I am about to submit my order for my new MCS and saw that it makes you remove the black headlamp housing if you want the adaptive headlights. Any ideas why?
I'm wondering if I should just do the regular clear headlights and black them out with a decal of some sort later so I can do the adaptive.
Any suggestions or reasons why or why not would be helpful.
Thanks,
Annette

 

I LOVE my blacked out headlights and they have gotten many favorable comments and let's face it... MINI owners love people looking at our MINIs. I have often wondered exactly how useful adaptive headlights are. I'm 47, have owned many cars none of which had them and have never had a problem. I don't feel that I am really missing out now... and I have car that looks pretty dang (self censoring) good.



I guess that it comes down to what you think is more important. I went for aesthetics. You could get the adaptives and the get an overlay or joey-mod.

 

While I can't help you on the black headlights I can recommend the adaptive headlights since I love them. I don't know if you could do a "joey mod" to achieve the effect you want. Just my 2 cents.

Cheers!

 

I seriously dont see the point of adaptive headlights. With xenon's you get a wide field of view anyway so im not sure what an extra 10 degrees left or right of you is really going to help. Especially with a car with such a short wheel base.

The black headlamps are self leveling though, this is because its required in Britain. I would go for aesthetics rather then a fancy motor that turns them left or right....just one more thing to go wrong (and it will, they are not very reliable on any car) Besides, thats extra money you could use to mod your Mini i also love the fact that the orange turn indicator is slightly smoked, they really are an awesome headlight housing

 

Ok, making me crazy. Love both MINIs, the black out looks awesome. Been without El Kabong for one week today and it seems like a lifetime.
On the factory blackout, is the housing and the cover black or is it just the housing or just the cover (not sure if it's glass or heavy plastic).
I did find this as an option. I'm wondering if it is better for resale to do plain clear and then add the film that you can remove if a buyer didn't want blacked out lamps. sigh.
http://www.lamin-x.com/Mini-Cooper-S...-p/mn008-1.htm

 

Ok, those pics decided it for me. I don't need the adaptive, never have before so there ya go .
On a good note, that site I found also sells blackout film kits for the rear lights so I can do that. Did either of you do that and do you have pics?
Is there an issue legally with blacking out tail lights? My other MINI had all white tail lights, but the bulbs showed the correct color with use so it was fine.

 

Here in NJ it is Highly Illegal to tint your headlights/tailights any shade and i imagine its the same in all 50 states due to visibility issues.

Personally i dont like tinted headlights/tailights because it looks cheap but thats JMO. The housing its self is black and the actual cover is clear on the OEM black headlights.

Good choice going black! you will love them! also, good luck at the dealer what are you ordering? i saw your post on the heated seat forum and glad to hear you and your daughter were ok!

 

I'm ordering: '11 MCS Horizon Blue/Black roof, black wheels, black headlamps , Premium, Cold Weather, Sport, Convenience and Connected with NAV, Sports Suspension, Silver Bonnet Stripes and Black Jack Mirrors. I'm probably going to get a sunroof graphic done at the dragon.
My husband just ordered a CM in Cosmic Blue and we are thinking the lime green mirrors would be cool. Our business colors are navy and lime, so it will work as a business car when we get some magnets made.

 

I dont know the laws on tinting in all states, whether it is in regards to HL/TL or windows, but I do know NJ has some of the strictest laws regarding tinting. You can't even tint your windows in NJ according to the law atleast. In NY atleast they allow us 70% tint - what a joke that is. I have yet to have a problem with my 20% tints. Regarding the headlights, I agree, the blacked out look is too good to not get.

 

Hey Annette, I just read about your accident. I'm glad you and your daughter are okay. On a side note, jrzygal22 seems just a rude child who somehow seems to think "Jersey Shore" attitude is something to be proud of and not just... stupidity. People like that are to be pitied and then ignored. Wouldn't last more than a day in Savannah.

I kinda agree with 3pedalMINI about tint but with that said, I have thought about a darkish tint on my rear lights. I have tint film on my wheel well marker reflectors/lights and my side markers are smoked so it would follow the pattern. If I do, it will not be cheap stuff.

Please let us know what options you decide on and of course... Pics!

Jerry

 

Hmmm, seems my last paragraph was just a minute late.

Where's Milton?

 

3pedalMINI, what have you blacked out so far? How are you blacking out?

Please no one yell at me for going off topic!

