Spain and France

[renagade]

Hi Guy's
Going to Spain and France for a couple of weeks to see friends and was wondering if there is an easy way to adjust my headlights so they dip to the right. Of course you all know I drive a 2011 c5 x7 with steel springs.
While I am here ,it has been a few years since I did this trip on my motorcycle so am unsure as to what else I might need to take with me ( just wife and me in car )

[JohnD]

I'm just back from four months in Spain with my C5-X7 (on steel springs) and I bought a set of beam benders on the ferry. Sadly I never got around to fitting them. I decided just to turn down the beams and since I was never flashed, presumably I didn't dazzle anyone.

[renagade]

Thanks for that, I thought about just spinning the height wheel(left of the steering wheel) . Good idea and as you managed four months ok,then that is what I shall do.

[Paul-R]

You've already mentioned my best suggestion, just move the beams down with the HL adjuster (only available on steel sprung cars with halogen headlamps). It what I do on the Peugeot 308 and used to do on the Xsara.

I'm afraid that I don't do anything on my C5 X7 (nor on my old C5) WRT the headlights and only very, very occasionally get flashed.

[RichardW]

Check what else you need - In France and maybe others you need a breathalyser in the car; plus hi vis jacket and bulb kit. Pretty sure in Spain that if you need glasses for driving then you need a spare set in the car as well.

[KennyW]

Why not look for a French scrapyard and hopefully find a set of French headlight units to fit.

On my next trip with my X7 that's what I'm going to do.

Kenny

[mickeymoon]

Buy the AA European kit from Halfords. It's about £30 but has everything you need and saves hassle and worry trying to find all the bits separately..

Remember you must keep the hi-vis (you only need one) in the passenger compartment, not in the boot!..

Just buy a set of cheapo beam-benders. They're about a fiver. I think my AA pack came with them anyway.

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[JohnD]

Pretty sure in Spain that if you need glasses for driving then you need a spare set in the car as well.

Yes! I thought so too - but it isn't law. However, if you wear specs then it makes sense to have a second pair. I keep a tinted pair of my prescription in the c ar. Also in Spain - it's illegal to get out of the car on a main road without wearing a high-viz jacket, so it follows that passengers also need one.

[mickeymoon]

https://shop.theaa.com/store/advice-on- ... t-edition-

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[Paul-R]

You need two warning triangles for Spain.

[KennyW]

Thank god he's driving C5 estate with all this extra equipment

Kenny

[white exec]

Yes, all that is correct for Spain:
2 triangles
A hi-vis vest for each person
Set of bulbs
Spare pair of spectacles if you wear them for driving
- plus your own driving documents, and those for the car (saves needing to report to a police station)

[xantia_v6]

In France although you are legally obliged to carry 2 breathalysers, there is no penalty for being caught without, and in 4 roadside checks (breath tests and insurance checks), I have never been asked to produce a breathalyser.

You do need to carry a hi viz jacket for the driver, and you need to be able to reach it without getting out of the car. I keep mine in the pocket behind the passenger seat.

[JohnD]

Thank god he's driving C5 estate with all this extra equipment

Yes! And in Spain he'll only be paying the equiv of 98p a litre for his diesel.

[van ordinaire]

The issue with headlights is not the hight, but which way they dip - hence beambenders, but allyou need to do is blank off that section of the lense that makes the beam assymetric. Insulating tape is just fine WATERPROOF gaffer tape is probably better.

I know the French have stopped targeting Brits with no breathalysers (I got mine in a £ shop, after all they don't have to work, you're just supposed to have them - bit like the bulbs you probably wouldn't be able to fit!) BUT, I'm sure I read relatively recently that they'd dropped that requirement.

Most European countries now require fire extinguishers (get one in Lidl's or some such, not Boots in the ferry terminal or, worse, on the ferry) & a First Aid kit (another £ shop job - if it's just to be compliant!).

£30? Whole lot shouldn't be more'n about a tenner - although you may not have enough time to get the best deals, e.g. triangles are usually £1 at a boot sale - but don't turn up very often.

The document thing is a tricky one, because the UK's official line is not to carry any originals - but in these days of good quality colour copies, who's to know? [MoT's & insurance certs are computer print-outs now anyway & no-one's going to realise that the supposed Euro standard V5C should be on (slightly) better quality paper, because, as far as I know, no-one else issues them!]

If you don't have conspicuity lights (no, really - lookat the lighting Regs) that's DRL's to us, more countries are jumping on the headlights when moving bandwagon (that's 40 years behind the Swedes). Slovenia was an early convert &, I think, Italy's the latest - dunno about Spain!

Bonne Voyage - et bonne chance!