OK guys, this is my first post. I just bought a 2003 S that has a front hit. (I'll pick the car up Thursday.) Without seeing the headlights is there a noticeable difference between the standard (Cooper) headlights and the Xenon ones? I need a left light.

Thanks,

Mike

 

i haven't seen a cooper without xenon, but i would assume so, one looks orange and dull, the other is bright blue..

 

My '04 MCS has 'em as does my '04 ACURA TL. After driving either car I feel like I'm driving with my lights off in my other cars with out them. And they don't seem to bother oncoming traffic either. Get 'em you'll be glad you did...........mgg

 

When you look at a MINI with Xenons it is a white blue bright light coming from the upper half of the headlight unit. When you have the daylight running lights on it is more yellow and comes from the lower half of the headlight. Highlights are bright yellow and from the lower half of the headlight.

You just have to figure out which lights you want and if you are missing one xenon then buy one to replace the broken one or if you want the standard lights then go for that. The Xenons are expensive.

 

The xenons also have a ballast. They are also visually different as the xenons have an light washing device on that pops out (a small ovalchrome piece) and is connected to the windshield spray switch (it only works when the lights are on, tho).

If you don't have xenon lights they may be rather costly to try and install (if its possible).

 

There was a guy on www.craigslist.net that had a complete set of xenon for $200.00 for sale a couple of weeks ago. I don't see the ad for it now.

 

Thanks guys. I knew there was a difference with the light on but I didn't know if looking at the lights (in daylight) if they looked the same or not. Used Xenon pring a preminum price.

Mike

 

It is a $500 option.:smile: I like it a lot and recommend it.

 

Another good thing about Xenon's is they should last the life of the car.
Charles

 

Sounds like you're trying to find out if you have Xenons or not.

If you do, you'll have a little crescent piece on the inside of each light (the pop-out washers).
Also, there's a small round piece on the outside that says 'Xenon'.
Both are dead giveaways.

You don't want to mix and match - find out which one you have and replace with its twin.

 

Another giveaway is the self leveling feature of the xenons. One you turn the lights on it will go up and then go down, and the lights will be blue and then turn into a bright white after a few minutes. The housing is probably different as well so look for the light cutoff. It's different then halogen lights.

 

It does have Xenons. The cheap light I got off ebay was a standard. So now I have one Right Xenon light and a Left Standard. Humm... Need to locate a Left Xenon (or a right standard). I'd rather put the Xenon back in. Dealer on the Xenon is $500.00.

Mike

 

I have standard Halogens headlights in both of my MNIs and they work great. Xenos are mostly useful in dark rural driving, but I see little benefit to them in city driving.


Xenon headlights have become the target of thieves in recent times. Xenons are being stolen on a daily basis from Nissans, Audis, Acuras, etc.

Thieves don't really care about the headlight housing itself, but the inner workings...Ballast, bulbs, etc that can be retrofitted to other cars.

Read this newsclip from last year:

http://abclocal.go.com/wabc/news/7on...eadlights.html

 

Not sure if it is true since I don't have my car yet, but I have read in the forums that the Xenon is only the low beam of the headlight. The high beam is a halogen. Is this true? If so, the notion that rural drivers would need them more makes no sense, since you use the high beams on deserted rural roads. I'll be moving to the Mini from a Land Rover Discovery, which is supposed to have really good headlights, so I do not want to take a step down.

 

Joe, it is all personal opinion but take it for what is worth.

One aspect that I really dislike about Xenons is their popular appeal with thieves. Although I have yet to read about stolen Xenons from anyone in a MINI, I guess it will be a matter of time before these thugs figure out a way to yank them out.

 

Yes you are correct. The high beam portion of the MINI Xenon light assembly is a regular Halogen bulb.

 

Think about what you said?????? That why you don't like Zenons,even if it is an "apect".

I understand you now...

 

:smile: jk

 

In some cars, the housing is necessary because of the pattern of light that the xenon gives out. At least to make the xenon luminate correctly. I don't know about the mini but I know from researching hids for a non hid lexus. You can use them in the existing housing but the light pattern will be incorrect because of the reflector.

FAQ on HIDS

http://www.intellexual.net/hid.html#hid


Toureg owners are concerned as well.

http://forums.clubtouareg.com/ftopic802.html

 

I've owned a "New Beetle" since 1998 and the halogen with a good light housing reflector is sooo much better than... Hummm... a Ford or GM halogen light.

Since I have a ballast I going to compare the standard against the other, might end up with two different housing and still have Xenon lights. (Yuck, only one self leveling).

Mike

 

I cracked open the bonnet this morning and it looks like it the headlights will need to be unbolted before then can be removed. So unless the thieves want to break into the car and then pop up the hood mini owners should be safe. From what I have read the cars with xenons stolen aren't taken in that fashion but are wedged out of the car. Nissan Maximas seem to be the worst in this respect. And that most of the thiefs are concentrated in the Northwest so far. I think it's safe for mini owners to sleep at night know their headlights are safe.

Opps, I meant Northeast...sorry to scare the OR/WA folks!

 

Around here (Las Vegas area) the headlight theives seem to be after the Nissans, high end Honda Accords and ACURA TL's since some of those units retro into older Hondas and Nissans and that is where the demand and market is for "hot" headlamps. Unfortunately to add insult to injury they usually make a mess out of the sheet metal getting the lights out, so in addition to needing new light assemblies ($$$) you usually end up needing a good deal of body work as well. Not sure that the MINI units would fit anything else but a MINI, but it might be worth the research to see what kind of a target our cars may be............................mgg

 

Someone posted some pics of Lexus LS400 xenon assemblies he retrofited to his honda civic. Looked like pretty good install.

 

Where did you hear this??? I already had one replaced. They may last longer than reg. headlights but reg. headlights are cheap and I can do it myself. These are expensive to replace!!!

That said though, I still love 'em. But if and when I replace my other one, I may change my mind.

 

I had to replace both of mine on my Lexus. They will not last a lifetime.

side note: Lexus decided to change the temp. spec of the bulbs during a model year. Therefore, one bulb burned a different color. Hopefully this won't happen on the MINI.