What are your thoughts on enabling the day time running lights for those of us in CA?

Starting this past July 1, 2005 in CA it is now a legal requirement to turn on your headlights anytime your windshield wipers are on. Not really too complicated to remember this, but it does seem like enabling the day time running lights would make things a bit easier.

With the Xenons would there be a shorter life if the lights are running all the time? I never worried about this with replaceable halogens.

The way I see it:

Pros - no worry about the wiper issue, better visibility to other drivers when driving in shadows / glare conditions

Cons - more wear on the Xenons

 

No problem with xenons because DRL use the high beams at half power.

Steve

 

I don't like DRLs, they seem pretty ineffective for the most part and too many drivers who have them enabled seem to forget to actually put on the full headlights after dark and otherwise when they should be on.

I drive with the headlamps on during the day and am not worried about the wear on the Xenons. Not only didn't my Xenons wear out on another car after over 5 years of such usage, but when I looked online the Xenon bulbs were only approx $125 should I ever need to replace them after warranty (and that was awhile ago, the bulbs may be even less expensive now and/or may be less when/if the Mini needs it).

 

we have the same law here in NC. it is not enforced at all. it is a very good idea. it's so people can see you, not so you can see.

 

I disabled my DRL because it's annoying at night when you want to just park and listen to some music and you're lights are on. It just draws unwanted attention. I wish there was an easier way to enable/disable DRL without having to goto the dealer.

 

I know, that is why I use the headlights :smile: When I say ineffective I mean from a visibility perspective.

Also, regarding wear on the Xenons, from what I understand repeated on/off is not the greatest for them over time, thus the auto headlamps feature would seem to be worse on them then just keeping the headlights on.

 

If the only concern is the Xenon.. then you can just activate you DRL. Since Xenon wear isn't an issue... (as what Steve said. )

 

Exactly...and IMHO exactly why you should use headlights & not DRLs in poor weather. When your DRLs are on, your tail lights are not and thus you aren't visible to people behind you.

 

A brief history of Canada:

Molson GOOD!!!

DRL BAD!!!

 

An easier, and safer, way to go is to leave your DRL enabled and when you're parking at night either turn off your ignition or apply your hand brake. My radio works without the key being in the ignition and the DRL's go off when the e-brake is on.

In my experience the DRL's work better than the xenon at dawn and dusk. The time when it is light enough to see down the road but area right in front of you is a little vague. The DRL's are a diffused light that have a wider angle and enhance those items that you don't want to run over.

 

i was NOT encouraging people not to use their lights in the rain. i was stating that the law is so you can be seen. not that MINI's already have DRL and don't need to turn on their lights. for our friends that are slow to understand i'll restate:

if it's raining turn on your lights.
if you have DRL and it's raining turn on your lights.

 

I thought daytime running lights have nothing to do with xenons, and they are the high beams (halogens) at half intensity???

 

I had mine turned on, I think they look good, help me be seen and I see no good reason not to have them. I have noticed a lot of people, most of who have no DRL's either, refuse to turn their headlights on until they have to have them to see the road. I guess they don't know or don't care that the idea of turning your lights on early at dusk is to be seen, not to be able to see the road. Very dangerous IMO.

I would never think that I had my headlights on and forget to turn them on because of MINI's partial high beam DRL's, but they definately help me to be seen without blinding any other drivers.

 

DRLs are just dimmed high beams; however the topic of running Xenons all the time came up in Hoopi's first post "With the Xenons would there be a shorter life if the lights are running all the time? I never worried about this with replaceable halogens" and I was remarking on that since I have used Xenons like that for years with no adverse effects and just wanted to let him know that the Xenon bulbs are indeed replaceable just fyi.

On a side note, the funny thing about DRLs is that they make a lot of cars look cross eyed

I also prefer to have the rear lights on as well.

 

I believe that the MINI (MY 2005+) comes with the feature to automatically turn on the headlights when it gets dark. My 2005 MCSa (with the Bi-Xenons) has this feature; when I park in a darkened garage, the lights turn on automatically. I chose to have the DRL disabled. So, with the light sensor function, when you have to turn on the wipers, you will likely have the lights on (from the rainstorm limiting available light).

Doubtful that the Xenons would suffer premature failure from being on all the time. Although if you have a drive cycle that is biased toward a lot of short trips (lots of on/off cycles), then there could be a problem for the Xenons - the most stress on the Xenon element is at start-up.

 

For MY2005+ MINIs with the Bi-Xenon option, a Bi-Xenon light is used where the Xenon element provides both low and high beam illumination.

 

Since when are the MINI's equipped with bi-xenons? I was under the impression that they are still xenon low beams/halogen high beams? I complained about that elsewhere when I first found it out.

 

First I've heard of Bi-Xenons. I have a mid-2005 build with Xenons and highs are still halogen.

Steve

 

Does this mean I have to flash my headlights when my windshield washer is in use?

 

I ran the xenons on my A4 nearly every mile (80K) I drove it. Felt much safer that I could be seen. They can be expensive to replace, but I didn't have to in nearly 5 years of driving. I figure that if it kept me out of one accident it was worth dealing with the possibility of wearing them out (of course it's impossible to prove that it kept me out of an accident

I've been keeping my 06 MCS in automatic headlight mode. Which seems to work and respond to the light conditions very well.

Mike

 

Bi xenons in a MINI? since when?

 

Mini's don't have Bi-Xenon's....

I just leave my lights on automatic (convenience pkg) and I do have drl's enabled as well. Mostly so people will notice my car while driving their 5000 lb gas guzzling suv's..

 

Welcome to weird CA rules...
The verbage states something about "when wipers are in continuous use", because passing a law against being stupid is not PC.

I've loathed DRLs ever since my old GF's jetta, which turned on the dash lights with the DRLs, fooling you into thinking the headlights (and taillights) were on. ****-poor implementation. (note to self, 'get over it' :smile: )

 

Since at least the 2005 model year. When I was ordering my MCSa (3/23/2005 build), I was interested in the Xenon light option IF it was the Bi-Xenon lights. I was assured that the option was for the Bi-Xenon lights, and it is in fact the Bi-Xenon light. When the lights are on, switching from low to high causes something to shift inside the light housing. No halogen light gets switched on when high beams are selected. Also, the light output color seems more natural (not as blue-ish as some Xenon lights).

 

Either you have a one of a kind option or we all got swindled. The Xenon projector is on top and the halogen bulb for the highbeams can be seen below on mine. Mine is a June 2005 build.

Steve