Xenon Headlamps In Detail

Sean Dec 28th, 2006 Link

This illuminating write-up really sheds some line on the subject of xenons. Brilliant!

Pun, very much intended.

Nice work.

Sean Dec 28th, 2006 Link

oops…that was “light” not “line”. Clever…

FrankInMiami Dec 28th, 2006 Link

My 2 MINIs were ordered with the standard halogen headlights and they work just fine. I have driven MINIs equipped with Xenons and I am still not convinced on the added cost, weight and theft potential of these lights.

I would think Xenons are a good choice for people that drive in pitch dark rural roads. In the city they are annoying, specially for oncoming drivers.

To me the most negative aspect of Xenons is the cost of replacement (Halogens are way cheaper to replace, hands down) and in certain metropolitan areas (Like Miami), Xenon headlight assembly ballasts are a magnet for thieves. Every week I see cars that have been bastardized by thieves with no headlight assemblies (Audis, Acuras, MBs, BMWs, Nissans). MINIs are not immune to Xenon headlight theft either.

Pedro Dec 28th, 2006 Link

Yeah - but they just look so cool ;)

FrankInMiami Dec 28th, 2006 Link

Pedro, they indeed do look cool. But when some jerk pries open your bonnet and causes anywhere between $3,000 and $5,000 worth of damage and several days of body shop/rental car expenses, the “Xenons” are not so cool anymore. ;)

lavardera Dec 28th, 2006 Link

bastardize ( bastardized): corrupt or debase (something such as a language or art form), typically by adding new elements

I think you mean vandalized

vandalize : deliberately destroy or damage (public or private property)

Unless the thieves were drawing mustaches on the xenons of the aforementioned Audis, Acuras,…

FrankInMiami Dec 28th, 2006 Link

Yep (Tongue in cheek)…

nervous Dec 28th, 2006 Link

Stolen xenons??? You mean that in addition to my Union Jack valve stem covers I need to be worried about my xenons, too? YIKES!

nervous Dec 28th, 2006 Link

Stolen xenons??? You mean that in addition to my Union Jack valve stem covers I need to be worried about my xenons, too? YIKES!

DB Dec 28th, 2006 Link

Sure they are expensive to replace, but with a life of 3K hours, how long will that take until you have to actually replace them or any of their components? If you use your headlights 1 hour a day, that’s a life of 8 years.

I’m not sure about pricing, but even with an 8 year lifespan, they still cost more than halogens (about $10 each last time I bought them). But I think the extra light and improved visibility would be worth it. I’m not concerned enough with weight to sweat the extra few pounds they add. I’ll just go on a diet instead ;)

FrankInMiami Dec 28th, 2006 Link

DB, I agree but remember that if those suckers either get damaged or “die” out of warranty, they will still be more expensive to replace than a standard halogen setup.

Still for me, the theft factor is what totally turned me off from them. Not at least until car manufacturers can effectively address the problem of Xenon theft I will not be spending the extra cash for them.

Pretty much like anti-theft factory car stereos that require a special code otherwise rendering the radios useless outside of their host vehicles, auto makers out to come out with a Xenon headlight ballast that “self destructs” when taken forceably out of the car. I could be mistaken but something along those lines would discourage would be thieves from prying up your expensive headlights out of your car.

Just ask any 2003/2004 Nissan Maxima owner. Those cars were sold almost exclusively with Xenons as the only choice. Even the New Jersey attorney general sued Nissan Motor Corp for their failure to come out with a solution to the rampant problem of Maxima headlight thefts.

robble Dec 28th, 2006 Link

I have never heard of a MINI having it’s Xenon’s stolen.

The MINI is not a Maxima. I doubt a MINI’s xenons would work in another vehicle with major modifications.

I’ll never buy another car without xenons.

It’s fine if you don’t want them but don’t spread false paranoia about the MINI.

DB Dec 28th, 2006 Link

Wow. A quick search shows what a problem this has been. I was totally unaware.

Check this out. From this article on ABC News from last April.

Owners of 2002 and 2003 Maximas say they’re still paying a much higher price for their vehicles than they ever anticipated.

Julia Dostoleva, a 10-time victim, and Jeff Howard, whose car was hit twice over the summer, fear it will happen again.

“Four times the lights were actually stolen,” said Dostoleva, who eventually received some money from Nissan for the damage. “For thieves who are interested in headlights like this, this is just free cash.”

Crazy. Maybe time to rethink the Xenon option or find a way to secure them!

