Has any one added just a Blinking LED to their MINI instead of a full alarm system?
Funny how a little blinking light can deter most thieves, kind of like the security signs in front of a house.
My HK in my BMW came with one, I thought for sure the MINI HK would have come with one also.

 

A few people have done this, but there hasn't yet been any clear how-to, or a link to a specific product. There are an awful lot of cheap products available out there, but I have yet to purchase one. I lose my cushy garage spot and have to start parking on the Boston streets overnight as of this weekend, so I'll definitely be looking to buy something. I'm hoping to get something that I won't have to replace the battery to every month. I don't think I would feel comfrotable actually trying to wire anything into the car's electric system. I can't park my car within earshot of my apartment, so a full alarm is useless for me.

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Borla, Moss intake, Magnecor

 

I had that idea so I went to Radio shack and got a blinking red LED kit for about $5 which included a small 3mm LED light that blinks connected to a 18 inch long wire which leads to a plastic container about 1 x 3 inches that holds two AA size batteries. There is a switch on the box for on and off. There is only one such kit at Radio shack.

I installed the euro parcel shelf under my steering column and on the far left edge of it is a small flat plastic rectangular insert (probably used for a rear fog light switch or something) I have a blank in it that I purchased with the parcel shelf. I drilled a small hole into the center of the blank and inserted the LED light through it and wired the battery case behind the back of the parcel shelf and down to the steering column and to the back inside of the shelf.

It works. I switch it on and the red light blinks. There are some problems in my opinion. To me it is too stealthy. I want people to wonder and worry that I have something that will make it hard for them to steal my mini. (A hidden kill switch and sticker for my window would be more effective). I have 35% window tinting so the red light is hard to see unless you are looking for it to the dash at the left of the driver's seat. To make it most visible you can relocated the LED light to the top of the dash and dress it up with a chrome ring or similar but you have to route the wires to a place where you can access the batteries or you can hot wire the LED to a compatible power source but it will be on all the time unless you add an on and off switch. Also the best angle for the LED in terms of brightness is exactly in front of the LED bulb. My installment is at a slight downward angle due to the way the blank lies in the vertical part of the euro parcel shelf so the light is a bit dim from the window angle as you look in. looking straight at the light from below like from your knee height it is very bright so I would have to angle the whole I drill to be tilted slightly up for a better effect.

Another idea is since the knee bolster under the steering wheel area can be pulled out easily (it's held in by two push in metal pegs and can be yanked out in 2 seconds) then this piece can be drilled into and the LED bulb attached,maybe with a nice trim ring around the bulb and at a good upward angle- otherwise you have to go to the dash.

Still another place to add the LED light is if you can make some sort of good casing for the light like a small cylinder then you can mount it to the tachometer which is very prominent. Can't miss it in that location.

These are just ideas. I like to scare away trouble if I can and the LED project is relatively cheap. the blank I drilled into costs 1.96 to replace or I can just fill the whole or cover it. No harm done. The Radio shack light kit is probably OK as is. Only thing is to find a good home for the light and make it look professional or at least threatening to would be bad guys.

I'll be adding the hidden kill switch to put some bite into my bark :evil:

 

>>I'll be adding the hidden kill switch to put some bite into my bark :smile:

 

I used the Radio Shack LED technique until I got the MINI alarm installed. I didn't do any drilling like minihune, but I wired it around the cupholders. It was mostly peace of mind for myself...hoping the light would deter someone from smashing the windows in the first place. The light wasn't real bright from all angles but it was there and it flashed! I've heard that some tint shops will give "alarm installed" stickers for your windows too.

I'm pleased with the MINI alarm. I like the tilt sensor so if anyone tries to pick it up or tow it away - busted! (I swear the MINI could fit in the back of some of those massive trucks!) :smile:

 

>>I'll be adding the hidden kill switch to put some bite into my bark :evil:

Just like mad max...right..."I wouldn't touch that if I were you!"

 

Scooterboy - was it hard to install the alarm? I am deciding to get it but want to get feedback first as to how difficult/easy the install process is... thanks.

 

Still waiting for my car (July) so I haven't installed it yet.

But the instructions are very straightforward and it shouldn't take more than an hour or so. Since the 03's are prewired for the alarm, you just need to install and connect the components then have your dealer activate it. Pre-03 models are not pre-wired so they would take a lot more work.

Components: siren in engine compartment, tilt sensor behind side boot panel, motion sensor in roof, and new wiper stalk on steering column. Connectors for all these parts are waiting in their respective places.

If you're handy with a screwdriver you should have no problem.

