Driving in Europe

B

bryand

Member
 Kent
I'm off for a bit of a European road trip in June, with regards to the Xenon headlights do they need to be adjusted in any way either by a setting or old school beam deflectors? I've done a bit of searching but can't seem to find a definitive answer.
 
I agree that there is a lot of conflicting advice out there with many suggestions that Xenon’s don’t require adjustment. However, on page 93 of my handbook it specifically states that light-bender converters (BMW speak) are necessary to prevent dazzling oncoming traffic. I have driven in France and decided to fit them anyway to be on the safe side.
 
Put it this way, on dipped beam the bi-xenon cut off line is dead flat. What exactly is a deflector going to change?
I was in France last week and had no trouble whatsoever without them.
 
Are you going to be driving in the dark? If not, dont worry about it.
 
My cars have adaptive headlights and I’ve got an email from the BMW Homologation team to say that they don’t need anything for driving abroad.

I’ve just returned home and although I’ve driven at night I’ve not been flashed at - so they must be ok!
 
Thanks for the replies people, I will pick up a set and keep them in the car just in case, there is a possibility that I will be driving in the dark. I've got the non-adaptive version of the Xenons so not sure if the same rule would apply, for the sake of a few quid I may as well keep a set in the glovebox.
 
Have a search around on the forum and you’ll find a good few posts on the subject- most replies say no problem without masks/beam benders.
 
I live in France from May to October along with a XF with Xenons’ and have never had any problems while driving at night without deflectors. The E89 will be coming out at the end of June for a couple of months and I won’t be fitting deflectors either. Hopefully the weather will have improved by then and I can enjoy the excellent driving roads around here. It has been the coldest May in France for 50 years so if you are coming over soon bring sweaters and a brolly! 🙂
 
Tinker15 said:
I live in France from May to October along with a XF with Xenons’ and have never had any problems while driving at night without deflectors. The E89 will be coming out at the end of June for a couple of months and I won’t be fitting deflectors either. Hopefully the weather will have improved by then and I can enjoy the excellent driving roads around here. It has been the coldest May in France for 50 years so if you are coming over soon bring sweaters and a brolly! 🙂
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I'm coming out the first week of June so if you could arrange some suitably sunny weather it would be much appreciated :rofl:
 
When going to Spain one year ago, I phoned the parts department of my local BMW dealer to order a set of deflectors. They initially could not find any part numbers, so asked if they could get back to me, When they, did they informed me that there were no deflectors for my E89 as they had a "flat beam" and were not required. Anyway, I went without them and had no trouble driving at night and no one oncoming flashed me, so it seemed OK.
 
bryand said:
Tinker15 said:
I live in France from May to October along with a XF with Xenons’ and have never had any problems while driving at night without deflectors. The E89 will be coming out at the end of June for a couple of months and I won’t be fitting deflectors either. Hopefully the weather will have improved by then and I can enjoy the excellent driving roads around here. It has been the coldest May in France for 50 years so if you are coming over soon bring sweaters and a brolly! 🙂
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I'm coming out the first week of June so if you could arrange some suitably sunny weather it would be much appreciated :rofl:
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I’ll try my best! 😎. We’re bringing the Zed over the week before so are hoping the weather is good. Enjoy your trip and enjoy driving in France.
 
So I assume you have an E89, not E85/6 which have a little lever inside the headlamp that makes the dipped beam pattern flat, rather than illuminate the curb... this thred’ll Show u where it is if an E85/6

https://z4-forum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=6150&hilit=Xenon+europe&start=15

Otherwise not a great fan of the beam benders
 
688C530E-57B4-4E81-91CF-00C39B23506A.jpegThe advice from main dealer varied so much it was laughable!

That’s why I contacted. BMW customer services and got the definitive answer on an email

Have a look at this set of posts - I would say it covers it all - the final post by kingfisher sums it up nicely when he says his UK car has just had it French MOT and it didn’t need any adjustments from its UK settings.

Post by Kingfisher » Tue Jan 01, 2019 6:54 pm
I've just had mine MOT'd for the first time, in France, with no alteration from the UK settings.
It passed …… :thumbsup:
Dec 2014 ... E89 35is sDrive M DCT ... Red ... :driving:


https://z4-forum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=23&t=111280
 
I've driven in Europe with my Z4 a couple of times now, and never done anything to the headlights. No problems!
 
ronk said:
688C530E-57B4-4E81-91CF-00C39B23506A.jpegThe advice from main dealer varied so much it was laughable!

That’s why I contacted. BMW customer services and got the definitive answer on an email

Have a look at this set of posts - I would say it covers it all - the final post by kingfisher sums it up nicely when he says his UK car has just had it French MOT and it didn’t need any adjustments from its UK settings.

https://z4-forum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=23&t=111280
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Isn't that symbol (headlights with the A) for Automatic rather than Adaptive, so they automatically come on at night?????
 
I think the symbol they refer to is the A symbol on the Dash that illuminates when the Auto main/dip is in operation (on my 335 but not on the Z4)
 
bryand said:
All very helpful people and thanks, I will just leave them as they are and enjoy the road trip :D
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Don’t forget to take a few photos !
My Z4 Europe trip starts at the end of July, Netherlands, Germany and Italy.
 
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