# ITV/MOT Headlight Thing AGAIN!!!



## DROOBY (Aug 5, 2008)

Alrighty Peeps.

I know this has been brought up loads of times. I thought this was quite interesting. Was at the mot station today and seen a lefty in for test. I was chating to the tester who said it still had it's continental lights on and that it was acceptable and quite common to have them come in with deflectors on the lense.
I know this is UK regulations but i am still holding out hope that i'll get away with it in spain next year.
No matter what forum you look at there is still alot of diffrent opinions on this matter. 
Seen one that said their car passed ITV no problem yesterday with deflectors


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## Stravinsky (Aug 12, 2007)

DROOBY said:


> Alrighty Peeps.
> 
> I know this has been brought up loads of times. I thought this was quite interesting. Was at the mot station today and seen a lefty in for test. I was chating to the tester who said it still had it's continental lights on and that it was acceptable and quite common to have them come in with deflectors on the lense.
> I know this is UK regulations but i am still holding out hope that i'll get away with it in spain next year.
> ...


What can I say.
Theres always the odd ones that will get through

Theres a right way and a wrong way .... there are people on forums who say its OK to drive a car in Spain on UK plates after 5 years. Who say you have no need for a residence certificate. I can only offer advice from being a long term moderator on several major ex pat forums for many years and seeing the links and hearing people experiences.

If you feel its worth it, then have a go.

For what its worth I'll tell you this. For my car there is no such thing as a LHD headlamp, it doesn't exist. So the gestor adjusted them as far as he possibly could, and they got through. I've heard of others that didn't. It can be a lottery. Good luck mate!


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## DROOBY (Aug 5, 2008)

Stravinsky said:


> What can I say.
> Theres always the odd ones that will get through
> 
> Theres a right way and a wrong way .... there are people on forums who say its OK to drive a car in Spain on UK plates after 5 years. Who say you have no need for a residence certificate. I can only offer advice from being a long term moderator on several major ex pat forums for many years and seeing the links and hearing people experiences.
> ...


Cheers Strav!

Don't want to start spending the cash on headlights if i don't have to but will look more into it when i finally get out there
Just quite surprised about UK MOT allowing it.


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

You dont seem to be interested in whether your lights will be efficient and enable you to see properly without causing problems to on-coming traffic! to hell with the MoT/ITV - Driving out here is not easy, I was driving tonight in heavy rain, the road surface was horrendously shiney, the road markings out here are incredibly feint and there are very few "catseyes" or decent street lights! I wont even mention the Spanish drivers or the roadspray from the rain!

So how about thinking about safety rather than whether it'l pass or not

Sorry to have a go, but I had a scary drive home!

Jo x


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## Stravinsky (Aug 12, 2007)

jojo said:


> You dont seem to be interested in whether your lights will be efficient and enable you to see properly without causing problems to on-coming traffic! to hell with the MoT/ITV - Driving out here is not easy, I was driving tonight in heavy rain, the road surface was horrendously shiney, the road markings out here are incredibly feint and there are very few "catseyes" or decent street lights! I wont even mention the Spanish drivers or the roadspray from the rain!
> 
> So how about thinking about safety rather than whether it'l pass or not
> 
> ...


In our Spanish car, a few weeks ago my wife actually drove off the motorway onto a slip road without realising it because the rain was so hard. As you say, the road markings are bad here and you need all the lights you can get.

I really would have a look on ebay!
When you get here, your main option will be a new set from a dealer and it may cost you dear


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## chris(madrid) (Mar 23, 2008)

DROOBY said:


> Seen one that said their car passed ITV no problem yesterday with deflectors


LEGALLY you need LHD homologated lenses. The *Importation ITV test centres* will almost certainly pick up on this - and normally WILL REJECT RHD lenses (deflector fitted or not). ime the Importation centres NOW say "NO" untill you persuade them otherwise. My neighbour brings in the odd car from Europe - he had issues with one from Belgium that had US lenses in and not EU lenses. Pop to a Spanish breakers and get a set before ITV time - my advice.