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Waiting til July for:
IB/Blk Cooper, Fogs, Xenons, Spoiler, Chrome Inserts, Blk/Blk/Anthracite Int, Sport Seats, Auto Wipers, Premium & Cold Weather pkgs. (Tapping foot impatiently in East Kingston, NH)

 

Here is the official pdf file on the Alarm from http://www.bridger.us/mini/howto/
http://www.bridger.us/mini/howto/Alarm.PDF

 

minihune, thanks so much for the detailed response! I'll be tackling this in the next couple of weeks, and you've really helped me out.

 

Would this stop you if you were a theif??? I know an alarm can be tricked but just a light?? At least the alarm has some sound to with the light. But I guess it would stop some people and make them think twice. I got the factory alarm and it works great. You cannot even stick your arm in the window without it going off and the sound is piercing.

 

It's not to deter a serious thief (few things are). But between the Club (fallible, I know) and the LED (BS, I know), I figure I'm deterring the 15-year-old beady-eyed punks that are primarily the people messing with cars around here.

 

In my much younger days (back when we were stupid punks), my friends and I would look for CD's, phones, loose items, and such things, but if we saw that blinking light we wouldn't even touch the car.

 

On a cool day as an alternative to the factory alarm or the blinking LED deterent-

A big dog with large teeth is a good thing to have in your front seat that will deter thieves and strangers alike.
Just leave about an inch crack in the windows for air or crack open the sunroof.

You cannot even stick your fingers in the crack of the windows without letting the doggie get a good tasty snack.
Don't leave him in there if it is hot and be sure to teach him not to eat your leather upholstery.

Bad Dog BAD DOG!

 

>>In my much younger days (back when we were stupid punks), my friends and I would look for CD's, phones, loose items, and such things, but if we saw that blinking light we wouldn't even touch the car.<<

Hmmmmm.... This couldn't have been THAT long ago. I'm not very old, and in my younger "stupid punk" days there were cassette tapes, sunglasses, and coins - not CDs or cell phones. Not to mention the fact that blinking lights were extremely rare

 

Well, It was at least 12 years ago seeing that I am 32 now. When I was 20 I had a CD player (Alpine in-dash 3 cd changer) in my first truck and a car phone to boot, the phone was huge, this is back when phones had to be carried around in one of those bags with the battery in it.

 

I certainly remember the big 'ole bag phones!

Back on topic:

Even though the '02 is not prewired for the alarm, does anyone know if the wiper stalk with the LED could be installed on an '02 for the effect? Is the wiring there for it?

 

I went ahead an ordered the MINI alarm from Classic Mini, $308 shipped. Someone here post the install instructions and it looks really straight forward. Talk to my dealer and they said I would just have to recode to turn all the alarm functions. About $50.

 

i added just this. i figured it might help. i took a HYPER LED cobalt blue and added to the clock faceing down as to reflect off of my chrome shifter ****, this provides quite a bit of light inside to hopefully drive off most petty thiefs.

 

ADVANTAGE-
Can you take a picture of it (night or in dark if it shows better) and post it?
%0 Onlnks and good idea.

 

Well, I did the alarm installed today, took me about an hour and half, If I had to do it again, I could do in less then an hour. It was a very DIY mod, even the replacing of the wiper stock was easy. Going in tomorrow to have in activated! That will be the true test of how simple it seamed to be.

 

>>Has any one added just a Blinking LED to their MINI instead of a full alarm system?
>>Funny how a little blinking light can deter most thieves, kind of like the security signs in front of a house.

I installed one last week. As I don't have the auto-aircon, I have a blanking plug in the centre of the dashboard, so installed it in there. You can see it clearly without having to peer inside the car, and it looks as if it came out the factory with it.

With the grommet removed, a wire coathanger pushed down through, found a route for the cable. I wired it into the radio circuit, as it has both a permanent and intermittant live.

Don't install a flashing LED without switching it using a relay. I tried one of the ones where you install the earth of the flashing LED to the intermittant live. Although the LED turned on and off with the ignition, if you had driven the car in between enough to activate the auto-locking, the rear wiper made a single sweep when you turned the car off. I hastily added the relay, as I had no idea what it was doing to the electronics.

 

Forgot to add, here is a link as to how to wire a relay.

http://www.cvibl.com/stratus/howtos_alarmled.html

 

PM-
Welcome to MCO-
Thanks for the link to the how to page
Great work and nicely done

 

I know this is a old thread, but can someone please provide me with a link to Classic MINI? I'd like to purchase an OEM alarm kit for my 2003 MCS. Thanx