Driving On The Continent - Headlamp Advice Please.

[kath's_convertible]

Am I correct in thinking that because the SC430 has self levelling HID lights there is no need to fit a conversion kit to the headlamps when driving in Europe? If it was necessary to change light direction i would have thought Lexus would have fitted mechanical conversion facility as on Jaguars / Porsches etc. Grateful if anyone can confirm.

I am awre that many countries require a spare bulb set, among other things. Does anyone know how easy it is to change a HID headlamp bulb if it should go? If its easy then it may be worth having one in the kit but if its something best left to experts then I could save the risk of carrying such an expensive item and rely on breakdown service/dealer network.

Cheers.

Bob

[Steviewevie]

Self-levelling takes into account the car load etc to change the height of the beam, but it doesn't do anything about which side the beams are aiming. So if you go on the Continent your lights will still be pointing the "wrong" way.

[MarsdenDean]

When my IS200 Went to belgium, i just got the stick on head light convertors.

And i know Belgium require you to carry spare bulbs and a warning triangle.

Depends on where your going i think :)

[Parthiban]

And France requires you to have a high vis jacket in the car.........

Yep you'll need to adjust the beam, think the only way is with those stick on deflectors

[kath's_convertible]

And France requires you to have a high vis jacket in the car.........

Yep you'll need to adjust the beam, think the only way is with those stick on deflectors

Many thanks for our thoughts guys. Called into the Lexus centre today (so as not to accompany the mrs shopping) and they said that there was nothing to do to the headlights for Continental driving. They also ran it into the workshop and checked it on the headlamp aligment kit. The flat beam is not directed to the left which explains why a car of this price (when it was new) has no mechanical converter.

Thanks again,

Bob

[lex-golf]

Being from Germany its the otherway round for me since we drive regularly for a golf weekend to Kent. No changes needed. Lexus Europe confirmed. No changes needed and I had never a situation where I felt I 'beam' onto the wrong site of the road.

Once I had a discussion with a French police officer about missing spare headlight set. I showed him the fronheadlight and how they adjust when you turn ignition on. ALso I showed him the owners manual with the strict advise to see a dealer for bulp change. I asked him if he would be in a position to change a bulp in a high voltage environement with no space to move even fingers. He did let me drive away.