My 'Justa' is one year old, and for her birthday, I'd like to get her some new lights. I regret not getting the HID's (which I have on both my other cars), but I wanted to keep the price low on this car, so I went for zero options.
It looks like the factory 'Driving lights' are pretty expensive once you get the lights, brackets, and grill (I think around $500 or so?) plus installation. I'm willing to pay that if the lights make a big improvement and don't blind oncoming drivers. Can anyone who has these tell me if they think they are worth the money?
I don't really want to convert over to HID's due to the expense. What other options are out there besides the factory driving lights that are legal, and reasonable priced?
Thanks.

 

Driving lights definitely improve your lighting when the high beams are on. You can wire them with a separate inside switch or just use a relay so they are on anytime the high beams are on. Their are lots of choices that are cheaper than the oem lights. I used Hella 500s for a while and then switched to stainless steel Wipacs (also available in black). The Wipacs are a little smaller but seem to give out the same amount of light. Take a look at this thread https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...led-wipac.html for more info. DIY installation is pretty easy if you're at all handy.

 

Thanks ammodave. Looked at that thread. Is it not legal to use these lights with the low-beams then? My lights are ok with the high beams, I was looking for better light with the low beams. What about the OEM fog lights? Any input on those?

 

Driving lights are not normally used in conjunction with the low beams due to the possibility of blinding oncoming drivers. (Probably illegal in most states) I also did a DIY install of oem fog lights and they help quite a bit when driving around my neighborhood at night. Or you could just install aftermarket fog lights (clear or amber) up above the bumper in the position normally occupied by driving lights.

 

Ok. thanks again. I guess fogs are my best choice. My experience with most fog lights is that they are good for some extra peripheral lighting and seeing the road lines a little clearer- especially in wet conditions, but not much help for seeing further or brighter. I was always under the impression that so called fog lights were really just normal lights, but their low mounting point is what makes them useful for low vis conditions- and also keeps them from reflecting back into your face in actual fog. Of course some manufacturers mount them right next to the regular headlights, but I always assumed they were at least aimed lower.

 

D Dog, nothing quite says Bozo like driving around in clear weather with fog lights on. Look at me! I've got fog lights! While they do provide ome fill in light near the front of the car they don't give you any range.

You have many options for lights on a MINI, including add-on HID driving lights. Try www.rallylights.com for a large selection of lights. The OEM MINI driving lights are one of the the most expensive ways to go, PIAA makes a similar set up for less or you can buy brackets and fit any light you'd like. Wiring is pretty simple as a lot of kits are pre-wired with the switch and relay: you hook up the power, the ground, and trigger. All you need is a test light.

Laws vary by state as to what is legal. In Virginia it is illegal to have driving lights on with high beams. Seems to me that's when you'd want them on the most. Worried about blinding people? When you go from high beam to low with the driving lights will turn off, too.

In Florida you can probably do whatever you want since inspection went away years ago.

 

Guess I'm a bozo.. The fog lights are a great help in a darker residential neighborhood. And light up the the road a bit better for me. I don't want driving lights on my clubman.

 

Thanks for the info. I don't think leaving the fogs on is a big deal- I've never seen any that were bright enough to be annoying, and actually I like when I see them; I can tell you're not a cop.

 

Another question: does anyone know how much a proper HID conversion costs: As in OEM assemblies, not those hazy blue things. 2K? 4K?

 

OK, call me a Bozo but if I need a little extra light, I turn on my fogs. The oem fogs only light up the area immediately in front of the car and on both sides of the road but they're handy for spotting driveways and turns on unlit residential streets. If Virginia really prohibits driving lights in conjunction with the high beams, when are you supposed to use your driving lights?

 

MINI has a retrofit xenon kit. They're less power than the factory ones (25w vs 35w), but that's the route I would choose.

 

Off-road.

 

I checked into this for VA when I installed 8" driving lights on my Suburban. If they are independently switched (not working in conjunction with high beams) they have to have covers on them, unless off road. Below is the VA code.

§ 46.2-1030. When lights to be lighted; number of lights to be lighted at any time; use of warning lights.

B. Not more than four lights used to provide general illumination ahead of the vehicle, including at least two headlights and any other combination of fog lights or other auxiliary lights approved by the Superintendent, shall be lighted at any time. However, this limitation shall not preclude the display of warning lights authorized in §§ 46.2-1020 through 46.2-1027, or other lights as may be authorized by the Superintendent.

 

Actually, nothing quite says Bozo like someone who doesn't know what they're talking about. Dashdog is correct, and fog lights by definition don't provide range, they provide lowered road-level lighting to the front and sides of the car.

I live in a very rural area, and I can't count the number of times that my fog lights illuminated a deer, raccoon, and other critters waiting at the side to run onto the road. The lower lumen intensity of OEM fogs provide additional lighting without blinding oncoming cars.

 

anyone found driving lights with LEDs?

 

Thanks, I'll look into it. I know that on a VW Golf, OEM HID's run something like $1500 per side, so I'm not hopeful that this will be an option that makes sense. This car will probably be turned into a dedicated track car in about four years, so I suppose I could resell them then, but it's still probably not realistic. If I didn't drive other cars with the HID's all the time, I probably wouldn't notice just how bad the standard headlights are.

 

Yeah, but they do blind oncoming drivers.

 

Ok, I'd agree that headlight sensitivity is a bit subjective, but I'm talking OEM fog lights, factory mounted maybe 10 inches off the ground, producing a diffuse lumen output far less than halogens, xenons, or HIDs. I've been blinded by oncoming high beams or driving lights usually mis-aimed, but never have been bothered (or had someone flash their high beams) by just having fog lights on.

 

Fog lights also have a different lens that throws a wider beam of light at the expense of shinning far out in front of the car.

 

You could always use the retrofit mounting kit, and get aftermarket ballasts and bulbs 35w or 55w. 55w IMO are too bright and really aggravate other drivers, but 35w is the normal intensity. As long as you don't get the slim ballasts, the aftermarket ballast fit in the factory mounting brackets which are beside the headlights.

 

keep in mind that the 6000k are the natural white, and provide the most visibility. any other intensity, and your bulbs will be different colors (blue, purple, green, yellow).

 

It's my opinion and you may not agree with it, but I'll continue to use fog lights for fog, rain, and snow. You can do whatever you want. My HID lights provide plenty of low beam light and I've never had the need to use fogs in clear weather. I live in a rural area, too and routinely dodge all kinds of critters.

The local shop explained the law to to me that you had to wire the driving lights to operate only with low beams. That doesn't make any since - a lot of laws don't - so I have mine wired up to operate only with high beams. When inspection time comes around I move the trigger wire.

 

It sounds like your shop is confusing driving lights with fog lights. I've had many cars that came from the factory with fog lights that only worked with low beams, and I was told that it was federal law. Maybe it changed because my last car that came with OEM fogs was not wired that way; the fogs would work regardless of low or high beams.
Thanks for all the input here, but it looks like I either have to pay up to convert to OEM HID's, or put up with my weak lights. I suppose I could drive a little slower at night too.
Happy Holidays to everyone.

 

I have the factory fog lights and they turn off when I turn on the high beams. The driving lights are suppose to only work in conjunction with the high beams.

 

Hi friends ...!
I have a different connection for both of lights , high beems light are only for conjunction and they automatically turn off when normal light is turned on .