I am now an Octavia 4x4 owner.

I was told the car has xenon lights, but I wasn't convinced. It wasn't a dealbreaker but I would like to know.

There are no headlight washers, headlight adjustment is manual and they have the projector thingy. Does that mean they are standard halogen bulbs?

Did a search but couldn't find a definitive answer.

Edited 16 January, 201313 yr by mat-vrs

Looks like standard halogens from your description - it may have aftermarket xenon bulbs fitted though.......

Ok, thanks.

To be honest I'd rather standard bulbs. Easier and cheaper to replace.

If they are aftermarket I'll be taking them off ASAP.

it wont have oem xenons. You dont have headlight adjustment as its automatic and you will have headlight washers.

As above, it could have retro fitted xenons or a kit but not factory fitted

Ok, thanks.

To be honest I'd rather standard bulbs. Easier and cheaper to replace.

If they are aftermarket I'll be taking them off ASAP.

if you ever had xenons you wouldnt be saying that lol

Edited 16 January, 201313 yr by ryan-re

Thanks guys. I realise they are brighter and I'd spec them on a new car.

But a used car the chance to blowing a bulb/ballast is increased and they are not cheap.

I believe aftermarket xenons will also fail a MOT? Or so I've been told.

not cheap no, thats for sure.

Its a grey area tbh. If you read one set of rules they will fail, if you read another they wont

For a xenon headlamp to be road legal in the European Union, it needs automatic self-levelling (unlike your manual knob inside the car) and headlight washers. And the actual headlamp itself needs to have the correct ECE approval.

I can get quality (Philips) D1S bulbs locally for around 50 euros a piece and they typically last around five to ten times as long as a H7 so I don't mind the higher bulb price at all. If a ballast goes it'll be a couple of hundred, but even then it's no more than yet another component of an already complex machine where anything can break at any time, or last for as long as you own the car.

Over in the uk we have 3 government departments which control these rules, licences etc. DVLA, VOSA and The Department of transport.

VOSA and the department of transport have very different views on Xenons. Department of transport says the same as you but VOSA, who do the rules for the MOT allow xenons without washers and self leveling suspension and you dont need hid/xenon aproved headlights. Just aslong as the beam is "ok" its fine.

This is one reason I think our MOT is a joke

I am now an Octavia 4x4 owner.

There are no headlight washers, headlight adjustment is manual and they have the projector thingy.

Hope you have fun with your 4x4. I'm suprised your car doesn't have headlight washers I thought all 4x4's had this as standard? My 06 Octy does...

Thanks guys. I realise they are brighter and I'd spec them on a new car.

But a used car the chance to blowing a bulb/ballast is increased and they are not cheap

not cheap no, thats for sure.

As the OPs on about aftermarket kits, then I'd say £10 for a couple of bulbs (or £30 for bulbs and ballasts) is fairly cheap. As a comparison, last time I put updated halogen bulbs in it cost me £40 for the pair......

If you're worried about the legal side, rather than incurring the cost in case they fail an MOT, as they're already in, I'd just leave them and swap them out IF they fail.

For a xenon headlamp to be road legal in the European Union, it needs automatic self-levelling (unlike your manual knob inside the car)

Bit harsh calling him that!!!

Edited 16 January, 201313 yr by blackspaven

Something isn't right here.

All UK spec MkII 4x4 Octavia's came with headlight washers as standard.

You might want to check for evidence of accident damage to see if the front bumper has been replaced at some point in the past.

No xenons fitted. Not OEM or aftermarket.

Not sure about the headlight washers if they are supposed to be standard. I'll look into it. No signs of crash damage that I can see.