Hi,

we have recently moved to the uk and need to make our Roomster fit for UK streets.

I understand we'll need new headlights and I am trying to figure out how to save some money, since we're staying only one year.

Any ideas? how could I get cheap fully functional spare parts?

I was trying to see what e-bays offers and found very little for Roomsters. If I look around, I have a feeling, Roomster is not as popular here as it is in Germany, and that might be the reason...

Are Fabia's headlights compatible? Fabia is much more popular! We own a roomster style 1,6 built in 2006, original specifications (no further changes have been made).

Thanks everybody in advance for any hints and help!

Laura

You could try your local scrapyards, there may be one there you could use...

However whenever I go to Europe I use the adjusting leaver at the back of the headlight which switches the beam to "neutral" (centred) rather than pointed to the side of the road... If the car is still taxed and insured in your home country (i.e. foreign registered) that may well be enough? And is probably more than most of those Polish reg'd cars I see around!

Edited 19 May, 201115 yr by The PM

If you dont have lever adjustment just stick some beam benders on the headlights.

If you dont have lever adjustment just stick some beam benders on the headlights.

Thank you very much for you replies! We'll have a try with the scrapyards... any idea if Fabia and Roomster Headlights are the same?

Thanks for the hint about the beamer... I looked into it and unfortunately we are obliged by the law to register our car here since we are now residents... I was hoping not to, but well: we might run into trouble. And DVLA requires that we obtain some papers from the VCA which will prove that we did the necessary adjustments (they even require receipts that we had all done) and VCA says that blender do not suffice :-(

I quote hereby what they require:

"That the headlamps are of UK specification (headlight beam dips to the left). We can accept full UK specification headlights being fitted in place of the original headlights or, if it is a standard feature of the vehicle, adjustable (right to left dipping) headlights. In this last example a photocopy of the relevant page(s) of the owners handbook or garage statement confirming compliance would be acceptable as evidence, but this must make it clear how the lights meet the UK requirements. With regards to flat-beam headlights, if these are standard fittings we can accept these - providing we also receive evidence that they are standard, original build specification, lights. If the existing right dipping headlights are altered to flat-beams we are not able to accept this. Note: stickers, beam benders / deflectors / changed reflectors are not acceptable."

Furthermore we need to adjust the foglight as follows

"That a rear fog light has been fitted to the off-side (right) of the vehicle. A single fog-light positioned down the rear centre line is also acceptable, as are dual fog lights (i.e. one on the rear left and one on the rear right hand side of the vehicle)."

I asked our local Skoda retailer and they would charge us 435 Pounds for fitting new headlights (material, work and VAT incl.)

and 153 Pounds for rewiring fog and backward lights. :-(

Is it a fair price in your opinion? We recalculated that they charge us 102 Pounds p/h for the work to be done :-(

Sorry for being so lenghty, but it's all so complicated... :S

Cheers,

Laura

Ah, didn't realise you had to register the car here, so beam benders no good.

The price you have seems a bit expensive but all you can do is get other prices and compare them. But as has already been said , I think you should have a lever to convert from left dip to right dip or vice versa there have been posts on here in the past that cover the subject.

Edited 20 May, 201115 yr by dibujo

Thank you very much for you replies! We'll have a try with the scrapyards... any idea if Fabia and Roomster Headlights are the same?

To the best of my knowledge they are the same. If you're in Milton Keynes got and see Ali at UNIT18 and have a chat with him about doing the works for you. If I remember correctly he's an ex Skoda Master Tech and has now set up on his own.

I think you should have a lever to convert from left dip to right dip or vice versa there have been posts on here in the past that cover the subject.

If you have projector headlights you will indeed have a lever to alter the beam pattern as my 2008 Roomster Scout recently failed an MOT due to me having accidently knocked this lever during the process of changing bulbs. £30 re-test fee for flicking a lever!! Grrrrrr.

Jonny5ive, I have just bought a 2011 Roomster se, and I believe it has projector headlights, where would the change lever be? It states in the handbook to use a dealer to change beam direction, as I will be driving at night in UK to the ferry, and vice versa on my return from my holiday, that's a bit pointless. It would be much safer done at the port. Cheers,

John.

To the best of my knowledge they are the same. If you're in Milton Keynes got and see Ali at UNIT18 and have a chat with him about doing the works for you. If I remember correctly he's an ex Skoda Master Tech and has now set up on his own.

If you have projector headlights you will indeed have a lever to alter the beam pattern as my 2008 Roomster Scout recently failed an MOT due to me having accidently knocked this lever during the process of changing bulbs. £30 re-test fee for flicking a lever!! Grrrrrr.

Wow! this is a great help!!! Thank you so much!

I have lloked up the address and will get in touch with him!

Sorry about your re-test... very annoying :-(

We'll definitely have a look for the lever: I have not yet been driving nights but, it will happen and then at least we won't blend anybody... Funny that the Skoda dealer did not suggest it... but since he suggested me to change the whole instrument cluster (!) in order to set the speedo to mph, I should expect something like that...

