Ive noticed on the Mini website that you can option clear tail lights. Has anyone opted for them? and if so what color do they light up. I think id get them im just not sure if they would look too pink.

 

IMHO, I think the clear tail light thing is very trashy regardless of car type. I would never put them on any car I own, especially my MINI.

(If you really want to know, personally I can't stand the Honda hoopdee's that run up and down the street with the fart mufflers clear lights and lame "R-Type" badges all over a base model Civic DX. It's not very MINI like of me, but that's beside the point)

I think most clear taillights give a cheaper look and detract from the overall impact of the car. Instead of appreciating the lines or body styling of the car, spectators may focus on the glaringly bright and silly looking taillights. If anything I prefer a more stealth-like low profile smoked out look when adding accessories. Many times, like your question notes, the red bulbs or foil in a clear light unit will fade to pink. I don't think anyone finds that attractive. With a DKGrey S, I'm inclined to think that the bright clear plastic and foil would pop too much... there is a big contrast there.

I suppose there could be an exception - such as adding a complete body kit from Hamann or something. With mods like that, maybe the clear would blend in and become part of the design... but just throwing in the clear tail lights isn't something I would do to my MCS, but it's your MINI, your personality and your choice.

If you're sold on them and you think they look good, then do it. If you're on the fence, wait for a few more opinions to roll in and decide which one suits you best.

 

Yes...clear tail lights can be too trashy. I have never been a fan of the áltezza' lights. They just look plain stupid. What i realy want is smoked lenses, or tail lights w/o the amber in them. oh well, i guess ill just have to wait a while to see what comes out.


and oh btw..i was thinking about puttin a 4 foot wing on the roof and dual coffee can mufflers out the back ....j/k (thinking about it makes me sick)

 

I have to agree that fully clear lenses are reserved for ricers.

However, I don't like the orange directionals. I prefer to make the directionals clear and leave the red brake lights. Anyone know if this is an option on the MINI?

It might have something to do with my obsession with blue and red.

 

Do not think they look trashy at all. Can't compare the MINI with a ricer boy car like the Civic which looks trashy even without clear rear lights They look awesome on a Pure Silver IMHO, don't go well with every colour though.

 

Forget the rice and keep it clean. Smoked out tail lights are much better than altezzas lights. Keep it euro, your car is euro and meant to stay euro, no wild kits, no motorcycle exhaust and no chrome rims please. If you gotta get rims, make them deep dish. If you want rice, get a civic.

I never understood why everone wanted to put altezzas on their car. Everyone's done it and it's most definately "played out." If you do it you'd only be a follower, your car might as well look like everyone else's and that can't be the reason you're buying a Cooper.

just my $0.02.

 

I've always hated the clear lights. It looks like the factory couldn't afford to put the dye in the plastic that day, so they figured that they'd just make the owner of the car buy colored bulbs... Stick with the standard...

Rocketboy_X

 

You are all just missing the point that here in the U.S. it is required to have red tail lights. Everywhere else they can put in clear lights. They make too many laws that don't ever get updated. I have seen some very nice Euro cars with factory clear lenses. Those ricers are all just trying to imitate real Euro racing anyway. I personally can't stand the lights they put in the U.S. fenders and how crappy is it that we can't have a full row of toggles because we don't have rear fog lamps. :evil:

 

To answer the original question:

There are three lights on each side. While the plastic looks white the bulbs are colored.
The top bulb is red and is normally turned off. It is the european rear fog light to give some light to help cars see you better in the fog of Europe. You can do a special paper clip or wire mod to activate this light by placing a jumper from wire #1 to wire #4. The middle bulb is the yellow or amber directional and emergency flasher bulb. The bottom bulb is the normal red rear light and brake light when the lights are switched on.

In normal mode the top bulb doesn't light up, the middle is amber on turns and the bottom red is on with lights on and gets brighter with the brakes. With jumpers on the top and bottom reds both turn on and only the bottom reds are brighter with brakes on. Hope this helps.

