I'm about to buy an 08 MCS. Is there any cons to buying aftermarket HIDs?

 

There aren't any yet, and when there are they wont be as good as the factory units.

 

The factory option is only $500. You'll waste at least that much on a significantly lower quality aftermarket setup...and still not have headlight washers, correct optics for the HID bulb vs. halogen, auto-levelers, or the slick bi-xenon setup. Just add the factory Xenon's to your order and sleep well.

 

+1 to OEM HID

 

The issue with aftermarket HID's is that you have no proper housing to put them in if you just get the non-xenon headlights on the MINI. The halogen reflectors aren't the right shape to properly distribute the light from the aftermarket HID's so you end up with much less light output than even the stock halogen lights.

As ryephile said....the xenons (a bi-xenon setup) is only $500. An aftermarket kit found on ebay is $200-$300 probably, is only for the lowbeams, and won't work nearly as well.

 

Can you get a kit to switch from OEM halogen to HID?

 

You mean OEM halogen to OEM HID?

Yes, the dealers have a kit....but it's super expensive and the install is pretty intense due to the fact that it has leveling sensors on the suspension as well as its own computer setup behind the glovebox.

 

geez... wish I would've ordered it oem hid :(

Any Suggestions then if I do want to go HID route

 

Watch ebay for used OEM HID headlights. You could try installing them on your car without the leveling. Some people have had luck going that route.

 

yeah i kinda regret not ordering them on mine.

 

the aftermarket kits usually only last about a year or so at best, while the oem units are usually 3-4 years per set of bulbs, which are covered under warranty .. once you're out of warranty oem style bulbs through sources other then the dealer are $100-250/pair .. it's really pretty cheap if you figure that's less then any monthly payment and you won't have to pay for it until (for most people) the Mini's paid off.
I've done several aftermarket kits on previous cars and the oem setup is 100x better ! the bi-xenon highbeam is wicked bright & broad in scope.

 

Aftermarket kits will also blind on coming motorist due to not having the proper set up. You don't want to do that because you will be a safety hazard and you will attract attention from the law enforcement.

 

My '02 MCS is still on its original xenon bulbs, and it's now 6 years and 3 months old! They are just as amazing as when they were new. [knock on wood]

 

ARGH! I hate people who have poorly installed aftermarket HIDs... they do not light up the road well, they look terrible (but that's a subjective decision), and they blind the crap out of other drivers. I've driven in an aftermarket HID-equipped Toyota Tacoma and the light output was less than impressive.

Purchase the OEM. You will not be disappointed.

 

do.. not.. buy.. aftermarket HID's ...
they are dodgy at best...
Really, go with the OEM's, great value, no worries...

 

Check out HIDplanet.com and do some searching in their forums. A lot of informative threads over there. Aftermarket kits aren't street legal too....

 

They seem to work well on my Mazda3 but it has projector lenses even though it came with halogen bulbs. Cutoff is good, I don't get flashed.