Thank you and take care!

Laura

Ah, didn't realise you had to register the car here, so beam benders no good.

The price you have seems a bit expensive but all you can do is get other prices and compare them. But as has already been said , I think you should have a lever to convert from left dip to right dip or vice versa there have been posts on here in the past that cover the subject.

I'll have a look for the older posts! Thank you for this suggestion!

Laura

Wow! this is a great help!!! Thank you so much!

I have lloked up the address and will get in touch with him!

Sorry about your re-test... very annoying :-(

We'll definitely have a look for the lever: I have not yet been driving nights but, it will happen and then at least we won't blend anybody... Funny that the Skoda dealer did not suggest it... but since he suggested me to change the whole instrument cluster (!) in order to set the speedo to mph, I should expect something like that...

Thank you and take care!

Laura

The levers on mine are inside the rubber covers at the rear of the headlights. It was my dealer who showed me, but they leave a big shadow to the left. Also they appear to only change them from left to flat dipping.

The levers on mine are inside the rubber covers at the rear of the headlights. It was my dealer who showed me, but they leave a big shadow to the left. Also they appear to only change them from left to flat dipping.

I'll tell my husband to have a look, whether he can find them!

Thanks :yes:

Laura

Excellent, Many thanks, I will explore behind my rubber covers tomorrow,

John.

The levers on mine are inside the rubber covers at the rear of the headlights. It was my dealer who showed me, but they leave a big shadow to the left. Also they appear to only change them from left to flat dipping.

^^^^ What he said. As I understand it the flat beam pattern is acceptable for short term use when driving abroad (holidays etc) rather than the stick on beam deflectors that no-one ever anywhere can ever fit in the right place. Myslef included.

As far as i know the lever just "centres" the beam so it doesn't dazzle other road users when travelling on the "wrong" side, as far as I'm aware it doesn't send the beam the other side... Though I could stand corrected!!

I have similar problems with my Euro-spec Octavia '07.

I bought a new set of UK-spec front headlamps for £170. Just checked and a pair for your Roomster is £120 with delivery from the same online shop. Not original Skoda parts mind you (they'd cost twice as much), but they're E-marked matching parts and they're better than the original reflector ones I had.

Not sure about the Roomster but installing them on my Octavia was as easy as changing the lightbulbs (you have to remove them from the car to remove light bulbs anyway!) so there was no point in paying someone to do it for me.

According to the VCA the requirements are the following:

1. UK spec headlamps

2. MPH speedometer

3. Rear fog light to the right or both

4. Side indicators

5. Rear seat belts

I'm sure that all recent cars have side indicators and rear seat belts.

Apparently the rear fog light can be toggled by the ECU although I don't have access to what is needed and the dealer didn't know that it was possible (they thought I had to replace the rear light cluster!)

I took care of the front headlamps by buying new (and recommend you do the same)

I still haven't figured out what to do for the speedometer though!

I could perhaps replace the whole instrument cluster but this is going to cost a lot. I found a company that produces replacement dial backgrounds for £40 but they don't have one for my particular model year (they do have for Roomster though!).

on my 07 roomster, the beam adjustment leaver is behind the rubber cover and above the bulb holder

it only flattens the beam rather than moving the dip from left to right

HI!

Thank you for sharing!

The solution for the headlamps sonds good. If it is as easy as you say, we would be able to do it as well.

The Skoda retailer here in MK suggests that we get our lamps on the back rewired and that woudl be ok. I saw that a sentral light is also accepted, so I might ask a car repair (the one mentioned above sounds perfect for us) if they can attach a central one and disconnect the left sided one.

As for the speedo I also found online the firm producing dial overlays for 40 pounds. I checked and the one for Roomsters would really fit. I just need to understand how complicated it is to have it installed, whether we can do it ourselves (I somehow doubt it) or how much time it requires.

Changing the whole instrument cluster of our Roomster would cost us over 500 pounds (Skoda quote) and I am not going to have something like that done and redone in 1 year time!

Good luck to you with all this mess.

Where are you from, btw?

Laura

I have similar problems with my Euro-spec Octavia '07.

I bought a new set of UK-spec front headlamps for £170. Just checked and a pair for your Roomster is £120 with delivery from the same online shop. Not original Skoda parts mind you (they'd cost twice as much), but they're E-marked matching parts and they're better than the original reflector ones I had.

Not sure about the Roomster but installing them on my Octavia was as easy as changing the lightbulbs (you have to remove them from the car to remove light bulbs anyway!) so there was no point in paying someone to do it for me.

According to the VCA the requirements are the following:

1. UK spec headlamps

2. MPH speedometer

3. Rear fog light to the right or both

4. Side indicators

5. Rear seat belts

I'm sure that all recent cars have side indicators and rear seat belts.

