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And the news just keeps coming from MINIUSA:
As many of you may know, the position of the rear fog light on the 05 MINIs was determined to be illegal in CA and OR. However, successful lobbying has resulted in the CA legislature changing their opinion in this regard and the rear fog light will now be offered as a factory option in all states except for OR. 5AA-Rear Fog Light will be available immediately for only $100. We would ask that our dealers supplying cars to customers domiciled in OR refrain from ordering the foglight at this time.
<p>Any word on a retro-fit kit for those of us who didn't have the chance to get it factory?</p>
<p>Great, can't wait for the retrofit.</p>
<p>Oh my gosh, why is everything $100.00. Why a piece of plastic and some wiring is so expensive.</p>
<p>Hoofreakinray!</p>
<p>So with the retrofit that will presumably follow this announcement… How hard will it be for them to retrofit another toggle inside my car so I can have all toggle's filled and no open spaces? Yes, curious on cost too, but that is secondary on this feature. :o)</p>
<p>G.</p>
<p>Oh, and Gabe… How do you manage to get any “real” work done throughout the day? :o) Do you sleep?</p>
<p>I think 2005 owners MUST order the retrofit rear foglight because that cheap black plastic cover in the back bumper looks absolutely aweful!.</p>
<p>Another reason why the 2002-2004 MINIs look better even with no rear fog lights.</p>
<p>Prior retrofit kits for fogs included the new switch panel. Prior kits also didn't require physically adding rear light as bulb was already in place, so expect 2005 retrofit kit to cost more. Labor might also go up, although should be simple enough for a DIY project minus the obligatory trip to the dealers for the programming.</p>
<p>Gabe: Where on MINIUSA's website do you find your information? I've been wandering around their website and cannot find information related to that of what you post here on MotoringFile. Am I overlooking where it could be?…</p>
<p>Gabe: Just spoke with my MA and apparently this is not yet on the dealer's ordering system. Do you have any other details available? I'd really like to get this added to my December build.</p>
<p>“I think 2005 owners MUST order the retrofit rear foglight because that cheap black plastic cover in the back bumper looks absolutely aweful!.”</p>
<p>As an 05 MCS owner, I can tell you that for me this issue is way overblown. The little cover actually blends in with the rest of the rear trim and looks fine. Anyway, if the rear fog is affordable, I'll get it, if not I can do without and not worry about it.</p>
<p>I agree Karl.</p>
<p>I followed a pure silver '05 MINI today and the black grille on the pure silver bumper looked really ugly! But on darker colored cars it looks OK.
Well done to MINI/BMW for persuading CA to allow the light …</p>
<p>The original design, had the reverse light in the low in the center of the rear bumper, a place now occupied by either a very ugly black plastic cover or the rear fog light.</p>
<p>I personally think that cover looks ugly and cheap. Somehow in pictures it looks OK but in person it just deminishes the look of the car.</p>
<p>Evidently it is cheaper for the factory to integrate the reverse lights into the tailight assemblies than having a dedicated light and wiring for the reverse light.</p>
<p>I like the '05 Cooper bumpers minus the black plastic cover. It reminds me of an 1980's Toyota.</p>
<p>My question would be can I use my full toggle switch from my '03 cooper on my future '05 MCS?</p>
<p>HOW AGGRIVATING!!! My car is due in the dealer in about 3 week, obviously without the rear fog! I say the dealers should have to put these on (or at least have MNIUSA pay for the retrofit). How much would a retrofit be?</p>
<p>I'm likely going to pick up my 05 s this weekend. I will eventually get the light. Can this feature be activated now so when I install the group later it will work? Would be nice to do now since it would probably be a freebie.</p>
<p>GSK: Do I sleep? Not much 🙂 Actually since I get info from time to time from overseas. That usually means it comes early in the morning. Because of that I typically get up a little early most days and work on the site then.</p>
<p>So with that, my train commute, 15 minutes at lunch, and 30-60 minutes in the evening, Motoringfile gets updated. Actually if it wasn't for my metra train commute this site wouldn't exsist in it's current form :)</p>
<p>TJKonarski:</p>
<p>This information won't be on the MINIUSA website for awhile. It's straight from within MINI.</p>
<p>Chip – it should be available immediately. The word “immediately” was underlined in the bulletin from MINI today.</p>
<p>Just wanted to thank Gabe for his early, accurate, information! Thank God for that train commute!</p>
<p>Rick B. the answer to your question should be Yes. I had my '03 MC fog “enabled” and got the kit several months later from Classic MINI. I would think this hasn't changed.</p>
<p>Hi Gabe, thanks for the info, so since it is available immediately, do you already have the installation instruction pdf for viewing? I want to see if that can be done by myself, like whether they are pre-wired like the Mini alarm.</p>
<p>DIY of the toggle switch panel is relatively easy, and well-documented on most MINI sites, including this one (under How To Guides at top)… I did it before, and I'd like to just buy the parts, put 'em in myself, and only pay for the “programming”. Anyone know if the wiring already exists to the rear fog housing, or is that something that has to be installed as well?</p>
<p>Anybody hear of putting in a third reverse light instead of the rear fog light? Sure gets dark back there in the night…</p>
<p>Great, now when do the US-bound 05s get amber rear turn signals like the rest of the world?</p>
<p>Yeah, for real! The red rear turn signals look stupid and cheap…like a Chevrolet Cavalier or a Ford Focus. WHY did they do this to the US cars? Were we supposed to like them better or ???????</p>
<p>I inquired about a retrofit fog light on my 05 cooper s. The cost was around $251.00 installed.</p>
<p>I bought rear lights for my 2005 Mini Cooper S in Paris—now have the appropriate amber turn signals. No installation–they just plug in.
The dealer installed the rear fog—very expensive. $390. The light is only $25, but I needed a new switch bar, plus 2 hours labor and shop costs.</p>