I am taking my 2006 Octavia to France next month and am told that headlamp converters are compulsory if I don't want to risk an on-the-spot fine from the Gendarmerie.

I called my nearest Skoda dealer, and after looking on his computer the parts man told me that Skoda don't list headlamp converters for the A5 Octavia. :confused: I find this very hard to believe, as I can't be the only person to want to take a right-hand drive Octy to France (to Disneyland - yes, I finally gave in to all the nagging).

Skoda website lists 2 different sets of headlamp converters, part nos ZGB5J0072100 & ZGB6Y0072101. Does anybody know if either of these are for the new Octavia?

Not neede if you follow this excellent guide

http://www.briskoda.net/forums/new-octavia/changing-headlights-continental/81652/

Thanks, I have seen that but I would prefer not to risk damaging the lights or paintwork by taking them out to do the change.

This is, of course, all the fault of Napoleon Bonaparte. If it hadn't been for him the French would drive on the correct side of the road and we wouldn't have this problem.

This is, of course, all the fault of Napoleon Bonaparte. If it hadn't been for him the French would drive on the correct side of the road and we wouldn't have this problem.

:rofl: it is very easy to do in all honesty

I did the conversion sitting on the docks waiting to board the ferry to Dunkirk the other week when I was going to Cz. I'd recommend you try at home first just to get the idea but it really is very easy. You don't say if you have Xenons, if you do it is a bit harder as you have two screws to take out, but if you don't then it really is easy.

:rofl: it is very easy to do in all honesty

I believe you - but it would be even easier to stick some sticky things on the headlamps!

Eddie, sorry this is a really dumb question so please don't take it the wrong way - but is the car definitely set to UK setting? The reason I ask is that my MY2007 is set to 'flat' (European setting) and the handbook says this is the default (but perhaps that only applies to xenon lights?)...

Anyway - i'm sure you know how your lights are set...

Just as an anecdotal comment, I took my (then) SAAB to France last year with the Xenons set to UK (it was supposed to be easy to change, but I just never bothered). Since the lights were on all the time on the saab, I expected to be flashed/stopped/gestured at the whole time - but not once all week! So perhaps the French are more tolerant then we imagine

cheers

nik

I was in Aldi a week ago and on an impulse (it's that sort of shop!) I bought a European Motoring Kit for £3.50.

It turned out to be quite a bargain. There was a box of bulbs and fuses. The halogens were H1 and H7 - just right for the Octy. There were a couple of stick on beam blockers and a GB sticker. The beam blockers had the information on where to stick them on the Octy 2 projector dips.

Happy but

Exhausted

I was in an ALDI at Meadowhall Sheffield yesterday, yes I know I am sad and there was still some left.

I went to ALDI in Northampton this morning and bought it.

I was in an ALDI at Meadowhall Sheffield yesterday, yes I know I am sad and there was still some left.

Using Aldi does not make you sad!! :(

You are demonstrating the same discernment of value for money that we show by investing in Skodas!

Anyway Aldi has gone remarkably up market with the items it sells - not too dissimilar to a certain Czech outfit.

Exhausted

Using Aldi does not make you sad!! :(

You are demonstrating the same discernment of value for money that we show by investing in Skodas!

Anyway Aldi has gone remarkably up market with the items it sells - not too dissimilar to a certain Czech outfit.

Exhausted

Well said Exhausted.......................even poor people need somewhere to shop.

Aldi??? :confused:

Eddie, sorry this is a really dumb question so please don't take it the wrong way - but is the car definitely set to UK setting? The reason I ask is that my MY2007 is set to 'flat' (European setting) and the handbook says this is the default (but perhaps that only applies to xenon lights?)...

Anyway - i'm sure you know how your lights are set...

cheers

nik

It's not a dumb question. I just sort of assumed that they would be on UK settings. How would I find out?

If the top edge of the beam looks more or less flat (horizontal) when you park facing a wall, then it is "European"... UK setting will have what looks more or less like an extra triangle of light on top of the flat area at the far left. This area lights up roadsigns.

You might also be able to tell by driving at night and seeing how well your lights light up roadsigns (big motorway signs are a good test)... I hope this explanation makes sense. It's easy to tell if you know what you are looking for

If the top edge of the beam looks more or less flat (horizontal) when you park facing a wall, then it is "European"... UK setting will have what looks more or less like an extra triangle of light on top of the flat area at the far left. This area lights up roadsigns.

You might also be able to tell by driving at night and seeing how well your lights light up roadsigns (big motorway signs are a good test)... I hope this explanation makes sense. It's easy to tell if you know what you are looking for

AND blinds pedestrians!

Okay - thanks for that advice. My headlamps are definitely UK spec, so it looks like a trip to Halfords for me. (I googled "Aldi" and found out that there isn't one near here).

On a side note (and perhaps a rant not welcome in this thread) it's intresting to note that we always seem to be so concerned with ensuring our cars do not blind everyone when we go over there but over here there seems to be an epidemic of continental cars from places like Poland (not singling them out as such but I have noticed quite a few are from there) who are now perminatly resident in the UK and merrily blinding any hapless driver they come across.

You can buy the convertors in the shop at dover, or onboard the ferry. The convertor for the octavia is a simple disc, that when placed on the headlight blocks out 1/4 of the projector lamp.

On a side note (and perhaps a rant not welcome in this thread) it's intresting to note that we always seem to be so concerned with ensuring our cars do not blind everyone when we go over there but over here there seems to be an epidemic of continental cars from places like Poland (not singling them out as such but I have noticed quite a few are from there) who are now perminatly resident in the UK and merrily blinding any hapless driver they come across.

I'm not sure that they do blind us.

When I was an active member of a Citroen forum a similar comment was made. A UK guy, who was living in France, made the comment that all of their cars are flat beamed so no dazzle when driving over here.

Perhaps we could have an update from contributors resident in other European countries.

Exhausted

Certainly my Citroen, the Xenon lights come with a flat symmetric beam pattern from the factory, and it doesn't have a facility for creating the UK assymetric beam pattern (or the LHD equivalent assymetric pattern), which might imply others are the same - ie the beam is flat on both sides.

On the plus side, this also means that technically I don't have to adjust anything to take in onto the Continent, and continental drivers don't need to adjust or fit anything to come here.

On converting the beam for abroad, i was in our local dealer and was after the bulb kit and is it easy to convert the beam, yes he replied and gave me 3 a4 sheets which showed that all you do after taking the headlamp out you "merely" turn the black lever the opposite way to what it is.Well i ask you , the brilliant tutorial with pictures that was done for us on this site shows its a lot more than that even though it is done in a few minuets when you know how.