I am re-registering an NB in France and will need to put it throught the Controle Technique. Advice is conflicting on what is needed regarding the headlights and rear light clusters. It would be good to talk to someone who has experience. Also, has anyone any experience of the after market LED lights from the US? These are much cheaper than Mazda units.
This subject was well covered about two years ago, two solutions offered by expats living in France, 1) if you sprechen ze Deustch, email a scrapyard in Germany, and ask if they have any Mk2.5 (NBFL) headlights for L/H drive cars.(try searching DE- L/H headlights for Mazda NBFL on google, and see if that helps.)
2) A solution offered by one ex-pat - cut both units in half (instructions were available), and glue together, this apparently takes time and carefulness, but apparently works. (You swop left and right headlights over)
Most ex-pats have used solution 1), as the second option (2) is a bit drastic. Bare in mind there are few MX5’s in either France or Germany, so scrappers are in short supply, but you may be lucky. - I’ll see if I can find any associated threads on the subject, but don’t hold your breath, as my searches are usually unsuccessful. - No luck. Maybe someone else can locate that old thread?
My friend ‘The Frog’ may help?- If he sees this.
Rear lights - not aware there are any problems with these, not been discussed at all.
Surely for the rear lights, you need a LHD set for the foglight. US sets don’t have a foglight fitted.
Providing links to the relevant threads would be useful, then the OP can reach out to the originators of these threads, by PM, to surmise any other details:
https://www.mx5oc.co.uk/forum/yaf_postst106936_headlights-for-France.aspx
https://www.mx5oc.co.uk/forum/yaf_postst3293_April-98-MX5-1-8-English-French-Problems.aspx
I believe there would be far more expert advice provided on mx5france.com than here.
Our friend Geoff sums up the ‘expert help’ available for MX5 Club de France.( latter thread.) Draw your own conclusions.(The reply from a member of that club speaks volumes, ILM supply MX5 parts with European parts, so not a good pointer.) Ex-pats tend to be more reliable. If it’s of any interest, I would suggest you PM Liffsam, who posted on one of those threads, but you’ll have to get your car into France first, or you won’t be driving anywhere.
The membership of any club, like the MX5OC, is in constant flux, and I was not aware that the French MX5 Club banned non-French citizens.
Hi Guys
I am a member of MX5France and also an expat. No issues there. The buying and selling forums are free to use for non paid up members, so the OP could post in the wanted section of the forum for some second hand lights…though its my experience that they come up few and far between. Le Boncoin is also another source for used car parts.
It may seem daunting to split your headlight units the first time, but its really quite simple, and only a small tin plate needs fabricating to complete the job. I have a basic set of DIY tools and can complete a conversion of one headlight from RHD to LHD in around 1hr 30mins now. I would give yourself around 5-6 hours including removing and reinstalling the lights in your car the first time you do it.
You will need to visit a local garage to have the headlights aligned after the work. This service is not carried out for free at the time of CT as it is ( or was ) in the UK when I left some 13 years ago.
I have done more than 10 conversions now. The only small problem I have encountered is that on 2 occasions, on 1 headlight, I have noticed condensation within the headlight after the work. I remedied this by resealing the two halves of the headlight again.
With regards to the rear fog light, it all depends on where you take the car for CT.
The official line is that if only one rear fog is fitted it must be in the middle of the car, or on the left. Our UK cars as you know are on the right.
My local CT center does not enforce this rule, and all my cars still have the fog light on the right.
Aftermarket rear units are available fairly cheaply. I bought a second hand pair for €60 ( via Le Boncoin )a while ago with the fog on the left.
If I can help further, don’t hesitate.
Here are a few links
https://www.mx5france.com/forum/viewforum.php?f=31
https://www.mx5france.com/forum/viewforum.php?f=34
https://www.leboncoin.fr/recherche/?category=6&text=phares%20mx5&locations=r_12
Having just had a quick look at all the links above, I can not see any nb or nbfl headlights for sale at the moment.
DONT forget, the adaptation from RHD to LHD using the method I described can ONLY be used on NBFL headlights, not NB as they are not projector style headlights.
