Ive searched the forum and read all the threads on this topic, and it seemed a pretty simple idea really. I was going to buy the lights from ebay, and as from what I read it sounded like I needed a new ZKE and for BMW to code the lights/sensors.
I rung my local dealer today (Castle, York) and they say it is impossible to do on my car - a 51 plate ONE.
From past posters on here I think it's a bit more involved than just buying new lamp units.
Firstly the Xenon lights draw more current, so the wiring loom for Xenon equipped cars is made from thicker gauge wires to cope with the extra load.
Secondly, the Xenon lights must have a wash and auotmated self-levelling facility. On the MINI, the sensors for the levelling is built into the rear suspension.
Adding headlight washers is relatively straightforward, from memory around £125 plus fitting from your dealer, although you need new lamp units with the washer nozzles on, although you'd get these with the Xenon lamp units.
You correctly state that the car also needs to be coded as well.
According to an old (as in 2002) accessory catalogue, BMW used to do a "retrofit" kit.
Part No - 63 12 0 029 879 - for fitting Xenon Headlights to either a MO or a MC.
It's priced at £785, which I would take to be without fitting.
It's got to be a couple of hours to fit, so assume around £1100 all with the VAT!
yeh, i've just read a thread on this in general discussion i think (think wobert posted in there too), sounds like a very costly operation, and not nearly as simple as throwing the light units in you could (nearly) get a bodykit or 18s for that price...
Could you not just get some brighter, slightly blue look bulbs instead- much cheaper and saves your cash for other bits
**** DONT WASTE YOUR MONEY JUST BUYING THE XENON HEADLIGHTS ****
hehe yovue probably come across my posts if youve searched. Ill share my experiences with you
There is only one way to fit xenons to your car sucessfully, and you probably guessed it, its the retofit kit. Its about £600-700 and is fairly involved. (i will be doing this in a couple of weeks and will write a how too article for mini2 if it helps)
If you dont use the retrofit kit, the only alternative is aftermarket Xenons, dont by H7 bulbs they dont fit. Or to replace the entire wiring harness to support the levelling sensors over the front and rear axels, this is £897+VAT, not worth doing as the car needs stripping down completley, and it costs more than the retrofit kit.
I did what you want to do about 4 months ago, brought just the headlights and fitted them on thinking.. mmm easy peasy. But being a BMW its not easy peasy.
BMW use a non-standard ballast (starter unit) to drive the xenon bulbs, from what i can the xenons require an addtional power input or signal from the body control module (BCM). The wiring harness you have for the halognens cannot supply this extra connector. So when you turn on the lights, the ballast cannot suppy enough volts to start the HID bulbs.
You just get a strobing for 10-30 seconds, which can be recitified by flashing the high beams, and doesnt happen all the time. If the car has been running they often start first time. Really odd.
There is allot of workshop hours involved in fitting the Xenon side of things (the total bill will be over £1000), theres allot of stipping down, and pushing wires into connectors inside the fuse boxes and body control module.
If you need any info at all, just ask
Rob
2004 Cooper - Indi Blue, White Roof, Aero Kit, Driving Lights, Harman Kardon. - *SOLD*
Just for your information, the Xenons dont use thicker guage wire before the balasts, as its still only 12v into the headlights, the ballasts step the voltage up to over 35,000v briefly to create an ARC of light inside the xenon gas. there after its 12v.
Ive read more information about Xenon headlights in the past couple of months than i care to remeber.
The other thing is, the only way you can sell you car with Xenons is to fit the retrofit kit. In most countries Xenons can only be on a car in conjunction with automatic headlight levleling sensors and headlight wash. It will fail its MOT if it does not have thee two things and will therfore be illegal
Rob
2004 Cooper - Indi Blue, White Roof, Aero Kit, Driving Lights, Harman Kardon. - *SOLD*
everything you said was correct as far as i know hehehehe :P
Ive got the part numbers for the retrofit kits at home and my brother confirmed that the retrofit kit cut off on post 2004 cars is not correct (as its states the ETK)
Rob
2004 Cooper - Indi Blue, White Roof, Aero Kit, Driving Lights, Harman Kardon. - *SOLD*
BMW told me there is no retrofit kit available for my car, although my local dealer do seem to be completely useless at most things so maybe thats wrong - it just seems like they really can't be bothered unless theyre actually selling a car.
Looks like ill be searching the forum for info some better bulbs for a while
ive come to the conclusion that the majority of BMW dealers parts departments dont have the best knowledge in the world.
For example, my mini is an early 2004 car, in the ETK that dealers use it says the retofit kit will not fit 2004 cars, spoke to 5+ dealers, all who said the same thing (which is udnerstandable) a couple said theyt would look into it for me, never got a reply.
So my brother got a job working at BMW HQ, got him to ask and they sent an email to BMW in germany, after a week or so they emailed back saying ignore that entry in the ETK, it would fit my car.
It might be one of those things that you buy and fits fine, but its allot of money if it doesnt, suppose you could sell it all on ebay.
Rob
2004 Cooper - Indi Blue, White Roof, Aero Kit, Driving Lights, Harman Kardon. - *SOLD*
so u reckon one of u guys could help me out here? me and a few of my friends want to fit aftermarket HID kits to our cars....well i know this is a little different to retrofitting the official bmw lights, however there should be one similarilty and this is the location of the ballast
i've heard that the halogen and xenon light housings are the same from the factory....and i've also been told that there is a spot for the ballast in factory installed xenon lights...
so could one of u fine ppl who have these lights share (hopefully with pics *hint hint* ) where the ballast goes? it would be appreciated ever so much as the only problem we have encountered so far is we dont know where to put the ballast...
thanks in advance!!
i got an exhaust because i wanted to make my car sound fast, but its not fast at all, so therefore i am a ricer....
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you could (nearly) get a bodykit or 18s for that price...
2004 Cooper - Indi Blue, White Roof, Aero Kit, Driving Lights, Harman Kardon. - *SOLD*
as far as i know hehehehe :P
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