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simonfr
22nd February 2014, 07:37 PM
Saw the front of my car on the road for the first time with the lights on (xenon plus DRLs in the fog lamps), but the fogs are very "yellow" in comparison and I'd light to whiten them up. I'm aware of the (expensive) replacement DRL option (LEDs?), but I can't justify 4 or 5 hundred quid on them.

So, has anyone had any joy changing the bulbs in them, and if so, to what?

Thanks, Si

Craig
22nd February 2014, 09:15 PM
Led side lights is what you want Simon :)


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KenL
22nd February 2014, 11:05 PM
Fog lights? Why bother as you never use them.

if it is sidelights you can get much whiter ones. I got some free when buying upgraded halogen headlight bulbs.

simonfr
23rd February 2014, 12:55 AM
Ok, perhaps fog lamps was the wrong term :-D I'm talking about the DRLs that are located in the same lamp low in the front bumper as the fog lamps. Definitely not side lamps (which would sit in the same housing as the main xenons).

Si

KenL
23rd February 2014, 07:47 AM
Current MINIs do not have DRLs unless fitted after market.

There are cheap whiter "side light" bulbs available either lamps or LED. You need to get LED with a built in resistor so you do not get a bulb error.

MINI William
23rd February 2014, 08:05 AM
MINI do a DRL kit but I believe it's quite expensive and I don't think they look all that nice.

simonfr
23rd February 2014, 07:16 PM
Love the DRLs by MINI, but too rich for me. Ordered some "error free" LED side lights off eBay ..... will see how they look and take it from there.

I hadn't appreciated the housing the fogs are in was also for the sidelights.

Si

KenL
23rd February 2014, 07:29 PM
Cool. Hope they work out for you. Please let us know.

Burple
24th February 2014, 10:33 AM
Quick tip.. when you go to fit them, they'll probably only work one way round. So before you give the guy on Ebay abuse for duff bulbs.. flip them over and try again :thumbs up::D

Craig
24th February 2014, 12:37 PM
Quick tip.. when you go to fit them, they'll probably only work one way round. So before you give the guy on Ebay abuse for duff bulbs.. flip them over and try again :thumbs up::D

Sounds like your speaking from experience !! :lol:


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Burple
24th February 2014, 03:51 PM
Sounds like your speaking from experience !! :lol:




Yip.. plenty of swearing after my first set appeared not to work properly..


..not that you'd know anything about that tho... ;);):p:moonie:

Craig
24th February 2014, 04:01 PM
Lol - yer sharp today young man :)


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simonfr
24th February 2014, 10:04 PM
Lol - thanks for the tip :-)

simonfr
25th February 2014, 08:51 PM
So I ordered these :

2x 8 SMD LED 501 T10 W5W WEDGE CANBUS NO ERROR FREE XENON WHITE SIDE LIGHT BULBS (http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/130591243207)

{EDIT : bulbs linked to above are NOT error free in a R56 Mini Cooper S!}

and these :

BMW Mini R55 R56 R57 R58 R59 R60 Laser LED Door Logo Puddle Projector Lights (http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/191029522725)

and got round to fitting them this evening. Slightly bemused at having to jack up the car just to get access to the side lights, but could've been worse (only two cuts to the hand :ragin:).

http://www.simon-fraser.com/photos/20140225_Mini_Lights/puddle_lights.jpg

http://www.simon-fraser.com/photos/20140225_Mini_Lights/1_bulbs.jpg

Before I started ... yellow side lights = unhappy Si :

http://www.simon-fraser.com/photos/20140225_Mini_Lights/2_before.jpg

One side changed :

http://www.simon-fraser.com/photos/20140225_Mini_Lights/3_during.jpg

Both changed :

http://www.simon-fraser.com/photos/20140225_Mini_Lights/4_After.jpg

Ever so slightly bluer than I would've liked, but so much better than the yellow tinge they had previously.

Simon

Burple
25th February 2014, 09:21 PM
Looking good!! :cool::cool:

You don't have to jack the car up y'know.. just turn the steering hard to each side for access :D:p

simonfr
25th February 2014, 09:39 PM
Lol - NOW you tell me :D

Craig
25th February 2014, 09:41 PM
Well done Si - easy job done :) :)

Looking great ;)


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MINI William
25th February 2014, 09:46 PM
Looks good

Goldie
25th February 2014, 11:10 PM
Looks great Simon, no you've done yours it will take you no time to fit mine :thumbs up:

simonfr
25th February 2014, 11:41 PM
Any time neighbour :-)

simonfr
26th February 2014, 10:12 PM
Can't recommend the LED sidelights linked to above because they causing a warning message to display for a short period of time after starting up the car :(

Are any bulbs truly error free, and if so, does anyone have any recommendations?

Simon

Craig
26th February 2014, 10:32 PM
Mikey sells them Simon :)


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simonfr
26th February 2014, 10:59 PM
Err - who's Mikey?

- - - Updated - - -

Scrub that ........ found his section on the forum (newministuff.com)

Burple
27th February 2014, 05:24 PM
Can't recommend the LED sidelights linked to above because they causing a warning message to display for a short period of time after starting up the car :(

Are any bulbs truly error free, and if so, does anyone have any recommendations?

Simon

I got these ones..
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=280911497106&ssPageName=ADME:L:OC:GB:3160

They don't give any errors, but they flicker for about 4-5 secs after the car starts - I guess as the car is looking for faults.. they work great tho :thumbs up:

simonfr
9th March 2014, 01:42 PM
Thanks Burple........ missed your post until I came back to give this update.

I got in touch with the eBay seller that I bought the original set from mentioning the fact that the bulbs were sold as "error free", but weren't. They've been great and sent out a replacement set very quickly (they actually look like the ones Burple linked to above). So far so good, no flickering, and no errors :)

Simon