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xenon lights?

4K views 13 replies 8 participants last post by  Keano 
#1 ·
I have an 09 mini and am wanting to go to hid xenon lights.Dealer price is ridiculous. Are there any aftermarkets that work
 
#3 ·
Personally I would only get OEM. In the UK, there are other bits you need to fit for xenons to be road legal and its a big fuss unless you can retrofit everything you need either from dealer parts or a breakers yard...

HIDs in reflector lamps will blind people so it needs to be a full upgrade IMO.

Buying yourself an xmas gift? Lucky you :lol:
 
#10 ·
Personally I would only get OEM. In the UK, there are other bits you need to fit for xenons to be road legal and its a big fuss unless you can retrofit everything you need either from dealer parts or a breakers yard...
Keano is spot on here, OEM Xenon headlamps are not plug and play, bulb or unit.

In the UK at least, they require headlamp washers to be legal so you will need the kit for that too. They also require the levelling system to work, both of these are MOT failures now, didn't used to be.

Also, the wiring loom is different and additional control units for the above to work are needed.
 
#9 ·
Do xenon light bulbs require conversion kits?

I have stock headlights and i want to make the lights brighter. However I dont want to buy a HID conversion kit. I see Xenon light bulbs on ebay and at local auto stores. Do xenon bulbs require conversion kits or are they plug and play? also i want to do this to my foglights, but i dont know if i have to buy special bulbs for that too
 
#14 ·
I have stock headlights and i want to make the lights brighter. However I dont want to buy a HID conversion kit. I see Xenon light bulbs on ebay and at local auto stores. Do xenon bulbs require conversion kits or are they plug and play? also i want to do this to my foglights, but i dont know if i have to buy special bulbs for that too
The whiter halogens are crap - not worth trying. As they go whiter / bluer / purple (lol) the light levels drop so whilst it may look nicer, you wont be able to see where you're going :bad:

I tried a set on my BMW to see how bad they were and I found myself using other cars headlights to see where I was going and so swapped back immediately.

To get xenon light level output you need xenons - otherwise get the best halogens you can :)

Also, if you fit a xenon bulb in a standard halogen light, it wont work ;)
 
#13 ·
I recently fitted HID`s to my 09 Cooper D and had a bit of a nightmare.
I have bought 5 sets of HID`s for previous cars without any real problems.
I bought the TERMINATOR HID`s from HID`s Direct (who have always been great with me). I live nearby so was able to collect.
When I bought, the shop said that there may be a problem with the CANBUS system on the car, which may throw up an error message. Sue enough, when I fitted them, whilst they looked great, it throw up an error message every time the car started.
The bulb you need is a H4 type Xenon bulb (dual filament so Bi Xenon - high beam and low beam). I got the 6000k bilb which is the bright white light. If you want the blue, go for the 8k or 10k. I paid £65 for mine
Be aware that on the box, it clearly states that they are not for road use. So you may struggle at MOT time.
On the Mini they are so easy to fit (take about 20 mins total). They come with what is called a Ballast and other wiring, but basically take the place of the original bulb and are fitted in line. They really are very simple to fit.
The improvement in the lighting is terrific and no one flashed me, so I assume I was not dazzling. That said, one of the lights did stop working (after about 4 weeks). So I took them back to the shop and they gave me my money back. I purchased some Osram (I think called night view) bulbs, which were a simple replacement (£20).
Now no warning lights and whilst not as good vision, I know that it will pass the MOT.
Also, be aware, with the stop/start. Every time it restarted, the Xenon bulbs used to flash. Bit disconcerting for other road users.
Hope this helps.
 
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