. This is where they're inferior to the beefier Cravenspeed system & the VIP design.

 

The best I've seen is the 1 pc AP+P strut bar that's customized to the Craven plates. Goes perfectly over the DDM CAI. This doesn't need insulation wetting to prevent hood bulge like the M7s do :