UK car headlight fail

I’d the same issue with my much loved 320SL back in 2013 or so. I could have bought MB LHD headlamps for 2k or OEM (still German) ones for 1k. bought the OEMs had them whipped in for buttons and never looked back :slightly_smiling_face:

These mini lights are xenon projector lights producing flat beams, so not sure where the problem actually is. I like watching folk at the ferry port trying to stick bits of expensive crap tape on projector lamps. I have to one or two they are not needed as the beam is flat,

Not all Xenon projectors are flat beams, my SAAB 9-5 had a distinct kick up on the left.

Interesting,
https://assets.ledlightinginfo.com/projector_vs_reflector_headlight_5f6ee80ff5.png
The collimator lens of the projector doesn’t normally have a way of getting that up tick at the edge from what I have looked at so now I must go in search of a Saab 9-5. Not saying there isn’t but interesting to look at. On my Toyota the very edge has a marginally raised but still horizontal beam, only maybe 50mm higher at the distance of 20m on a wall. I have been looking at other manufacturers and haven’t to date noticed any trick lensing but I will pay more attention :nerd_face:

The shutter for dipped beam has a notch cut out of it to provide the kick up, rather than the lens. I had trouble finding LHD headlights for the car so I ended up stripping a pair of LHD projectors so that I could swap over the shutters.

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If there is no adjustment possible and if considering keeping the car for a long time I would look to replace the headlight units - I know it is expensive but may be not so bad if second hand genuine headlight are available. This then gives you the correct beam spread for the correct side of the road maximising the light available to the driver and reducing the risk of dazzling oncoming drivers.

I previously fitted a pair of LHD headlights from eBay that were not genuine and really were pretty poor.

With so many animals beside the road I would want the headlights to show them rather than hit boar/dear/badger/racoon (yes we have those too !)

Why have you all gone techie, techie? :roll_eyes:

I don’t think Hilly has even been to a real CT tester yet?

No? Are you sure?

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Yes, neither of the two Mini garages in Nice appear to offer CT, unsurprisingly.

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QED :face_with_hand_over_mouth:

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He seems to have thought that’s what he had as he says it in both French and English.

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Hi. I have a 2016 Mitsubisi L200, uk model. No problem with the CT as long as I have the stickers on the headlights. About 10 euros on Amazon.fr. I have had CT’s at two different places and no issues..

It is possible to go to a garage and ask them to take the car to a CT Station. Maybe this is what happened?
If so I stand by my earlier comment that if a garage that can’t suggest how to get a car through the test, it is probably worth changing for a better one.

Yes. Mini Cooper S 2011.