Headlamp Deflectors?

[More2Learn]

I have just bought a second hand (2004) Peugeot 407 Automatic Diesel Saloon for the sole purpose of importing it into France to use as my car when I move and retire there in a months time.

I have been preparing it for exporting from UK, major service and couple of new tyres etc. and fixing some minor bits under warrenty.  

I have found out that it is fitted with Xenon Headlamps, these give a low level bright beam and then for the main headlamp mode a seperate bulb comes on as well.

Talking to the Service Manager at my local Peugeot dealers today, I was querying why the instructions for the combined headlamp guard / deflector I had just brought said the small piece of black plastic was not to be used with 'gas discharge' headlamps. He told me that as the dipped beam bulb was Xenon it did not need a beam deflector as do normal headlamps, the beam is automatically adjusted for the vehicle load when it comes on so that it doesn't dazzle other road users, also that the main beam is provided by the seperate bulb.

Can anyone offer any technical advice on this, I would really hate to get the vehicle down to my new home only to find I have to go to further expence to get it re-registerd in France. My French doesn't extend to deep technical conversations, I can just about get around the shop on a day to day basis right now.

I have to say that getting the certificate of conformity from Peugeot in England was very easy, I went on the website and sent in an email request, after being asked to provide proof of ownership and the chassis number, I got the piece of paper in around 10 days with no hassles.

Regards.

More2learn.

  

[BJSLIV]

Irrespective of the self-levelling function inherent in Xenon headlamps you will still need to adjust the direction of the beam.

The way of doing this is normally set out in the handbook, and involves manipulating a lever hidden in a hard to reach spot behind the unit.

I hope for your sake that this facilty is built into the 407 otherwise you had better be sitting down when you ask for the price of two new Xenon headlamp units.(800 euros Each?)

 

[Quillan]

Probably a silly question but assuming that it's a RHD car and you are moving to France why buy in the UK and not in France where you can get the LHD version with the lights already set up.

The problem with deflectors is they don't deflect they cut of the light in dipped beam mode that goes (on a RHD car) to the left so as not to dazzle oncoming drivers. If you change the units to LHD ones a whole new world appears down the right side of the car at night and its a lot, lot more safer. I've had deflectors before, good for a weeks holiday but never any longer.

[powerdesal]

Being 'generous' about the Peugeot service manager, he possibly mis-interpreted the question. Auto height adjustment is for vehicle load conditions. I don't believe an auto system exists anywhere which can sense which side of the road you are driving on and adjust the dip beam direction to suit. I could of course be wrong but I don't think so.

If  you dont have a manual with the car I suggest that you beg/steal/borrow/buy one to check the method of left dip / right dip adjustment or alternatively try another Peugeot dealership. Perhaps there is a Haynes version available although being only a year old the model may not be covered yet.

I think most modern xenon equipped cars have the adjustment lever that a previous post referred to but its probably a real pain in the **** to find without the book.

[Deimos]

From what a few others have told me, when you import a car to France and take it through its CT (or whatever tests are necessary), they tend to make you change the headlights for the correct ones anyway (i.e. deflectors are not acceptable). I remember this as people tend to complain about how expensive the new headlights are.

Not something I've done myself as I purchased my car in France then sole by UK car (in the UK) - just what a couple of other people who have been through it said.

Ian

[BJSLIV]

As I said before the good news is that many Xenon's can be switched from RHD to LHD (in theory) at the flickl of a switch. Bit if they haven't got this facility ouch!

[Spongebob]

Is it not true that OE Xenon lights don't need an adjuster?

I'm sure I've read somewhere that because they are SO much brighter, (they only draw 35W, but produce up to 300W of halogen equivalent light), and produce SO much light where it should be, they don't have the "finger" of light up the left hand side of the road that halogen lights have, and it's THAT which causes the problem when in France.

I'm sure a phone call to Peugeot customer care will ellicit a response.....

Spongebob.