 

NJ is ridiculous when it comes to tint, you can have your back windows as dark as you want but when it comes to your front two windows you cant have ANYTHING unless you have a prescription and even at that it can only be 70%. And its not like its one of those laws where the cops dont enforce it.....THEY DO, and heavily. It is all because a few years back there was a cop that was shot in Atlantic City as he walked up, because the A$$ho!e had his window's tinted, The cop couldn't see the gun. I can understand why there is a law, but why not make it federal....NJ is the only state to my knowledge that doesn't let you tint your front windows.

Im fixing this issue though, i have had one to many tickets because of my tinted windows (i LOVE them too much) and have moved my business over to Pennsylvania (where its legal) and am currently putting my cars that are tinted over there.....this is one minor reason amung others..but this helps NJ is really just not a friendly state, especially when it comes to business and people.

Yes it really is/was uncalled for. Unfortunately thats the attitude here and i HATE it. And its unfortunate that this jersey shore show ***** has come on because now everyone (mostly the girls/women) thinks its ok to act like snookie. Its uncalled for and just plain sad....My moms from the south and its a night and day difference. I sometimes am floored when someone holds a door open or you hear please and thank you etc. Its weird because living up here you NEVER get any common courtesy. I hate it.

well, i started with the windows. I am going to black out the beltline,door handles and side scuttles. I also want to do the rear 3rd brake light. On the clubman its a long strip of just clear and with the black roof/car it stands out like a sore thumb so that is the next thing i plan on doing. I have a couple other things ide like to black out too. I guess i cant really say im blacking it out because of the lime green accents. i might have my tail lights smoked ever so slightly just to cut down on the "red" a bit.

Hey Annette,
Did you get my PM?

 

Thanks guys. Yeah, I was kind of floored by jrzygal22's post and even more so when she just made an excuse for her post, like it's ok to behave that way because you are cold? As we say in the south "Bless her heart, poor little thing" LOL. But, then again, it's not much different than some of the crazy, belligerent rednecks you run into out in the sticks, so it's not like rude behavior is limited to any one region or culture.
Melangell, Milton is our new city name. Alpharetta was recently divided into 3 cities, Alpharetta, Milton and John's Creek. Northern Suburb of Atlanta.
3PedalMini, I got your PM and thought I'd responded, maybe I never hit send...Anyway, I've been looking at the green mirror caps and sent the link to my husband. He freaked at the price, but then started to get over it . We may just get a vinyl wrap done to the mirror caps when we figure out what the rest of the graphics are going to be. DH is now starting to like the idea of blacking some stuff out, too, but he likes the carbon fiber look we've seen on some sites.
Also saw some cool green LED lights for the side scuttle for DH's CM, hmmmm.
Annette

 

Must of had there rude behavior training from the folks up here in Jersey (i can say this because i live here lol) I know you can get rude people everywhere but after you spend a week down south and come back up to NJ you can do nothing but shake your head....

The cost of the mirror caps are high but you can sell the ones you take off as new on fleabay and recoup most of the cost back...i sold my black mirror caps for 129 so its not that bad, and the vinyl wrap will cost you at least the difference in price/what you get when you sell them....But the good thing about the vinyl wrap is you can always change it on the "fly"

 

Anyone on here know where to get the black headlamps just themselves? I want black ones for my 07

 

You can't tint the front windows in California either. From the CHP FAQ:

Can I put after-market tinting on the windows of my vehicle?
The main requirements for legal window tinting in California are:

The windshield and front driver's side and passenger's side windows cannot receive any aftermarket tinting.
If the rear window of a vehicle is tinted, the vehicle must have outside rearview mirrors on both sides.
The law prohibits any person from driving any motor vehicle with any object or material placed, displayed, installed, affixed, or applied upon the windshield or side or rear windows, with certain limited exceptions.

However, legislation signed into law effective January 1, 1999, exempts from the above prohibition specified clear, colorless, and transparent material that is installed, affixed, or applied to the front driver and passenger side windows for the specific purpose of reducing ultraviolet rays. If, as, or when this material becomes torn, bubbled or otherwise worn, it must be removed or replaced.

 

I know there are some threads here about people doing the black housing themselves. Search around, or maybe somebody has it saved and will post here.

 

Just search for Joey mod, but this was an easy decision for me. I went with the factory black housings with the clear turn signal lens option. This meant I couldn't get the adaptive feature, but I was fine with that. The blacked out headlights does require Xenons though so it's not a cheap option. I think it was like $750 total, but they look great and the Xenons work very well. Definitely worth the $$ in my opinion.

 

My new cm has both black surrounds and adaptive. My MA said config would not accept but the dealer could specify.