I need to register my Octavia III on the French system and the first step is getting the Control Technique. I think my headlamp travel setting RHD/LHD isn't working correctly as the car failed. I asked if I could use  deflectors for the test and was told I could. Back home I could probably get this sorted out on my All In service contract but they don't cover you when you move abroad.

A friend tried the setting (back in UK) on his Superb and said there's a definite move to the right in the beams.

All I see is a very slight drop in height. I get a message to tell me the setting is for Right hand driving. I've got two months to get it sorted out. I'm wondering if I should visit the nearest Skoda dealer an hour away or just try to order deflectors on Amazon for now.

The car has led lights - it's a OCTAVIA SE L TSI 1.5. Has anyone on here had this problem. Probably not - never had anyone flash me.

 

 

Edited 15 January, 20251 yr by MichaelTL

I'm hopeing these will work

https://www.amazon.fr/-/en/dp/B001P5SPJW

They might stop dazzling oncoming motorists but as the driver you won't be able to see diddly squat.

 

After 20 years of trying to work around the issue during which time my eyesight has deteriorated, correct illumination is now very important to me and I bite the bullet now and purchase LHD headlights.

 

The best that yours will give on a LHD setting if it works will be a flat beam beneath the CT cut off limits, you will struggle to discern the right hand verge and oncoming road signs, PàD signs and the important red bornes showing side roads.

 

The delineation between French roads and the ditches is appalling even with correct headlights, you should avoid handicapping yourself.

I'll take them off after the CT. Nobody has ever flashed me and the lights illuminate the road perfectly. I have a limited time to get the car onto the French system. My UK insurer has only given me a fortnight cover. Looks like there'as a limited number of French insurers will cover a car with foreign plates and premium quoted was twice that of our UK insurer - a decent one LV

Register the vehicle and you can choose from any insurer, if it has a UK MOT done within the last 6 months that will suffice for registration, I got 2 years in the French system before needing a CT test from my one year UK MOT.

 

You do know that you will have to may the malus on your vehicle as if it were a new vehicle, its is charged on first registration in France which does not mean new or first registration, the rate drops when the vehicle is more than 4 years old so it will not be such a bitter pill for you to swallow.

 

Cerise sur le gateau, no more road tax to pay, the longer you keep your vehicle the less the initial tax will be annualised.

Edited 15 January, 20251 yr by J.R.

Your UK insurance will still be valid for liability to 3rd parties, TBH thats probably all you have anyway if you look at the small print, having informed them of your change of domicile they might cancel the policy though.

I have comprehensive insurance for a fortnight. I don't think a UK MOT counts for anything post-Brex*hit. I don't understand you will have to may the malus on your vehicle as if it were a new vehicle, 

I imported the car tax free as I was moving to a primary residence having sold up in the UK.

I've been trying to find more information about this issue. Is it the case that despite having the travel mode with apparent left hand/right hand lights switching, the lights will only adapt to driving on the continent if they are matrix headlights and not non-matrix led? My car is a facelift 2018 SE L Octavia but I found this statement from Skoda.

If normal led lights do not adapt to driving on the right, why would the option be present?

 

 

Edited 22 January, 20251 yr by MichaelTL

I registered the Yeti post Brexit. - Actually thats not true, it was after the referendum but before the leaving date, I did not have to pay TVA, if I did I would not have brought the vehicle over.

On 15/01/2025 at 20:45, MichaelTL said:

I don't understand you will have to may the malus on your vehicle as if it were a new vehicle, 

 

The malus is paid on first registration in France even on second hand vehicles that may have already paid a big Eco charge on first registration in another country.

 

You will need to get a quitus fiscale from Les Impôts and I'm fairly sure you will have to pay French TVA on the value thy assess which will be the ridiculously high French valuation.

 

I have done a simulation for the worst case cost of first matriculation, I do not have details if your vehicle so picked a 2.0 TDI 4x4 which has the highest WTLP CO2 rating of 169, yours may well be less, the cost may be higher or lower according to your departement, I used where I now live which is one of the higher ones, I registered the Yeti in Les Hauts de France which has lower taxes.

 

Here is the estimation, I'm sorry if I am the bearer of bad news!

 

Coût détaillé des différentes taxes

Y1 - Taxe régionale : 424,00 €

Y2 - Majoration véhicule de transport : 0,00 €

Y3 - Malus CO2 et TMOM : 1 210,60 €

Dont :

• Malus CO2 : 1 210,60 €
• TMOM (taxe au poids) : 0,00 €

Y4 - Taxe fixe : 11,00 €

Sous-total arrondi à 1 646,00 €

Y5 - Redevance d'acheminement : 2,76 €

 

Y6 - Taxes à payer : 1 648,76 €

 

It was the French government site, here is the link so you can do your own calculation

 

https://www.google.fr/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&opi=89978449&url=https://www.service-public.fr/simulateur/calcul/cout-certificat-immatriculation&ved=2ahUKEwi7m66iioqLAxXiVaQEHWfVKLUQFnoECAkQAQ&usg=AOvVaw3SvsYbq_Q-gxbWf0lkNJOg

 

There are some English speaking Facebook groups for registering vehicles in France, I think they will confirm that TVA at 20% will be payable on the French value of the vehicle.

