So I want to install Fog lights onto my wife's MINI. I'm putting Hella 500FF's on with a custom bracket so there is only two lights, and not four like Alta's bracket assembly. I want to find out a couple things to see if it's worth getting an OEM 6 switch console ( going to instal rear fog lamp since wiring is already there) or if I should just use Hella's kit, which I really don't want to use cause I have to hide the wires.

I want to take the existing harness on the car, remove the wiring connector that normally went into the stock factory fog light, and fab a harness that would connect the two together, which would be a lot easier since I already fabbed a two prong connector on the fog light's wiring harness. The nice thing is that both the factory nits, and the Hella's used the common 12V/55W fog lights, so the vehicles system is capable of handling it.

However, my concern is that the existing harness doesn't have the plugs for the fog lights built into it, and a separate harness, specific for cars equipped with fog lights from the factory, needs to be installed. I found a PDF explaining retrofitting fog lights into a car, showing that individual wires need to be installed, and that the harness doesn't have them built into it from the factory. I know that for the rear fogs to be on, and for cars that didn't have front fogs, they need to be programed, but Realoem.com shows that there is one harness used, regardless if it did or didn't come with fog lights. Not only that, but the PDF shows that you need to individually wire the switch assembly to used the front fog lights.

Here's the PDF to look at, and this is direct from MINI!
http://www.northamericanmotoring.com...t_Retrofit.pdf
And here is realoem.com:
http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts...93&hg=61&fg=10

So any insight people? does our factory harnesses come with a connector to be plugged into the front fog lights, and is the switch assembly already wired for fogs to be programmed in and used instead of piggy backing thing?

 

First, let's be clear about what you're describing. It sounds like you want to install a set of Hella auxiliary driving lights and connect them to the factory fog light circuit.

Driving lights are meant to function like an extra set of hi-beams and are not at all like fog lights. There is a MINI OEM driving light kit, and these are the installation instructions (probably quite similar to Hella's): http://www.motoringfile.com/howto/Dr...Lights_902.pdf

I've done the fog light retrofit on my MINI. If the car came from the factory without fog lights, there is no wiring for it. The wiring harness is included in the retrofit kit and must be installed. In answer to your thread title, yes it is that involved. I've done a lot of mods on my car and this was one of the most complicated projects.