 

[More2Learn]

Perhaps in the light of hindsight not the best move, however, I wanted to change my own Peugeot 307 just over 2 years old and get something a little better. This beasty is automatic, diesel for economy and has Satnav to stop me getting lost. All in all luxury motoring for half what it was when new.

I have some friends close to where we will be going in Bergerac and his older Datsun passed the test with headlamp deflectors on. I thought I might be able to do the same.

Thanks for all the comments, yes it would have been nice to go and get a newish 407 down in France but I don't think I would have got such a bargain even with the possible cost of replacing the headlamps.

I just had a look but as mentioned space under the bonnet and around the lights is restricted to say the least, looks like you need the size of hands of a 10 year old to be able to get in and do anything.

Regards and thanks to you all..

More2Learn.

[Sunday Driver]

M2L

Sounds like you've got a nice bargain - just the car that will suit you (even though it's steering is back to front [;-)]).  Surely, that's the important thing.

Don't spoilt it by trying to save a few euros and getting it through the test with illegal deflectors.  As has already been said, they don't work very efficiently and if you have an accident and the use of deflectors is found to be a contributory factor, then your insurers are likely to say a big thank you and reject your damage claim.  Furthermore, if someone is killed or seriously injured, then the CT inspector will likely lose his job and be prosecuted for passing the car in the first place.

Check your owner's manual.  You may find all this concern has been quite unnecessary......

 

[Benjamin]

I hope no one minds if I hijack this thread but I have arelated question?

Does anyone know the rules/regs for visiting the UK with a French LHD car regarding what to do about headlamp beams being on the "wrong" side?

Benjamin

[Cassis]

Interesting question. 

In the UK, the Road

Vehicles Lighting Regulations 1989 govern vehicle lighting.  Part of this says that headlamps must not

cause undue dazzle or discomfort to other road users and must not be lit

when a vehicle is parked.

But I have never noticed deflectors etc. on foreign plated cars in the UK.

[Quillan]

[quote user="Steve Martin"]

It's my understanding that continental cars do not need deflectors.  British car lights have a raised side of the beam, or "kerb spotter", continental cars do not.  Neither car's lights point to either side, the British cars just have a beam elevated on one side.

Steve.

[/quote]

My LHD car that I bought here in France does have a raised part of the beam to the right when dipped.

[mitsi]

I've no idea about whether your Peugeot lights can be adjusted via a switch or not. I had trouble getting second hand lights for a 2.5 vectra and was directed onto a German site on e.bay. definately cheaper (£119) , delivered in 3 days, passed the controle technique.

Buying a RHD is not that big a disadvantage and certainly much cheaper than second hand cars over here so long as you have the certificate of conformity. I've - at last - completed all the paperwork today. All I need now are the plates to be fitted.

[Quillan]

When I swapped the lights over on my nearly new Disco the pair (edit: bought from a Landrover dealer here in Carcassonne, France) cost less than one new one in the UK and came complete with bulbs.

If you have a old banger then by all means bring it over and re-register it. If you are buying a year old RHD car you then have a problem with selling it later on. There is no real market for RHD cars in France. There are a couple of companies (or individuals) who advertise that they will buy them from you but when I contacted one I was offered considerably less than the dealer offered me back in the UK. My car was still on UK plates so I took it back but if you have change it over to French plates then you need to change it back to UK ones which can also be a bit of a nightmare as they do not take in to accout that the car was once registered in the UK you have to start from scratch (how to do it was in our FAQ section, the author was Sunday Driver). Even with the Disco I had problems generally driving because of having to come out further on right turns to see whats coming and nearly had the front end taken off on more than one occassion.

Yes OK French second hand cars do not depreciate as quickly as French ones but its six and two threes because if you keep it for 3 or 4 years and sell it on you still get more than you would for a UK car of the same type and year. My Disco, if it were LHD, could have been sold in France for nearly as much as I paid for it 3 years previously in the UK.

