Hey all,

I was just wondering if it's possible to add oem foglights DIY style and how much it would cost. On a side note, do they really add to the visibility? A lot of people I've heard write that they barely change your visibility. Would it be more worth it to add driving lights with the money I have?

I'm SO close to buying a mini, I'm just choosing! Anyone with an MCS with a sunroof for around 15k please let me know! (I know it's low, but it's a college student budget!)

Thanks in advance! Love the forum I can't wait to be a part of it!

 

The OEM fogs don't provide any additional visibility. In fog, they might extend a 6 foot visibility to 10 foot, but you won't be driving in pea soup like that. The OEM driving lamps add a whole bunch of visibility especially if you swap out the 55 w bulbs for 100w.

 

cool, thanks! and how much would a set of stock driving lights be? I would install myself, being a typical cheap college kid working on my car in the parking lot. alone.

 

There is a difference between fogs and driving lights, as I am sure you know. The OEM fogs are doing exactly what they are designed to do, drop a wide beam right in front of the car. Driving lights, of course, are an adjunct to the high beams, something you would never use in fog since the light would just be thrown back at you.

I agree though and added some Hella FF200s fogs because the OEM fogs are a bit anemic. You can always add fogs if your worried about fog. Driving lights if your worried about more light for your highs.

Best of Luck!

 

IMO, forget about OEM driving lights, not the best an expensive

Check out http://www.rallylights.com/

Some nice Hellas would be close to $100 for parts. PIAA is another options some MINI owners choose but are more money but not necessarily better.

Be sure you know if you want fogs or driving lights

 

Agreed, but the only option for those of us trying to stay OEM, and the shortcommings can be mitigated with the higher rated bulbs).

 

Oh yeah, if you want OEM you got no choice. 100w bulbs would give more light.

 

is the housing for the stock foglights able to handle the 100w bulbs without melting anything?
i was gettin ready to buy some yellow fogs. was gonna get the regular 55w but would the 80w be ok? im buyin it from supremepowerparts.com

 

Are you asking about the fogs or the driving lamps.
I've had the 100w bulbs in both for 18 months and checked out the housings a couple months ago on both when I had the front bumper skin off. No signs of over-heating on either the fogs or the driving lamps. They also don't require a change in fuses.

 

i meant the bottom fog lights that are located near the bottom of the front bumper.
so it is ok to have higher wattage? hrmm maybe ill get the 80w ones. i dont want anything to happen to my housings tho..

 

(better safe than sorry..i say..)

 

The fog lights add a great deal of peripheral illumination, --handy for avoiding deer if nothing else. The dealer can add them, not cheap, but they can add them and you can get a fully populated toggle panel out of the deal as well at no extra charge. Just need to ask for it. At least that's how they handled it at Baron Mini when I had them add mine.

 

Brighter bulbs may help a wee bit, but if the light itself isn't good putting in a higher wattage bulb only makes a brighter not very good light. I'd suggest buying decent lights to start with.Not the oem ones.

 

The cans will start to melt...don't ask me how I know...:impatient

The OEM fogs are useless and mounted too low...these small PIAAs works much better...

 

haha i guess the normal 55w is the one im going with. and i think i have some piaa fogs that are round almost like yours laying around somewhere. ima take a look see.

 

I have to disagree. I added oem fogs to my car and especially when driving in the rain at night they help to define the edge and center of the road better than the low beams alone can. And that's with xenon headlamps. I didn't expect much difference but I was pleasantly surprised the first time I used them. I'd like to add driving lights but I for the few times I want to see that far down the road I can't justify the cost

 

I have the OEM fogs and the OEM driving lights. I use the fogs way more than the driving lights, and paired with the Xenons they work really well to light up the road in front, and to the side of the car. If I had to do it again I would keep the fogs and nix the driving lights for something that would have cost less and worked better than OEM. MSFITOY has a nice looking set of lights (did that come out sounding weird)???

 

Hey, dont know where you are, but here is an MCS for less than what you were wanting to spend...
https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...d.php?t=107342

Looks like its got both driving lights and fogs lights too!!!

 

"She" has a GREAT set of HIGH BEAMS and proud of them...

 

LOL!!!

 

Did these "custom/home-made" fogs for about $15... They don't help at all with visibility, but they do work just almost the same as my dad's OEM's (in terms of brightness outside of the car). His are just a little brighter...



All bought through Home Depot. lol.. Installation at home, using the existing wires from the front reflectors.

Take care,
Leo.

 

I added both Hella driving lights and OEM fog lights. I hardly ever use either as I rarely drive CHEQQRS at night. That said, I love the way the driving lights with my checkered covers look on the car. When I have used them they are REALLY bright. Excellent for country roads. I purchased OEM fog lights (the ones way low on the front in the bumper area) and had them wired aftermarket. Both sets of lights were wired aftermarket to illuminated toggle switches placed where the heated seat switches are usually located, on either side of the mirror adjustment switch. It looks like the car was made that way. I was very suprized the first time I used the fog lights in a heavy rainstorm, they helped alot. I'm very glad to have both sets of extra lights.

 

Are you referring to the "angel eyes"?

 

Where'd you get the great looking tow eye from?

 

No, I was referring to the actual fogs; I've had the angel eyes for a while now, got them when they first came out...

Leo.