Headlight upgrade option

[exactureman]

I would appreciate some advice.  My Octavia III Elegance (MY14) has the basic halogen headlamp assembly.  

 

I spent the last few days reading this forum and looking around the web as well as examining the car today.  I was of what appears to be the mistaken view that the lights can be adjusted for European travel.  I doubt this now.  Unless you can tell me differently.  I looked inside the light surround as best I can but see nor feel anything that would allow adjustment.  If they can be adjusted and somebody has a photograph or drawing from a service manual that would be great!

 

So, if they cannot be adjusted, what are my headlamp upgrade options?  I am likely to be travelling backwards and forwards to Europe with more night time driving there than here.  I would like to upgrade to a lighting option that is a minimum fuss install.  Any ideas please?  I was thinking of installing LHD lighting that will allow me to flat beam back here, refitting the OEM setup when my travelling has finished or I sell the car.

 

I do NOT want to use headlamp tape or protectors.

 

Thank in advance folks!

Edited 23 May, 2015 by exactureman

[themanwithnoaim]

I've upgraded the poor yellowly halogen bulbs for 4250K HIDs as I get less eye strain with "clearer white" light which if your doing a lot of night driving I recommend but not adjusted for beams patterns for EU driving.

[exactureman]

Thanks manwithnoaim.  I have a BMW motorcycle with a headlight that melts the road with white light.  A single light better than two?  That tells its own story.  I want to move away from the yellowish light.  I agree with you too.  Less eye strain on long driving with whiter light.  My Yeti had adaptive Xenons and they were super!

 

Anyone else with thoughts on beam pattern adjustment?

Edited 24 May, 2015 by exactureman

[xpower]

You haven't got many options really

Retrofit a genuine headlight

http://www.superskoda.com/Skoda/OCTAVIA-III/Octavia-III-original-Skoda-D3S-HID-XENON-headlight-LEFT-RHD

Only issue with that is to switch from RHD to LHD the motors in the headlight just aims the headlight down and across, the don't really change from kick up to flat. Also this is done via the 2 motors built in not a lever. You could change this before fitting I suppose as your vehicle doesn't have the setup in place to use the AFS motors.

Retrofit a good quality projector into your light housing - this would be my option as the setup could be better than factory, either way a reasonable amount of work involved.

[exactureman]

Thank you too xpower.  I saw your other post about retrofit.  Very nice approach.

 

To your point; to get where I would ideally like to be, it is a new car (not economically a clever plan) or a reasonable amount of work.  The plain facts are that I do not have much time in which to effect a solution.  I presume the wiring harnesses are different for xenon with directional functionality and factory installed at JIT build time?

 

It is starting to look like I will need to move to LHD's using 4250K HIDs and have to aim the headlight down for the UK activity.  I am not happy with this though.  I need a different plan.

 

 

xpower; have I just understood correctly from your idea, that only the left UK headlight creates a kick-up and that if I put a LHD left side headlight in I would have flat beam across both lights?  Thanks in advance for your thoughts.

Edited 24 May, 2015 by exactureman

[andyvee]

If you have a SatNav doesn't it automatically adjust the headlights to the flat beam pattern as soon as you go to the continent? Or is that just with the Xenons?

[Gromle]

That would atleast require the Xenons, and possibly AFS?

[Rodge]

It is starting to look like I will need to move to LHD's using 4250K HIDs and have to aim the headlight down for the UK activity.  I am not happy with this though. I need a different plan.

I presume these are actually "HID style" halogens with a blue filter on them to removed some of the yellow end of the spectrum to give the appearance of a higher colour temperature?

xpower; have I just understood correctly from your idea, that only the left UK headlight creates a kick-up and that if I put a LHD left side headlight in I would have flat beam across both lights?

I don't think this is correct. Both headlights have the kick-up. You can see it if you park close to a wall and shine them at it.

It is disappointing that changing modern halogens over is so difficult. It was easier in the old days of Fresnel lenses, when at least you could clearly see where to stick the tape on the front. The least they could do now would be to engrave the correct location on the cover.

Edited 24 May, 2015 by Rodge

[exactureman]

If you have a SatNav doesn't it automatically adjust the headlights to the flat beam pattern as soon as you go to the continent? Or is that just with the Xenons?

