Getting my MCS in about 2 weeks and I'm back and forth on getting the daytime running lights programmed. A question: When dusk comes, do you have to still "turn on your lights" or are the daytime running lights really your headlights (just on all of the time)? Any pros or cons about this feature to help me decide would be greatly appreciated. Thanks! NUMMYTIME

P.S. Any other programmable options you like? I was thinking about the "follow me home lights" also, but I'm be too paranoid to think I'd leave my lights on, or does that feature take care of that for you? Would rather have these things programmed right away (while it's free!), rather than return and have to pay for it later.

 

Here is why I don't like DRLs:

Reason #1:
I like to be able to flash my brights. Specifically for semi drivers who want to move over into my lane. I have had to do this at least twice to help semi drivers avert accidents with other drivers.

Now the MINI does have seperate low beams and high beams. however, I prefer to have the sharp contrast of: HIGH - OFF - HIGH - OFF - HIGH It's easier at a quick glance to see that versus, toggling the low and high or a high beam being flashed with the low beam.

Reason #2:
If I'm in a driving situation where my DRL's are truly helping other motorists see me better, I should have my driving lights on, not just the DRLs. That way, both the front AND rear of the car will be lit.


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That's a good question about whether the DTRL (daytime running lights) are just the headlights on all of the time, or is some sort of light level sensor built in to brighten them automatically at dusk. The latter is the case on my other car (a Chrysler van). Still though, I've opted to NOT have the DTRL enabled (on both of my cars, the MINI and the van). Normally, I'm all for safety features, but I have to say that I had DTRL enabled on a Volvo a couple of years ago, and it ended up burning through headlight bulbs at a rapid pace. This stopped when I disabled DTRL. I'm sure that Xenon bulbs are wicked expensive...so I have no need to experiment with bulb life by leaving them on all of the time.

 

>> I'm sure that Xenon bulbs are wicked expensive...

The DRL used the high-beam bulb, but runs it at a lower power so it's
not too bright. (I read it on the internet, so you KNOW it's true)

Your xenons are safe.

 

I'm all for DRLs. I turn on my headlights when I'm highway driving any way because I read somewhere its proven to be much safer. Plus, 'cause the MINI is smaller than most vehicles on the road, the DRLs give us a better opportunity to be seen. I think replacing the bulbs at quicker intervals is worth the extra safety factor.

 

I have the DRL programed - I want all the protection I can have while out on the road and lights that say "I'm here!" is the easiest protection.
The DRL's do use the high beam bulb at 50% reduction so they shouldn't effect bulb life to a great degree. These are not the Xeon bulbs.
The contrast between flashing the Xeon and the DRL's is enough to let big-rig drivers know when to pull back into a lane (I work for a trucking company).

The only other option I would suggest is the "open all" when holding down the lock open button. Normally this would only open the boot but it never worked correctly on my car. I had it reprogrammed to open the driver and passenger window and the sunroof.

 

DRL facts
(I have the DRLs programmed right now):

1) DRLs are high beams on 1/2 brightness.

2) No other lights are on (position or rear lights), neither do dash or instrument lights come on.

3) At night, you will have to manually turn on running lights, or you will have no side marker or rear running lights, and no dash or instrument lights. There is no sensor that does this for you.

4) You can still use high beam flashing with DRLs, but as DiD pointed out, rather than flashing ON - OFF - ON - OFF you will be flashing semibright - bright - semibright - ...

5) You can however have more than just hi-beams on 1/2 for increased visibility during the day with DRLs: turn the light switch to position 1 (parking lights): you will then have DRL 1/2 bright hi-beams, and side markers and rear position lights.

6) In MINI's the DRLS are OFF as long as hand brake is ON, DRLs come ON as soon as hand brake is released. This means that if you are at traffic light on hill and use handbrake for starting, you are 'flashing' the DRLs at the car in front of you, and some folks don't like that.

7) One possible big issue with DRLs not many people are aware of:
With DRLs you CANNOT use fog lights without lo-beams!
Theoretically, fog lights are best used with only position lights and without lo-beams (and certainly without high beams), that is when it is truly foggy - this would be with the light switch in position 1. This is because lo-beams are higher and will reflect more of the light from the fog back at you, blinding you. The idea with fog lights is to mount them low so they illuminate the road more directly right in front of the car with less blinding.
In the MINI with DRL, when you are parked and have the light switch in position 1 and turn on the fog lights, you have only parking lights and fog lights, as should be. Then, when you release the parking brake, the DRLs come on and the fog lights go off. The only way the fogs will stay on is with the light switch in position 2 = lo beams.

I wish MINI would change this so that DRLs stay off and fog lights could stay on if selected, with light switch in position 1.

Hope this helps,
Markus

 

My MCS originally came with DRLs disabled, but I had them activated. On my daily highway commute, I found that they make the MINI much more visible in traffic - especially to those who are merging onto the highway while talking on the phone and reading the paper... Seems to me that I've been cut off less once the DRLs were activated (they also allow me to move the car around in the driveway at night without turning on the Xenons)...

-noam

 

MG-BGT - very nice synopsis and gives me something to ponder as I waith the next 2 weeks for delivery. One other thought. Some insurance companies give a discount if you use DRL. I know mine does.