Adam Dec 28th, 2006 Link

Doubtful a MINI’s could be used anywhere else..

FrankInMiami Dec 28th, 2006 Link

Robble, is not “False paranoia”. In fact if you do a search in MINI2.com there have been Xenon headlights stolen from MINIs in the Boston area. I know of a couple of cases here in Miami as well (One of them while the car was parked in an apartment complex overnight in Miami Beach).

If you happen to live in an area with low crime or virtually non-existant cases of stolen Xenons, then consider yourself lucky and by all means get them and enjoy them.

For what I have read and been told on the subject, the ballast is what thieves are going after. While the actual outer headlight shell will not work in other cars, the crooks seem to be able to retrofit the ballast assembly to work into other cars.

Xenon theft is a big problem in some metropolitan areas. If you live in a low crime area or our in the boondocks, then ignore this warning. :)

FrankInMiami Dec 28th, 2006 Link

Adam, the ballast assembly can be re-used in other cars, regardless of make and model.

FrankInMiami Dec 28th, 2006 Link

Another article from the Boston Globe:

http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2004/02/26/leftinthe_dark/

FrankInMiami Dec 28th, 2006 Link

Here it goes:
http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2004/02/26/leftinthe_dark/

FrankInMiami Dec 28th, 2006 Link

The “proof is in the pudding” as they say:

http://www.mini2.com/forum/mini-cooper-s/27265-xenon-theft.html?highlight=xenon+theft“

robble Dec 28th, 2006 Link

I did a search on NAM and the only reference I found of a MINI getting it’s Xenon’s stolen was by C4 - who said he heard someone in Miami had them stolen.
C4 is in every thread about Xenons saying how high the theft rate is.

BTW.. C4’s posts sound exactly like yours…
C4 is from Miami.. coincidence?

robble Dec 28th, 2006 Link

Thatnks for the link Frank. So it seems there havebeen a handful of thefts. Still doesn’t sound like an epidemic.

FrankInMiami Dec 28th, 2006 Link

Scary, eh?

http://www.mini2.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=45680&d=1091154630

FrankInMiami Dec 28th, 2006 Link

Robble, like I said, it all depends on the area you happen to live. Xenon thefts may not be an issue in certain parts of the country, but it is a real problem in many others. No need to get defensive about it. ;)

pedantic jerk Dec 28th, 2006 Link

The “proof is in the pudding” as they say

Actually, FrankInMiami, the expression in
“The proof of the pudding is in the eating.”

This is a quote from Don Quixote. See Bartleby Quote Site.

VMMVMMM Dec 28th, 2006 Link

I gladly live in an area where this isn’t a problem, so I am very comfortable and happy with mine. In fact, given the option, I will never buy halogen again if I can help it. Although if I lived in an area where I thought there was a good chance they would be stolen, I’d definitely think twice about it.

Mike Dec 28th, 2006 Link

Who cares, in five or so years, pretty much all new cars will be using xenons or LED lights due to power consumption. I don’t know what all this theft FUD is about.

I think they’re my favorite option on the car.

TSizemore3 Dec 28th, 2006 Link

I think the minuscule risk of having your xenon HID’s stolen are greatly offset by the increased safety you will have during night driving by having the improved vision from having the better headlights. If I were driving a more common car like a Toyota or Nissan that have high theft rates for use in chop shops, and lived in some hellhole like certain neighborhoods in Miami (Sorry Frank!)or other big cities, then I might be somewhat concerned. Our MINI’s are still rare enough that there’s not a booming market for stolen parts, so I don’t think this is going to be an issue for most of the country.

FrankInMiami Dec 28th, 2006 Link

No offense. I don’t love this place. I just happen to live here.

James Dec 28th, 2006 Link

I had the xenon headlights in my first MINI and didn’t bother with them in my second MINI. I don’t see where they are worth the added expense either. The washers on them are pointless.

Jason the pedant Dec 28th, 2006 Link

Pedantic Jerk–Yay! I’m a big fan of complete quotes. Another big one is “Where ignorance is bliss, ’tis folly to be wise,” attributable to Thomas Gray. Everyone just uses the first part, which changes the meaning a bit. I’m glad I’m not the only one who cares about these things. :)

Frank, you seem convinced that HID theft is a big problem in general, while most people understand it as a regional problem. No one is denying that it happens, but you seem to be extrapolating–taking a Miami-Boston-a-few other-big-cities problem to be the general case–when in fact HID theft is somewhat unusual in the grand scheme of things.

