30 replies to this topic

[F1L8EY]

Admin im sorry if this is in the wrong place...

 

searched the forum not found anything on this yet...

 

Guys what headlight upgrades are available ?? and has anyone had any of them done ?? worth the money ??

 

mine on the checkmate are pants!! standard

 

Filbey 

[robminibcy]

http://minispares.co...ights.aspx|Back to search

 

these are a huge improvement on standard sealed beam headlights. These can be improved further by using Phillips xtreme h4 bulbs. with these fitted they are as good as many modern cars headlights. they also only require the side light holder to be changed. other than that its plug and play.

[minisilverbullet]

Moved to mini chat

[Cooperman]

Best halogen upgrade is the Cibie version, followed by the Hella one.

The Wipac one is pretty good now.

All are considerably better than the original sealed bean 'electric candles'.

[miniyellowmini]

I bought a set of Autopal headlights a MITP yesterday. Seem pretty good for the money

[Cooperman]

Autopal are really good value. I had a set in a Cooper 'S' with 100/80 watt halogen bulbs and the range and spread were superb. The only problem was the lenses which went a bit 'off' after a few years, but that could have been the very high power bulbs I was using.

[miniyellowmini]

I'll only be running 55w bulbs so hopefully they will be good for a few years. Only £20 with bulbs included so really good. I don't really use them that often to be honest as I don't do a lot of night driving in the Mini. They are E marked too so no worries now when I take it for its MOT. Well no worries about the headlights anyway

[jaydee]

Best would be buying a set wipac quadoptics or a pair of cibie bowls and fit philips xtreme bulbs 55w (not more or it wont be road legal)

A rewire from relay to lamps is reccomendable becuase these models, although already fitted with a relay switch as standard, their wiring is still not so good. Still have to give an in-depth gander at this but after halogen conversions the wiring is too hot and eats too many rocker switches, it shouldnt take all this current through the rocker switch..

Wiring the lamps to a new relay with signal feeded by the original relay headlamp feed sounds like a good solution

[F1L8EY]

Cheers guys, and WOW jaydee.. a very comprehensive answer. i shall scavenge for some automotive wiring then me thinks. or drive in the daytime and find a pub the nestle into in the dark hours

 

Filbey

[Dan]

  I'd steer clear of the Wipac conversion, they are the worst (but admittedly cheapest and most common) H4 conversion lens available.  Others have dramatically better output.  The Lucas lenses seem to give the best output for little cost, if you want the best output whatever the cost use Cibies.  The Lucas ones have quite a flat fronted profile which looks a little different than you might be used to but they work well.  My Checkmate had them fitted (by a previous owner I believe) and they were great.

 

 

  There is no relay isolating the headlamps from the switchgear in any Mini as standard.  The dim-dip relay doesn't isolate anything once the lights are switched on directly, and does nothing for high-beam.  It only uses an alternate supply for the dipped beams when in dim-dip setting.  So fit some as said above, they will keep the switches safe and also may improve the brightness a little further.

[Quincy Sparks]

Was recently looking at the P700 halogen conversion that Minispeed are selling as I like the look : http://www.minispeed...-conversion-kit

Anyone have any opinions/knowledge on quality of light and ease of fitting/wiring? I'd be swapping them for the standard lights fitted to my '90 Cooper (original I think, although one may have a flat fronted Lucas lens as mentioned by Dan but they're not Halogens)

[Dan]

  The tripod on the front of a P700 blocks out a bit of the light, especially when companies stick a badge with their logo in the middle of it!  They weren't originally designed for H4s so the tripod was needed to mask the filament but H4s do that internally.  They are good period looking lamps though.

 

  Are you sure your '90 Cooper with the Lucas lenses doesn't run H4s?  90 Coopers are supposed to have them, but it may have been optional.

[Quincy Sparks]

Thanks Dan - good point, had always assumed because the light is not that strong, and has yellow cast, that they weren't H4s, but I must confess I've not investigated that closely. My perception of the feeble output might be compounded by the fact that the reflector bowls have started to deteriorate, taking on a rusty look in large areas - which is one of the reasons for wanting to replace them. So, I shall take a proper look and report back! 

[invisible_kid]

I agree with cooperman get the cibies. He recommended this to me 2 years ago and I haven't looked back since. I use israms night breaker bulbs with them and they are awesome.

[invisible_kid]

Also I had the cheap wipacs in mine and are not worth it. Bear in mind it's a safety thing and I do a lot of driving down country lanes. I wouldn't have anything else