OK 2005 Mini owners. Who opted for the $550 Xenon HID headlamps?
I would love to see a photo of them at night. Those of you who had a 2002-2004 Mini equipped with Xenon's and purchased a 2005 model with Xenon's, do you notice any illumination improvement? Please share...

2002-2004 HID Xenon headlamps

 

SOMEBODY must be willing to take a 2005 Mini front angle night photo with Xenon HID's blazing!

 

OK, here ya go! MiniDan
-----------------------------------
2005 MCS PW/B

 

When you turn off the main beam and just go to the middle position (parking lights) do the little dots around the main beam stay on? Must look really nice. Could you get a pic if it does?

 

That would look sweet.

 

The new xenons look great in person! AND MAN ARE THEY BRIGHT!


Clover

 

They are fairly bright, when compared to my 04 Acura TL and the 540i I had driven before, it is not as white and bright, but good enough. If rate by 10 is the max (too bright) of white and brightness, my TL and the 540i I driven is about 8 to 9, while the 05 MCS is about 7 to 8.

 

Here's a link to a picture I posted a few weeks ago on Roadfly for Normalizer.

http://forums1.roadfly.org/mini/foru...5736501-1.html

Chow!

Donna

 

Clover

 

When the driving lights are on, only the front lights in the bumper are illuminated, the headlights remain completely off. However, unlike I'd read elsewhere here, when the headlights are on and you are in high-beam mode, the Xenons stay on as well as the high-beams (which are not Xenon bulbs). Strangely, the front fog lights (all I have) can't be turned on unless the headlights are on, which seems counter-intuitive (to me) to the whole idea of heavy fog condition driving, but MINI may know better.

I have a 2005, and it's my first (and last?) MINI, so I can't compare the illumination with other Xenons I've ever had, because these are my very first. They provide good illumination. Good enough that I don't use my high-beams as much as I used to, but I still find I need to use high-beams at night when I'm on a dark country road with plenty of curves. On the highway, I don't really need anything more than the Xenons, when I'm outside the city, which is a change for me. (I used to have to turn them on and off ALL the time, which was tiring while driving.)

All in all though, if I had this to do again...I think I may have skipped the Xenons, just to save much needed money. But since I've got them, yeah, I'm happy with 'em, and glad I got 'em...if only for the "coolness" factor. (So far, I seem to be the only car in my area with '05 Xenons, so that's nifty, considering I only have an MC, not an MCS.)

Oh, sorry, no pics right now, but would just look the same as the above photos.

 

Sorry, but as an aside to the main xenons thread I really need to get this off my chest.........
Fog lights are meant to be used in extreme cases of low visibility (i.e. bad weather) in conjuction with low-beam headlights. They are NOT utility driving lights; they are not intended as an independent alternative to your (low-beam) headlights or as an alternative, or addition, to your daytime running lights and they are not meant to be used in combo with your headlights in normal day (or night-time) driving Sorry for the rant, but this is one of my real pet peeves.

P.S. BillyB, this isn't directed at you, it's a general comment to the motoring community at large (I'm sure most MINI drivers are educated enough to know this anyway ).

 

It's ok, gr8britwjh, no offense taken. I just noticed today, since I've never really used them before (and hardly expect to ever need to), that the fog lights will work with just the running lights on, without the headlights having to be on. I'm not sure that it matters much. My point was just that it's nice to be given (allowed) control of when to turn on and off these items (whatever they may be) as the driver sees fit, based on driving conditions, etc. Rather than being stuck with the manufacturer deciding that such things as heated mirrors (or whatever) will be on all the time (or off most of the time, or whatever, depending on the component), regardless of the outside weather conditions, or driving conditions, or any other factors that only the driver can best judge...compared to the vehicle's ability to "judge" such things.

Phew, sorry, I got a little long winded there, but I think my meaning is understood. I've heard a variety of view points on the whole fog lights issue (when and how to use them), and I'm still open to opinions on the subject. Though, what you have said sounds reasonable. That being said, I suspect there may be other circumstances in which it is proper (or at least OK) to just use fog lights without having the headlights on. What those circumstances might be, I don't know, but this is my first car with foglights, so maybe I'll find out one of these days.

