Xenon Lights
or
Heated Seats

If you are trying to budget and could choose one or the other which one do you go with?

 

One looks Cool / One feels Good - so, whats more important to YOU.... My wife would go for the "Feels Good" I would and did pass on both... You ask......

 

Personally I could live with halogens better than wifey's cold buns, but then again, if I wanted them both, I'd find a way to save the $300 for the seats somewhere else in the budget.

 

I agree with keeping the wife happy, however, She has had a Toyota Avalon for 12 years, leather with NO heated seats and believe me, she does not like cold... Ya, they may be a little cool in the first few min - but after that they warm up just fine... Now, with that said - she is in the process in getting a new Toyota Highlander and that comes with heated seats and she is excited.. To each his own is what the bottom line is - its only $$$ and life is short..

 

Both are top requirements for my next MINI.

But if I had to make that choice, I'd get the xenons. You can always buy a cheap 12v heating pad (I've seen them on ebay for about $15), but adding xenons after the fact is an expensive process.

 

While test driving with the wife, I puched her heated seat button when she wasn't looking. About a minute later she yelped out with a "my butt's getting warm!" before she realized what I had done. She's got a wonky back at the best of times (chiropractors are her friend), but after our test drive I'd have to say the heated seats are her most anticipated feature of the car.

For me it was a no-brainer. Happy wife = happy meal.

~Neal

 

Get both... really.

If you look at the $300 for the heated seats even on a 36 mo loan
what's it going to add maybe $10 mo?

You should get what you want especially if the difference is that small.

Soooooo? Have I rationalized it enough for you to get both?

 

i would go for the xenons, of its cold turn on the heater.

 

Actually, they are $500 each and both would add $1000 thats a lot of petrol.....

 

The truth is I live in a fairly warm climate so not sure how much I would use the heated seats. I have them now and NEVER use them but if going with the top down, well that may make a big difference in how desirable I find them, I don't know.... hmmm

I don't have a clue how much of a difference the xenon lights make? I have heard a huge difference but its kind of like I have been driving for 20 years without them and is that something that I REALLY need.... but then again it may be one of those things that once you have them you can't imagine how you ever lived without them.... kinda like high-speed internet ya know?

 

I would say xenon every time......you would enjoy the added light every night. When cold, you could dress for the weather and turn the heater on.

I have heated seats and live in a generally cold climate during the winter and i dont find myself using them that often.

 

Never had Xenons, so I can't comment on them. They look pretty cool, though. I've heard people say that after getting them, they'd never go back. Personally, I'm fine with the standard lights. They are a lot more illuminating than my previous vehicle, so I'm happy. The heated seats are the best I've ever felt. They feel sooooooo good. For me, they are a must.

 

Xenons.

I have never experienced cold seats in a car, even in snowy weather. Never understood the need for heated seats. Maybe in leather seats, but I don't care for those either.

 

xenons really do make a difference. i thought hid's were hype and just for looks until i got my car and it really is great. you see a lot better at night

butt warmers? like someone else said, just turn up the heater =P

 

I've got both and if you think about it, the xenons are gonna get used more than heated seats. The bun toasters are sweet but if it came down to 1 choice, xenons. Don't believe me? Take a ride in my car when I have the high beams (SilverStar H7's) on and watch the trees tremble in pain from the light.

 

How cold does it get in NC? If you ordered cloth seats then bun warmers will not be needed. Especially in southern states such as NC.

 

If you're getting a convertible heated seats are absolutely a mandatory option.

Having had a convertible with both, I enjoyed using the heated seats much more than the xenons. On my new car I have neither option but wish I had gone with the heated seats.


To sum it up in a few words... the xenons do make a noticeable difference in light output, but like you said, you've been driving fine without them for years, so whats the point?

Heated seats greatly increase the convertible season, by months. You won't regret getting them.

 

Those are 2 must haves for me. I'm sure there is something else you could leave off to save some bucks.

 

I would go with the xenons. My 1st MINI had them and I loved them, however, my 07 MCS doesn't have them and I miss them alot! I put sylvannia bulbs on my 07, but they don't come close to the xenons

 

Xenons w/o a doubt.

 

Id say the Xenon lights. I have Heated seats and rarely use them. (Then again I do live in CA) However, the Xenons look nice and give a really nice clean glow.

 

You have lived without Xenons up till now and have heated seats but don't use them? So why bother with either?

Personally, I got both, I've missed heated seats in the winter ever since I traded in that first BMW and I really like the brightness of the Xenons. Of course, I live in CT and it gets cold in the winter so I actually use the heated seats.

 

I have neither. Where I live Xenons are pointless...the halogens are beyond adequate. And, since I live in Texas and am warm-natured, the heated seats are pointless, too. Thing is you have to look at your own personal parameters and choose as best you can.

Some would say to get an option in case you might wish you had it later, but I'm a big fan of lightly-optioned MINIs so unless I have a very, very good reason for needing something, I skip it. I get a big kick of driving a MINI under $22K...that's part of the fun for me. A $30K MINI would give me no more pleasure than what I have...possibly less.

 

On my way home from work today every convertible I was had the top down. It was in the low 70's here today. We MAY get one snow a year, and many many days in December and January in the 60's and even 70's. Lows average about 40ish those 2 months I think? We do have a few days a year in the low 20's but that is not the norm.

I'm blind as a bat and don't drive at all at night if it is raining so I think that the xenon's might help me a little but I have heard so many convertible people talk about how they love their heated seats so I don't know....

Maybe I'll start a new thread with the options that people feel are MUST HAVES!

 

xenons... i prefer to see better. my **** can handle the cold for the few minutes it takes to warm up the seat from body temp.