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Difference between factory optioned Xenon VS 25W retrofit kit?
I'm planning to retrofit Xenon, replacing poor halogen.
While searching, found there are 2 options. Factory optioned Xenon VS 25W retrofit kit.
Does anyone know what are the differences? Which would be easier to retrofit?
Mine is 2012 cooper S if that matters.
My guess, not having installed the retrofit kit, is that the retrofit kit would be easier, since its designed to replace factory halogen headlights.
Biggest difference between the retrofit kit and the factory xenon is output. The retrofit kit is 25w, while the factory kit is 35w. The factory kit will have higher output. The reason for the lower out of the retrofit kit is for European regulations. Any headlights with higher than 2000 lumens output required headlight washers. Adding the headlight washers to the retrofit kit would make them that much more expensive, so Mini dropped the output.
Interesting... Thanks for the explanation.
I can get a pair of the factory optioned xenon for $300 CAD, (roughly $230 USD), including ballast, bulb, etc... which I think it's good price, hence I was considering to retrofit.
But the retrofitting process doesn't look that easy tho...
+1 Yes its a bunch of work also and the headlights you have maybe used and cloudy on the lens, i would just get the 25w kit as it would have a new lens.
Interesting... Thanks for the explanation.
I can get a pair of the factory optioned xenon for $300 CAD, (roughly $230 USD), including ballast, bulb, etc... which I think it's good price, hence I was considering to retrofit.
But the retrofitting process doesn't look that easy tho...
I believe that even with coding... you would get error codes and warning lights .
Your car does not have the leveling sensors for the headlights nor the wiring harness installed for this.... this is one of the reasons the kit was made.
If it were as easy as buying the factory lights off a used car and installing them, even with coding.... there would be lots of these out there, and probably no 'kit' .
.
Last edited by mountainhorse; May 10, 2023 at 06:09 PM.
You will have to code with the retrofit kit, had one on my last R56.... It is a good looking kit... light output is not stellar.
I'm actually a fan of good halogen bulbs and lens polishing, and clear coat (mandatory).
Good new bulbs like the Sylvania Silverstar Ultra will give you a marked improvement in your lighting for low bux.... Note however that these and other 'better' bulbs have a slightly shorter life... but the cost factor is a huge plus vs a full HID conversion.
They are not "better" than performance of the factory H13 halogen headlights.
This "kit" runs a 25-watt HID bulb/balast ... which is noticeably dimmer than both the factory HID with 35-watt bulbs... or the factory halogen bulb...
Factory halogen equipped R56’s ... I got a better quality, DOT/SAE H13 bulb like the Sylvania Silverstar Ultras… light as well, or slightly better, than the HID 25w kits IMO
If the lenses on your Headlights are clear (easy to polish and protect if not).... and you have good bulbs in there that are aimed correctly.... you will have a great setup.... I don't recommend LED bulb replacements either... most have poor beam patterns... and really not ‘better’ ... and are costly
Most people buy this kit for the 'looks' ... not because of the lighting ability or lack thereof.
I have seen this HID kit equipped with the 35-watt Morimoto D5S bulb/ballast upgrade... but that cost is around $350 for the bulb/ballast assemblies for both sides. https://www.headlightrevolution.com/...S_2?quantity=1
There are cheaper 35w D5S bulbs out there... but they are just that ... cheap.
Are they cool looking ... sure.
Worth the money in terms of lighting.... Not in my opinion.
For looks, this kit is definitely an upgrade.
And…
If you invest in full 35w D5S assemblies… they will come close to the performance of the factory MINI 35w HID Xenons
My 2¢
Halogen:
Bi/Xenon darker retrofit ‘Titanium’
.
AND....
Originally Posted by mountainhorse
I can understand where people may see "greatly improved"
But I stick by my evaluation.... Side by side... both same year cars... Halogen vs this upgrade HID kit.
I found the beam pattern to be improved, especially in terms of crisp cutoff... but overall lighting down a dark mountain road with low beams... not so much "improvement" as detailed above.
