1st Gen R50 Cooper Most liked posts in thread: Rear fog light retrofit

I have a 2005 MCS built in July 2004. I spec'd the car with rear fog lights and because of some silly politics involved, I have the rear foglight, the switch panel that looks like it's already programmed (because the lights on the toggle switch come on in proper sequence) but no wire between the switch and the rear foglight. So it doesn't work.

Dealer wants to charge me 2 hours labor and the price of the wire to set it up. Hence, a nonworking foglight.

The MINIs built after Oct 2004 are supposed have the wiring in place, though not necessarily the switch panel nor the foglight unit.

So yes, you need the proper toggle switch panel, and the rear foglight. The rear foglight unit itself is about $20, I think.

 

Honestly, I have the rear fog light and I can say I used it one time to see if it worked. It's one of those things you never use EVER.

 

If you find yourself in a hard driving rain or fog then yes you will use it. But please don't be one of those guys who drives around using it all the time blinding those behind you. Justa my .02.

 

That fog light will not blind anyone. It's no brighter than your rear taillights.

 

I challenge you to follow a car with one on. It will annoy the the heck out of you Dave. Especially if it is on an F56.

 

It's not about needing a rear fog light. I haven't needed the car first aid kits I carry around, ever. Nor most of the tools, or the warning triangle or the flares. Needed a spare tire, once. Fifteen years ago. Never needed jumper cables, but I've jumped a few other cars, not that I had to. The only thing you really need is a cell phone. Unless the zombie apocalypse happens, then you can pull out all that gear you pack around and say I told you so. Look, I have spare fuses, bulbs, zip ties, duct tape, three flashlights and a multi-tool. What did you bring? Yeah, that's gonna happen.

No, the need is to fill that gap. Something has to go there. In the switch panel. Must fill every slot. Must. And it must DO something. That's why.

You either know you must have this rear fog light, or you know you don't. There's no convincing anybody either way.

 

Following an F56 would annoy the heck out of Dave. Doesn't matter whether the fog light is on.

 

Follow an F56 :lol::lol::lol::lol: That's what the passing lane is for. :ihih::ihih:

I have followed an R53 with the stupid light on before it was not bad at all.

 

I have a '98 Volvo with rear fog lights, I have never used them in the many years I've had it, even in thick fog. Mostly because I forget that I have them.

 

Just to clarify.........Gen 1 pre-face lift had a single back up light and rear fogs were in the tail light assembly. Post face lift they were swapped.

 

I remember someone saying they hooked the fog lights up to work with the brakes light. A job that is on my to do list

 

A long time ago, I put a short jumper in the back of the light assembly on
each side and changed the upper (fog) bulbs to the brightest LEDs I could find
(still not quite as bright as stock incandescents) to keep the current draw
reasonable for the BC1.
It makes a nice improvement to brake light visibility and is not objectional to people
driving behind the car. I have checked this out with my wife driving the MINI in front
of me.

This is much, much more useful than their original rear fog light function.
Decreased chance of getting rear-ended is well worth the minor trouble to do it.

 

IMHO the best option is to swap the running lights and the unused fog lights. That way you have the brake lights independent of the running lights.