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I have an r53 (05 MCS) and the Orig Owner chose to go with standard Halogens unfortunately and also did not go with Headlight Washer Option. So, this brings me to my current hunt for HID/LED/Whatever gives me a sh** ton of light. I realize this is going to take $250-350 and i hope not above that.
If somebodoy is willing to help i have a couple questions
1) Which factory parts would fit? Only 05-06 Xenons? 2004 seems to be not projector housings which is a slight turn off. If im currently without Headlight washers, do i need to stay this way?
2) Any aftermarket recommendations?? looking for HID or LED Projectors. (Please no more links to $200 Halogen Projectors unless you think I should do them + HID Conversion Kit)
3) Excuse my lack of knowledge, but do you need a ballast with each halogen bulb? Im new to this headlamp world
I am going to try halogens first, like the Zika bulb and if that is not good enough, do the same as the above thread and get a HID kit.
Ecstuning has the lights and you can also find them on Ebay.
Power to ya. Ive tried the whiter and 'higher output' halogens with little to no luck. Thats why I'm desperate for some better light. With the summer around the corner, I'll be driving more and with a bit more zip
Hence I am going to go with the projector headlights. supposed to be better than stock halogens. Some have had good luck with the projectors with halogen bulbs, and some use the projector with HID or LED
Otherwise switching to the real xenons is really nice, but more expensive and needs to be coded for them. But if you do this you do NOT need to worry about the washers as you can leave them disconnected.
Otherwise switching to the real xenons is really nice, but more expensive and needs to be coded for them. But if you do this you do NOT need to worry about the washers as you can leave them disconnected.
Am I correct in saying that these are new Projector Housings with H7 Halogen bulbs?
I would then need a HID Conversion Kit to make them fit my needs. Have them in stock, WMW??
I have a pre-facelift MCS that had factory xenons and I wanted to go to projectors. I bought used facelift xenons at Allmag for $400 total with the ballasts. Then I dropped Hikari Cree LED bulbs in for the high beams. Kept the stock xenons at the low beam and still have headlight washers. I love LED lighting. HIDs are inefficient and require extra ballasts/wiring. No reason to get an HID kit in this day and age.
My dad has an R50 that the headlight housings were getting very hazy and yellow on. I bought him Helix headlights that are made to copy the facelift xenon projector housings but accept regular H7 bulbs in the low beam. I think this the best option for you. You get the projectors, but don’t have to mess with expensive xenon bulbs and the housings don’t come with the cutout for the headlight washers you don’t have. Then I would put LEDs in for the high/low beam and you’ll have some great lighting.
I have a pre-facelift MCS that had factory xenons and I wanted to go to projectors. I bought used facelift xenons at Allmag for $400 total with the ballasts. Then I dropped Hikari Cree LED bulbs in for the high beams. Kept the stock xenons at the low beam and still have headlight washers. I love LED lighting. HIDs are inefficient and require extra ballasts/wiring. No reason to get an HID kit in this day and age.
My dad has an R50 that the headlight housings were getting very hazy and yellow on. I bought him Helix headlights that are made to copy the facelift xenon projector housings but accept regular H7 bulbs in the low beam. I think this the best option for you. You get the projectors, but don’t have to mess with expensive xenon bulbs and the housings don’t come with the cutout for the headlight washers you don’t have. Then I would put LEDs in for the high/low beam and you’ll have some great lighting.
1) Buying the Helix (Halogen Projectors) is a decent option, but once buying I'd have to stick with halogens in the low beam position. In a Halogen Projector (which i learned is a different bowl shape and build than an HID) an LED in this projector would give me good light but only short range and doesnt have good down-road lighting. Requirement when driving your MCS at "proper" speeds.
2) I might just have to bite the annoying bullet and find someone parting out a 2005+ MINI with factory Xenon setup. Dreading it but it seems like there's no solid way of making reliable , long range bright light without it.
