Headlamp converters

[Pipeandacrepe]

Might take Trevor to France on Saturday but looking at the instructions from my last set of converters, and TVR aren't listed. Has anybody taken theirs into Europe and, if so, what can I do to keep the Gendarmerie happy? Also, is it a stupid idea to try to load it onto a ferry? I don't want to fk the underside.

Edited by Pipeandacrepe on Saturday 16th March 22:03

[jojackson4]

The chimps area

[Dr Mike Oxgreen]

The headlight converters I bought came with a leaflet that gave lots of different instructions, but most of those are for the new-fangled projector-style lenses fitted to newer cars. But it also told you what to do for older lenses with lines on them, like we have. It needed trimming, and then you stick it on along the line that angles up slightly. The instructions were clear enough to follow; I did it while we were on the Eurotunnel.

You should have spare bulbs with you, and a hi-viz jacket (which should be accessible from inside the car, i.e. not in the boot). You should also have a warning triangle. You no longer need those stupid breathalysers though, AIUI.

Can't comment on the ferries, but the Eurotunnel marshals beckoned me out of the queue and put me on the bottom level to avoid the steep ramp, so it was no problem. They seem well trained to spot cars with low ground clearance, and I would guess the ferry marshals will be as well. The acoustics inside the train were good!

For driving in France, I recommend getting a Sanef télépéage thingy so that you can go through the tolls without delay. Also, bear in mind that they're much hotter on catching speeders and their cameras are better hidden.

[BountyHunter]

Dr Mike Oxgreen said:

Also, bear in mind that they're much hotter on catching speeders and their cameras are better hidden.

and they concentrate on British cars especially

[zed4]

Yeah, we took a VX220 on the ferry and they were helpful with ground clearance.

We got those stuck on headlight converters to the VX220. They have no markings on the lenses, so we had no idea where to stick them. We just stuck them on anywhere, just so the police were happy they were on there!!

[sgrimshaw]

Not had any problems getting my Chimaera onto the ferries going to Spain.

Never bothered with headlight converters, but then we don't tend to drive at night.

[Pipeandacrepe]

Thanks everyone. Got all the euro gubbins anyway as go to France and Belgium quite a lot, just want to take the Chimaera on a run but was a bit concerned about lights and ground clearance. I need to book the ferry anyway, so will book it for the other car given the fking weather forecast for next weekend.

[gavgavgav]

Ferry should be fine as they usually won't send you up on top car deck in a low car, and the tunnel is much easier. For the converters, if you turn on the headlights you can see the pattern to help guess where they go. I only bothered putting them on once (griff with pod covers) as they were a pig to get off, and I've just carried them in the car for the past 5 trips since incase I've been stopped.

[Ozmira]

I used some black gaffa tape for the lights when I went to Paris a fue years ago.

[JonathanT]

Dr Mike Oxgreen said:

For driving in France, I recommend getting a Sanef télépéage thingy so that you can go through the tolls without delay. Also, bear in mind that they're much hotter on catching speeders and their cameras are better hidden.

I can definitely vouch for having the Sanef telepeage doofer too. No fiddling with queues, tickets and change in the middle of the night.

[snorky]

and they are now based in Harrogate! so you dont need to speak French

www.saneftolling.co.uk

and the new tags are half the size of the old french ones...

[Dr Mike Oxgreen]

BountyHunter said:

and they concentrate on British cars especially

Well, when I got caught it was after the TVR had broken down and I was in a French-registered, rented Opel Meriva POS - how I managed to haul that thing up above 130kph I will never know. Still, that was back in July and I haven't heard anything more (apart from Hertz charging my card for giving my details to Les Flics), so I'm hoping they're not going to bother.