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## chris(madrid) (Mar 23, 2008)

Stravinsky said:


> As you say, the road markings are bad here and you need all the lights you can get.


HID BULB TIME. Not 100% legal so you need to make things reversible for the ITV.  - Unless your local tester is a mate


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## XTreme (May 17, 2008)

Don't forget you'll have to put Spanish air in the tyres, grow a stupid moustache, and stare at everybody you see to get a pass.

And if you get a difficult tester you better take your wife along to demonstrate how you give her the occasional slap for serving meals late.


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## chris(madrid) (Mar 23, 2008)

XTreme said:


> And if you get a difficult tester you better take your wife along .


What? - you'll destroy one of the last bastions of true believers. Where everything smells of Swarfega and Hypoid. Not "lilies of the valley" air fresheners. 

You sir, are a CAD, sir.

Persecute the heretic!


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

Stravinsky said:


> In our Spanish car, a few weeks ago my wife actually drove off the motorway onto a slip road without realising it because the rain was so hard. As you say, the road markings are bad here and you need all the lights you can get.


Mrs Stravinski should be glad she only went onto a slip road! When you think about the sheer drops instead of kerbs on some roads......!!!!

Jo


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## DROOBY (Aug 5, 2008)

jojo said:


> You dont seem to be interested in whether your lights will be efficient and enable you to see properly without causing problems to on-coming traffic! to hell with the MoT/ITV - Driving out here is not easy, I was driving tonight in heavy rain, the road surface was horrendously shiney, the road markings out here are incredibly feint and there are very few "catseyes" or decent street lights! I wont even mention the Spanish drivers or the roadspray from the rain!
> 
> So how about thinking about safety rather than whether it'l pass or not
> 
> ...


I've driven in Spain, Holland, Belgium, France, Germany and canaries in cars, buses and bikes in all weathers never found my lights in rhd or lhd motors to be any worse than the other. 
Just delivered a spanish car to central scotland in horrendous snow and rain lights were just fine.
I've never had a problem with spanish drivers in all the years i've driven out there just have to adapt to them.
Anyway my point was is that how surprised i was to hear that the uk mot allowed light deflectors. A trip to scrap yard on the continent does'nt put me up nor down.

And you don't have to apoligise for having a go! It makes life interesting

Drooby Doo x


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## chris(madrid) (Mar 23, 2008)

DROOBY said:


> I've driven in Spain, Holland, Belgium, France, Germany and canaries in cars, buses and bikes in all weathers never found my lights in rhd or lhd motors to be any worse than the other.x


That's concerning to say the least. I can safely say that I notice a HUGE difference in some cases. I even had a bike with one lhd and one rhd unit in for cross channel jaunts for a while.


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## DROOBY (Aug 5, 2008)

chris(madrid) said:


> That's concerning to say the least. I can safely say that I notice a HUGE difference in some cases. I even had a bike with one lhd and one rhd unit in for cross channel jaunts for a while.


Nothing concerning about it. Done about 100,000 miles on the continent last year with no problems. Of course there's a difference the lights kick up on opposite sides. But as with driving anywhere you adapt to the conditions. I drive rhd's on continent and lhd's here in britain i personaly don't think either is worse than the other for visability at night.


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## Stravinsky (Aug 12, 2007)

DROOBY said:


> Nothing concerning about it. Done about 100,000 miles on the continent last year with no problems. Of course there's a difference the lights kick up on opposite sides. But as with driving anywhere you adapt to the conditions. I drive rhd's on continent and lhd's here in britain i personaly don't think either is worse than the other for visability at night.


Sorry Drooby, its no big thing but I have to disagree. Your headlapmps are pointing the wrong way. Conditions and roads (off the main motorways) here in Spain can be terrible with little or worn road marking. I can hardly see with correct lamps, so how can anyone with lights pointing the wrong way!


