I just purchased a set of ion projector fog lights, and plan on adding a HID kit to them. What are your thoughs on this? Is it practical? I've always wanted more lighting! I feel that simply replacing a bulb cannot compare to actually getting a HID kit! Are there any possible complications? Let me know!

 

Show us a pic of the ion projector fog lights

 

What, exactly, are you talking about? PIAA yellow bulbs? Fake Xenon bulbs? I don't understand. I hate to say it but aftermarket HID kits are illegal in the US so please explain

 

Well from his post you can clearly see that he means a real HID kit as "replacing a blub cannot compare...". Man, you really love telling people that HID-Kits are illegal huh. They've been illegal for quite some time now and made a huge deal about it, I'm pretty sure that most if not all people contemplating adding one to their car know that their illegal and simply just don't care. Illegal = YES, dangerous = NO, likely to get a ticket = NO... In the foglights they are definitely not dangerous or annoying to oncoming traffic, as Driving Lights higher up or Headlights, then I see why you're worried about legality and safety.

P.S.: Yes I am planning on putting ILLEGAL AFTERMARKET HIDs rigged to Projectors that aren't even made for the MINI... hehe (I'll most likely be using the projectors found in the OEM fog lights for the Lexus IS300 if anyone cares to know...)

 

that i'd like to see...

 

and the quotes from daniel stern are being prepared as we speak...

 

Here they are. I shall post pictures this weekend of the non HID version!




I was debating if i should get the OEM Mini cooper foglights, but then I found out that they were not projector type lights. So i decided to give these lights a try! Worst case scenario, I bought the paypal warranty so I could return them if they are horrible. From the research that I did, these lights see like a decent quality product. Now I will use different bulbs and run a "illegal" HID kit on them. I doubt that Ill blind anyone with these since they will be pretty low. You can never have too much night in the canyons!

 

Those look nice! Question though, are you planning on mounting those in the factory fog light location? Or are you going to mount them elsewhere?

 

They look too big to me.. Have fun.. You will need to cut open the holes and then maybe they can work..

Only maybe 2/3 of that projector will stick throught the fog light hole//

 

Yea I was looking at that, they do look kinda big. I'm sure he's planning on mounting them elsewhere... I don't feel like walking outside to measure my car. So, any ideas to the size of the factory fog lights on the MCS?

 

Can't wait to see the result!

 

They look cool! Where did you find them?

 

you know what bulb size these lights run? they don't look bulb size that u can purchase for HID? or is it just me? haha

 

You could always rig it... When I do my fogs I'm going to try and rig my brothers old D2S HIDs to mine...

 

I don't think this is as easy as you think...the HID bulbs are very long...the core of the lighting element needs to be sitting at the exact point designed for this particular lamp's parabola...otherwise, you'll just be throwing light everywhere except where it's pointed...

 

Shhhhh It'll look cool, who care's about functionality ....

And for those who think you won't be stopped about lights being too blue, I know of at least 1 NAM member who was stopped and had the OEM headlamps inspected.

 

A Mini on fire at the side of the road would look cool too...as long as it's not mine

 

Same here and I'm not putting on a huge rear wing or spinners ethier.

 

I'm a bit confused...are they halogen projectors that you plan to place aftermarket HID into...or are they HID projectors that just didnt come with the bulbs?

 

The projectors posted by ruggedbert are halogen projectors and he's going to try and fit HIDs in them. There isn't a difference in the halogen projectors or HID projectors, at least I don't think. I know the Audi A4's come with projectors even for the non-HID package. And they use the same ones on their HID-equipped cars... Lexus IS owners use HID-conversion kits for their foglights which come with projectors stock.

MSFITOY brings up a good point about how far in the bulb goes and the effect of the lights. That's something to look in to. I may just end up buying a conversion kit if I use the IS projectors.. But for now I'll be rigging my bro's HIDs to my stock foglight housing...

P.S: I have several friends running anywhere from stock 4300K to 7000K HIDs on both standard HID-equipped cars and not, none have been pulled over. It just depends on the local cops, here in Miami, they have just a little bit more serious things to take care of.

 

That's not true, the non-xenon Audis come with HALOGEN projectors and the xenon Audis come with HID projectors....and surprisingly the halogen projectors are fitted with halogen bulbs

I'm sure the lexus owners do that....but it doesnt mean that they are in effect lessening the amount of light output by their bulbs....which is kinda silly if it costs so much. If you don't mind that you are losing light output, then the only reason for spending 300+ dollars on an HID kit MUST be colors.....and at that rate, why not spend $60 and just get colored halogen bulbs?

In his case...he will end up with very little effective light as the projector wasn't made to use the longer bulbs. I don't care if they are illegal, but he shouldn't expect to get much usable light from them. They will be dimmer than when they had the halogen bulbs in there....

 

It was the first time I had seen them on good ole Ebay! Here is the link:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/2002-...9296QQtcZphoto


They mount in the factory location, and use H3 bulbs. The kit comes with a set of normal colored lights and a set of blue lights, none of which are HID. I plan on swapping the bulbs for a HID kit. Hopefully itll work! My next task is to try and somehow get the lights to work with the toggle bank!

 

My brother put HIDs on his Audi with non-xenon projectors and they work just fine. Seems to be with correct pointing and gets a tremendous amount of light output. In essence, what exactly makes a halogen projecter so different from an HID projector? The if the light is coming from a source, the bulb, that is the same distance fromt he tip of the projector as intended, why would that be any different?

P.S.: This is a genuine and serious question, I would actually like to know so as to make sure my fogs are functional as well as look good...

 

I'm sure the headlights on your bro's car "work" but chances are if you did scientific measurements, he has less light output than with his halogens.

The essence is the source of the light, and the fact that certain projectors are designed based on where that source of light is concerning the bulb. There is no way around it....HID in a halogen-designed projector/reflector will be very inefficient. If you want the cool colors, just save yourself the time and money and just buy colored bulbs.

 

Hmm that clears up what I was wondering, thanks for the post. Only disagreement is your statement about the HID being "very inefficient" in a Halogen housing. Very inefficient would mean it doesn't provide enough light, which is a false statement as although it might not be as effective as an HID in a housing intended for HIDs, it still provides VERY useful light and probably more light than the Halogen bulb itself. To each their own.