Xenon HID lamps last 3000 hours. A halogen will last anywhere between 300-600 hours where the brighter the halogen, the shorter the life. This is ~10 times as long and in most cases lasts the lifetime of the car notwithstanding accidents. Now if you flash your xenons from the off state like crazy, you'll need new igniters, but that sort of behavior is not typical usage.

 

Sounds like you want 'em.
It is better to have an not want, than want and not have.
The 6 week wait will end. From the sounds of your posts, the "What if I had waited" question will linger.

 

I started out wanting them because I thought that safety would be increased. It seems like maybe with the high beam xenons, I might get increased safety, but not as much as I thought.

Honestly, I'm now starting to want the Xenons also because I think they look cooler and I think the powerwasher is really sweet (I know, I know!).

Still undecided.

 

haha the powerwasher is damn cool but you run through fluid real quick with it and it makes a mess of your car if your car is already clean.

With that said it does sound like you want them so if you can wait another 6-8 weeks reorder the car. A car is a big purchase so don't second guess your decision
Mike

 

This cracks me up. Many people who ordered MINIs in the first 2 model years waited way longer than 12 weeks! I know a guy who waited 14 months after placing his order during the summer of 02.

If you're going to keep the car for years (like I do) then another 6 weeks is no big deal to get what you want. I'd rather wait the 6 extra weeks than be dissapointed in the car day after day for years...

But that's just me. I probably keep cars longer than most...

 

This decision would be easier if the Xenons had no disadvantage such as sharp cutoff and not being able to flash and so forth. I guess there's the issue of replacement cost too, but that's the price to be paid for premium headlights.

IS having Xenons better for resale value?

 

Like most options, they're a 'nice to have', but I can't see anyone (like me) paying $X more because the car has xenons. That, and equip the car to use, not to sell. My car was loaded to the gills, but my price was my price, so I got lots of goodies for less $.
FWIW, I've seen my power washers in action a grand total of once - because I wanted to see what they looked like. Then again, I'm in CA, and rarely use my washers.

 

Bottom line is if you like it and want them, then you should reorder.

I see people say they got this and that because they like it, not really because is needed. Like the example of someone who got the driving lights. Also, Other people get white turn signals, will that make your car safer? Don't know, but if you like the look of them, and that makes you happy, then get them. Same thing for the Xenons, if you like them get them. My next MINI will have the white turn signals, I didn't get them this time, but my next order will have them.

 

Some things are purely cosmetic, I felt like Xenons provided a lot of additional visibility/safety. However according to Daniel Stern Lighting, greater foreground illumination, at least as much as that of Xenons means that your visibility beyond the cutoff is worse due to greater pupil contraction. It makes sense, your eyes get more used to the well lit foreground so you can't see much beyond cutoff.

 

Coming from a MINI with Xenons, I opted out of them for my '07. Here's why:

1) Like Robin has already said, the cutoff is much too sharp and my eyes couldn't adjust to it. Raising them up is a very bad idea because it blinds oncoming motorists. I already get pissed off enough when I see a damn SUV with xenons blinding everybody on the road and I did not want to be "that guy."

2) Every time I used the power wash it ruined my detail job. I guess I'm too OCD for it, I like my car clean.


On the other hand, they look undeniably cool, but since I don't have to worry about the huge replacement cost, I'm now considering joey-modding my halogens (which I NEVER would have considered with xenons).

All in all, I have no regrets on not ordering them on this car. Its hard to get an unbiased opinion on this forum because most people have limited experience with, well, basically everything with these cars. If I were to reorder again today, I'd opt out of xenons again.

 

There's such a thing as too much research. Trust me, I know. I don't even want to think about how much the price of my MINI went up just from reading on NAM about all of the cool options.

You've done the test drive, and it sounds like you still like the Xenons better. So now ask yourself:

1) Do I like them $500 better?
2) Do I like them six more weeks of waiting better?
3) Can I reorder the car with them w/o taking any other sort of financial hit?
4) Am I going to be cursing myself some time in the future while driving down some dark road if I don't get them?

It sounds like you want them, it sounds like you don't care about the extra cost, and it sounds like you're willing to wait. I'm guessing your MA is hesistant because a) they personally don't see a huge difference and b) they now have to sell the other car to someone else.

 

Lots of hand wringing over these xenons Russr. Maybe when you see the car you ordered face to face you'll forget about it and drive 'er home and be happy. Of course with that famous grin on your face !
Most people agonize over one option or another. No one said it would be easy. Good Luck !

 

Yeah, you'd better hurry up and decide before the car gets there. There's no way you'll reorder if you could otherwise be driving it home.

 

That is exactly what I've been trying to say.

 

For better or for worse, I reordered with Xenons. Thanks to all you that helped me decide.

What pulled me in the end was
1)I found the Mini halogens to be worse (poor side illumination) than my Mazda6 .
2) The look of the Xenon headlight and its power washer grew on me to the point where I liked it more than the halogen.
3) Despite the higher cutoff, I think the range of the xenon low beam is still better than a halogen. I may find it harder to see beyond the cutoff now, but I'm not convinced that the halogen would be better.

 

So did Princeton let you re-order without losing any of your deposit?

 

Congrats! You should be commended on your patience, its 10 times what I've got, lol.

 

So what else did you order besides the Xenons?

 

Same! I love my xenons but can't imagine reordering just to get them. At the same time, however I was adamant about not purchasing a MINI without them so I can understand. Most important thing is for you to LOVE the MINI you purchase. Given your patience that should definitely be the case.
Just please tell me you changed something else in your revised order as well.

 

byhsu, my car is the same as yours except no comfort access, no 17" and MY/B.

The extra wait sucks, but I'd rather wait another 6 weeks than feel like I'm downgrading my headlights going from my mazda6 to the mini halogens.

 

Great choice, now all you need to do is decide which rims to upgrade to? If you are going with aftermarket rims. For a 2008 MCS, i would not have gotten the sport package, because I didn't want to get a sport suspension, since I am going to lower my car anyways. The 2007 sport package was worth it, because it was only $1400 and it included DSC, Xenon and 17" Crown spokes.

 

BTW guys, there was no financial hit from Princeton for reordering. I'm pretty sure my MA was disappointed...so maybe it affects him negatively? He told me that he wouldn't have any problem selling my first order though.

 

All's well then. Are you going down to take a peek at you first order when it comes in ?

 

The first order hit the port in NYC today :(.