andrewc Posted October 22, 2004 Share Posted October 22, 2004 Older Headlamps have guidelines on them to show where to stick diverters. You can do it with masking tape. New headlamps seem to be flat and smooth with no indication at all. We're buying a new UK Renault Grand Scenic, but the dealer cannot tell us how to fit beam diverters, and is now claiming they are no longer legally necessary.Has anyone out there successfully fitted have a smooth UK headlamped new Renault (Grand Scenic) with beam diverters?Thanks, Andrew Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Babnik Posted October 22, 2004 Share Posted October 22, 2004 I don't know if you are thinking of permanently moving the car over to Franc, but if you are, you'll have to change the headlamps....beam diverters won't pass the CT! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baz Posted October 22, 2004 Share Posted October 22, 2004 Many modern cars have headlight beam adjustment with the control on the dashboard. If you lower the lights to the maximum setting, this make the beam operate without blinding the oncoming traffic when driving on the right. No beam diverters or black tape required.Baz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iceni Posted October 23, 2004 Share Posted October 23, 2004 Babnik - as always in France the "rules" vary from street to streetSome CT stations say no absolutelySome will issue a CT with a time limit to get new glass etcSome care not a jotSuggest that anyone with a beam lowering switch takes it to a UK garage with a beam setter for testing.Just a thought - John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M Posted October 23, 2004 Share Posted October 23, 2004 On cars with Xenon headlamps you can't just lower the beams, as they are computer-controlled and vary with the load - at least they do on our Laguna, and I was told they all have to do that now. The position of the beam benders is not super-critical - if you look at the headlamps, aim to get them in the lower left-hand quadrant, with the top edge about on the centre line. Be sure to get them the right way up - the should be marked 'rhd - top'.regards,Malcolm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dean Posted October 24, 2004 Share Posted October 24, 2004 Hi Andrew,I bought a new Citroen C5 this year and like your Renault it has smooth glass on the headlights. After much checking on the internet I found the easiest option to be a set of perspex headlight protectors from Citroen themselves. These came with the markings on them and shaped stickers to fit, I now slip these on the car whenever I go to France - it only takes 5 minutes. I would be wary of putting tape on the glass without knowing the correct position, on my C5 each light has a different shape in different positions and there is no way I could have guessed them right despite my many years as a mechanic.Dean. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlotte3 Posted October 24, 2004 Share Posted October 24, 2004 [quote]I don't know if you are thinking of permanently moving the car over to Franc, but if you are, you'll have to change the headlamps....beam diverters won't pass the CT![/quote]"I don't know if you are thinking of permanently moving the car over to Franc, but if you are, you'll have to change the headlamps....beam diverters won't pass the CT!"Our car passed the CT with flying colours.....beam diverters, UK plates an all! (And yes, we have checked with our French insurers and we ARE fully insured on UK plates, despite what others may have said on this forum)Charlotte Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave&Olive Posted October 24, 2004 Share Posted October 24, 2004 Hi all . as an ex motor mechanic have been out of the trade for a few years now, the way head lamps dipped changed in the 80`s, they no longer dipped to the left but dipped to a cut off line ,set at the hight or just below the center of the head lamp this did away with the need to fit black stickers to the head lamps when driving abroad.Find out from your manufacturer, or local garage test centre if this is still the case for your type of vehicle.But things might have changed in 10years Dave&Olive Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Babnik Posted October 24, 2004 Share Posted October 24, 2004 Charlotte,it's very easy to find a CT garage to pass a car if you don't have the correct headlamps, whether it's legal or not I'm not so sure. It's that or I've just bought an expensive pair of headlamps for nothing?Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miki Posted October 24, 2004 Share Posted October 24, 2004 Our car passed the CT with flying colours.....beam diverters, UK plates an all! It makes no difference what registration your car is on, UK plates or otherwise, a CT is just about whether or not your car is considered roadworthy to French regs.Yes, I have read that people have passed with beam diverters fitted but I have always changed the lights when re-registering a car to French plates because on 3 occasions, when I tried to get it through without changing the headlights, the tester spotted that the lights were not legal and stating that the deflectors, if fitted, would not be permanent. I also know of a few others that have said they also didn't manage to get the car passed with beam deflectors, so consider yourself lucky.And yes, we have checked with our French insurers and we ARE fully insured on UK plates, (despite what others may have said on this forum)Yes, no one that I have read says that a French insurer will not insure a UK reg car, what people have said including me, is be very aware that after 3 or 6 months, if you are a resident, your car should legally be re-immatriculated. The problem of not complying can possibly appear if you cause an accident, the insurers will always look for a loop hole to avoid paying and an easy way out would be to invoke the legal ruling. I have known people who were still on UK plates and insure with French companies in to the 2nd year but I also know of a few (inc me some while ago now) that were warned to immatriculate their car on to French plates pretty smartly after insuring the UK, or indeed another country, car. Why do you think they would say that, if running around on UK plates were permanently legal ? Why would anyone bother to change from their UK plates at all in fact? (yes we all know those that live here and go back to the UK, for an MOT to carry on with their UK insurer !) Just get a French CT every 2 years et voila, all legal and above board eh? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boghound Posted October 25, 2004 Share Posted October 25, 2004 Well said Miki. If you live over here I can't see the point of not having French plates, or perhaps like a great number of "Brits" over here, "Living beyond means" springs to mind. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iceni Posted October 25, 2004 Share Posted October 25, 2004 It would be a tad difficult to re-register a UK car if the CT could not be passed while wearing UK plates.BTW our CT cert notes that our plates were glued not rivetted, but as the man said, no prob as you are going to re-reg anyway.Johnp.s. this forum is worrying, I agree with Bhound again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