 

Hi Andy, although my vehicle is a top spec Elegance with all singing dancing spec, the idiot who ordered (and then cancelled) the vehicle I bought did not opt for the xenons.  There is no "travel" option in the computer settings and upon inspection, the lights are basic halogen with the up/down adjuster motor only.  The SatNav, for which I have no complaint at all, even though it would sense location and be able to send a signal to adjust the lighting direction, has no cable, level sensor or appropriate motor to signal to.  Crap isn't it?

 

I presume these are actually "HID style" halogens with a blue filter on them to removed some of the yellow end of the spectrum to give the appearance of a higher colour temperature?

I don't think this is correct. Both headlights have the kick-up. You can see it if you park close to a wall and shine them at it.

 

Yes, Rodge, it seems that way on the with colour temperature.

 

On the kick-up, I checked with the car against the garage door and it appears that both lights kick-up.  I was just asking myself if the intuitive thoughts I was having were incorrect.  I often say, "Nobody has a monopoly on clever thinking or grasp of the facts", including me.

 

So the long and short of it all is I need to pick up some LHD lights with right side kick-up and HID style halogens.  And then see how quick I can change them over....

 

 

It is disappointing that changing modern halogens over is so difficult. It was easier in the old days of Fresnel lenses, when at least you could clearly see where to stick the tape on the front. The least they could do now would be to engrave the correct location on the cover.

 

I can only tell you how wholeheartedly I agree with you Rodge on this point.  What I find hard to understand is why not either 1) put a single design solution for both LHD and RHD vehicles or 2) mark the bloody things as you suggest!!  The tooling costs and management of the suppliers would be much easier and I can only see a cost benefit for negotiating with, let alone stockist issues.

 

grrr 

Edited 24 May, 2015 by exactureman

[exactureman]

Does anyone know what the dealer does to adjust the standard light per the manual please?

 

 

I just found this: -  http://www.scribd.com/doc/253101295/Maintenance-Skoda-Octavia-3#scribd

 

I suspect they just realign the headlamps having looked at section 6.12 on page 104 onwards....  Thoughts please?  

Edited 27 May, 2015 by exactureman

[munkee]

I was thinking of getting these as an upgrade http://www.superskoda.com/Skoda/OCTAVIA-III/Octavia-III-original-Skoda-D3S-HID-XENON--LED-DAYLIGHT-headlight-LEFT-RHD

 

But cant find out whether its just a simple swap, they are a tad expensive at £750 for a pair. But cheaper than spec'ing them new on your car!

The rear LED are available for £150 each too.

 

Might contact the shop.

[andyvee]

It isn't a simple swap.

 

You need ballasts and controllers for them (unless they are including them, it isn't clear) and also a suspension levelling sensors front and rear, plus a whole load of coding needs doing on the car as well.

 

Others have said that the CAN Gateway has needed upgrading as well, not sure on that myself, I could understand the BCM needing upgrading.

[munkee]

Cheers for the response! I'll enquire with super skoda, but don't think I'll bother taking the pricey risk.

[aki78]

I saw (used) headlights on ebay, may worth a check.

[Yaumeister]

Considering that changing the front indicators is supposely a front bumper off job, it will be quite a hassle to swap between LHD and RHD headlamps.

 

On a side note since somebody mentioned it earlier, anyone knows what coding is needed to move from basic to LED rear clusters?

[andyvee]

On a side note since somebody mentioned it earlier, anyone knows what coding is needed to move from basic to LED rear clusters?

 

The adaptation changes are fairly simple to make, it would just take a bit of time to compare between a car equipped with LED rear clusters and one without.

[aki78]

Considering that changing the front indicators is supposely a front bumper off job, it will be quite a hassle to swap between LHD and RHD headlamps.

 

On a side note since somebody mentioned it earlier, anyone knows what coding is needed to move from basic to LED rear clusters?

Front indicator change is not a bumper off job, I managed to cut out the covers with this modified screwdriver:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v5T4eFaMBog

The cover and the old bulb is out:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wiE4f0AjFZU

And the result  :clap: :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OucV_xwZrMQ

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u3EaBEk58sQ

Edited 28 May, 2015 by aki78