Thanks for the info. I'm pretty good with DIY projects, so I think I'm gonna go ahead and order these and install them on my own.

For switch location I agree that if anyone has any info on where to get a toggle switch that matches the stockers, I would do that in a heart beat. It is kind of out of the way to reach down everytime to turn the lights off though, so maybe just getting the oem switch and panel would be the way to go, I don't know? Either that of just putting the supplied switch where the OEM one would go. -Levi-

 

I debated about my switch too. The OEM switch replaces the dash trim piece to the left of the steering wheel which is a handy place when driving. I looked at the connection of my lights to the OEM switch but decided I didn't want to get into all that. As it turns out by the time I snaked the supplied switch wire up the left hand side of the steering wheel it came out right there. It ended up in almost the same place.

 

Haha. I thought only me and my friends still brought up that reference!

 

YOu and I are probably the only ones...!

 

Yeah, I just looked, and the OEM switch is around $65. Not bad considering it's a clean installation and plug 'n play. This coupled with VIP's light kit's and I think it's a winning combo. -Levi-

 

Please share your source... I'd spend $65 not to have a gaping hole in my console (sounds like a great title for a country song...I am such a poet)

 

$52 at morristownmini.com listed as "switch for driving lights" under "exterior design" for the basic color line. Additional $45 if you have rooster red or such.

I'm probably going to just drill and dremmel my OEM trim piece myself.

 

Does anyone have a picture of the OEM switch installed?

 

Sorry no. I did have the whole piece in my hand and checked out the switch. Underneath it has a female connection that goes to the OEM wiring.

 

Guys/Girls, it appears that the some are referring to the OEM driving light switch location and some are referring to the OEM rear foglight switch location. The OEM driving light is a push button located to the left of the steering wheel while the OEM rear foglight switch is in the lowest center stack group of toggle switches.

I installed both the OEM driving lights and OEM rear foglights myself. I will say that those of you thinking of installing an aftermarket switch in the location of the OEM rear foglight switch are in for a job. The switch for the rear foglight is already there just doesn't have the toggle attached so I don't see how another switch would fit without a lot of work.

 

Yeah, I was aware of both original locations for the rear fogs and driving lights, but ordered my mini without either. Oh well. I was just considering installing a factory (or lookalike) toggle in the original rear fog toggle location to arm the driving lights that I'll be installing, and then use the high/low beam dimmer like the factory driving lights utilize. However, I don't believe you can order the toggles by themselves, so I'll probably just order the dash button from morristown.

I'm not positive, but I think once you push the driving lights button on the left side of the dash, the lights are controlled via the high/ low beam and at the operators descretion. In other words, the driving lights become "armed", and then once you turn on your brights, they come on, and when you dim for oncoming cars, they turn off.

I should have just ordered the rear fogs, and then I could have disconnected them, added driving lights, and converted the toggle switch to the same style switch as that in the high/low arming button on the dash. That would be and ideal setup, and would look stealthy. On the other hand it is rather a large amount of work for something meanial.

For those that already have the fogs and don't want them, you could consider doing something like this.

 

Here's a good link to the R53's for a toggle switch driving light conversion. Now we just need someone to figure out how to do this for the R56's.

Linky: https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...ad.php?t=32593

 

In addition to that last post, here's a thread on installing a OEM toggle switch for the R56's. It doesn't show how to convert the switch to operate a set of driving lamps, but it's a logical step for someone who wants a factory looking switch.

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...d.php?t=125800

The Part Number for the Toggle switch is: 64 11 34 52 459
If you want a new cover too it is: 64 11 34 42 594

Now all we need is a way to convert the toggle switch to "arm" the driving lights like the OEM switch would. Then you could operate the driving lights through the high/low lever just like stock, but with a cool toggle. Anyone have some ideas on how to wire the back of the toggle to do this like the post for the R53 above?

 

In the R56 the toggles are just little plastic levers that actuate a pair of momentary pushbuttons soldered to a common breadboard. The same breadboard is common for all 5 switches. That breadboard is in a common housing with the breadboard for the entire HVAC control head unit. The HVAC breadboard has some computer chips on it that convert the signals from the momentary push buttons you hit (by moving the toggles or operating the HVAC controls) into CAN-BUS signals that go to a computer in the fuse box that then activates the required equipment based on those signals.

Since they used the same breadboard for all the cars, you can activate those pushbuttons if you have an extra of the plastic chrome toggles. Those push buttons won't actually do anything unless the signal gets converted to a CAN-BUS signal properly, which it *should* do, and the computer by the fuse box is programmed to recognize the signals as being from that switch and knows what to do with that signal. The heated windshield switch is the same way, it's all soldered to the breadboard, we just don't have the switch and out computer wouldn't know what to do with it.

Hopefully for the rear fog light guys the dealership can figure out how to re-program the computer to recognize that it now has fog lights. The only way you could get that signal to do something with the front fogs would be if you intercepted the wiring going back to the rear fogs and ran it instead to a relay of some sort then ran more wires from there to the driving lights. That's a lot of work to avoid cutting a hole and mounting a rocker switch in a $25 piece of colorline plastic.

That all said, the wiring diagram for the driving light install is available over here so you can see how it's supposed to be wired up to cycle with the high beams. All you need is the right type of switch.

 

Good news. i just reset a my OBC and all is good. Previously I had written that i could not access the control settings for my parking light / DRLs / turn singnal settings... I am totally set now.

So, I would urge you all to NOT go with the MINI driving lamps. They're overpriced as parts, overpriced for installation, and the usage reqires them to be used with your hi-beams. I much prefer the low-cost option that gives me complete control over them.

Lastly, regarding the toggle switches... could there have been a way to control the driving lamps with the same switch that controls the front fogs so that they'd go on in tandem?

 

Not qualified to answer your question, but I'm still drooling over your driving lights. Going to wait for warmer weather though since I don't have a garage.

 

Lets see some pics or the installed parts and lights!

 

Posted earlier in the thread. I would like to see pictures of switches.

 

Woops thanks! I tend to read the first couple posts and skip to the end!

 

So I called VIP to ask who the manufacturer was for their classic series lights on the red mini above, and they said they were made in Taiwan. I was hoping he was going to say Cibie, since they look almost identical to the Tango's, but I guess for the total price of $210 they couldn't be. So if anyone out there has a better inside scoop on the light output pattern from these VIP's, please share because for the price this is looking hard to beat.

I'm almost thinking the best thing to do would be to buy the factory wiring harness, buy some mounts from VIP, and buy some Cibie Tango's, and have a smokin' setup.

Out of curiosity, does anyone know how to build your own harness that would be suitable for driving lights?

 

Well, I just ordered the Hella's...I'll let you guys know how it goes. It may be a month or so though...

 

How was the install without the pre cut grill? Is it just a smiple trim to get the brakets to fit?

 

I didn;t do it myself, but it was evidently very, very easy. I've been pleased with the result and get compliments all the time on them. go for it!

 

Ended up getting the MINI kit and installing myself. The install was definitely alot more than most people would exspect. It was mostly a time consuming install moreso than anything else. Now that I've done it once, it would be a smooth sail doing it twice. When I get a chance I'll post pictures and try to do a install write up. -Levi-