Headlight deflectors? (1 Viewer)

Badknee

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Being on the road for up to a thousand miles a week with my job I have yet to see a single foreign vehicle with beam deflectors fitted, trucks, coaches, motor homes, cars. Not one with deflectors.

The question is do you bother fitting them when on the continent in your RHD vehicles?
I have in the past but it winds me up when I don't see anyone coming over with them.
 
Aug 18, 2011
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We have no police presence on our roads. Your argument will mean nothing to Spanish or French police..Better to be safe than sorry..bit of tape does the job....BUSBY:):)

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mikebeaches

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Yes, we go over the water twice a year in Spring and late summer. So fit them in April and leave them on until we return from our second trip late September, when the van goes for its MOT in October. Then keep them off for the winter in the UK.

But agree, rarely see others with them fitted.

Mike
 
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Chockswahay

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We have no police presence on our roads. Your argument will mean nothing to Spanish or French police..Better to be safe than sorry..bit of tape does the job....BUSBY:):)

I agree (y)

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Chockswahay

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eu law says we dont have to make any alterations to a eu reg vehicle while visiting other countries . i dont drive at night so arent dazzling anyone . so no offence occurs .
Hmm.... don't think El Rozzer would agree......

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vwalan

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Hmm.... don't think El Rozzer would agree......
i,m quite happy to be arrested and took to court over there .
i was arrested once for camping , but after i insisted the guardia at aguilas rang the interiour minister i was released . i carry a document that covers parking not camping . also other ones like the deflectors .
i deliberately parked in a place so i could cause a fuss . its harder for the spanish m,home clubs to sometimes make an issue . i did on their behalf . it worked .
 
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Badknee

Badknee

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We have no police presence on our roads. Your argument will mean nothing to Spanish or French police..Better to be safe than sorry..bit of tape does the job....BUSBY:):)

No, it wasn't an argument Busby it was a question.
 
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Jackyboy61

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Don't forget headlights must be on when it rains in France ,so deflectors are a necessity when driving in daylight also .
 
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SMB

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Fitted mine 18 months ago, will finally remove them when 1st MOT is due in August next year. Will be buying some headlamp covers at that time anyway so they will be duly marked up for European travel (y)
 
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Apr 27, 2008
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My headlights are straight up and down so don't need deflectors. Rarely drive MH at night but had to a week ago coming back from France, and the headlights are pathetic. They are little round Hella ones with separate dip and main beam units which seem to be used on lots of Aclass motorhomes. Has anyone succeeded in (economically) improving them?

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MickyP

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An Interesting thread. but i do not see an answer to the question? My MH is Spanish reg and in the past on English reg MH have fitted some deflector or otherwise but....I have never seen or found one for a Spanish European MH going to UK. So how / what do European MH do to comply with Law. As I say i can not find anywhere a set of deflectors for going in to UK but they are readily available the other way round? Ferry's etc
 
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Bertie Bassett

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Being on the road for up to a thousand miles a week with my job I have yet to see a single foreign vehicle with beam deflectors fitted, trucks, coaches, motor homes, cars. Not one with deflectors.
The question is do you bother fitting them when on the continent in your RHD vehicles?
I have in the past but it winds me up when I don't see anyone coming over with them.


Yes we do fit them. The beam deflectors on our van are part of the headlamp protector which we bought from Van comfort. Having lost a complete headlamp unit to a stone thrown up by a truck in Italy we always have the protectors on. The deflector area is premarked so can be put on and taken off (black nasty will do as it doesn't melt to the protector). http://www.vancomfort.co.uk/headlampdeflectorspage_000.htm
Hope this is of some use knee.

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Aug 18, 2011
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i,m quite happy to be arrested and took to court over there .
i was arrested once for camping , but after i insisted the guardia at aguilas rang the interiour minister i was released . i carry a document that covers parking not camping . also other ones like the deflectors .
i deliberately parked in a place so i could cause a fuss . its harder for the spanish m,home clubs to sometimes make an issue . i did on their behalf . it worked .

Your a braver man than me....you can spend years in a Spanish jail just on remand....i will make my point in uk and just behave when abroad....BUSBY:):):)
 
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vwalan

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someone has to make the point.
i contacted the interiour minister after being given the 08/v-74 regs . his office sent me a copy . although he has now been changed there was so much fuss made in spain . big m,home convoys etc as protests . i was in one fron cadiz to gibralter a few years ago. the guardia use fear to frighten folk . there powers are waining they arent the force they were under franco.
as it is i dont mis behave i obey the laws just go right up to the line . its usually authority that mis behave break laws etc .
be it yellow lines ,signs . many times authority gets it wrong . there are barristers here and abroad that will go to court to protect the innocents that authority bully.
unfortunately most folk run away and that encourages authority to carry on getting it wrong .
 
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scotjimland

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SWITCHABLE DIP: Which cars have switchable left to right dip or dip down?

