According to Gabe over at MotoringFile a rear fog kit (5AA-Rear Fog Kit) is now available as a factory option at $100.00. I just emailed my MA to have it added to my week 49 build MC. Will advise when this is confirmed.

No word yet on the availability of a retrofit kit.

EDIT: Just spoke with my MA and this option is not yet available in the dealer's ordering system. Still trying to get confirmation of availability...

 

Do keep us posted. I tried to get the rear fogs and was told that California and Oregon, are once again preventing the normal parts of the country from geting options on cars.

 

Unless it was a forgery, I have seen the most recent MINI Dealer Bulletin and it does indicate that the rear fog kit is to be made available as a factory-installed option immediately in all states EXCEPT Oregon. I have sent a copy of the bulletin to my dealer (who should be receiving a copy this week anyway, I believe) and am awaiting his response.

I have a feeling that the dealers' order system may lag a bit behind the actual bulletin release which explains why my dealer could not modify my spec when I first spoke with him. Hopefully the order system will be updated or my MA can call in the change and have the rear fogs factory-installed as I don't want the added expense that will most likely come with a retrofit.

NOTE: The bulletin only mentioned factory-installed kits...no mention of a retrofit at this point.

 

are we talking defroster or actual fog lights on the rear of the car.... if the latter... why would you need fog lights on the back of the car?

 

The latter. Same reason to have them on the front...better visibility in low-visibility situations. The rear fog lights are brighter than your standard running lights and may prevent someone from rear-ending you.

 

Just fyi, checked yesterday and local dealer says the rear fog can't be ordered as factory option until 1/05 build. Who knows.....I trust Gabe/Motoringfile more than my dealer.

 

The bulletin I saw said the rear fog kit was to be "available immediately". This was actually underlined in the bulletin.

There were several other items in the bulletin (armrest, LSD, etc.) which are not going to be available until Jan '05 builds.

 

My wife's Volvos both had rear fogs on them, and they're basically very bright taillights. I like 'em!

If you've ever driven through a tule fog in central California in the daytime, you'll understand why these are a nice thing to have. You've all probably heard of those huge multi-car pileups we get out here every now and then? Tule fog.

In a really heavy fog, I like to stay as far back as I can while just barely being able to see the car in front of me. Normal taillights in heavy daytime fog aren't much more visible than the rear of the car. Fog lights give you (or the guy behind you) a few hundred extra feet. Very nice.

But then there's always the idiot who drives in normal conditions with his foglights on. We were driving into LA on Interstate 5 near Sylmar last Friday night - a very twisty, crowded, downhill stretch of highway where people tend to go w-a-y too fast to begin with - and a guy in a Jag convertible had his fogs on. BLINDING! Very dangerous.

And this answers the other poster's question about why they're illegal in California and Oregon: the idiot factor.

 

I really hated that tule fog!!! You want more then fog lights in that stuff. You want to strap a light house on top of your car, especially with all the big trucks on the road in the valley. Ah Fresno, those were the days!

 

!. Can this be retrofitted to a additional toggle switch. This has been a problem for three years.

2. New MINI orders, will the cars be getting a full set of toggle switches again.

 

Not sure what you're asking. If you have an '05 model without the rear fogs and wish to add them later I'm assuming the retrofit kit will include a new toggle bank with the appropriate switches. Keep in mind absolutely no information (to my knowledge) is available as of now regarding a retrofit kit.

New MINI orders will receive a full bank of toggles provided you've spec'd all of the options that will give you a full bank of toggles. (Driver's Window, DSC, Door Locks, Rear Fogs, Front Fogs, Passenger Window)

 

Just got an email from my dealer and he was able to add the rear fog light kit to my early December build! $100 factory installed certainly beats $XXX dealer installed.

Anyone interested may want to contact their dealer and let them know that this option is now in the dealers' ordering system.

 

So any word on a Retro Fit Kit for '05s? Hasn't there been a full toggle switch kit available for some time now? Is the 05 different from the 04 in this area?

I live in Sacramento, at the north end of California's Central Valley - famous for its multi-car pileups in tule fog! I want those rear fogs! (And I wish everyone else had 'em and knew when - and when not - to use 'em!

 

My MA just called and faxed me the documents that they have added the rear fog lamp option to my MCSC week 49 production.

Dave

MINI-Rolls