wanted to get the Factory Driving lights, can't part with 900 dollars for them...so, i looked at Minimania's factory kit and i looked at minimadness' PIAA kit. 10 dollar difference between the two, any input gang? Thanks in advance...
Alex

 

Where are you? and who is your dealer?
If my mind it is not "loosing" power, ( owns a "S" ) I remember that the Fog lights kit it's 400 or 450.
so let me doble chek and confirm it with my dealer, I saw a set over there last week, nice accs for the
Mini
I want to order the Mini pocket digital camera, it is nice.
See you

 

I am in cranford, NJ about 15 mins from NYC. My dealer was Morristown Mini, the driving lights with installation was going to cost 900 dollars. I was under the impression that the kit itself was just under 400. But another 500 for installation?!?!?!?!?!?
Alex

 

Initially ordered Cooper S with MINI rally (driving) lights for $600.00 at Prestige Mini (Mahwah NJ). When I changed my order, I also changed my lights to PIAAs. Those were $507.16. Prices include installation.


Anxiously awaiting an Indi Blue/White Cooper S w/ 16" 5-Star Rims (white), Rally lights, DSC and Cold Pkg. Car is due in Dec 2002 or Jan 2003.

 

I got the PIAA's from Minimadness. Total $400 including shipping. I installed them myself with their excellent instructions. In addidion to being larger than the factory lights, they have great looking chrome brush covers that go really well with all the other chrome.

 

acetonic-looks like you made up my mind for me! i like the fact they have grilles, kind of concerned about an errant rock being kicked up (damn SUVs) and breaking them. did you wire them directly to the battery or did you tap off of other lights? the dealership told me they only wire them to the high beams, as the fog lights (which i have) turn off with the high beams so you never have more than 6 lights at any given time (NJ law). Were there directions or did you kind of ad lib it???? I appreciate your time and help.
alex

 

I double check with my dealer and the Fog lights kit it is at 400 dlls
plus taxes, so installation could be another couple of hundreds at much,
a job that you can do by yourself, so look for another dealer that offer
decent prices.
Good luck

 

>>I got the PIAA's from Minimadness. Total $400 including shipping. I installed them myself with their excellent instructions. In addidion to being larger than the factory lights, they have great looking chrome brush covers that go really well with all the other chrome.
>>

Hi Acetonic,

The PIAAs look awesome! Can you (or anyone) tell me, is there a way to hook the switch up to the center dash toggle switch panel? I have some unused positions there, and I'd r-e-a-l-l-y like to make the install look as OEM as possible, instead of some cheekly non-standard toggle switch... thanks in advance for your time!

Dave

 

The instructions from MINI Madness are specifically for the Cooper and S so I didn't have to wing it at all. They even have pictures of each step.

I have the lights wired directly to the battery. They operate independantly of all other lights. I just have to use common sense about shining them in peoples faces. I only use them in very dark rural places.

The switch that comes with the PIAA's looks nothing like the MINI toggles unfortunately. The bank of toggles in the MINI is set up in such a way that adding one switch is very difficult. They are not 'real' toggle switches, they just contact a pc board that is behind them, much like the keyboard on a computer. I am hoping that in the near future, a matching toggle will be available from someone. Until then, you can mount the PIAA switch in a blank spot or hide it out of sight.

Here's a daylight pic to help you make up your mind.

 

I think your after-market lights are better looking than the $400 ones I bought from the dealer.They charge $500 to install. Mine are not hooked up yet as there is a long raft of instructions and a lot of tearing apart to do. Anyway I believe they are illegal in Ca, Ron.

_________________
sirron

 

VIVA LA PIAA!
alex

 

Try checking on line like PIAA or Katz, pretty good stuiff

 

I have the PIAA 520's on my Land Cruiser and they are awesome - I believe they are the same ones shown on the cool Red MINI. Highly recommended.

 

You are correct. They are PIAA 520SMR Chrome.

 

I have a MCS that came with the 55W "factory" driving lights installed by the dealer. I want to replace them with the 55W PIAA 520 SMRs. Can I just swap out the lamps and use the existing wiring or do I need to completely re-wire the 520s? The "factory" lights use a 15 amp fuse located in the fuse box under the hood but the PIAAs come with a 20 amp fuse in the wiring harness.I would appreciate any advice someone could give.
cersus

 

I know you can mount the PIAA's on the factory bracket, but not sure about the wiring as I havent seen the way the factory lights are set up. Since they are both 55W, it seems like there shouldn't be a problem. The Mini Madness instructions have the power going through a 15 amp fuse in the fusebox.