Hi there,

I'm wondering if there are any opinions on this because the "official" accessories that are installed by the dealer come to $680.00 (Yeeeow!)

The thing I like about those lights is that they're "original" and will be wired in properly with a switch that matches the interior. (I hope?)

I won't be driving in any off-road competitions nor do I need to induce 3rd degree burns at 2000 yards.

Put simply, I want something that will offer better distant lighting.

Strong opinions welcome. :smile:

jayoung@mailbag.com if you wish to mail me.

Thankie!

"Drive it like you stole it."

 

I think the driving lights are not particularly useful on the street. I had fog lamps on the first Cooper I had and liked those and have thought about putting them on my S but air flow is real important to me. I think the setup on the S without the fogs cools the front brakes and I may add some vents to direct airflow on to the disc from the opening where the fog lights go. The head lights are pretty good on their own.


Florida Mini Owners

 

In a former life I Pro-rallied a Datsun 510 4dr and for lighting exclusively used Cibie products, Super Oscar's, mini [to coin a phrase] oscars and fogs. They were installed in the normal mannor, Super Oscars on the outside, mini-oscars in the middle and the fogs crossed to light the ditches. I had 100 watt bulbs in all of them, as well as 100 watters in the High beams and 65/100 in thr high-lows.

We had to run larger diameter wires to all units [12 ga solid] and Cibie relays to each unit. The switches were industrial quality single pole/single throw, I think by Alan Bradley [non automotive type hurky industrial units for motor controls]. The alternator was a marine unit as well as the battery, a deep charging unit.

Never had a bit of trouble with the lights, could see as well as a 747 on the runway, the only problem was with the driver whose reflexes weren't quite as fast as the car. Spent to much time sideways dodging things I should have been able to miss with that amount of wattage down the road.

My MCS [electric blue, white top/mirrors; aero group; mini spoke mags and 17" run-flats] suffers from the same tepit illumination syndrome as all others. I'm trying to elicit from BMW an answer if the wiring harness that is supposed to be installed for the factory fogs will handle 100w or not, but all they say is "talk to your service department, I'm not a technical person". Great!

As another option you could change the 55w low/highs for 100w highs and 55w lows that aftermarket bulb suppliers are listing [H-5's I think from Phillips?] They will fit the sockets, but again the wire size issue rears it's ugly head. I'm not sure that the size is compatable with the larger current draw. The old Datsun's wasnt, however my 1968/9 Mercury Capri was.

Anyway, good lights and the resultant visibility increase never hurt anyone, and anything you can do to make the road ahead more visible is a good thing.

littlebluecoop1