Cars with switchable dip, either from the cabin for by simple switches on the backs of the headlights:-

Audi TT Mk I,

BMW E46 3-Series

BMW E39 5-Series

BMW E92 3-Series coupes

BMW 6-Series ('Tourist lever')

BMW 7 Series E65/E66 (2002 - 2009)

Citroen C4 Picassos all have Z pattern dip that does not require switching

Ford Focus II (with adaptive lighting)

Ford Mondeo with bi-Xenon headlights

Ford Cougar

Honda Accord with Xenons have flat dip headlights so no need to switch.

Honda CR-V from 2013 model.

Jaguar X-Type has switch to prevent dazzle when driving on right

Jaguar S-Type has switch to prevent dazzle when driving on right

Jaguar XF has switchable dip, but see !?!? below

Land Rover Discovery 4 HSE Xenons (but involves removing the grille first)

Lexus IS220d and IS250

Most Mercedes can be switched to dip down rather than to the left.

Mercedes CL: Command system automatically switches from LH dip to RH dip in Europe

Renault 4GTL with 1100 cc engine and built around 1980

Renault 6TL (1970s model)

SAAB 9-3 Sports Wagon (lights dip down, not to the side)

Skoda Roomster

Skoda Octavia vRS with optional Xenon lights allows the beam to be put into 'Travel Mode' via the Maxidot computer. The lights remain in this mode until you switch them back. You are reminded that they are in Travel Mode every time you turn the car on. This doesn't switch the beam but simply flattens the kick-up on the left side.

Skoda Superb Mk 1 (has levers, but fiddly to get at)

Skoda Superb II Elegance (electrically)

Vauxhall Calibra

Vauxhall Zafira B with Bi-Xenon adaptive headlights have a switch within the cab.

Vauxhall Vectra 2002 - 2005

Vauxhall Signum 2002 - 2005

Vauxhall Insignia with halogen headlights

Vauxhall Omega CDX

VW Passat from 2001 - 2005

Volvo XC60

Volvo XC70

Volvo XC90 with 'Active Bending Xenon' headlights (Unfortunately these require the driver to go through 10 steps to switch from left dip to right dip, but revert to left dip whenever the engine is switched off. By September 2010 Volvo had no fix for this.)

Volvo XC90 with Directional bi-Xenon headlights

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Aug 18, 2011
12,090
17,892
derbys
Funster No
17,808
MH
AUTOSLEEPER SYMBOL
Exp
since 2007.Tugger before since 1970
SWITCHABLE DIP: Which cars have switchable left to right dip or dip down?

Cars with switchable dip, either from the cabin for by simple switches on the backs of the headlights:-

Audi TT Mk I,

BMW E46 3-Series

BMW E39 5-Series

BMW E92 3-Series coupes

BMW 6-Series ('Tourist lever')

BMW 7 Series E65/E66 (2002 - 2009)

Citroen C4 Picassos all have Z pattern dip that does not require switching

Ford Focus II (with adaptive lighting)

Ford Mondeo with bi-Xenon headlights

Ford Cougar

Honda Accord with Xenons have flat dip headlights so no need to switch.

Honda CR-V from 2013 model.

Jaguar X-Type has switch to prevent dazzle when driving on right

Jaguar S-Type has switch to prevent dazzle when driving on right

Jaguar XF has switchable dip, but see !?!? below

Land Rover Discovery 4 HSE Xenons (but involves removing the grille first)

Lexus IS220d and IS250

Most Mercedes can be switched to dip down rather than to the left.

Mercedes CL: Command system automatically switches from LH dip to RH dip in Europe

Renault 4GTL with 1100 cc engine and built around 1980

Renault 6TL (1970s model)

SAAB 9-3 Sports Wagon (lights dip down, not to the side)

Skoda Roomster

Skoda Octavia vRS with optional Xenon lights allows the beam to be put into 'Travel Mode' via the Maxidot computer. The lights remain in this mode until you switch them back. You are reminded that they are in Travel Mode every time you turn the car on. This doesn't switch the beam but simply flattens the kick-up on the left side.

Skoda Superb Mk 1 (has levers, but fiddly to get at)

Skoda Superb II Elegance (electrically)

Vauxhall Calibra

Vauxhall Zafira B with Bi-Xenon adaptive headlights have a switch within the cab.

Vauxhall Vectra 2002 - 2005

Vauxhall Signum 2002 - 2005

Vauxhall Insignia with halogen headlights

Vauxhall Omega CDX

VW Passat from 2001 - 2005

Volvo XC60

Volvo XC70

Volvo XC90 with 'Active Bending Xenon' headlights (Unfortunately these require the driver to go through 10 steps to switch from left dip to right dip, but revert to left dip whenever the engine is switched off. By September 2010 Volvo had no fix for this.)

Volvo XC90 with Directional bi-Xenon headlights

Cannot see my Ford Transit Mk 4 1996 reg on that list....Will just stick a bit of gaffer tape on headlamp...BUSBY.
 
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