13 minutes ago, MichaelTL said:

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.

 

Is that not something you could do with e.g. OBD11 or Carista?

I can adjust my cars steering weight and other parameters with Carista. 

Hoping to find a local garage with the right tools

They are only slightly too high, very marginal, I assume the tester set the headlamp height control (if you have one) to the high setting for the test as he should, did you by any chance have the boot loaded or do you have sagging rear springs?

 

Someone else may tell me that your car has self leveling headlamps and the above is not relevant, if they are self leveling then you definitely cannot adjust them but equally there may be a fault somewhere.

 

The good news is that you wont need to replace your headlights.

 

Can you please show the rapport final de contrôle technique with the avis défavorables

 

2 hours ago, J.R. said:

They are only slightly too high, very marginal, I assume the tester set the headlamp height control (if you have one) to the high setting for the test as he should, did you by any chance have the boot loaded or do you have sagging rear springs?

 

Someone else may tell me that your car has self leveling headlamps and the above is not relevant, if they are self leveling then you definitely cannot adjust them but equally there may be a fault somewhere.

 

The good news is that you wont need to replace your headlights.

 

Can you please show the rapport final de contrôle technique with the avis défavorables

 

 

We had no loading at the rear nor any height adjustment that I can find. Looks like there is a place for a thumbwheel on the dash with a blanking plate. I cannot see the rapport final de contrôle technique with the avis défavorables on the CT form. Should I find this on the Exemplaire Remis A L'Usager?

2 hours ago, J.R. said:

if they are self leveling then you definitely cannot adjust them

Self levelling can be put into a mode that allows the resting beam height to be set using either VCDS or OBDeleven or a similar VAG friendly diagnostic tool.

 

When in this mode you adjust the beam using the adjusting screws on the headlamps themselves, and then exit the setting mode to remember the new setting.

Edited 28 January, 20251 yr by PetrolDave

I've heard French garages are unused to cars with left/right traffic headlamp settings understandably. I may drive to a British ex-pat garage owner who is helping me with the registration assuming he has the kit.

5 minutes ago, MichaelTL said:

 

 

 

We had no loading at the rear nor any height adjustment that I can find. Looks like there is a place for a thumbwheel on the dash with a blanking plate. I cannot see the rapport final de contrôle technique with the avis défavorables on the CT form. Should I find this on the Exemplaire Remis A L'Usager?

 

Sounds like self levelling headlights then, follow the advice from PetrolDave.

 

The rapport final should be as the name suggests the last thing on the CT failure certificate, it tells you what things are just advisory, what should be corrected but no return visit (contra visite) required, what must be fixed and represented within 2 months and what is considered to render the car dangerous to drive on the road.

 

I am asking to see the rapport because even with a "failed CT" requiring a contre-visite you can still register a vehicle however the mention of headlights will often sound alarm bells with ANTS, they will look at the CofC and request proof that conforming LHD headlights have been fitted, in your case your headlights should have the necessary EU homologation but it could slow things down especially if your French is not good.

 

If you are paying this immigrant (he is not an expat) garagiste to register the vehicle on your behalf then you are stuck with what he says or wants regardless if it is necessary.

 

To further explain based on what you have said you have a CT certificate valid for 2 months which will be extended to a year if the required works are done within 2 months, the law has been satisfied, you know what you are letting yourself in for (you are treated as a purchaser) and can register the vehicle even if the CT has défaillances majeures but not with défaillances critiques.

46 minutes ago, J.R. said:

 

If you are paying this immigrant (he is not an expat) garagiste to register the vehicle on your behalf then you are stuck with what he says or wants regardless if it is necessary.

 

 

 

I agree the correct term is immigrant but I use the term ex-pat on this forum as it is what most Brits are familiar with. Funny how 'immigrant' is a perjorative term in the UK for many. The guy is completely reliable btw. I've only been in France since 10th and I'm already totally p*ssed off with the bureaucracy. Spent hours manipulating files to send to ANTs today. Everything must be under 1Mb. Had to buy some s/w

Edited 28 January, 20251 yr by MichaelTL

Welcome to France again 😁 in time you will view the term ex-pat as a pejorative when someone refers to you as one!

 

It's understandable to feel like one initially.

 

In 2005 I went for a year without even thinking about registering my car, when I asked around nobody had a clue, the French had never needed to know about importing a vehicle and the few Brits that I eventually did find who most certainly described themselves as expats were still driving UK reg'd cars after a decade and going across the channel every year for an MOT when it was 2 years here, they thought I was crazy.