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HID headlights in europe?!?
tegwin - 11/7/07 at 11:22 AM

Im going to Europe in a few weeks with my new car...

It has HID bulbs for the dipped headlights..

Now it is my understanding that on normal headlights you are suposed to fit beam defelectors.....

Apparently the defelectors dont work properly on HID's....Instead you are suposed to adjust the HID units themselvs so they are pointing in the right direction..

Does this sound right, or can I just whack some deflectors on the car and be happy and leagal?

hobbsy - 11/7/07 at 12:02 PM

Don't drive in the dark

andyps - 11/7/07 at 01:07 PM

Most cars with HID's have the ability to switch them over for driving on the right - some say you have to visit the dealer for this but apparently it is quite an easy job once you know how. It did occur to me though that if you got them done at a dealer in the UK and then drove to the port you would actually be illegal in the UK as the lights would be dipping the wrong way! A guy near me in the ferry queue recently was sorting them on his Omega whilst waiting for the boat.

tegwin - 11/7/07 at 01:09 PM

That thought had crossed my mind....

Phoned my local VW dealer and they didnt actually want to tell me how to do it...but if I pop in and give them £50 they will do it for me

Dont supose anyone knows how to do it on a 2001 VW polo GTI per chance?

iank - 11/7/07 at 01:34 PM

I suspect they are all similar.

Some instructions for Ford's here http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/forum/post/index.htm?v=i&t=17428

Worth a quick look.

andyps - 11/7/07 at 04:28 PM

quote:
Originally posted by tegwin
Phoned my local VW dealer and they didnt actually want to tell me how to do it...but if I pop in and give them £50 they will do it for me


Ask thenm if the car will be legal to drive in the UK once they have converted it, reminding them about construction and use regulations (which are the ones that matter with headlamp dipping) and then remind them that they wouldn't want you implicating them if you got caught. Then suggest that as an alternative, if they tell you how to do it at the port they will be keeping themselves out of trouble

Toady1 - 11/7/07 at 05:05 PM

dealers are such wankers! I hate them!

12a RX-7 - 11/7/07 at 05:07 PM

anyone would think they were trying to earn a living

MikeRJ - 11/7/07 at 05:16 PM

quote:
Originally posted by 12a RX-7
anyone would think they were trying to earn a living


instead of extorting customers...

ChrisGamlin - 12/7/07 at 07:54 AM

Ask on UK Mk4's, its primarily a Golf (and variants) site but I suspect the headlamp mechanisms are similar on all VAGs, so Im sure someone will know how to do it on there.

t.j. - 12/7/07 at 08:14 AM

There are car's like some beemers which have a mechanisme on the rear of the unit which is easy to turn.



[Edited on 12/7/07 by t.j.]