They are easy to access but I don't see a release lever or anything. I don't want to break my housings.

 

Really just looking for someone who has done it (ahem Theta) to give me some instruction so that I do it right.

I got some mishimoto d1s bulbs and I am going to swap out the oem ones.

 

Owners manual

 

That would be helpful if this thread was about OEM halogen bulbs. Turns out it isn't. But it's a good thing you mentioon that. The manual provides no instructions for changing the OEM xenon bulbs, stating they should be serviced at your Mini dealer.

Turns out you just turn the D1S bulb counterclockwise. Then disconnect the wire.

 

what temp are your new bulbs? Is it brighter and bluer than stock?

 

I'll take some pics, but brightness doesn't always translate to images.

I would say that the color temperature is whitish-blue (6000k-ish). They seem brighter than the OEM bulbs, but it's hard to say. I had Phillips Ultinon 6000k bulbs on my 2008 GTI and boy those things were bright.

The bulbs I got were Mishimoto 6000k bulbs.