One of my xenon headlights on my '03 is going pink and I'm having trouble seeing at night (could just be driver age) but I'm wondering if anyone has experience/recommendations on which bulbs to go with, and if there's anything brighter than OEM without doing a lot of work modifying the car.

 

Xenon bulbs get dimmer and change color over time. I don't have a specific bulb suggestion, but I recommend that you stay with a color close to the OEM bulb, which is 4300K. Lower numbers are more yellow and higher numbers are more white/blue. Higher number bulbs (over 5000K) that produce whiter light are marketed for styling and cosmetic reasons. However, because of sensitivity of the human eye to different colors, best night visibility is with light that is less blue and slightly yellow like the OEM 4300K.

 

Don't know the feasibility on your car, but consider an LED upgrade. The difference is literally night and day for me. I don't see nearly as well with the Xenons in the Countryman vs. the LED's in our other MINIs.

 

 

LEDs in a non LED MINI’s will blink because you have to turn off the silly bulb checks in BCM with the OEM coding software.

 

Thanks guys, I think I will give the morimoto bulbs a try.

 

Aren't the HID headlights on an '03 Mini reflector based? (not projector) If so, he would need these:
https://www.theretrofitsource.com/d2...to-xb-hid.html

Or these a for OEM replacements:
https://www.theretrofitsource.com/d2...ips-85712.html

 

 

Bought a cheap set off amazon. At $20 if they blow no great loss. Replacement time was 30 min as I pulled both headlights out to get the bulbs easier.