PS. If you do bring a UK car over and it will be driven here a lot more than in the UK don't forget to have the tracking done as the road camber is opposite. Yea I know you think I am joking. Well when I read this (on this forum) I thought somebody was having a laugh so I checked with Landrover for my Disco and yes they tracking is different. Result if you don't, you get through tyres a lot quicker and at 230 Euros + each for a 407 its no joke.

[baralbion]

[quote user="Cassis"]Interesting question. 

In the UK, the Road Vehicles Lighting Regulations 1989 govern vehicle lighting.  Part of this says that headlamps must not cause undue dazzle or discomfort to other road users and must not be lit when a vehicle is parked.

But I have never noticed deflectors etc. on foreign plated cars in the UK.

[/quote]

Brittany Ferries sell them on board (as well as those for UK cars going to France).

The trouble with the deflectors I've seen is it seems you can only use them once which makes for considerable expense with multiple trips. Does anyone know of a re-usable type?  

 

[Quillan]

I cannot speak for other car makers but Landrover offer headlight protectors. These are plastic covers that clip on over your headlights to protect them from stone chips etc. They offer two types, just the normal plain ones or with built in deflectors. These can be clipped on and off with ease in about a minute. I have to say that when I showed the book with them in to the guy on the parts desk he said he didn't know that they existed so you need to get them to check on the computer and not just take their word for it. I can't immagine that Landrover are the only people that have these sort of things.

[Deimos]

Probably the wrong thing to do but I have tended to use electrical insulating tape when I visit the UK and have to drive at night.

Ian

[Pierre ZFP]

Admitidly it was some years ago but I once imported a Left Hooker into the UK from Belgium.  When I took it for its MOT I asked the examiner about the lights and he just stuck some tape over the beam deflector bit and passed it!  Ah life was so much simpler then......

Later, when I used to take my Brit car over I just used a bit of Duck tape on the lights, no-one has ever commented, even the cops who stopped me once for a roadside check

 

[bixy]

Yes, it's a real quandary - the LHD/RHD UK/French car thing. I'm currently in that very quandary. I would like to buy a second hand car in France - I can't see the point in buying new, you lose a third of the value in the first year. But I will now only buy Japanese. I've had a Renault and a Citroen - they were both rubbish. However, how often do you see secondhand Japanese cars in France, not only that but it has to be an automatic too! I've thought of trying Germany or Belgium. Any ideas?

Patrick

[Quillan]

[quote user="bixy"]I can't see the point in buying new, you lose a third of the value in the first year. [/quote]

Not in France they don't.

[Mayennaise]

Going over to UK tomorrow and MOH has just stuck the duck tape on the headlamps!! Been doing this for the last two years!! Have to remember to take if off on return though - usually when we are on the car deck of the ferry about to disembark - at night!!!!

[Cassis]

[quote user="bixy"] But I will now only buy Japanese. However, how often do you see secondhand Japanese cars in France, not only that but it has to be an automatic too! I've thought of trying Germany or Belgium. Any ideas?

[/quote]

Toyotas are popular in France.  Especially Yaris and Corolla.  Buying new makes much more sense in France because you won't lose a shedload of value like you do in the UK as soon as you drive it off the forecourt.

[bixy]

Yes, buying new might make sense in France if you are intending to sell on but I never do - I run my cars until there is little value left in them. Therefore it is the initial price of the car that interests me, not its residual value.

Patrick

[Cassis]

Fair enough - but second hand cars are not much cheaper than new cars in France until they have racked up a few dents and a big mileage.

[Pierre ZFP]

[quote user="bixy"] I've thought of trying Germany or Belgium. Any ideas?

Patrick
[/quote]

When I was working in Zurich last year I was struck by the fact that 2nd had cars were a) Much cheaper than UK (they don't like to be seen dead in a 3 year old car) b) Tended to be top-of-the-range models (The Swiss don't do things by half) c) They were immaculate and maintained by the book.

I considered getting something, well actually it was a bright red Corvette as my 'Mid-life Crisis' car but I never took it further. I suppose any price advantage would be wiped out by import taxes :-((