Left the laptop open to www.miniusa.com and the wife found the "Build" link - shouldl have closed the laptop - lol... Anyway, she saw the Driving lamps and said "I like these" Ya, they look cool - then I saw the cost $510 - Ouch.. So, those of you that got them - would you do it again???

 

my wife opened my lap top and found MINI wallpapers and screen savers....obsession!

the driving lamps is something I am considering as a gift to myself at the end of the year. I di agree that they are a bit pricey so I am learn about any other options.

 

Pricey, but I got them instead of the sunroof

 

We have the MINI driving lights on both of our cars, and would get them again if we had to re-order the cars tomorrow. I know there are aftermarket lights available for less, but we personally prefer the MINI ones. But considering that there *are* aftermarket ones out there, you might want to look around a bit and see if there are any you like better.

 

I ordered mine at a discount from Classic Campus for my R53. It was alot cheaper to install myself. The car looks naked without them IMO.

I traded to my new R56 and just ordered a new set from the same place. I couldn't order them in all honesty, at that price from the dealer. At least this way its a little cheaper. Thank goodness I'm handy and have tools.

 

$510 sounds like a good price after hearing $725 to install them at my MINI dealership after delivery. I think most things are cheaper if you order them with the car done at the factory.

 

$510 in NOT installed..that's the price of parts...If they are installed at VPC you will get a "second sticker" for $725. charge

 

The drivings lights are *always* installed by the dealer (not the VPC), whether you order them with your car or not. But I agree - they seem to charge less for them if you order them with your car.

 

Holly Crap - I am working in the wrong place - I was having second thoughts at 510 = So, how has nice looking after market - I think I can insall them for that price... Heck, I have Duct tape and an ole coat hanger around somewhere..lol

 

NOT TRUE...I set it up for a frined of mine as a gift from his wife. Done at VPC ( I saw the car come off the truck) Negotiate price ws $550. w/ $725. second sticker.

 

NOT TRUE...I set it up for a friend of mine as a gift from his wife. Done at VPC ( I saw the car come off the truck) Negotiated price was $550. w/ $725. second sticker.

 

Unfortunately, at that time the VPC was short of driving lights parts and caused his car to get held up for 2 weeks.
He was getting a bit annoyed with MA so the surprise got ruined as MA had to explain the shipping delay...Good idea , bad execution....

 

Good to know - thanks for the correction. Both of ours were done at the dealer after the cars arrived.

 

I only found out because I went in to "cut a deal" for him because dealer originally wanted $900. I have a bit more "wiggle room" being on my second MINI and having "sold" a bunch of MINIs for them (2 besides mine in July alone)

 

In the MINI Configurator, the driving lights (+$510) are in step 5, MINI Motoring Accessories, which is the section that gives the disclaimer "prices DO NOT INCLUDE installation.....Actual prices may vary and depend on your MINI Dealer....[the prices are] estimated retail prices". This step is, from my understanding, all the items the dealer installs, esp. given the disclaimer and my personal knowledge of what the dealer had to install for me, which are all in this section. If driving lights are installed at the VPC as you claim, then why are they in this section?

Or, perhaps, the MA, knowing he needed these parts for the car, oops, forgot to get them ordered in time, and blamed the VPC instead?

For the price break on ordering with the car - the dealer might be inclined to give you that break at the time of order because the few dollars they knock off might just tip you into buying the car with them. If they let you drive away without accessories, chances are you're less likely to add them after the fact - sticker shock of the single dollar amount for the accessory rather than it being 'lost' in the overall cost of the car, or the inconvenience of giving up the car you now have had for a time, scheduling an appointment, etc. means you might not actually come back! It'd certainly put me off, having to get to the dealer, drop the car off, figure out how to get back home / to work, and then how to get back to pick the car up, etc. Wifey'd give me a hard time supporting that for, say, driving lights I dont need but want!