Now, what were we talking about before? Oh, yeah, the Xenons. To speltzer, are you asking your question about 2005 Xenons because you don't have a 2005 yet, and are curious to know? Your picture there almost looks like a 2005 set of Xenons, but I can't quite tell. I didn't ever have an older model set of Xenons, so I can't compare relative brightness. Compared to other, standard (typical?) headlights on other vehicles, I guess you could say that the Xenons are brighter, but I see no reason for them to be much brighter than last year's model Xenon headlights, despite a change in the look of the things. After all, as I recall from reading prior posts on the subject, the bulb element is the same. (Right?) Ok, I could be wrong on that. (Please feel free to correct me if I am.)

I like the new Xenons, though I was very skeptical about them at first (I almost dropped 'em from my order). Most everyone I know, and some I don't know, say the headlights look great...if they say anything about the headlights at all, which most don't. I've not had any complaints about the Xenons being blindingly bright (which they are NOT), and no one has honked their horned, flashed their headlights, or otherwise indicated to me, as they drive by, that my headlights look like they are on high-beam. (Hmmm...maybe SOME people have, but I've just not noticed. If it has happened, it's not happened often, as I think I'd notice that.)

I don't know what more to say about these headlights. If you are planning to order a new MINI, and you can afford to get them, then get the Xenons. If you can't afford 'em, then don't get 'em, and you'll never care once you get your latest MINI. The standard MINI headlights still look real cool, and now have a REAL glass covering (not the old plastic), and they come as a no cost option! (Quite a darn good deal, if you ask me. :smile: ) Personally, if I'd had a bit more money to go with it, I would've gotten a leather upgrade, or just "pocketed" the headlight money...and not been so deeply in debt as I am now. (Sadly, not a joke, but funny nonetheless.)

 

Woops, sorry, some of my heated mirror and heated washer nozzle comments were meant for another thread about that particular subject. I have several posts on several threads, and I get them a little confused sometimes when I'm replying. I had not meant to draw things off subject...though it can be fun to do so, sometimes.

 

I think Xenons are a great safety feature; I use my dipped beams as day-time running lights. They are not blindingly bright in the daytime but they sure give your vehicle more of a presence on the road. I find people are less likely to pull out in front of you at inopportune moments; maybe they can assess your approaching speed more easily.

When I first used Xenons at night (at least those on my Audi, we won't have our MCS 'til next week) I found them a little disconcerting because of the almost perfect horizontal cut-off of light above a certain height; very strange until you get used to it.

 

Here's a shot of mine. ("Flame insurance notice" - besides the obvious aesthetic affect for the picture, the foglights are on due to very inclement weather)

 

So maybe I missed something? People don't like you using you're fog lights when driving at night? ****, I use mine all the time at night.. Helps a crap load

 

I am not sure if the new Xenons are brighter, but the ones on my 2003 are really bright and work great.

Must say though as I am thinking to trade in for a 2005 MCS, that I am not a big fan of the new Xenon look.

 

Ride on

 

Fog lights arent so bad as long as they are aimed correctly, the ones that get me are people with bright driving lights or those aftermarket bright lights aimed way to high for normal city driving. Its very distracting to oncoming traffic if not blinding at times.

I cant speak fo a lot of you since some of you do live in rural areas but in los angeles there is so much street light that headlights are more to let others see you coming that to actually light the road.

Another one that is extremly annoying are people who dont have enough sence to not drive in city traffic with their high beams on.

 

High-beams on modern cars are plenty bright enough for driving on unlit backroads in rural areas. If you need more, then the MINI driving lights (or similar), which work in tandem with your high beams, would work. That way when you dip your headlights for approaching vehicles, your driving lights are extinguished too.....both a coutesy and a safety feature

 

Wait, what is this "dipping" your headlights thing about?

 

Using you fog lites in tandem with your high or low beam lites will enhance your side vision. Fog lites are designed to be a very wide but short length patterned lite. They will light up the sides of the road and eliminate the "tunnel-vision" effect of the regular lites at night.

 

Night shot & Night Vision