I am trying to decide on spending $270.00 for OEM Mini lights or 70.00 on copies and buying mini lens caps for $10.00. My only question is will the stock ones come with a matching toggel switch to fit the blank in the middle of my toggles or can I wire it to the fog light switch

Has any one bought after market OEM's if so what comes in the kit? I hate to spend $25,000 on my EB Mini S just to cheap out on non OEM lamps ect. Your thoughts are welcomed as always.


Eric

 

I just bought some PIAA 540s for $204 shipped off of ebay. I have not had time to install them, but the consensus is that they rock.

 

I have the OEM lights (really like them) but the dealers do not connect them to a toggle in your bank of toggles. That was my expectation too, but that is not how they do it. (At least not two years ago when I got mine.) Instead, they add a switch by your left leg. So... I bought the lights and installed them myself. No switch, when I turn on my brights, my driving lights turn on also.

Godspeed.

 

I had same experience as Cooperbeagle last September (i.e. no toggle switch...just a push button switch below and left of the steering column), and I think that's still the way the are doing the OEM ones.

 

Go factory! :smile: The driving lights you can use PIAA540's and they look
just fine, but the lights that go under the turn signals....get factory ones.
The toggle sw even has a LED built-in which illuminates when lights are
turned on. Very cool.

 

Aftermarket lights are NICER than the OEM ones, and you have a lot of options as far as the exact light you want. I'm using the PIAA 540's and they are great. If you wanted to spend the same amount of money as the expensive OEM lights, PIAA has MINI-specific installation kits and awesome lights with chrome housings like the 520's.

Also, you can upgrade the wattage of the lightbulbs because the PIAA harness is made to handle higher wattage than the 55w bulbs that come with them. I am using 85watt PIAA x-treme white bulbs in mine.

 

Sweeeet. I'll have to look at adding those for my second pair.

 

I'd go for the PIAA's too. I'm partial because I have them also. The guy that installed mine took the extra time to wire them so I can turn them on anytime. I believe the factory ones turn on only with the high beams.

Plus if you're interested in fog lights (which have a wide angle to them as apposed to the driving lights which is narrow) then you can pick any which one you want.

There are many choices out there to make your MINI yours!

Have fun!



-Cyn

 

Hella offers a MINI specific kit using their FF200 driving lamp.
<www.hella.com/produktion/HellaPortal/WebSite/Internet_usa/>
These use a unique reflector design to get more light down the road.
The size is just right and the clear lens is neat looking too.

 

Ah, but upon inspection and use, you will find that, in fact, the OEM lights are the "cheap out" option, at least in terms of quality. I would recommend, like others have above, the PIAA 520 SMRs in chrome. I'm on my second Mini and my second pair of these beauties. They are the real deal. The OEM lights are... not.

 

Here you go...

520s on ebay

Price is right and I can recommend the seller. Please ignore the hideous stone guards (and discard them immediately).

 

I thought you guys were talking about the driving lights under the turn signals..but for the one that goes on the grill, get PIAA's for sure.

I installed these last weekend. :smile: cutting the aero grill was not
too fun.

 

I have a MS/S on order and want to get driving lights, and perhaps I am just an old dinosaur or something, but are these things PLASTIC? I looked at the Hella set made for the Mini and it says that they are "Chrome plated ABS," which is a fancy way to say PLASTIC.

Is the age past when you can get metal car parts? Are the stock Mini lights in a PLASTIC housing? Are the PIAA lights advertised on EBAY as "Chrome" really chrome-plated PLASTIC?

The last time I bought some Hella Driving and fog lights you could drive a truck over them they were so strong. The real glass lenses were thick and would not break. The chrome-plated metal housings were built like a tank. Are these things just gone?

 

I have the PIAA 540's and they have a metal backing with very thick glass. The only part that is plastic are the rock covers. I'm not sure about the factory ones. But I would imagine they are similar.

Congrats on your soon to be had MINI!



-Cyn

 

has anyone been successful with hooking up the driving lights for the grill with the driving lights below the blinkers? in other words, flip on the toggle for the under blinker lights and the grill ones come on too. That's how i'd want mine hooked up anyway, they wouldn't do me anygood hooked up to the high beams.

 

That would not be very hard. Just tap into the power of the fogs. You would just need to figure out which one is which

BTW, installed my 540s this afternoon, along with bonnet stripes. Wow, that kit is really nice. It is infinitely better than both my IPFs and KC Daylighters on the Jeeps.

 

Does anyone make a roof-mounted light bar yet?

 

My vote is the PIAA lights. Better quality than the factory, and they rock with the 85 watt bulb.

 

OEM driving light housings are indeed plastic. Both PIAA 540 and 520 have metal housings, but only the 520 is available in chrome. Also check out the Cibie Tango (40).

 

>>OEM driving light housings are indeed plastic<<

Well, mine aren't. I just tested with a magnet, and they are all metal.

Dogspeed.

 

Has anyone run into electrical problems with the PIAA lights and the MINI electrical system? I wanted to get the OEM lights for both financing and warranty, but the dealer installed price is $795. However, I have heard of people burning out their electronics with the wrong aftermarket light kit.

 

Sorry if this was bad information. The parts guy at my local dealer told me that the housings of the OEM lights are chromed plastic, as is much of the "chrome" on the Mini.

 

I've had no problems on 2 different sets/Minis. Wiring harness for the PIAAs creates a separate circuit with it's own relay and fuse. Hard to see how it could cause problems, but I'm far from an electrical expert.

 

As XAlfa mentioned, there is really nothing to the PIAA harness... The only
'encounter' you might get into is getting a shock from your 12v battery if
your hands and feet are wet when you unplug it.

 

Hey guys what about the mounts are the OEM ones easier to install since they are made for the Mini. Or are they just about the same?


Also where can I find that awsome black bonnet grill everyone is sporting.