Hi all, newbie here, nice forum!! In the process of registering my LHD Octavia 2008 mk2 estate 2.0 tdi here in UK, starting to get all the paperwork ready but being told some changes are needed like speedo in mph or both, rear fog light and lights adjustments/change??

  Anyone has any experience with these please and where to get the parts needed? Many thanks for any imput. Pete.

Edited 15 February, 201610 yr by Pete23

You'll definitely need the speedo in MPH, and your headlights will need to be changed to RHD units as they'll be dazzling oncoming traffic. You could possibly just put them in the flat beam position if you have projectors, but they're so cheap to buy on eBay etc, you may as well just replace them with RHD units.

 

I'm not sure if the fog light has to be on the offside, or if that's just a nicety to make it more visible.

 

Second hand speedo clusters are cheap enough, and can be coded with the mileage corrected to match your car.

On the pre-facelift Octavia you can simply activate both rear foglights so on a 2008 you should be OK. UK dealers tend to struggle with this but using VCDS or Carista it is dead easy and literally takes 30 seconds.

 

Pre-FL Octavia's registered in the UK have a speedo that is marked up with both MPH and KPH. Is this the same on LHD models or do you only have KPH currently?

 

As above, the current headlights can be 'flat beamed' (for when a UK car is taken overseas on holiday) by sliding a lever inside the headlight. However if the move to the UK is permanent I'd be swapping out the complete headlights, they are cheap enough on eBay.

Thanks for the quick response! Can the lights not be just adjusted? If I have have to buy them, would it be both or can one of them be used on opposite side? I have found a couple of speedos for mk2 estates, can I use one from VRS or 1,9tdi or would it have to be exact model?? Many thanks!!

Edited 15 February, 201610 yr by Pete23

See here to find someone close to you with VCDS to either swap the rear foglight or turn both on together, a few beer tokens usually help 

 

http://www.briskoda.net/forums/topic/224376-vcds-owners-map/

Thanks for the quick response! Can the lights not be just adjusted? If I have have to buy them, would it be both or can one of them be used on opposite side? I have found a couple of speedos for mk2 estates, can I use one from VRS or 1,9tdi or would it have to be exact model?? Many thanks!!

I just had to lol at my own question with the lights ) My speedo is only in kph, there are an inner lines within the circle but I dont think that is mph..

Thanks for the quick response! Can the lights not be just adjusted? If I have have to buy them, would it be both or can one of them be used on opposite side? I have found a couple of speedos for mk2 estates, can I use one from VRS or 1,9tdi or would it have to be exact model?? Many thanks!!

 

As standard the passenger headlight is set higher and the drivers side headlight lower to avoid dazzling oncoming cars. I do not think it is simply a case of adjusting the beam though, I'd imagine the design of the projectors is unique to LHD and RHD cars.

 

Sliding the lever in the back of the headlight flattens the beam. This is designed for short or temporary trips overseas and as it sounds the lever simply flattens the passenger side 'kick-up' that can cause the issues when driving on the other side of the road.

You should be able to use any speedo, the computer or Maxidot (if fitted) can be swapped from one cluster to the other...

 

Are your headlights projectors or simply reflectors?

 

In the UK all mk2 Octavia got projectors, even with halogen bulbs. These can be altered with the flick of a switch to make the beam totally flat.

 

I think most other countries you only got projectors when you specified xenons, and so you get basic reflector units which cannot be altered from LHD/RHD to flat.

This is a UK cluster, MPH round the outside, KPH is in a smaller font on the inside...

 

 

Seems the mainland Europe cars just get KPH, they obviously figured no one would want to drive in the UK!

 

The non-projector headlights are very rare, they are out there but I've only ever seen one. Not sure which markets or which models they were fitted to...

 

Projector:

 

 

 

Standard:

 

 

More info here...

 

http://www.briskoda.net/forums/topic/240546-help-headlamp-confusion/

The non-projector headlights are very rare, they are out there but I've only ever seen one. Not sure which markets or which models they were fitted to...

 

Rare in the UK. With his car being LHD, I'm guessing it was originally bought in Europe.

 

It seems that a non-xenon Octavia in Europe didn't get projectors, but got normal reflector headlights.

 

 

You can get a brand new pair of patterned RHD headlights delivered for £100 on eBay...