1) Buying the Helix (Halogen Projectors) is a decent option, but once buying I'd have to stick with halogens in the low beam position. In a Halogen Projector (which i learned is a different bowl shape and build than an HID) an LED in this projector would give me good light but only short range and doesnt have good down-road lighting. Requirement when driving your MCS at "proper" speeds.
2) I might just have to bite the annoying bullet and find someone parting out a 2005+ MINI with factory Xenon setup. Dreading it but it seems like there's no solid way of making reliable , long range bright light without it.
Opinions??
We used Ziza H7 “xenon look” bulbs in the R50 and they were actually brighter than my pre-facelift xenons. Where did you read that LEDs wouldn’t have good distance in projectors? That’s more of an issue for LEDs used in reflector housings, not projectors. Projectors focus LED light better than reflectors in most cases. For what it’s worth, I have LEDs in the the high beams (which are reflector housed) and they cast a clean, white-blue light at a great range. Far better than stock. Buying those Helix OE projectors and getting some good LED bulbs in both sockets will give you excellent, clean light output at a much lower cost than buying facelift OEM xenons. Those are $850 each new. Allmag has them for $400 a set, but those are used.
Hence I am going to go with the projector headlights. supposed to be better than stock halogens. Some have had good luck with the projectors with halogen bulbs, and some use the projector with HID or LED
My only concern is pricing.
Finding OEM Xenon's used might even be less expensive then OE Halogen Projectors + HID Kit
However cheaper solutions would be:
1) OE Halogen Projector + Upgraded Halogen or LED Bulbs in Low Beam
We used Ziza H7 “xenon look” bulbs in the R50 and they were actually brighter than my pre-facelift xenons. Where did you read that LEDs wouldn’t have good distance in projectors? That’s more of an issue for LEDs used in reflector housings, not projectors. Projectors focus LED light better than reflectors in most cases. For what it’s worth, I have LEDs in the the high beams (which are reflector housed) and they cast a clean, white-blue light at a great range. Far better than stock. Buying those Helix OE projectors and getting some good LED bulbs in both sockets will give you excellent, clean light output at a much lower cost than buying facelift OEM xenons. Those are $850 each new. Allmag has them for $400 a set, but those are used.
100% concerning this
I'm sorry I cant recall where I saw LED's not working well in projectors but their reasoning was due to how LED's emit their light in a different shape then halogens.
As of right now, I have two ideas in mind:
1) Finding OEM Xenons off a "Part-Out" post in the marketplace. Replacing bulbs with TheRetrofitSource bulbs (trusted friend recommendation) + LED's High Beams
Reasoning: Just something about OEM quality and theres a reason besides MINI name that they're $850 new per side
2) Buying the OE "Blacked out" or "Black Ring" Helix Halogen Projector Housing then doing a full LED swap.
Reasoning: Affordability is very much a priority here. Only hesitation is what I've heard about the heat sinks of LED headlights that get super hot.
I certainly understand that you want OEM quality. I buy my share of OEM parts when perhaps I don’t need to, but $1700 vs. $260 + bulbs? That’s just a no-brainer. The Helix units look OEM and I don’t doubt they will last as long as OEM. Honestly I wish could have bought Helix units for my car so I could get away from xenon, but I wanted to maintain my headlight washers and Helix doesn’t make a version with the cutouts for them.
I certainly understand that you want OEM quality. I buy my share of OEM parts when perhaps I don’t need to, but $1700 vs. $260 + bulbs? That’s just a no-brainer. The Helix units look OEM and I don’t doubt they will last as long as OEM. Honestly I wish could have bought Helix units for my car so I could get away from xenon, but I wanted to maintain my headlight washers and Helix doesn’t make a version with the cutouts for them.
100% concerning this
1) Finding OEM Xenons off a "Part-Out" post in the marketplace. Replacing bulbs with TheRetrofitSource bulbs (trusted friend recommendation) + LED's High Beams
Reasoning: Just something about OEM quality and theres a reason besides MINI name that they're $850 new per side
