So here's my issue. I ordered my car (just-a-cooper) without front fog lights and without the xenon lights. I recently completed a joey-mod and now I am unhappy with the output that my lights are giving me. It's not horrible and I can definitely see using the Philips X-treme Power bulbs that I bought a couple of months back but I'd prefer to have some more light output. So now I'm wondering what my options are. What I am considering is:

1) buy the OEM fog lights assembly and wire it myself with a relay to turn on when my halogen headlights come on. Believe it or not there is no way for the dealership to program the ECU to know to when the front fog lights are on to display green symbol on dash and I don't have the 2nd switch on my center stack...it can only be done at the factory - regardless I can certainly wire my own switch or just tap off the headlights. I would prefer to not remove my front bumper and I think I can get to the OEM fog light assembly after removing both headlights in an R56. (anyone confirm that?)

2) buying aftermarket driving lights (or fog lights....not sure which would be better yet) and using them all the time with my headlights but ensuring that they are not pointed into other driver's faces.

If I choose to go this route I was considering Hella Black Magic lights and maybe mounting them with mounts from VipCustomParts above the bumper with part #415 like this:


The Hella Black Magic lights are huge (~8 in. diameter) and I don't think they would fit on the lower grill somewhere. The only other option I can see would be to buy the mounting kit from outmotoring and take off the bumper (which I'd really prefer not to do) and mount like this:


Another possibility would be to buy 4" round lights and attach them to the lower grill like BostonR56S did in this thread - Boston's are 6.375" so I'd go smaller so they would fit recessed into the lower grill

Then the look would be similar to this:


I'm throwing this out there to get ideas / suggestions from you! If you have any thoughts or anything I'm missing here please chime in. Hell chime in anyway with your opinions. Right now I'm leaning towards the top pic w/ the Hella Black Magic b/c they are blacked out like the rest of my car and easiest to install (not requiring the bumper to be removed).

Thanks in advance!

 

Can you post a picture of your joey mod?

 

I'd like to see that as well. I thought the halogens used the reflectors in the headlights -- making a joey mod unworkable. I could be mistaken, I have Xenons.

 

You can do a joey mod on a portion of the halogens. I had the same thought as you though which is why I asked to see a picture.

 

It's so hard to photograph the halogen joey-mod b/c it reflects right back at you. But the best shots I have are probably located here

oh and btw neither of you have any suggestions?

 

whew! I was afraid you had painted the reflectors.

Looks good!

Sorry, but I've always had xenons in my MINIs and don't have a suggestion for a new bulb. I've seen threads talking about different ones in the past but I didn't pay much attention to them though.

 

Yeah I'm actually looking for suggestions for an alternate light source whether it be driving light or fog lights or OEM fog lights?

 

Best bet would be better bulbs in the headlights since in many states the fog lights or driving lights could be illegal.

 

Here is a thread talking about exactly what you are looking for. Forgive me if it doesn't have the answer you are looking for. I didn't read it but it has a lot of replies.
https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...-h-lights.html

 

yeah I hear ya man - I already have the brightest possible halogens in there at the moment. - thanks for the help though!