The halogen high beams with with nice clear OEM housings and the DOT/SAE-legal upgraded capsules.... I found much more effective lighting than the upgrade HID kit on "high beam" .
Again... I am comparing fresh upgraded off the rack DOT-approved Silverstar Ultra halogen capsules in near new (clear, not fogged) OEM halogen light housings. .... and NOT 'tired' stock halogen capsules with fogged lenses. Many people upgrade to this kit after their stockers have some serious age on the capsules and fogged lenses... and I can see where a vast improvement would be seen.
This is my take...and only one of many valuable opinions out there.
Other vehicles that use the 25 watt D5S bulb, like Silverado pickups have many wanting better performance out of their lights.
A couple of big reasons that MINI went with a sub-industry-standard (for USA) 25 watt D5S...
-Easier integration
-Meets the Euro standards for headlights.
After seeing just how much better the 35watt Morimoto HID upgrades were in my friends Silverado... I'll be upgrading to them for next summer with other maint/upgrade items planned.
On the other hand.... the 2011 MCS with MINI-factory 35W HID's, and housings that are a little different... have MUCH better overall lighting performance than this kit, IMO, and/or the factory halogens in my opinion.... side by side. I wish that MINI offered an upgrade to the factory housings.... but understand that would probably have been a nightmare with install (levelers etc)
This IS a very nice quality kit with great projector looks though... the car does look better IMO with the kit.
ECS's price on this kit is PHENOMENAL!
I will probably be buying a spare set to have in case I loose one on my car from rock or other impact as they will not be available as spares in the future since this kit is being phased out. The kit in my R56... LOVE the looks and the beam cutoff ... looking forward to bringing the light output and performance to near that of the factory HID-projectors as installed by MINI with the same-as-factory-wattage (35w) modules.
25W Retrofit is the way to go. In order to put the factory 35w full fat xenon, you will need to add ride height sensors for the auto level lights, headlamp washer pump, lights, wiring. Its a pita. 25W xenon is just 8 bolts in total, plug it in and code it with whatever software you like, NCSexpert, or even bimmercode would do the trick. Did that long time ago and its not as bright as the 35w, but its miles better than the crappy h13 halogen. Dont even think about HID or LED bulbs on the existing halogen housing, there will be so much glare that you will look like an idiot.
I'm planning to retrofit Xenon, replacing poor halogen.
While searching, found there are 2 options. Factory optioned Xenon VS 25W retrofit kit.
Does anyone know what are the differences? Which would be easier to retrofit?
Mine is 2012 cooper S if that matters.
You will have to code with the retrofit kit, had one on my last R56.... It is a good looking kit... light output is not stellar.
I'm actually a fan of good halogen bulbs and lens polishing, and clear coat (mandatory).
Good new bulbs like the Sylvania Silverstar Ultra will give you a marked improvement in your lighting for low bux.... Note however that these and other 'better' bulbs have a slightly shorter life... but the cost factor is a huge plus vs a full HID conversion.
I'd put the good halogens, in a clear housing... on par with the MINI 25w conversion set.... but definitely not as good as the factory 35w units.
Nah, the factory halogens are junk, even with high quality bulbs. Lousy pattern. Tried that, gave up.
I got a set of aftermarket projectors that were much better with halogen bulbs. Eventually I did what I should’ve done in the first place and got the 25w retrofit kit: they’re plenty bright and work very well, IMO: best of the three options I tried. They did require coding on my 2012 (I used Bimmergeeks software)
Silverstar (or any bulb with a blue glass envelope) are not high quality bulbs, btw. They’re a bad idea and should be avoided. See here for a good analysis:
Nah, the factory halogens are junk, even with high quality bulbs. Lousy pattern. Tried that, gave up.
I got a set of aftermarket projectors that were much better with halogen bulbs. Eventually I did what I should’ve done in the first place and got the 25w retrofit kit: they’re plenty bright and work very well, IMO: best of the three options I tried. They did require coding on my 2012 (I used Bimmergeeks software)
Silverstar (or any bulb with a blue glass envelope) are not high quality bulbs, btw. They’re a bad idea and should be avoided. See here for a good analysis:
