I've been lurking around here for a few weeks during my search for a 2005-2006 MCS, a treasure trove of information and many thanks to the contributors, but I've run across something that has me stumped. I've seen two 2005 cars that don't have any backup lights. I know in 2005 the backup lights were supposed to have been moved from the bumper center into the tails, but these two cars don't have a backup light in either location. I went and looked at the craigslist car, and when I put it in reverse I couldn't see that anything happened with the taillight bulbs. Unless this was a hiccup in the transition from 04 to 05 models as these are both early production 05s, my suspicion is that the rear ends have been repaired, or at least the taillights have been replaced with the wrong part. Has anybody else seen this?

Here are links with images of the 2 cars.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Mini-Cooper-S-S-/141841301816?roken=cUgayN&soutkn=SHwO1MVIN: WMWRE33455TD92374 Production date: 2004-08-23

http://houston.craigslist.org/cto/5337404326.html
VIN: WMWRE33445TD94357 Production date: 2004-10-04

 

Something was replaced haha. 04's should have had the reverse light in the bottom of the bumper where is insert is above the exhaust.


that's very strange, or its an 05 with 04 tail lights cause they could have been foggy?

 

Looks like they have the earlier year R53 rear taillights here (image below). I have seen people do this conversion a lot.

 

They was conversions from post 7/2004 to pre 7/2004 right around the time the 2005 came out, some people prefered the older look hence they have the rear back up light where the fog light would be. You can swap them back as long as they did not cut up the wires.