Bon Courage
Cheers
Richard
Re using lights from the USA, they will not have the e4 symbol ( I think it E4 from memory ) stamped on them, so strictly speaking should not be used in Europe. I have had some picky CT technicians here who have commented that the arrows showing the direction of the headlights stamped on the front were pointing the wrong way ( ie to the right, not left ) even though the spread of the lights was correct. He let this misdemeanor go, as with the foglight at the rear on the wrong side. Your local CT tech might think differently, and may insist on the “e” marking.
I have also found that when using the new A.N.T.S. system of registration, that a Certificate of Conformity is now always required, even if you think the UK V5 has all the relevant information, as would previously sufficed at your local prefecture. I have also had an English MOT accepted under the new system, providing that it was issued less than 6 months ago.
I have also found recently, following relocation of my tax office ( hotel de impots ) that they are now asking for a certificate of conformity before issuing the quittas fiscaux, even though this document is not required according to the government website.
Don’t you just love French administration !!!
Hi Richard
Do you have a link to the intsructions for the conversion that still works? The German lights are coming up at 200 euros a pop.
Steve
quote=LffSam;778968]
Hi Guys
I am a member of MX5France and also an expat. No issues there. The buying and selling forums are free to use for non paid up members, so the OP could post in the wanted section of the forum for some second hand lights…though its my experience that they come up few and far between. Le Boncoin is also another source for used car parts.
It may seem daunting to split your headlight units the first time, but its really quite simple, and only a small tin plate needs fabricating to complete the job. I have a basic set of DIY tools and can complete a conversion of one headlight from RHD to LHD in around 1hr 30mins now. I would give yourself around 5-6 hours including removing and reinstalling the lights in your car the first time you do it.
You will need to visit a local garage to have the headlights aligned after the work. This service is not carried out for free at the time of CT as it is ( or was ) in the UK when I left some 13 years ago.
I have done more than 10 conversions now. The only small problem I have encountered is that on 2 occasions, on 1 headlight, I have noticed condensation within the headlight after the work. I remedied this by resealing the two halves of the headlight again.
With regards to the rear fog light, it all depends on where you take the car for CT.
The official line is that if only one rear fog is fitted it must be in the middle of the car, or on the left. Our UK cars as you know are on the right.
My local CT center does not enforce this rule, and all my cars still have the fog light on the right.
Aftermarket rear units are available fairly cheaply. I bought a second hand pair for €60 ( via Le Boncoin )a while ago with the fog on the left.
If I can help further, don’t hesitate.
Here are a few links
https://www.mx5france.com/forum/viewforum.php?f=31
https://www.mx5france.com/forum/viewforum.php?f=34
https://www.leboncoin.fr/recherche/?category=6&text=phares%20mx5&locations=r_12
Having just had a quick look at all the links above, I can not see any nb or nbfl headlights for sale at the moment.
DONT forget, the adaptation from RHD to LHD using the method I described can ONLY be used on NBFL headlights, not NB as they are not projector style headlights.
Bon Courage
Cheers
Richard
[/quote]
Hi steve
Here you go
https://www.mx5oc.co.uk/forum/yaf_postst95772_NBFL-MK-2-5-Headlight-Conversion-RHD-to-LHD.aspx
Sorry no pics, but if you get stuck, give me a shout.
Cheers
Richard
After a few days…getting fed up of newbies not saying thanks for advice,given or taken…bon courage…where else would you get such helpful info ???
Please don’t ask me anymore…
Apologies Richard, I have been in the UK for the last week and very busy. The information is very useful, thank you. I did manage to pickup a pair of RHD spare headlights at PM Sports Cars in Derby whilst on my travels and intend to have a go at converting these. I will try and take some pictures as I go.
Regards
Steve
Hello from the Perigord
I have been through process twice one NB and a NBFL.
LH Headlights for me are found on ebay germany - many brekers there.
Rear lights do not need to change.
Get Conformity attestation from Mazda (I have address if needed)
Ready to go get your CT done
Insure it locally
Go to local tax office with UK registration document for “quitus Fiscal”
It’s then ready to transfer registration
As everything is going “online” these days not sure of current system. Our local garage does offer a registration service if you are local pm me OR I think most motor dealers can do this for you now.
Frog
Thanks for the checklist Frog
I’m trying the conversion on a spare pair of RHD lights I got from a breaker.
Steve