Is there a noticeable improvement with the Xenon headlamps over the base ones or aftermarket bulbs like Silverstars?

 

Yes there is.

 

Some of the best money spent buying a Mini.

 

Worth every penny to me. I had to adjust mine after delivery, but that was no biggie. I can see further, the light is easy on my eyes, and I don't get "flashed" hi-beams by on comming drivers.

 

After seeing the swath my xenons light up in front of the car, I'm never going back to bulbs. They make driving at night safer and more pleasant. Now every car I see with depressing yellowish headlights instead of piercing blue-white seems obselete. Xenon is money well spent.

 

Of course I haven't driven a Mini with/without xenons but they are the best headlights I've ever had by far. Some have wanted to adjust them upward, but that's probably no real smart if they are tested and are aimed correctly like mine are. You just have to get used to the fact the the "horizon" is very sharp ahead of you and you won't see anything above it like you can with lesser lights.

 

Mine were aimed too low from the factory, but they are worth every penny.

 

Haven't seen one in a MC, but on my friends Mercedes-Benz E500 (which was the first car I'd been in with non-halogen lighting), the difference was amazing.

Yeah, definitely tick that option off. You will not be disappointed.

 

Nothing beats Xenons plus driving lights. I had to take my minivan out through a wooded road the other evening and hated it because it was like using a candle. Big difference and I love it.

I also got the front and rear fogs which are awesome help on those foggy days. I've had a few around here and once the rears kept me from being rear-ended in a traffic jam.

 

Definitely worth it! Plus, the washers are just plain cool.

 

One of the best features of our xenon's are they are bi-xenon. That means the low and high beam are xenon! The xenons on the Mini is just as good as the OEM ones I had on my previous 330i.

 

My wife's MCS has them, my Miata has them. My daily driver Subaru Forester does not, I miss them. Again, worth every penny.

 

Definiately worth it.

I doubt I ever buy another car that doesn't have them.

 

To echo everyone else I love mine, proper xenon lights will always be better then the halogen ones that mimic the look.

 

Dont have them on my 07 MCS but I drove my dad's 535 this weekend. Wow. What a difference. Had I known I would have seriously considered them.

Downside: they were taken out of the MCS 08 Sports Pkg

Upside: they (+ Sport Susp + 17" wheels) are in the pkg on the Clubman. At $1500 the Sports Pkg on the Clubman is a steal. Now I am looking at a Clubman and will seriously consider that bonus pkg.

 

Absolutely worth it! I had to adjust mine up, but that's it.
My only beef with the bi-xenons is that you can't flash another car. 'Tis not good for the lights to be rapidly cycled. Of course, this isn't a problem if you already have the lights on, and there's no extra wear since it's a shutter system.

 

Our new MCSa is the first vehicle we have owned w/Xenon's and I will tell you that I have been seriously impressed and as others have said I would not want to get another vehicle w/o them included, matter of fact we ordered another vehicle and passed on an earlier build date just so we could get the Xenon's(plus a few other minor upgrades). Wonderful lighting system.

 

I ride with the xenon lights on all the time, so flashing them is not a problem, but maybe I'm dramatically shortening the lifespan. They're not cheap to replace since my road hazard plan covered headlights, but made an exception for the xenons.

 

A great option made even better with the Bi-Xenons on new models.

 

So flash your fogs.

...and yes, the Xenons are well worth the extra $$$. No comparison to SilverStars. The xenons are much, much better.

 

Xenons, together with LSD, DSC and rear Fogs are must have options for the MCS in my opinion.

 

When would you flash another car if it isn't dark enough to have your lights on?

To warn them of cops up ahead?

 

Kinda a "MINI wave" thing. Method of choice on divided highways, interstates, or those pesky tight turns that require both hands on the wheel.

 

highly recommaned item. Here is the echo. Worth every penny. Enjoy this technoloy now...not later.

 

As has been said more than enough times already, GET 'EM!
I can't even imagine purchasing a car without them now.