 

One of the first things I had 'installed' on my MC was the DRL feature. Now some out there have actually derided this as a 'weenie' feature, i.e. 'Real Men don't have running lights'. [What a strange measure of masculinity]. Nevertheless [always wanted to use that word] I had the DRLs activated for safety and stupidity reasons. Safety; to be more easily seen. Stupidity; to be more easily seen by the endless series of moronic drivers [not just SUV clowns] who are seemingly lost in their own little world. While driving. They go through red lights, stop signs, across railroad tracks; we've all seen these people and have had near accidents [or actual accidents] with these fools. Hey, I've been slammed into by jerks walking on the street - in broad daylight - who say "Oh sorry, I didn't see you..." Might as well make yourself as visible as possible, because these boneheads will never fail to impress you with their stupidity.

 

I guess I am one of those 'emasculated' DRL drivers....
I do like them for safety reasons as well.
For visibility, they have 2 advantages over just turning on your night lights:
they are brighter than lo-beams, and they don't burn up your Xenons.
At first I disliked not being able to use the fogs w/o lo-beams and wanted to get the DRLs programmed off. Now I think I will keep them on. Occasionally, for even better visibility, I will set the light switch to 1 to have side markers and rear lights as well. I may decide to remove the foglights and turn the openings into brake cooling ducts, and then install driving lights that could double as fog lights, in the lower grille.
I also have the brake light mod, like that a lot!

 

>>MG-BGT - very nice synopsis and gives me something to ponder as I waith the next 2 weeks for delivery. One other thought. Some insurance companies give a discount if you use DRL. I know mine does.

Just tell them you enabled them. No problem. I prefer to turn on the lights myself in poor visibility/traffic situations. And run the fogs with the parking lights. More options, and you are in control, not Big Brother.

If you like DRL's, just turn on your lights and you have the bonus of the tailights running too. Don't worry about the bulbs...it will be many years before you burn them out!
:smile:

 

No DRL's for me. I'm smart enough to turn on my lights when it's getting dark or in rain. I get a DRL discount from my company of $4.50 every 6 months. I can afford the extra cost.

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I'll be getting my DRL's turned off (when my car finally gets here). Like all of the other dissenters...I'm smart enough to turn on the lights when I need them. I figure DRL's will only be effective in this country until everyone gets used to seeing them. Freight trains have DRL's too and people get hit by them all the time. DRL's are a good idea on motorcycles which is another reason I don't like them on cars (I ride too).

 

I like havingmy lights on almost all the time, and so make turning them on a part of my ritual along with putting on my seatbelt.

I also like the idea of being able to black out the car at night if necessary, and DRL's kinda make it hard to sneak around in dark alleys (not that I spend much time stalking dark alleys)

 

Another vote for the DRL's. It does add an increased margin of safety by allowing your car to become more visible in traffic. I find them to be non-intrusive and work well. I do not undertsand the attitude of "Oh, I can turn on my own lights"...yeah whatever.

DRL's also came activated in my 2001 Chevy Impala and are great. Also my Chevy turns on/off the lights automatically for me....(I wish MINI had also a sentinel feature).

DRL's also work great when driving on congested and tight parking garage buildings.

 

The DRLs are enabled on my car. My insurance company offers a discount for cars with DRL. However, recent studies by the insurance industry has shown that DRLs are not only not preventing accidents, they may well be casuing some. It seems that other drivers focus on the DRLs and lose concentration on where they are headed; that split second of indecision may cause an avoidable accident. Fortunately, the accidents do not occur with the car that has the DRL, but some other unfortuanate sole on the road. So, with my insurance discount in hand and ME safe from other drivers, I'll keep mine activated.

 

My motoring assistant told me that the daytime running lights option is a one-way setting: Once you set it on, it can't be reversed. I suppose this is for insurance compliance.

 

>>Another vote for the DRL's. It does add an increased margin of safety by allowing your car to become more visible in traffic. I find them to be non-intrusive and work well. I do not undertsand the attitude of "Oh, I can turn on my own lights"...yeah whatever.

What can't you understand? That we can actually do it? It's right in the owners's manual. It's where I learned how to use the wipers, too. :smile:

Regardless,
Red

 

For me it's all about options. I had the DRLs on my last car disabled, and when I get my MCS I will have them disabled as well.

I think the important thing to remember is that driving with DRLs is safer in most situations, and I almost always drive with my lights on.

However, I still like to have the option to not blind my neighbors when I am parking my car or to be able to have the car running without any visible lights.

For the same reason that I don't like rain-sensing wipers, I like to have control over my driving experience. Call me crazy (I don't care).

 

>>For me it's all about options. I had the DRLs on my last car disabled, and when I get my MCS I will have them disabled as well.
>>
>>I think the important thing to remember is that driving with DRLs is safer in most situations, and I almost always drive with my lights on.
>>
>>However, I still like to have the option to not blind my neighbors when I am parking my car or to be able to have the car running without any visible lights.
>>
>>For the same reason that I don't like rain-sensing wipers, I like to have control over my driving experience. Call me crazy (I don't care).

Regards,
Red

 

>>My motoring assistant told me that the daytime running lights option is a one-way setting: Once you set it on, it can't be reversed. :smile: