2015 Cooper S halogen headlights - help

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   We just got a new 2015 Cooper S 2 door off the lot. Fitted with halogens that are just weak. I want to put osram nightbreakers or philips xtreme bulbs in - that will improve matters somewhat. But no one seems to know what the proper fitment is. Are these 9003 hb2/hb4 bulbs?  Ive looked all over and none of the usual parts suppliers seem to say.  Mini USA just provides their own part numbers, which mean nothing, and I don't more of the same OEM lamping - its terrible. 

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chambolle Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List PSMINI Member Joined: September/21/15 Location: Bainbridge Is Status: Offline Points: 3	Post Options Post Reply Quote chambolle Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Topic: 2015 Cooper S halogen headlights - help Posted: September/25/15 at 11:15am
	We just got a new 2015 Cooper S 2 door off the lot. Fitted with halogens that are just weak. I want to put osram nightbreakers or philips xtreme bulbs in - that will improve matters somewhat. But no one seems to know what the proper fitment is. Are these 9003 hb2/hb4 bulbs? Ive looked all over and none of the usual parts suppliers seem to say. Mini USA just provides their own part numbers, which mean nothing, and I don't more of the same OEM lamping - its terrible.

Rob and Terri Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List PSMINI Driving Member PSMINI Member Joined: August/17/13 Location: Moses Lake, WA Status: Offline Points: 74	Post Options Post Reply Quote Rob and Terri Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: September/26/15 at 6:07pm
	Check your owners manual- The book for the 2014 cars refers to your lamp requirements on page 190/191. It indicates that the type of bulb used is the H4 series. Your 2015 book may indicate another bulb type. When purchasing aftermarket 'performance' bulbs you will note that the packaging warns that the service life of these bulbs may be less than you would experience with the stock unit (significantly shorter from my experience). Buy only known brands from a reputable retailer. There is a lot of 'stuff' on Ebay that are cheap knock-offs from our trading partners in the far east and very unreliable. You may experience some output improvement but the shape/spread of the light beam is a function of the headlight lenses and the reflector not the bulb. My previous MINI had the halogens and they were at best legal. My current MINI has the LED headlights and they are night and day (pun intended) better than the halogens.
	2017 Clubman S All4- Moonwalk grey w/pearl int. (Moonshadow). Previous MINIs: 2014 All Black F56 Justa . 2013 S Hardtop, 'KERMINI' - BRG/BRG w/Beige interior

chambolle Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List PSMINI Member Joined: September/21/15 Location: Bainbridge Is Status: Offline Points: 3	Post Options Post Reply Quote chambolle Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: September/26/15 at 8:29pm
	Thanks. I gotta say the manual that came with the car is a confusing mess. I may have missed it, but I did not see a straightforward spec sheet with info on common replacement items. After much ado I did figure out that the car uses 9003 HB2/H4 lamps. I keep hearing that brighter/higher color temp halogens do not last, and perhaps I will discover that is true when I relamp our new Cooper S. However, I put Osram Silverstar H1 bulbs in the Euro spec headlights in my E36 M3 years ago, and they keep on ticking. The fogs burn out about every 12 months or so, but those run quite hot and that is no surprise. Agreed the LED lights would be a huge improvement - and that was at the top of my 'must have' list when we went looking for the car. But we wanted to lease, the dealer was pushing 2015s off the lot and the LED option had to fall by the wayside in order to get other options that we (meaning my spouse) wanted on a preconfigured car. To me the idea of putting halogen lighting on a car anymore is a bit ludicrous - that was new technology maybe 30 years ago. Today it is a couple of generations behind the times and really inadequate when you're surrounded by other cars on the road blasting xenon and LED lighting at you. Hopefully some upgraded bulbs like the Philips Xtreme or Osram Nightbreakers will help a good bit.