well put indeed!

 

I've got both...non-Xenons on my MC and Xenons on my MCSC. I've never ordered a car from my MA. I've always picked up my mini coopers on the lot. I did not know when I purchased my MCSC that the car had Xenons (sorry, I was excited when given the opportunity to purchase my convertible...it's not that I didn't walk around the car a few times, I just had "anxious buyer blindness" After closing the deal, I went back to the car and exclaimed to my MA - "It has XENONS!!" (At this point she MUST have thought that I was a complete idiot...but she did a good job of hiding her dismay! )

At any rate here's what I'm getting at...I really like the extra light that Xenons cast...I think they are definitely worth it! If my Mini Cooper had them I would be just that much happier. They really make a BIG difference at night. But having said that I agree with a previous post about pulling over when it gets dark. Occasionally I have to drive at night, but I'm really trying to make a conscious decision to do it only when there is a SERIOUS emergency! It's just not worth it...besides, a person could be sharing the road with Nicole Richie and not know it until it's too late!!!

Chuck

 

What's the typical cost of the clearbra + installation?

 

I second that emotion. If they weren't burdened with the complexity of washer jets, self levelers, ballasts and the weight and all of the cost that that brings, they'd be a perfect solution to the Halogen bulb.

But don't let my humbug affect your decision. Happy xenon owners can't be wrong. Everyone that has them loves them so they must be great.

 

Well since you don't drive much at night your opinion of headlights is limited so & the blinding xenons you see coming at you are most likely aftermarket crap. The Mini xenons are not blinding to other drivers & more importantly they provide a much clearer field of light for the driver of the Mini.

My Mini is the 1st Xenon equipped auto I have ever owned & I will never ever ever drive another car that doesn't have them. Call me silly but I feel that I tend to drive better when I can see

 

The xenon's that blind us at night are typically those installed without self leveling.

When I lived in the foothills with lots of twisties and no street lighting, the Xenons made all the difference in the world. Xenons I've had have had a wide spread so you can see more on the side of the road and better around dark tight corners having nasty drop-offs (with my pre Xenon car I used to use my turn signals to see better on these corners).

Heck, on the MCS you can spend $1,400 (sport package) and get Xenons, Dynamic Stability Control and 17" performance wheels/tires, not to mention the headlamp washers and bonnet stripes. Now that's a good buy.

Until I started puting clear bra material on my head and fog lamps I must have replaced 4 or 5 light assemblies for typically ~$130 each (none were Xenon). I don't remember the exact cost to have the clear bra installed but but it was considerably less than the cost of a single fog lamp assembly.

 

[quote=05DSMCS;1278182]The bad thing about halogens are they dim with age, so even if they start out brighter, as time goes on, they dim.

EVERYTHING dims with age. Get used to it.

 

Each xenon adds 7.5 lbs

 

To be exact 7.7lbs per side.

 

Here's a thought...on those dark roads, tryin slooowing dooown. Or keep your foot in it. Your choice. At least with those Xenons, you'll be able to see that big buck clearly right before he comes through your windshield.

 

Is that 7.7 pounds MORE than halogens weigh, or the total for each unit?

 

More than halogens, (the primary reason that the GP R53's had halogen lights).

 

I have the xenons in my car and my wife doesn't after having both i would say go with the xenons, they are well worth it.

 

+1

 

Plz explain this.

With my 04 with Xenons. On low it was Xenon. On High it was the Xenon PLUS the H7 halogen high ... that is, both bulbs are burning

With Bi-xenons, the same bulb is use, by moving reflectors for both the high and low beams. How can one bulb burning be better than two?

 

Why should I slow down? I have Xenons so I can see

p.s...I came very close to creaming 3 deer in broad daylight while driving down a road that had a lot of trees on each side so that's not just a night-time phenom

 

Because the Xenons put out more total light than the halogens. The reflector on a bi-xenon simply shields some of the light when low beams are in use. The entire output is released when you go to high beams.

 

But the entire xenon bulb ... all 35 watts is burning on the lows PLUS I get the Halogens

That is MORE light than just the 35 watts of a bi-xenon.

 

.... but all that 35 watts of light isn't coming out - some of it's being blocked by the glare shields or whatever they're called - which is why there's such a defined line across the top of the zone that is lit by your xenon low beams...

 

Whichever lights you choose I would definitely recommend getting the clear (or colored) lense covers. Do not settle for the one that are the same thickness are the clear body shield, make sure you get the ones that are 1/16" thick. They will withstand a 1" stone at 60 mph (or something like that). Cheap insurance.

Had them on my first MCS and have them on my second. I also have the same thickness plastic on the fogs, only those are yellow. It helps in heavy fog, heavy rain and snow.

 

No kidding! Deer out in the daytime. I am SHOCKED!
Be sure and post us from the emergency room.

 

Hmm, you sure about that on MINIs?

 

I haven't disassembled one to look at the inside - but it IS a pretty well defined line, and I read this thing about the shield somewhere... not that that makes it fact...

 

Don't know anything about xenons except I hate the SOB cars when they're behind me. What a freaking PITA! Wish they were banned.

JohnG

 

drivin in montana is an ambition of mine your so lucky