 

If it makes you feel any better you are not alone, I brought over my Lotus Elan restoration project in 2005 but because I did not register it before Brexit when I eventually do I will have to pay TVA on todays French value of a car I bought in 1997 for £3500

No tax to pay as I'm moving to my new primary residence. Had to prove I'd sold my house in UK.

 

Any thoughts on the headlights?

And if you think that €1648 malus taxe is a rip off (and indeed it is) its a fraction of the maximum malus they would impose on a Turbo-Nutter-B*****dMobile of €90000 plus equally eyewatering regional taxes.

The thread is about headlamps!

1 minute ago, MichaelTL said:

No tax to pay as I'm moving to my new primary residence. Had to prove I'd sold my house in UK.

 

Any thoughts on the headlights?

 

If you have avoided the TVA then good for you, do you have the quitus fiscale yet?

 

You will have to pay the matriculation taxes including the malus, the €1648 is a lot lower than it would have been because the vehicle is over 4 years old.

3 minutes ago, MichaelTL said:

The thread is about headlamps!

 

You said you did not understand what I said about the Malus so I explained, don't shoot the messenger!

 

I'm sorry I have no experience with LED and/or matrix headlamps, I bought RH dipping (LHD) headlamps to fit to mine, the originals had all the mounting lugs broken in the write off accident so it was no hardship.

Edited 22 January, 20251 yr by J.R.

I'd really like to get a definitive answer as to whether or not headlamp deflectors are required driving a RH (UK) car in Europe if it has led headlights and not matrix headlights. I need to press on with getting the car registered so must get it through the Control Technique (French MOT).

Nearest Skoda agent very slow to respond to my request for assistance with this and to set up a service contract. Looks like the Skoda All In which was brilliant in UK have washed their hands of me .

11 minutes ago, MichaelTL said:

I'd really like to get a definitive answer as to whether or not headlamp deflectors are required driving a RH (UK) car in Europe if it has led headlights and not matrix headlights.

 

As your car has failed the CT on the "faisceau feu de croisement" and they have told you verbally to fit headlamp deflectors then that is what you have to do if you want a CT.

 

You say that they go down a bit, if they are not the self levelling nonsense then maybe adjusting them lower might get them through, the tester has a line above which there should be no illumination on the dipped setting.

 

You say that you have 2 months to sort the light problem (CT contra visite) but you are obliged to register the vehicle within one month (make application) although in practice nobody is going to know that you are not a tourist, as you have said insurance is the issue.

 

"Nearest Skoda agent very slow to respond to my request for assistance with this" - welcome to France!!!!!!

Edited 22 January, 20251 yr by J.R.

I received in the post some Metro (make) Beam Finders Ultra beam deflectors. The instructions are to position the 'pip' over the dip beam bulb. How on earth does one do this when the lens is at a sharp angle and the lamp or lamp projector is so set back like the one in this photo?

 

I've written to Skoda UK to ask them if it's true that only matrix headlamps can be adjusted electronically for use on the continent. I also asked them if my lights are indeed matrix. How does one tell? The handbook just tells me the lights can be set to left hand traffic or right hand traffic. 

 

 

Edited 23 January, 20251 yr by MichaelTL

I thought you could adjust them (if you have them) from within the settings on your infotainment system?
IIRC (and I know this may not apply to your model) but even the MkII Octavia had a little lever to adjust for driving on the right.

Edited 23 January, 20251 yr by Lee01

My MK2 with projector lamps didn't.

 

Those beam deflectors are a chocolate teapot and make the car dangerous to drive but if they do the job for the CT then thats great.

 

@MichaelTL if you can see the part number on one of the light units (usually on the rear) a Google search will reveal what type of light they are, or post the number on here and someone will know

 

My pal who is the oracle regarding matriculation in France says you are right and I am wrong regarding the TVA I am pleased to say 😃

 

If only I had included the Elan (which had already been in France since 2006) on the inventory of my customs declaration when I sold my UK house 3 years ago and finally moved the remainder of my things over, I think it is going to get added! The declaration and initial inventory was for the first journey which they kept a copy of and I added to it for the subsequent ones.

 

Nothing ventured nothing gained.

I suppose if it came down to it some used headlamp units from a French scrappy or eBay France/ rest of RHD countries in Europe could be an option? 

Edited 23 January, 20251 yr by Lee01

For the CT alone I would just shine the dipped beam against a garage door at night and set to the headlights with gaffer tape, on the assumption that the headlight aim is not too high all the OP needs to do is to stop the kick up to the left.

 

For safer driving in future then new units from Ebay.fr/ Amazon.fr (or any EU country) Autodoc etc is money well spent, unless of course the units can be set for RH dipping.

22 hours ago, MichaelTL said:

Any thoughts on the headlights?

 

You'll need to replace them...

 

Normal LED headlights are handed for either LHD or RHD traffic. The option in the infotainment is only for short term use and just drops the beam height rather switches the pattern.

 

This is why there are sperate part numbers for LHD and RHD LED headlights

That makes complete sense with what has been written.

 

Thanks Langers!

So looks like I need to get the deflectors to help me pass the CT and then I can remove them. Nobody ever flashes. Once we get sorted here I can look for replacement headlights.

I shared the Control Technique measurements with an ex-pat Brit garage owner. It turns out the lights aren't pointing to the side but are too high!

Had it MOT'd before I left the UK too. Need to find out how to lower the beams. A quick look on here would suggest I need a dealer to do it.

Edited 27 January, 20251 yr by MichaelTL