I live in Phoenix, AZ, and if I said, “sunroofs (sunrooves?) are a bad option–they make the car WAY too hot,” people in the Pacific Northwest would say I’m nuts. They’d be right, because it’s not true in general that sunroofs are a bad option. It’s perhaps not ideal to get a sunroof in Phoenix and it may be a mistake to get HIDs in Miami, but both of those are just specific (regional) truths, not absolute truths. You seem to be mistaking the specific for the general–at least that’s what your tone implies.

Cheers,

Jason

GoodFinder Dec 28th, 2006 Link

The xenons in my ‘05 MCS are such a delight compared to the stock headlights in my GP. Sigh.

Aaron Dec 28th, 2006 Link

Forget theft! These things have a tendency to go out because they’re attached to the hood and they get slammed much harder than sensitive electronics should. At $240 a bulb and $800 for the whole assembly thats no walk in the park.

I just had to have BOTH replaced (thank g-d I was at about 45,000 miles of the 50,000 mile parts warranty) because the burn in was so bad that the passengers side unit, which hadn’t blown, would be putting out noticeably less light than a new one. I still wouldn’t trade them for anything, especially since the new ones are mounted on the body, but I’m selling my car now that the warranty is almost up and buying an ‘07 in the spring. I don’t need any more ’surprises’ that can cost $1600 for LIGHTS.

Aaron Dec 28th, 2006 Link

I forgot to point out that theft will at least be covered by your insurance agent while the unit dying out of warranty most probably won’t.

MiniRacer Dec 28th, 2006 Link

I have a set of undamaged xenon headlights (with out bulbs) that I will trade for a good set of standards. I’m racing a 2004 Cooper S with SCCA and I need to reduce the weight on the nose of the car.

Peter W Dec 29th, 2006 Link

Indeed Xenon lamps/technology do boast of providing better illumination and safety. Although currently not incorporated in the MINI’s, there are xenon lamp systems which are “adaptive” or “dynamic,” meaning that the lightbeam will not only auto-level, but will swivel based on steering input to better illuminate around a curve or bend. No halogen-based headlamp system in existence is “adaptive.”

As with all technology which becomes prevalent and “commoditized,” the ‘costs of replacement’ will become moot.

somake Dec 29th, 2006 Link

Well great look, great power illminating , and i ordered them on my jcw06 … but disappointed . On my previous jcw 04, with additionnal ligths , it was really fun when ridding at nigth , on small narrow roads as “corsica rallye” . In fact additionnal lights are really usefull. Xenons are not enough . And also have no possibility to fix the beam’s high yourself . My xenon beams seems looking down and the beam is far too low on the road . Impossible to fix , said the deaer , it’s automatic .. So must find some additionnal xenons …
Great review and interest . Thanks .

robble Dec 29th, 2006 Link

somake - find a new dealer. the beam throw height IS adjustable. I think you can do it yourself too. Somewhere there must be a DIY instruction sheet.

Rawhyde Dec 29th, 2006 Link

It is easy to aim the xenons. The inboard hex with a screwdriver slot is for vertical aim. Loosen to raise. About 1/4 to 1/2 turn moves it a LOT, so make fine adjustments.

Rawhyde

James in Miami. Dec 29th, 2006 Link

Hello. I have xenons on my 2004 Cooper S. I love the light from them, but they did cost me money when some idiot tried to steal them. The week after my bosses 911 had it’s lights stolen, they took a crowbar to my MINI, and caused about $2000 of damage, without getting the light out. So - I don’t think it’s possible to remove the MINI’s light (unlike Maximas and Porsches), but vandals still try…

Hi Frank!

-James.

somake Dec 30th, 2006 Link

Thanks for the info ! Try this today .
Impossible to chage the dealer ….. the only one on this island ! So lot’s of @, friends and diy’s .
happy new year !! bonne annÃ�’©e .

goonery Jan 2nd, 2007 Link

Stolen Xenons are here ………. :-o
http://www.bohp.net/pict5/sp-morgan-aero8-1.jpg

FrankInMiami Jan 2nd, 2007 Link

That car is ugly as sin. But seems to be a pretty good performer.

Larry Jan 7th, 2007 Link

I didn’t read this whole board, but Frank is correct, I live in Miami and almost every day I see stolen HID headlamps from Porsches (Esp), Infiniti G35s, and a whole bunch more. I’m sure the Mini would be an easy steal