European driving - headlamp aim

J

Jey

Member
So, I bought the Z4 to take over to Spain, and my journey begins Monday.... I am really looking forward to the drive, first to Portsmouth and the ferry, then onwards to Murcia with a few stops en-route. Im sure the drive will be better in the Z4 than the last car I took over there..

So, the one thing I haven't done yet is the headlamp aim, which I will attempt when I arrive (or the next day as I arrive in the morning and driving will-be light off)

I recall reading a post on here about there being a switch in the headlamps to switch to European driving - I cant find it now, anyone have the link or any information on switching over (incidentally, the beetle switchover was simple too) that would be appreciated.

I will share some pictures of the journey and let you guys know how it goes :D

J
 
Yes I did this when I imported my UK car into Spain. However if you are only on holiday there is no need to do anything. BMW UK told me that the E89 has a flat beam pattern and does not need adjusting to drive on the right. I think they are correct as having driven through France and Spain at night I never once had any problems.

The problem came when I was trying to register the car onto Spanish plates and the ITV (MOT) centre I took it to said that according to their machine the headlights were ever so slightly pointing to the left and I needed to change them. That is when I managed to find the switch, saying that I have since switched them back to drive on the left because in the previous setting the left side of the main beam was badly cut off.

I now take the car to a different ITV centre and have left the lights adjusted for the UK but have passed the test each time without any problems.
 
Silverstar said:
Yes I did this when I imported my UK car into Spain. However if you are only on holiday there is no need to do anything. BMW UK told me that the E89 has a flat beam pattern and does not need adjusting to drive on the right. I think they are correct as having driven through France and Spain at night I never once had any problems.

The problem came when I was trying to register the car onto Spanish plates and the ITV (MOT) centre I took it to said that according to their machine the headlights were ever so slightly pointing to the left and I needed to change them. That is when I managed to find the switch, saying that I have since switched them back to drive on the left because in the previous setting the left side of the main beam was badly cut off.

I now take the car to a different ITV centre and have left the lights adjusted for the UK but have passed the test each time without any problems.
Click to expand...
Forgive me laughing, but that is the longest, most complete reply I've seen that doesn't tell him what he asked.
So you know where the switch is, but you're going to ransom the information. :D

(Meant light-heartedly btw)
 
You lot make me laugh - keeps me going... :rofl:

Any way, funnily enough I've located lots of posts on this including yours Silverstar (and thanks for the replay) , including those who couldn't find the switch. I had the same conversation over the beetle with the dealers, forums etc. So, ill drive over, its not a holiday the car will live-in Murcia or thereabouts for the remainder of its hopefully long life now, so will need an ITV. If it fails, I'll take a look at finding the switch (easily missed on the beetle if i didn't have the required determination) and see if I can sort out the ITV. The question is this, do I need to change both headlamps of just one? The beetle needed both lights adjusting
 
That is when I managed to find the switch, saying that I have since switched them back to drive on the left because in the previous setting the left side of the main beam was badly cut off.

I have this issue with the beetle, lights are no so poor we don't like to drive it at night so i get the changing it back. I may end up doing the same, assuming i can find the switch..
 
Yes you have to change both sides. To get to the switch it's a case of taking the wheels off and accessing the the back of the headlights and remove the xenon bulb too and then you will be able to see an arched shaped lever.

Just out of curiosity, have you checked how much it will cost to register onto Spanish plates? Importing from the UK has got pretty expensive since Brexit since now you have to pay 21% IVA (VAT) on the value or purchase price of the car on top of all the other costs. Back in 2019 when I did mine and did the registration process myself it still cost me around 1000€, I would think it would now be double or more. A little while back my mate looked at importing a Bentley Continental turns out it was going to cost him an extra 30,000€ after Brexit and before it would have been about 5000€
 
No switches or levers on E89 lights.(I believe so on the E85).
I have had them apart.
The shutter has a step to blank out the other side of the road.
The are handed for L or R drive cars.
Look directly into lamp you will see the shutter.
 
Silverstar said:
Yes you have to change both sides. To get to the switch it's a case of taking the wheels off and accessing the the back of the headlights and remove the xenon bulb too and then you will be able to see an arched shaped lever.

Just out of curiosity, have you checked how much it will cost to register onto Spanish plates? Importing from the UK has got pretty expensive since Brexit since now you have to pay 21% IVA (VAT) on the value or purchase price of the car on top of all the other costs. Back in 2019 when I did mine and did the registration process myself it still cost me around 1000€, I would think it would now be double or more. A little while back my mate looked at importing a Bentley Continental turns out it was going to cost him an extra 30,000€ after Brexit and before it would have been about 5000€
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Yes, Ive already sorted out the matriculation, and to be honest could sort out the ITV too, however I’d rather sort out the lights. Took me An age to find the switch on the beetle, almost invisible but hey, perseverance. I’ll see how the ITV goes and take it from there. Thanks for the input..
 
flybobbie said:
No switches or levers on E89 lights.(I believe so on the E85).
I have had them apart.
The shutter has a step to blank out the other side of the road.
The are handed for L or R drive cars.
Look directly into lamp you will see the shutter.
Click to expand...

Hi, I’ve read your original post and I’ve noted you stripped the lights down and found nothing. Totally at odds with silver stars experience. I wonder are there more than one type of light - had a similar thing with the beetle, even the dealers said new lights needed. Yet hey, mine have a switch in each light. I’m hoping I don’t need to open them to check dependant on ITV but will take pic did if I do and share the outcome.
 
I assume the E85 has xenon, one for main, one for dip. So dip reflector could be rotated to offset the beam.
E89 has HID projector.
 
flybobbie said:
I assume the E85 has xenon, one for main, one for dip. So dip reflector could be rotated to offset the beam.
E89 has HID projector.
Click to expand...

There is a video on YouTube somewhere of someone with an E85 that shows that there is a lever to switch the lights over for Europe. It was that video that led me to take a look at mine and once I accessed the lights and took out the bulb the lever is there and you push it up or down to switch the lights for RHD or LHD.

I have done this twice once to switch it to LHD to pass the ITV and then switched it back again to RHD. Another forum member also did the same based on what I put in my thread.

Could it be that BMW fitted different versions of headlights during the years?
 
flybobbie said:
No switches or levers on E89 lights.(I believe so on the E85).
I have had them apart.
The shutter has a step to blank out the other side of the road.
The are handed for L or R drive cars.
Look directly into lamp you will see the shutter.
Click to expand...
no help at all to this discussion, but just wanted to say that my Mercedes has a setting that swaps the headlights from left to right sided driving. No idea how though. I guess it’s somewhere in the 300+ page instruction book that no-one reads… clever tho
 
Use the beam adjuster and just wind the lamps down enough to not shine on the left side of road, or buy the aftermarket lamps with the hexagon drl's. Seem to come only in lhd version.
 
This is the reply I got from BMW UK when I asked the question - Ive been Europe a few times since and never had a problem

Screenshot 2023-03-30 at 21.43.38.png
 
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