Apparently the rear fog light can be toggled by the ECU although I don't have access to what is needed and the dealer didn't know that it was possible (they thought I had to replace the rear light cluster!)

I took care of the front headlamps by buying new (and recommend you do the same)

I still haven't figured out what to do for the speedometer though!

I could perhaps replace the whole instrument cluster but this is going to cost a lot. I found a company that produces replacement dial backgrounds for £40 but they don't have one for my particular model year (they do have for Roomster though!).

I am not a computer whizz, but I do remember a guy I met who customised his dials on his Golf (from black faced to white )by getting a picture of the dial, in your case from a GB spec car. Accurately sized the picture on this computer, then getting the face printed onto white sticky backed plastic. If the dashboard unit can come out and the clear plastic cover removed this could be stuck over your existing clock face. If you also mark it with KPH it would be ok on mainland Europe as well. Fiddley to do but cheaper than new a speedo. Another option is to calculate the MPH positions on the outside of clock plastic cover and mark on with typewriter correction fluid or Letraset.

Edited 23 May, 201115 yr by P6bJOHN

I am not sure this works if your car has to be VCA-approved... they say that the figures must be visible also during the night and they also say that you are not allowed to stick something on the cover of your speedo.... They're quite specific, unfortunately....

Laura

I am not a computer whizz, but I do remember a guy I met who customised his dials on his Golf (from black faced to white )by getting a picture of the dial, in your case from a GB spec car. Accurately sized the picture on this computer, then getting the face printed onto white sticky backed plastic. If the dashboard unit can come out and the clear plastic cover removed this could be stuck over your existing clock face. If you also mark it with KPH it would be ok on mainland Europe as well. Fiddley to do but cheaper than new a speedo. Another option is to calculate the MPH positions on the outside of clock plastic cover and mark on with typewriter correction fluid or Letraset.

Well, the computer printed one is only a cheaper way of what these guys supply.

http://www.lockwoodinternational.co.uk/dials-for-imported-vehicles-c53.html

The painting the glass is old school, the legislators have taken all the fun out of motoring.

I have just noticed my new Roomster is in MPH only, most cars I've had have dual scaling, so I'll use my sat nav speedo when on the continent.

Edited 23 May, 201115 yr by P6bJOHN

Well, the computer printed one is only a cheaper way of what these guys supply.

http://www.lockwoodinternational.co.uk/dials-for-imported-vehicles-c53.html

I saw them too. But actually they have both front light and backlight dials. The back light ones are translucent and substitute the original dial.

The painting the glass is old school, the legislators have taken all the fun out of motoring.

I have just noticed my new Roomster is in MPH only, most cars I've had have dual scaling, so I'll use my sat nav speedo when on the continent.

That's what we are doing at the moment.

Laura

Well, the computer printed one is only a cheaper way of what these guys supply.

http://www.lockwoodinternational.co.uk/dials-for-imported-vehicles-c53.html

I have just noticed my new Roomster is in MPH only, most cars I've had have dual scaling, so I'll use my sat nav speedo when on the continent.

I expect it's the same as the new Fabia that I had as a courtesy car recently. You could have the kph as a digital readout on the trip computer.

Good luck to you with all this mess.

Where are you from, btw?

Laura

I'm from Greece - good luck to you too...

In other news I've been told that my car might have to be de-registerd back in Greece and the plates returned BEFORE I can register it here... I'm not sure if this makes sense at all, how was I supposed to drive it across europe without plates then!

Has anyone that done this before got anything to say regarding this matter?

Hi,

I know we can return the plates at the German consulate in London.

Does it make any sense, to de-register the car in advance? I mean: isn't it your problem if you pay twice taxes and insurance?

What I was definitely told is that we need some original papers from the old insurance confirming our risk class.

Laura

Hi,

I know we can return the plates at the German consulate in London.

Does it make any sense, to de-register the car in advance? I mean: isn't it your problem if you pay twice taxes and insurance?

What I was definitely told is that we need some original papers from the old insurance confirming our risk class.

Laura

I'm not sure if it's legal or possible to have a vehicle registered in two countries at the same time. They might check and refuse registration in the UK if the VIN is registered elsewhere, in which case the car might have to stay off the road for a few days without plates, but if they don't I guess as long as the original plates are returned the same day or the next it's a victimless crime.

Another weird thing that I've been told by numerous sources is that the DVLA seems to interpret the law and EC directive for free movement of cars and people rather liberally.

Their interpretation is that if someone is a visitor, they can drive with foreign plates for up to 6 months in a 12 month period, however if he intends to stay for more than 6 months must register the car immediately upon arrival!

This doesn't make any sense at all, and I've confirmed that at least Germany and Greece give you up to 6 months to register when you move there. Worst case, I go and have a croissant at Calais before I go to the DVLA.

Looking forward to hearing what other people that have done this might have to say... I'm waiting for a quote from Skoda for a complete instrument cluster replacement and received my information pack from DVLA with all the forms that have to be filled.