My 2005 Cooper S should be here Friday and I am thinking about getting some aftermarket tail lights. I know the 2005 lights are different from prior years, but does anyone know exactly how they differ? I've been told they are all red and then that they contained the backup lights. My MA said they are the same dimensions, so I assume the wiring is different.

Thanks for the help.

John

 

As of now, none of the aftermarket tailights integrate your back-up light, so you would have to install some custon back up lights if you want to go with the present aftermarket options.

It *MAY* be possible if you get one of the altezzas, to replace one of the bulbs with a white bulb (as long as there is no red lense over it), and then re-wire accordingly so that that bulb is used as your back up light. Don't know if i reccomend that because the back-up light is rather important in parking lots...so i would want to be sure it was perfectly visible

 

Check another thread on this topic...

 

A couple of manufacturers are soon coming out with tailights for the 2005 models. But the more I look at the stock lights, the more I kind of like them....

 

And I may as well. I seem to be accepting, as so many have pointed out on this site, (there is more than one thread going), that I am just whining too much. It seems as though if the car had remained static, I’d be complaining about that too. I suppose my point was that I simply didn’t like any of the changes being made to the car—but I’ve also noticed that, in the last week or so, the price has been upped about $500--- so maybe I should not see all these tweakings as solely an effort to cut costs… perhaps reassuring? But I suppose that now you’ll need to pay a little more for a dealer installation of a fog lamp, which is also too bad since I expect they would need to install some sort of makeshift switch, as it can’t be installed at the factory for a US-bound MINI. On the issue of changes, there is much information @ www.motoringfile.com, that is worth checking out.

 

Rear fogs are now a factory option (code 5AA-Rear Fog Kit) in all states except Oregon. No announcement yet on retrofit availability or cost.

 

My presumption is, perhaps the factory installs the toggle switch, but the dealer installs the actual light and completes the project, and the attending $50 extra. Perhaps that is my imagination... ? But they can't ship any cars to the US with this option already installed.

 

From the MINI Dealer BUlletin:

This is all supposition on my part as well, but as I read it any cars not destined for Oregon will have the lights factory-installed. I have the fogs added to my spec and my dealer did not tack on any charge above the $100 factory charge. I would assume that if the dealer was foing any of the installation I would be paying for it.

Again, this is just how I read it and by no means definitive.

 

The fog light issue shows how impossible it is for 50 states to agree on anything. It would be nice to have a uniform set of regulations and traffic laws, but I am certainly not holding my breath!

 

The lights are available installed from the factory, and they show on the configurator. If you select this option the light will be installed and operational before it leaves the plant toggle panel and all.

As for the retrofit, it will probably be very similar to the '04's and earlier. The wiring and harness is probably already there, the blank will be removed, a bulb and lens will be installed,the toggle switch bank will be replaced, and the computer will be reprogramed to "see" the rear fog light. No jury rigging involved.