opas Posted October 26, 2004 Share Posted October 26, 2004 Please will you all cross your bits and pieces as Mr O has just left the house for the CT, hopefully the mechanic will be a bit dopey at this time in the morning and not notice the beam benders......Ford want a fortune for the lights and we have been scouring scrapyards without sucess! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boghound Posted October 26, 2004 Share Posted October 26, 2004 [quote]It would be a tad difficult to re-register a UK car if the CT could not be passed while wearing UK plates. BTW our CT cert notes that our plates were glued not rivetted, but as the man said, no prob ...[/quote]Don't worry Di. I think it's only the weather. Normal service will resume shortly! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neutralzone<EM>Lets not <STRONG>bitch!<STRONG><EM> Posted October 26, 2004 Share Posted October 26, 2004 Hi,In regard to Charlotte's message I have noticed a few worrying replies.Miki..... I think if you read the message correctly it is just a light hearted reply about her experience and I am sure that she has done what we all have had to do..... namely gain the CT before re-registering the car. Boghound...... what has anyones financial position to do with changing headlights??? Are you paranoid about other peoples incomes or ability to live in France?? God sake get a life.Iceni....... What exactly is worrying you about the forum??? Surely not the same worries that boghound has about peoples financesC'mon folks its about BEAM DIVERTERS! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neutralzone<EM>Lets not <STRONG>bitch!<STRONG><EM> Posted October 26, 2004 Share Posted October 26, 2004 In fact............................I do believe some of the previous messages (including mine) just *may* infringe on the code of conduct for the forums! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maddie Posted October 26, 2004 Share Posted October 26, 2004 [quote]Older Headlamps have guidelines on them to show where to stick diverters. You can do it with masking tape. New headlamps seem to be flat and smooth with no indication at all. We're buying a new UK ...[/quote]I bought a set of headlight converters/beam deflectors from Halfords before we moved to France earlier in the year. I've a Scenic RX4 with the smooth type headlights. You'll find, inside the packet, there are comprehensive instructions on where and how to position the headlight deflectors. Mine have worked a treat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
opas Posted October 26, 2004 Share Posted October 26, 2004 Well done folks,you obviously crossed all the right bits , as our car passed CT this morning.....without beam deflectors , as Mr O thought the green masking tape stood out like a sore thumb! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
opas Posted October 26, 2004 Share Posted October 26, 2004 Well done folks,you obviously crossed all the right bits , as our car passed CT this morning.....without beam deflectors , as Mr O thought the green masking tape stood out like a sore thumb! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
opas Posted October 26, 2004 Share Posted October 26, 2004 Well done folks,you obviously crossed all the right bits , as our car passed CT this morning.....without beam deflectors , as Mr O thought the green masking tape stood out like a sore thumb! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miki Posted October 28, 2004 Share Posted October 28, 2004 Miki..... I think if you read the message correctly it is just a light hearted reply about her experience and I am sure that she has done what we all have had to do..... namely gain the CT before re-registering the carI read it OK but thanks for informing me of how I should read a post, I will keep it in mind Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlotte3 Posted October 28, 2004 Share Posted October 28, 2004 No Miki, I don't consider myself lucky, in fact as far as I am concerned luck never came into it!I simply did what seemed sensible....apply for the CT and be told by an expert if I needed to change or fix anything. At the end of the day, the CT people must surely know more about this subject than the rest of us! If they had told me to change the headlights I wouldn't have had a problem with it, but I don't see the point of spending money if it isn't necessary. Boghound,What has a person's financial means got to do with anything? Everyone is free to live beyond their means in whichever country they choose and just because YOU assume this to be the case why sould it be so? Some of the most wealthy people I know lead a modest lifestyle. (and we all know people who would appear to have money to burn, and actually have huge debts to fund their lifestyle.....ring any bells?)The point I was TRYING to make was that people shouldn't worry about applying for their first CT and that it needn't be an expensive experience.Charlotte Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neutralzone<EM>Lets not <STRONG>bitch!<STRONG><EM> Posted October 28, 2004 Share Posted October 28, 2004 I sincerely hope you do Miki!!! 'cause that sort of outlandish, cavalier behaviour is wot ruined the roman empire! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neutralzone<EM>Lets not <STRONG>bitch!<STRONG><EM> Posted October 28, 2004 Share Posted October 28, 2004 I sincerely hope you do Miki!!! 'cause that sort of outlandish, cavalier behaviour is wot ruined the roman empire! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boghound Posted October 28, 2004 Share Posted October 28, 2004 [quote]No Miki, I don't consider myself lucky, in fact as far as I am concerned luck never came into it! I simply did what seemed sensible....apply for the CT and be told by an expert if I needed to chang...[/quote]Well. I've been found out! I'm living in debt. I owe money to everyone. I can't even afford the "bells to ring" and a pot to piss in. Life's a sod but so are the people who take this forum to seriously.Well Miki. You know what this means. I'll have to sell the Ferrari and eat one of the dogs for Xmas. No cards getting sent this year and as for the mistress. Oh well. easy come, easy go. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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