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Left hand drive headlights from UK?


Mrs Trellis

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We need to change our headlights for the first CT. Local garage thought it ridiculous when he found our RHD French car (Berlingo) doesn't have the facility to switch over - most German ones do.

Quote for 2 headlights 445 euros plus fitting (special offer this month). Other garage 560 including fitting. Bizarrely , the right headlight costs a bit more than the left!

I got an online quote from a UK company which would save over 100 euros, postage included. OH is doubtful. Has anyone bought headlights this way?

(Oh, and the garage man mentioned putting in an insurance claim for one light, but I don't want to go there.)
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If that is what a UK company has quoted then that is what it is. They will merely order a part number.

And yes, one side can vary in price between another side - usually depends on which side is more than likely to be broken - and this one is usually the dearest.
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We bought our French headlights for our VW in the UK but they were delivered directly to the VW garage here as they didn't arrive in the UK in time for them to be fitted. The UK cost for fitting them was quoted at £130 and here the cost was 30 euros !
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If you have an ebay account, search on there for LHD lamps - there are plenty of aftermarket manufacturers who sell them at a fraction of the price of dealerships. I got a pair for a C2 lately for about 70 euros each including postage from a seller based in I think it was Poland, advertising on Ebay UK.

Alternatively - its a berlingo - there must be dozens in scrapyards near to you - Shouldnt cost more than 50 - 80 euros or so each.
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edit...

early style berlingo 180 euros the pair, plus 20 for delivery from germany....

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Citroen-Berlingo-Peugeot-Partner-LHD-european-headlights-headlamps-2002-2008-set-/360772778838?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&fits=Model%3ABerlingo&hash=item53ffbbbb56

and the later style for 200 the pair....

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Citroen-Berlingo-LHD-european-headlights-headlamp-2008-set-/360839280682?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&fits=Model%3ABerlingo&hash=item5403b2782a

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  • 2 weeks later...
AnOther

Interesting, I have very recently brought a VW CC across to France and it has a facility on the Settings menu to change to "Travel mode" which incorporates the headlamps moving across to accommodate right hand driving. From what you have stated am I to think that when the time for the CT arrives, not for 3 years, that this will not conform with their requirements and I will have to get the headlamps changed?

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Travel mode is just an adjustment to prevent dazzling oncoming traffic it does not convert the lights from RHD to LHD.

CT stations use a sophisticated analyser to check the beam profile and if it does not conform to the criteria laid down then they will fail them.

To the best of my knowledge travel mode settings on VW's simply flattens the beam which will make it non compliant but time will tell !

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A flat beam (at the correct height) is compliant with the French CT regs, a "kick up" is permissable within defined limits on the RHS of the beam pattern but is not obligatory, any light shining outside of this permitted area including a RHD "kick up" will result in a fail.

Headlamp masking and beam deflectors should also result in a fail but some still turn a blind eye.

Several of the new generation vehicles have flat beam headlights. 

Editted, a UK left hand "kick up" beam lowered so that the kick up didnt go above the horizontal line would probably fail because the rest of the beam would be too low.

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Time will tell indeed! Perhaps I should start saving up now for when the 3 years are up!!

But I still find it rather strange that you are allowed to have "dodgy" headlamps for 4 years and that the CT ought be part of the change over process to a French registration.

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