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LED conversion and parking sensors

5998 Views 8 Replies 5 Participants Last post by  Angib, 
MCS
Can anybody help advise on what the potential is to retrofit LED headlights?

Having bought the car on a kind of impulse (bought off the showroom) I did not manage to spec various fundament essentials. Assuming things would be standard on a £23k car, only when doing the deal on the day with no real research did it dawn on me that I would need to compromise a little. However having the s in the family is still a massive bonus!

1. LED headlights, what's the potential to swap?
2. LED DRL's are they swappable, the halogens just look dull. I guess it would make sense to do both, a mix could look a bit in balanced? I assume they would operate independently though.
3. Heated seats?
4. Parking sensors that integrate with the cars system?

It's had a close shave with our neighbours already, you kind of get used to them, but it's the OH who wants them, think it's because it's the F55 LWB plus the seats, I want the LEDs.

Any advice, experience welcomed.
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MOCIAP
No replies yet?
Nobody's willing to give you the bad news :(
LEDs... that would be a BIG NO, sorry
Heated seats probably possible, but IMHO definitely not worth the effort to instal all the elements, wiring and switches
Parking sensors... take advice, would probably have to be 'aftermarket' as all Mini wiring looms are bespoke to the original specifications
In 45 years of driving, I've never had the need for parking sensors, but there again, the need is inversely proportional to one's driving ability ;)

PS: Congratulations on getting a great car. Enjoy it and appreciate it for what you have.
Even if you specced a new one yourself, you would feel the need for something not ordered.
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kenl
LED lights could possibly be changed but I would guess about £2k to do it correctly.
swapping the bulbs to Osram night breaker unlimited makes a big difference to the halogen lights. Brighter and whiter light from them.
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MCS
MOCIAP said:
No replies yet?
Nobody's willing to give you the bad news :(
LEDs... that would be a BIG NO, sorry
Heated seats probably possible, but IMHO definitely not worth the effort to instal all the elements, wiring and switches
Parking sensors... take advice, would probably have to be 'aftermarket' as all Mini wiring looms are bespoke to the original specifications
In 45 years of driving, I've never had the need for parking sensors, but there again, the need is inversely proportional to one's driving ability ;)

PS: Congratulations on getting a great car. Enjoy it and appreciate it for what you have.
Even if you specced a new one yourself, you would feel the need for something not ordered.
Click to expand...
hmm, thanks... I guess it's going to be a case of OH well. Make the most of what we've got (which outweighs the lack of the above).
Interesting that the looms are bespoke, I had assumed that in most modern cars you could just plug in and add on if you wished to invest further and improve.
You're right about driving abilty! My other drive is a 5 series f10, it's pretty big! I tend to switch off to the noise of the sensors and use skill and judgement :laugh: but when I jump in the S, subliminally I'm waiting for the beeps :|
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MCS
kenl said:
LED lights could possibly be changed but I would guess about £2k to do it correctly.
swapping the bulbs to Osram night breaker unlimited makes a big difference to the halogen lights. Brighter and whiter light from them.
Click to expand...
Think £2k is not going to sway me, more a outs aesthetics than practicality. I will definitely look at the Osrams (not directly :nerd:).

Any thoughts on the DRL/fog lights?
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A
There is an official Mini kit for retrofitting rear PDC sensors so your dealer can give you a supply and fit price. It's not going to be cheap as the 'black band' plastic trim at the bottom of the bumper where the sensors fit has to be replaced by one with holes for the sensors.


You probably need to get the dealer to fit the sensors if you want the visual display as well as just beeping, 'cos it's bound to need the ECU coding for them.
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A
For the leds, I'm sure the last time I was in the garage I read a leaflet for an led upgrade - £495 if I remember correctly.
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MCS
Angib said:
There is an official Mini kit for retrofitting rear PDC sensors so your dealer can give you a supply and fit price. It's not going to be cheap as the 'black band' plastic trim at the bottom of the bumper where the sensors fit has to be replaced by one with holes for the sensors.


You probably need to get the dealer to fit the sensors if you want the visual display as well as just beeping, 'cos it's bound to need the ECU coding for them.
Click to expand...
Thanks for this. Will look into, got a mate who's a mechanic at Bmw/mini. Problem is, they need to be told the exact part as I think sales and management stop them from using initiative, probably to stop people like me trying the back door.
Have you used or know anybody who has used this? Member above says no wiring?

Thanks
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A
The PDC retrofit kit must overcome the wiring problem since clearly it would only have been designed to be fitted to cars that don't already have rear PDC.

Here's the full RealOEM page with part number for the kit:

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