 

don't rely on the configurator- its often incomplete information. Talk to your MA---

I was there when his car was unloaded and the lights were on the car as was the second sticker. His price and freebies had also been negotiated in advance so any negotiation re: the lights were on a SOLD, DEPOSITED car).
He did not need to sweeten the deal or hold the sale. He did me a favor because I bring in business.

Its all about relationships. It was the MA that told me he could sell it to us cheaper IF they were installed at the VPC. All their dlr. installs are normally at shop labor rates which are much higher than VPC...

 

I got 'em.

I think the new shape of the MINI nose needs some type of driving light to break things up a bit. The face (grilles & front bumper) is too flat, otherwise.

They were a couple hundred bucks more than a quality Hella set (installed)... but the do say "MINI" on them (sarcasim). Also the newer brackets and grille set seems to be a little more solid than the older MINI lights, or aftermarkt sets I've seem. My friend is replacing bulbs al the time in his R53 w/lights due to vibration punishing the light.

Yeah, I'd still do it again.

 

Aren't driving lights used with the highbeams only? So they are mostly cosmetic, right?

 

Depending on how they're wired, they may or may not be interlocked to only work with the high beams, but in general, they're most useful for throwing a lot of light down dark roads with little or no oncoming traffic. I don't think they're any more "cosmetic" than the fog lights - like the fogs, they're useful under certain circumstances.

 

Did you ever seriously consider a sunroof? The reason that I ask is that it doesn't seem logical to choose between the two at the time of ordering if you really would like to have had a sunroof, but couldn't justify the cost of both. The driving lights can always be added later. The sunroof cannot. It sounds to me like a sunroof was not on your list of must haves in the first place. So to state that you got the lights instead of the sunroof does not sound like an accurate justification for the OP to go by. Just a viewpoint not meant to offend in any way.

 

Nope, I'm not a fan of sunroofs. The two aren't very related at all, but I wanted to spruce up the looks a bit, and since I know I didn't want a sunroof, I looked at the driving lights and wanted them (ESPECIALLY after seeing The Italian Job when it came out, as cheesy as that sounds). No offense taken, a lot of people think I'm strange for not wanting a sunroof in a "premium"esque car

 

Isn't part of the high price of the Mini lights the inclusion of a switch kit that matches the existing bank of toggles? I thought I remember seeing a price for the switch assembly of $125 by itself.

My plan is to look at the PIAA lights when they have a bracket available for the 07's. Or maybe even getting a set of dummy lights, and not even wiring them. The Xenons with high beams on through a pretty decent amount of light.

 

I believe the activation button is in the driver side knee roll, and not a toggle. There's a toggle slot that dealers reserve for the rear fogs (but nothing prevents you from using it on your own, if you don't have rear fogs).

 

I just had the Lights installed by Harrison's Motorsports.
They are very bright and very effective.
As configured by Mini, yes --- they only come on with the highbeams. There's a rocker switch above your left knee and you activate it. Then put on your highs. Boy howdy --- the night vanishes!
Here in the mountains around north GA, TN, & NC I'll plenty of opportunity to use them. The twisty roads are impossible without supplemental lighting.

 

The switch assembly and new dash panel weren't quite that expensive, only $80 or so for the one that matches the stock dash. The ones for the up-rated dashes are over $100 though. The grille with the holes cut and mounting brackets is another $130 kit as well, and the last piece you would need would be the light/wiring kit for @$230. All in all, it's not really a bad install, though getting the dash apart is *not* fun.

That all said, I do have the grille, brackets, and dash switch and panel for sale in the classifieds for $150 shipped in the US if you wanted to low-buck the install. You could use the little adapter fittings I used, get the correct plug for the switch from the dealership, and mount your aftermarket lights (like I did), or you could go get the factory light/wiring kit and finish it up that way.

I know it's a shameless plug, but I'm wanting to go with the quad-light set-up myself, so nearly nothing of those parts does me any good, and I'd like to recoup some $. Guy's got to give it a shot, right?