We moved to Provence 6 years ago with our MX5 and changed it to a French registration, hat it certificated for France and MOT’d successfully (CT in France). However, we have been told that the new change of law means that we must change the headlights to focus on the correct side. Our local Mazda dealer tells us that French headlights differ slightly from the English version of this model - they are prepared to order the French headlights subject to us paying in advance and them being non-returnable if they don’t fit, which might be the case. This is not really acceptable.
I’m finding your post really confusing, but it could be me [8-)]. You moved SIX years ago to France and had it CT’ed successfully, was the 5 originally a UK car?.
I presume the “new change of law” means you must now have to need left hand drive headlights, so you must have been using beam benders for the last six years .
Left hand drive cars have the headlights set to dip to the right, right hand drive cars e.g. UK dip to the left, your post suggests your 5 is at least six years old, so I would go down the route of fitting a used set of headlights from a breakers off a LEFT HAND drive MX5 as a new set from a Mazda dealer would be expensive.
If I have this all wrong then sorry, but I read your post as you are still in France.
Sorry if I confused you - the car is English and 2 years ago passed it’s first CT in France with beam benders and when I took it for its biannual CT last month was told it no longer conformed (same station) and would need the headlights changed. The nearby Mazda garage is unsure whether the LHD lights he can order for this model will fit as the model is not exactly the same as the french version, and as you rightly say, they are expensive and non-returnable. I have tried, unsuccessfully, to find second-hand heads.
Thanks for reply, the lights were originally adjusted to allow the car to be registered in France, but the french MOT will no longer accept the adjustment, saying the lights must be changed to comply with the new law, it may be that the only option is to take it back to UK and sell there.
Just as a suggestion, try a set of headlamps from a left hand drive mini (the old shape one), They are the same size as the mini, fittings are the same and cost about £20 less than mazda ones. Good luck!!!
Being a April 98 its boaderline mk1 / mk2 but given the stated problem it must be a mk2.
As how can the mk1 lights fit differently and not be adjustable for both.
I can only suggest you contact the french mx-5 owners club explain the problem and ask if someone will let you try their lights for fit?
Might cost you some petrol and a beer.
Failijng that the next biggest mx-5 market in europe is Germany after the UK so contact the German mx-5 owners club and ask is anyone can find some lhd’s in a scrappy or similar.
Sales in france were always bad so not many around.
Germany has almost as many as we do (original sales - they havent got thousands of imports)
My third thought on this is to egt some after market lights from a US seller. - even after shipping if second hand could be cheaper then driving back to britian to sell and a whole lot more convenient.
the bringing it back thing is surely a last option.
I hope no one in Lefthand drive world ever cracks a headlight!!!
I’ve just spent an hour googling everything I can think of and have come up with one hit, in the USA on e bay E bay USA
However always loving a challenge, I’ve joined the French MX5 forum!, and posted this message
Greetings from Australia, I am enquiring for a
mate who needs a set of healight units for use in France, his car is a
Mk2 1998. Any help appreciated. Des salutations d'Australie, je
m'enquiers pour un compagnon qui a besoin d'un ensemble d'unités de
healight pour l'usage en France, sa voiture est un Mk2 1998. Toute aide
appréciée
Geoff Walton
we will see, I hope[IMG]http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j183/gwa_2006/ozzsmile-1.gif[/IMG]
