Black Out Project

Yes. I've been wanting to do it myself.

 

While I've only had one good foggy rainy night to actually test them, I can tell you right now that they are a poor replacement for real fog lights. They only really illuminate those fogmonster creatures who are leaping at your car from the side. I'm hoping that I can find a place to mount "real" fog lights that shine out the front.

The rear fog lights act as red reflectors, just like most American cars have. I thought I'd seen someone comment that there was a US regulation limiting extra lights in the back. Sounds goofy, but so do many US regulations.

 

Fog lights are meant to illuminate the sides of the road for when you can’t see too far past the front bumper.

 

What @SameGuy said. Fog lights are intended to illuminate the sides of the road so you can see where the edge of the road is. What you are describing are more like driving lights

 

I put my order in. Any tips on installation? I found this video but it's not super detailed and not even the same car.

 

I respectfully beg to differ. Fog lights are meant as a remedy for headlights when the headlights are aimed far down the road and reflect too much light from the fog. Fog lights are to be mounted low, and cut underneath the headlight beams. They also have a wider spread than headlights. Fog lights should also be amber (even less reflection). Driving lights, on the other hand, are intended for jacked up pickup trucks (frequently driven by yahoos) to blind other drivers. See the distinct difference?

 

I can agree with all of that as well.

 

It is basically the same but you don't have to remove as much as she did in the video. I removed just a couple of bolts so I could reach the back of the fog lights.

 

Got mine installed, posted more about it in the other thread.

Both sets of lights were quite easy to do, no special skills or tools needed.

 

Looks great. I think I missed it in the tint thread… what VLTs did you choose?

 

It’s 20% all around, easier to see over there.

 

Wanting to replace the chrome handles once my SE arrives, do the OEM f56 black handles (#51712457413, 51712457410) work for the '23? Cant seem to find a concrete answer...

 

Did the same thing on mine. Those are the correct part numbers to use. I ordered them as a set from the link below. If you look in the details those are the two part numbers the kit contains.

https://www.ecstuning.com/b-genuine-mini-parts/door-handle-piano-black-front-set/51712457410kt/

 

I ordered the switch Thursday morning on Amazon dot com (US) for $152 plus NY sales tax, free delivery to my Way Upstate NY drop box. It shipped DHL from Istanbul at 5 pm local time, transited Leipzig in the wee hours, and cleared customs at JFK by 9:15 am EDT. Wut. It’ll arrive Monday.

 

Question 1 for those who’ve smoked/tinted tail lights, rear fogs, and side markers: what value of tint did you use (smoke, dark smoke, black, etc)? Brand?

Next question: would they look better or worse (in your opinion) with a satin film as opposed to glossy?

 

I just posted a product I found to tone down the CAV sticker Cali CAV decal idea, but I don't think endquote is going to want to mar his perfect hiney even with that. I really love those tail light mods!!

 

Check out my link here for what I used for side markers and rear fogs. I bought smoked tail lights like @endquote as there's no way I could get them to look that good on such a big surface area...

https://www.minif56.com/threads/side-marker-lights-for-2022.91984/post-870539

 

I've got replacement smoked rear fogs to go in and have the aftermarket tail lights coming. Wanting to smoke or get replacement smoked sidemarkers (but it looks like replacements aren't available for 2022+). I may see about removing the stock side markers to wrap them. Any reason you didn't do that and choose to tint them on the vehicle?

 

No no, that is a vinyl material I used. It isn't like window tint.

I didn't remove the side markers because they're just stuck in place using an adhesive. So I didn't want to mess with finding the right adhesive to put them back on, and potentially breaking them when removing them. Honestly applying the vinyl with them on the car was super easy and I feel like removing them might actually make it harder to do...

Also, I wrapped on the rear fogs since I had plenty of material. Figured why not. If it turned out bad I knew I could just buy the actual smoked ones. So far seems to be holding up great!

 

My marker lights were also wrapped while on the car. I had a wrap shop do it though and I’m not sure of the exact material.