litronic headlights and or normal headlights

[ausboxster]

as we are on the rhd here in australia and our beam pattern on our cars face to the left yours in the US would face to the right. If i brought a headlight from the US (lets say ebay) can the beam pattern be changed to suit our roads or do i not bother wasting $$$ and source a local one.

[Tool Pants]

RHD and LHD headlights have different part numbers. From what I understand the beam pattern is different and cannot be adjusted. US headlights throw light everywhere unlike other countries.

[adsach]

RHD and LHD headlights have different part numbers.  From what I understand the beam pattern is different and cannot be adjusted.  US headlights throw light everywhere unlike other countries.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

So from what you say,

LHD Headlights would be illegal and provide poor light in the US,

while US RHD headlights will work for driving on both sides of the road but might be illegal in certain countries?

If so, is there an advantage to LHD lights(better pattern)?

[ausboxster]

adsach,

IMHO i couldnt see why they would sell RHD lights in the US as they are set up for RHD cars (steering is on the right side as opposed to the left). I gather from tool pant's reply the US albeit having LHD drive cars has a totally different beam pattern to the other LHD countries.....

[dj996]

Isn't there a switch or something on the back of the light assembly for LHD or RHD?

[Tool Pants]

I think Adsach has his directions reversed but we know what he means.

There use to be a good site which explained this and had pictures but I can find it. This is one that I did save with some info. http://faqlight.carpassion.info/hl-current-regulations.htm

If you look at the lenses on your car you will see they are not the same. They have a different pattern.

I have been on the UK Boxster board a few years and this question comes up once in a while. When they drive their RHD car to a LHD country, like France, they have to put a tape-on mask on the headlights. They cannot adjust the headlights on their RHD to make it a LHD. If they import a car from a LHD car country like Germany, then they have to put in RHD headlights.

Litronics are different because they have a lever inside the headlights with 2 settings. If I remember right the settings are marked 0 and T and T is for tourist. We not not have this lever in the US, just the markings. In the UK they can switch the levers if they go to a LHD country and then not have to use the mask. But this lever does not convert a RHD litronic into a LHD litronic. What the lever does is to cut off part of the light beams so it is just like having the mask on the halogen lights. What you end up with is a RHD light with part of the beam missing, but legal in a LHD country.

[ausboxster]

interesting to note. so i best be looking in the UK or back at home....... checked out that web site as well real uselful info specially with the arrows pointing in thee directions..... good to know

i guess while were on the topic of light whats the importance of the headlamp cleaners on HID fitted cars.. is it to clean against beam scatter if the lens is dirty?????????

Edited February 26, 2005 by ausboxster

[Tool Pants]

I just looked at your profile and it says you have a 2005 Boxster. I had assumed the questions were for a 986, not 987. Which Boxster model do you have as there are differences between a 986 and 987.

[ausboxster]

its a 986. we tend to go by the first year of registration and or when the vehicle had its compliance plate fitted to the car which was January of 2005 for both reg and compliance. the 987 just got released last weekend in australia.

For the non aussies before a vehicle is allowed to come into the country it needs to meet federal regulations (more so to keep our local vehicle market stable) so they tend to make overseas made vehicles comply with certain rules and regs that other countries would not bother with (much like your bumper stops on the US we dont have them here but you get the idea).

When the vehicle is approved it is given one of two things a full volume compliance, meaning that that manufacturer or importer is the only person allowed to import and plate that vehicle in australia unlimited vehicle amount (silver coloured plate).

Then there is low volume compliance 100 plates issued a year, this allows more than one person to apply and get approval as it is deemed to be a enthusiast type vehicle. You will find low volume on ferraris lambos that type of thing as they sell in very low number. (lamborghini in melbourne sold around 10 new cars last year so you get the idea) (Green coloured plate)

Ok,

So when a vehicle arrives it gets the aforementioned compliance plate fitted see attached pic........... and there we have it. Oh one last thing the complaince plate is plated as of the month and year it is plated not back dated to the build date of a vehicle.

Edited February 26, 2005 by ausboxster

[Loren]

Yes, but when you order parts you will be ordering for a MY04 Boxster (986). I'll bet the 10th digit in your VIN is a "4" (for MY04).

[ausboxster]

yes for parts ordering you are correct they ask what the vin thats normal procedure, and as for your bet yes you are right again....... its weird yes its myo4 with 05 plate its more a fact that people order cars personally and porsche australia has to fill a personal order quota so they get a range of different vehicles with options which some people most likely arent after so they get stuck with certain cars for a while. A great deal of the euro companies have this issue here. Audi had MY00 built TT's plated in 02, the local lamborghini dealer has 2 murcielagos built back in early 03 and 03 plated that are sitting idle brand new (great if you can wait for them to reach 2 years old as it deletes the luxury car tax saving you around 100+ grand off the purchase price)

[adsach]

I think Adsach has his directions reversed but we know what he means.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

quite right, confused over the terminology.

I was thinking US was RHD (as in we drive on the Right Hand Side of the road) rather than LHD (Left Hand Driver seating position)

Left Hand Drive makes no sense as the car is Rear Wheel Drive with torque steer mostly pulling to the right. :D

[ausboxster]

LOL im on the floor and cant get up thats too funny adsach

[Tool Pants]

As said, I have been on the UK boards for a few years so I'm sort of use to tyres, bonnet, roof, OPC, and that sort of stuff. But when they post technical pictures, like the inside of the front trunk or a fuse panel, I have took take a second look to get my orientation since it is a mirror image with some changes.

They also have the funny registration rules that do not match the model year. T registration. 52 registration. I think they do it in March, and a second time in the year. I do not think they understand it. If they have a stereo question and give their registration year, not model year, I have to ask for the model year. Makes a big difference if they have a MOST car. Then they buy a car and do not drive it so they can get the next model year license plate.

So the system in Australia must be like that.

In the UK they do not usually retrofit litronics like we do in the US. It requires the washers and suspension sensors to pass the MOT inspection. We do not have this requirement in the US. There is such a requirement in Germany but depending on the year you just need the washers. There is a retrofit kit for the washers, but not the suspension sensors. The washers keep the beam focused where it is supposed to be.

[ausboxster]

true in the way that we go by registration year rather than MY. the clincher for my purchasing the boxster was the fact that it had been compliance plated and registered in jan 05 mor so the plate than the rego if that makes sense.

Ideally it has more to do with holding value on the vehicle as for some odd reason the culture here is for example if you purchased a dec 04 plated car its regarded as a year old.

So in a perfect world if your to order a car here in australia (luxury cars that is) your always better off ordering a a car late in the year so its built after september as germanys (or europes for that fact) MY changes come into place as they return from summer break and your most likely to have the car arrive late december meaning it can get plated in january (you can actually request that the compliance plate be done this way if your happy to wait and itslikely that it will get plated in december).....

Edited February 27, 2005 by ausboxster