The 09 MC (Non-S) use an H8 bulb for the fog lamps, but they are not the tradition right angle socket bulbs. Mini makes a special "tube" socket connector, and i was looking to replace the fog lamp bulbs to from stock to a 2500K-ish yellow one. I noticed that the bulb can be removed from the socket, but don't know if that's the same H8 bulb (it looks different from standard H8 bulbs) or if I can jam something else into the tube socket without having any computer issues.

The bulb on the left is the 09 Mini Cooper (Non-S) "H8" bulb and the one on the right is a standard right angle socket H8 bulb. Does anyone know if they make any specialty replacement bulbs, or if I can put a similar 2500K 35W bulb in the tube socket? Thanks!

 

here's another picture of a standard H8 bulb

 

The straight ahead bulb you are showing in your photos is for the sidelight not the fog light!!

That's a 5W wedge type bulb. Fog lamp bulb is underneath that bulb holder (if you have front fogs fitted of course!)

 

are you sure? i pulled them out of the bottom set of lights. are those not considered fog lights?

 

....the light bulb set to the sides of the license plate.

 

yeah in that light in the bumper (can't remember what it's called in the US - fascia is it??) there are 2 lights

side lights at the top and in the lower half are fog lights.

look on page 104 and 105 of the owners handbook here:

http://www.minimania.com/pdfile/2007_MINI_Hardtop.pdf

do you have a front fog switch on the dash?

 

Many standard R56 Coopers ordered by the dealers don't come with fog lights as a trade off for ordering other goodies and keep sticker prices reasonble. Its a trade off thing From what I'm hearing from you, you do not have fog lights.

ALL '07 and up MINI Coopers/Clubmans, S models or not, have the "parking light" 5W wedge bulbs in the top portion of the light unit. The fog lights go under the the parking light bulbs and the hardware inside the unit is completely different than yours. Your light units have, what you might call, a "blank" where the fog light bulbs would fit.

There also is no wiring or swith for fog lights. Do you have a fog light switch on your toggle switch bank? If no, then your answer is obvious. Hope this helps.

 

The bulb on the left is a w5w bulb, and yes, you can get them in yellow. I have a set of PIAA's in mine and they match the hyper yellow H8 fog light you have pictured to the right.
Just google w5w yellow bulb.

Hope this helps.

They also make an LED bulb, but it will trigger a bulb out on your car if you do not have a resistor installed.

 

Assuming these lights are the same in Yurp and Merka, if you don't get foglights, Mini fit a special ugly side-light-only instead, so that other Mini owners can see you skimped on the extras:



If it's not clear from the photo, the light has a central bulbous bit where the sidelight is, whereas the side-and-fog light is smooth.

Oh, and no, I don't ever clean my car. How often do you clean the roof of your house?

Andrew

 

aaahhh yes, problem solved! I was confused by parking & fog lights, considering they are in the same housing... so it's $170 for each foglight from Mini, not including labor. I'll most likely pick up yellow w5w bulbs and see if that will hold me over. Thanks for all the help.

I might wanna pick up super yellow (2500/3000k-ish) LEDs, can anybody recommend any top notch ones? I'm still learning about the specs for the w5w bulb, is that a pretty straight forward buy?

I see some w5w yellow dLEDs out there but think $88 is kinda ridiculous to spend on parking lights ;x any BRIGHT and healthy alternatives? Thanks!!

 

Hopefully this reasoning does not extend to your personal hygiene...

As previously mentioned, if you go LED, you'll need to install resistors to compensate for the low draw of the LEDs.

The question is, what are you really trying to achieve? If you're looking for roadway illumination, maybe a set of driving lights is the answer. Parking lights are exactly what they're for and used properly, mostly in Europe. If you just like the look of yellow, Saturn suggested getting the 5W in yellow.

 

Even if Mini installs your foglights and gives you the toggle, there is no way for them to program the computer into knowing to put the green fog light on/off on the tach and coordinate with the brights. That can only be done at the factory.

You can obviously run your own switch as well. IMHO I've seen the light output by the fogs and they don't do anything for me....hence the reason I didn't go with them either. But then again I didn't want the Xenon lights either b/c of self balancing. I prefer to put in brighter halogens and raise them extremely high.

 

All of us who are driving directly in front of you or in the opposite direction, greatly appreciate this...

 

I get your sarcasm but when it comes to choosing b/w my safety or yours, there's only 1 option.

0.5 a second can make a difference b/w hitting the deer or avoiding it.

 

I have an R56 cooper that I did not order fog lights as an option, so I only have the driving lights lighting up the top half of the light assembly. Does that mean I have a socket to install fog lights if I were to get them?

 

Not really, there will be a hole there if you take out those "parking" lights and not much to mount to if you get the oem foglights - there must be some more parts needed besides the sockets which are different. And if you try to add an additional bulb to that parking light unit you will have to run all the wiring yourself on some switch and add the right type of socket but still not have a lense that will function. Some other people have tried similar things, search the forum for their efforts. Some of the best put in 3 1/2' aftermarket lights and made brackets along with wiring that look pretty good.

Funny story, I bought my 2008 from a used car dealer and it had one factory parking light and the other side was missing but they threw in a brand new in box fog/driving light! which did not fit of course, and as I have no factory switch for it nor the programming I can't use it. I tried all sorts of ways to use it and came up empty. I took both lights out and ran a 4" plastic tube to the inside of the fender well opening to direct air to the brakes. It looks ok with the "chrome" inserts for the opening, and marginally effective for cooling. I have a PIIA light mounted to the tow bolt and wired for its own switch. Looks a little odd/old school but that 6" 85w Ion really lights up the road.

 

bummer :( thanks for the reply, RockAZ. Add fog lights to the list of options I regret not getting, on top of xenon headlights . . .

 

Yea is been discussed here the "position light" only cars don't have the fog light.

But you can always LED the position light.

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...s-tonight.html




People with Position light / Fog light can do two at once. Its in that thread also.



Thanks

 

See above for the Postion light LEDs. Very bright ( like fogs ).


See here for the Xenon factory upgrade headlights, plug and play then code ( Coding done at MINI Dealership) for 9/2009+ , for pre 9/2009 you will need special coding from an aftermarket shop who has NCS expert or similar. ( its in the thread).

http://www.ecstuning.com/Search/Site...aign=postreply






Thanks

 

wow looks rly sweet! thanks :D

 

You are welcome.