Ok, so I'm usually not one to ask about a subjective opinion in making car choices, but my car is on its way over here and I did not spec the front driving lights / fog lights. But I'm thinking as this is a dealer installed accessory, I might have them add it. $510 seems kind of steep for fog lights considering you can get a set of Hella 550's for $75 and there are a few mounting options for the front, but I still dont know about covering the intercooler on the S with lights and mounts and thinking it may just be easier to have it all done and ready when I pick up the car. I'm not so hot on the idea of having them tied to the high beams though as I usually aim them down and drive with them on all the time.

Any thoughts on the matter?

 

I like ours and I like the oem switch on the left side of the steering wheel on the dash.
Yes they are linked to the high beams but only if you have them switched on which you must do everytime you start the car.

 

The Fog Lights on the lower bumper are not Driving Lights...unless you mean DRLs. The Driving Lights however are dealer installed, my Dealer Quoted me $950 for them to be installed...which I'm hoping to have done sometime down the road. Having the actual Fog Lights installed because you did not configure them is another story. I ordered mine so I won't be much help in $$...sorry.

 

No I am talking about the Driving Lights ($510) spec'd as accessories. The ones that sit on the top of the bumper. Outmotoring does sell the kit for $465 but then I have to install it. But of course, if I do that, I can wire them separately from the high beams.

 

Sorry, Outmotoring - $509.95

 

Ummm...$510....that price does not include mounting and if you install the OEM types yourself you'll still need to visit the dealer so he can program the car to accept them, and they usually charge a minimum of 1 hour working time for that.

 

If you ordered a CooperS I think the fog lights are standard. They are optional on a JustaCooper.

 

If I can remember right the OEM DRLs do not need programming. There are threads throughout the R56 area here on NAM about DRLs and installation. If you are going to do them yourself there are other brands than the OEM that look good and aren't as painful to install.

 

Ok, just for clarification, these are NOT the standard tiny little fogs in the bottom of the airdam. They are driving lights. Two bug eye looking things on TOP of the bumper.

I cant imagine that you'd need to program them as stated below. They are simply lights. They can be connected directly to the battery via fuses and relays. I should know as I have SIX driving lights on my Land Rover, all independent of the head lights and ignition.

 

My bad. if you're not utilizing the OEM lights and switches, I guess you can connect them to whereever you want and won't need programming. ...The OEM kit does need to have the car programmed.

And, yes, I am referring to the driving lights that are mounted on the grill.

 

Ah, ok. Good to know then. Thanks for the info. That should make my decision a bit easier.

 

Hey i am new to the site! While we are on the suject of fog lights, i was wondering if you dont get the front ones at all do they just leave the holes where they were going to be in the front bumber?? This is how it appears on the configurator... So just wondering.

 

My assumption is that there's probably a plastic "knock out" plugging the hole where the fog lights would have been mounted. After my car arrives, I'm going to check on ordering some fog lights from blinglights.com as they are supposed to fit right into the opening and not look like an aftermarket add on.

 

huh ok thanks. I think i will just order my car with the fog lights, cuz for me it would just be a hassle to add them on aftermarket.

 

I looked through that site and didn't find anything that would fit into the OEM area. The fogs on the 07+ share an area with the parking lights and are not a separate knockout. In fact the one image they have on their site says 02-07 PIAA driving lights (which are add-ons) but points to the areas in the bumpers where the 02-06 fogs went. I have PIAA lights and they don't fit in the bumper!
Everything they offer seem to be add-ons which are fine, but don't expect them to work where OEM fogs should go.

 

I have looked into this a bit but don't have them yet.

I am 99% sure you do not have to have them programmed.
If they do need to be programmed, add a couple hundred $$
not $100. They have a gouge fee on things like this, because
you can't get it done anywhere else.

I don't think there are popouts for the grill. You either have
to cut the one you have, or buy a new but precut grill.

If you're looking to save a little
www.morristownmini.com for the grill and brackets,
and
http://www.rallylights.com/
seems to be good.
Unless somebody can post up better.

I was thinking of the 7 inch ones
http://www.rallylights.com/hella/700FF.asp
with yellow bulbs wired up to come on as DRLs.

 

"I am 99% sure you do not have to have them programmed"

I can personally vouch for the need to program. My R53 needed it and mt R56 as well. Dealer only charged me $50. Deals (will) may vary.

 

The best thing about the factory driving lights, IMHO, is the fact that they are integrated into the high-beam switch.

I'm 99% sure that the R53 doesn't need to be reprogrammed when you add the lights but I'm also 90% sure that you will need to reprogram the R56 after adding them.

You shouldn't be running driving lights when you have oncoming traffic... they are aimed even worse than high-beams for blinding other drivers on the road. It's amazingly convenient to flip the stalk to turn off both your high beams and your driving lamps when you see someone coming towards you at night, instead of having to fumble for the high-beams and a remote switch to turn off the lamps... that's time better spent with your hands on the wheel and not distracted in a sharp turn by trying to find the driving lamp switch.

I almost never use my driving lamps in Dallas and the covers stay on... too much urban driving/traffic and I can never really use 'em. When I'm at MOTD, I almost always leave the covers off because it's easy to find a stretch of empty road at night and those turns sneak up on you in a hurry. I almost prefer driving the Dragon at night as you can see oncoming traffic before it comes around a blind turn by spotting their headlights in the trees.

 

for what it's worth, i was talking to the dealer in pittsburgh and he told me it was $510 for the parts and ~$300 for the install, making the cool lights a cool $800 option.

he also told me (in PA) that due to state laws, they are programed to only turn on with the highbeams. not sure what the laws are in other states...

 

I meant to say that I will be pointing the lights
lower than my low beams. I'm thinking between
the fog lights and the low beams. Wired up directly
to be used as DRL, with an override switch.

I don't actually (almost never) use my high beams.

Thanks for the info on the programming. There has been
a lot of confusion on whether they really need programming or not.