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SKODA-OCTAVIA-2004-2009-HEADLIGHT-HEADLAMP-1-X-PAIR-RIGHT-LEFT-N-S-O-S-SIDE-/111805793782?fits=Model%3AOctavia&hash=item1a082505f6:g:0pEAAOSwQItT60Oh

 

To be fair a pair of used genuine ones are only a little bit more though.

Rare in the UK. With his car being LHD, I'm guessing it was originally bought in Europe.

 

It seems that a non-xenon Octavia in Europe didn't get projectors, but got normal reflector headlights.

 

As far as I can tell rare in and out of the UK. There are definitely lots of MkII's over in mainland Europe with projectors.

 

I always wondered if it was a specific market or build period etc.

Great help, thanks guys! Mine is a standart cluster with kph only and standart headlights. I can adjust the height of both on the dash next to backlight dimmer but I think thats about it..seems I need mph speedo, both head lights and helpful garage that would swap it for me and activate the second rear fog light. After that I should be ok to get an MOT on vin number and send it all to DVLA.

As far as I can tell rare in and out of the UK. There are definitely lots of MkII's over in mainland Europe with projectors.

 

I always wondered if it was a specific market or build period etc.

 

Most of the ones I've seen in Europe are reflectors.

 

Have a look at this search, even the Elegance are reflectors.

 

http://www.autoscout24.com/results?cid=0&atype=C&makemodelmodelline=65&mmvco=1&make=65&mmvmk0=65&model=15222&mmvmd0=15222&makemodelmodelline=15222&version=&pricefrom=&priceto=&fregfrom=&fregto=&kmfrom=&kmto=&fuel=D&gear=&PowerType=hp&powerfrom=102&powerto=104&powerFromRaw=139&powerToRaw=141&zipc=A&bcol=&doorfrom=&doorto=&seatsfrom=&seatsto=&uph=&icol=&prevownersid=&offer=&ustate=N%2CU&emclass=&custtype=&adage=

Edited 15 February, 201610 yr by softscoop

As far as I can tell rare in and out of the UK. There are definitely lots of MkII's over in mainland Europe with projectors.

 

I always wondered if it was a specific market or build period etc.

 

I'm pretty sure the lights, among other things, are specific for certain markets. The standard halogen light units were fitted as standard in central Europe (can't say about other regions), projector (xenon) as an option. To be honest vast majority of pre-fl in Europe were equipped with standard halogen units.

Also for example, ambiente models had fitted front fog lights as standard in central Europe, only the classics were sold without them.

I have a preFL LHD MK2, the headlights in it are reflectors and it was the elegance level when it was bought. I also don't have the shifter for RHD countries. Also no LHD VAG/Ford/Opel(Vauxhall) car I've seen has a speedo in MPH as well. US makes and Japanese makes generally do.

Edited 15 February, 201610 yr by lulzyboy

Thanks all for input..the DVLA says I need receipts for these works (lights, fog light either the correct side or both on and speedo in mph or both) and a vin number MOT before they would register it.  

Both is easier. Just take a wire and connect the bottom pin to the bottom pin and slam it in there with the wiring connector. I do this when importing cars from UK to here.

Both is easier. Just take a wire and connect the bottom pin to the bottom pin and slam it in there with the wiring connector. I do this when importing cars from UK to here.

 

There is no need for that on the MK2 Octavia.

 

Pre-FL can have both fogs enabled by VCDS, FL can have both enabled using ODIS-e/VCP

There is no need for that on the MK2 Octavia.

 

Pre-FL can have both fogs enabled by VCDS, FL can have both enabled using ODIS-e/VCP

So they're both wired up on RHD models? Don't appear to be on my LHD with only the left connected.

So they're both wired up on RHD models? Don't appear to be on my LHD with only the left connected.

 

Correct, as far as I'm aware all MK2 Octavias should have both wired up.

 

Plenty of people have enabled both fogs on early MK2 Octavias using VCDS and I don't recall anyone complaining about missing wires. If I remember correctly, your's is an early one? Might be worth updating your profile as it lists a 2015 Fabia currently

So they're both wired up on RHD models? Don't appear to be on my LHD with only the left connected.

 

Yes they're both wired up on all Mk2 Octavia, but which one shows is controlled by the computer.

 

It can be altered with VCDS to show illuminate sides.

I would get clocks from a diesel just so the red line in the tachometer is in the right place, not that I ever get close to it.