I have the clear tail lights and with my indy blue with white top I think it looks very nice and I am very happy with it. I have the third light white as well and added extra red reflectors to the bottom bumper edges in the cutout section- which makes the entire set up legal since a rear red reflector is a requirement in the US. Others have changed only the two tail lights to white and left the middle top light red. In my opinion with most set ups the regular red lights are quite nice as is and I changed them to be a bit less common plus I like them.

In the other cars that I see, most with clear tail lights will have a clear and silver look with visible red and amber bulbs showing but what I notice about the Mini's clear tail lights is that the total look is completely white and only when you hit the brakes or turn the lights on do you see the color- I think this is very nice.

 

Gotta agree with the last 2 posts!

The clears are genuine MINI accessories that are Euro spec. Does anyone have the clear side repeaters?.....Flashes amber when activated. Just like the tail lights...they appear white until on (red, not pink), turn (amber), and brake (red).

U.S. spec MINIs require red rear reflectors, thus, built in into the lens.

Opinions are subjective, but if you've been to Europe (birth place of the MINI), the clear tail lights would seem "normal"

Hang Loose!!!

 

On my MCS the side markers look white and turn yellow with the emergency blinkers only- this is stock.Nothing with just the lights on or with any turns.
I'm not sure what are the clear side repeaters- will have to look for them.

 

Side markers.....lights/reflectors on the wheel arches
Side repeaters....turn signals/flashers on side vent

Who knows....I might be confused???

 

OK
Side markers.....lights/reflectors on the wheel arches
Side repeaters....turn signals/flashers on side vent

I stated it wrong then. My side markers are not white.
On the MCS the Side repeaters come in white but look amber yellow only when the emergency flashers are turned on.
The side markers look red on the black plastic wheel arches when the lights are turned on.

 

Just wondering more about the clear lenses. We have a set on the way from Canada. Factory MINI lenses for $225 including shipping. Need to know if you have to splice the wires or if you just swap them out. Also need to know about the reflectors anyone have a pic they could send nyne@attbi.com or a pic of what they did to make them legal. Euro not rice!


Check out this one there are more pics page 235

Now that is out of control. It actually belongs to the Arizona Racing Association or something like that.

 

monkey,
No splicing required. Two clips and
a bolt hold the lenses and they then
unplug. Re. the red reflector, what I do
is have red reflective tape on the back
of the car. Seems to work.
2

 

I inquired about the clear tail light to my service advisor at my local MINI dealer. I also asked about the legal issues regarding them as well. They come with 2 rectangle reflectors that are placed into the rear bumper just before where the bumper has the beveled lip across, just before the end of the hatch. If you have the MINI accessory booklet, you'll be able to see them. I was quoated $725 (CDN, eh) for the whole deal including having the refelctors painted body color and fitted into the bumper.
I was hoping to see them installed on a dark silver MCS to see what they'd look like, but have not come across any pics of such. They do look a lot cleaner on some body colors, but looks a little too ricey on other colors. I was thinking along the lines of a smoked tail light as well, if the clear lights don't look all that great on dark silver.
Cheers,

 

The MINI clear lights in no way resemble the Altezza (and other) bling-bling on many Honda's. They don't cheese the car up at all, IMO. I am more of a purist (though I did change my grill from chrome to aero black, so I'm not a total purist) and I like the color contrast of the car's lights (amber, red). I don't want the clear look, but the MINI version is not comparible to the aluminum shock-shine stuff.

 

Does anyone know what kind of wheels are on that car? Wow, they are flashy!

 

I don't know why I forgot to look, but I could find out if you really were interested.

 

>>I don't know why I forgot to look, but I could find out if you really were interested.


Oh, yes I am interested. I picked up my baby today. Those shoes would look great on Indiana. He is indi blue. I have the clear tail lights on order at the dealership. I had quite a time explaining the fog light modification to the service adviser. When they install them I will post the results.