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## DROOBY (Aug 5, 2008)

Stravinsky said:


> Sorry Drooby, its no big thing but I have to disagree. Your headlapmps are pointing the wrong way. Conditions and roads (off the main motorways) here in Spain can be terrible with little or worn road marking. I can hardly see with correct lamps, so how can anyone with lights pointing the wrong way!


lhd and rhd headlights point in the same direction, It's the lence pattern that is diffrent deflectors cut out the kick so that you don't dazzle oncoming cars. In the good old days you used to be able to buy lences but then some numpty invented sealed units.
Being brought up in the highlands where big drops, bad weather and no road markings are norm I've never had a problem with lights.
But I think we should agree to disagree on this one. What started as a uk mot thing has now turned in into some sort of driving in the dark issue


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

DROOBY said:


> What started as a uk mot thing has now turned in into some sort of driving in the dark issue


My fault, sorry. But I'm a simple soul and I thought MoT/ITV was to do with safety, not just gaining a certificate and headlights are for driving in the dark??? That was my point, I'm not trying to be difficult or make you spend more than you have to. I dont know anything about deflectors so I should keep my thoughts to myself shouldnt I LOL!

I will just say though, that yesterday I did a "flying" visit to the UK for 24 hours and was driven in the night in the rain and the difference between spanish roads and UK roads is amazing. In the UK the roads are black ,the markings are brilliant white with cats eyes and the signs are reflective and highly visable - it was like a computer game. Spain tends to have beige roads, slightly lighter beige road markings, few solid verges and the road signs are faded and hard to see. I know you know that Drooby, but for me the difference was very noticable


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## XTreme (May 17, 2008)

You're a woman Jo.....what would you know about cars? Apart from the colour of course!


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

XTreme said:


> You're a woman Jo.....what would you know about cars? Apart from the colour of course!


...and it has to have a nice face !!!!

Jo


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## XTreme (May 17, 2008)

jojo said:


> ...and it has to have a nice face !!!!
> 
> Jo


I thought all you ladies were into cute rear ends!


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

XTreme said:


> I thought all you ladies were into cute rear ends!


of course, that goes without saying!!!


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## chris(madrid) (Mar 23, 2008)

DROOBY said:


> lhd and rhd headlights point in the same direction, It's the lence pattern that is diffrent deflectors cut out the kick so that you don't dazzle oncoming cars. In the good old days you used to be able to buy lences but then some numpty invented sealed units.


Actually it's more that the normal beam is chopped off to avoid dazzling oncoming traffic - BUT a portion is ALLOWED to illuminate further where there is no oncoming traffic (kerb). On our 14year old Discovery this is SO good I hardly need high beam. On our little & newer Citroen the dips have less lateral reach so I use high beam more. And before anybody chips up - FRENCH headlamps were setting the top end standard when the UK still used Joe Lucas candle units. 

Most modern cars have a NO refractor design and all beam distribution is done by the reflectors - even more so if it's a poly-elipsoidal (projector) type. In this case "stickers" hardly work - and most have limited "cut off" deliberately. So yes you wont see much difference.

There's also a reason WHY the refractor(lens) is sealed to the reflector (this is not the same as sealed beam) - it's so that the light from the shielded dip filament hits the refractor (in older designs) cleanly. - Anybody remember the rotating lamps in VW microbuses?

Loose lenses - this has to be a LONG time ago. I've had cars from the '60's and they had combined reflectors & lenses.

BUT the simple fact is that newer vehicles are required under EU law (incl UK) to have appropriately marked lenses. Most have a tiny arrow on to indicate which side it dips. ime to get past an importation ITV - this has to be the correct sort and not a masked off (therefore reduced in illumination capacity) wrong sort.

Jo - ITV is not JUST safety - it also checks legality - You cannot simply fit extra lights in Spain for example - they have to be added into the documentation - or you'll fail the ITV. Ditto different sized wheels/tyres etc. The UK is FAR more permissive in this respect.


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