Headlight deflectors or don't bother ??

[Andy and Mandy]

Hey all,

Never driven abroad before other than hire cars from the respective countries, does everyone use beam deflectors ?

I have seen a lot of people on other forums say no don't bother and some even say you don't need them on modern vehicles any more but we don't want to get caught out, there seems a lot of EU experts here so any help is greatly appreciated.

Route is France, Spain, Portugal then Canaries if that makes any difference

Van is a 2025 Transit

Cheers

 

[RichardHelen262]

I did eight years doing courier work just in Europe and have being doing Europe twice a year since then in the motorhome, so best part of 20 years in total, and have never used them in all that time, I usually just set the headlights to the lowest position.
How much night driving will you be doing ?

 

[Andy and Mandy]

Mixed day and night I would think but i was leaning towards they way your suggesting anyway so sounds like a plan haha, tha ks for the help

 

[RichardHelen262]

Mixed day and night I would think but i was leaning towards they way your suggesting anyway so sounds like a plan haha, tha ks for the help

When I was doing courier work in the EU most of my driving would be through the night, and I used to do
180,000 miles per year

 

[Pudsey Bear]

Didn't bother but no night driving anyway.

 

[El radge]

When I was doing courier work in the EU most of my driving would be through the night, and I used to do
180,000 miles per year

So , very roughly , you did 800 miles a day ?
That is a scary number of miles

 

[Pudsey Bear]

Not a lot for a courier really, if they're not turning you're not earning, I only did UK and Ni but I would do around 120-130k a years and I didn't work weekends.

I averaged 50 miles an hour very easily usually more, this was in the 80/90's you can't do it now.

 

[El radge]

Not a lot for a courier really, if they're not turning you're not earning, I only did UK and Ni but I would do around 120-130k a years and I didn't work weekends.

I averaged 50 miles an hour very easily usually more, this was in the 90/90's you can't do it now.

Yea but that's 16 hours a day without breaks

 

[Pudsey Bear]

That's the job though, if you can't do it someone else will.

 

[RichardHelen262]

So , very roughly , you did 800 miles a day ?
That is a scary number of miles

Most days I would do more than that, but travelling through Europe throughout the night I would virtually have the roads to myself,
But as someone that has suffered all my life with Insomnia it was a perfect job for me, as I manage quite well with 3 hours a day sleep.
My van had a bed and night heater etc, so. If I was getting tired I would just pull over and sleep but I was usually awake within an hour or so and fit to go again.
Much better than being at home in bed watching the clock go round all night

 

[TJBi]

With cars, I have always used headlight deflectors, except for one Renault, which had a lever to change the dipping.
With the motorhome, I don't use headlight deflectors, but change to continental front lamp units on arrival at the departure port..

 

[Norfolk NewBoy]

No need for them: it's only a legal requirement in every country that you're visiting and all you have to do if challenged is shout loudly and remind them to be grateful that we won the war

People who say you don't need them because you don't intend driving at night usually forget the exodus from Spain etc when Covid struck and everyone was travelling for as many hours as possible. They also ignore the need for dipped headlights in tunnels and during bad weather.

The choice is yours: they'll cost you the mighty sum of about £10 I imagine.
(Mine have been in place since 2010: the van passes its MOT without any comments.)

 

[Andy and Mandy]

No need for them: it's only a legal requirement in every country that you're visiting and all you have to do if challenged is shout loudly and remind them to be grateful that we won the war

People who say you don't need them because you don't intend driving at night usually forget the exodus from Spain etc when Covid struck and everyone was travelling for as many hours as possible. They also ignore the need for dipped headlights in tunnels and during bad weather.

The choice is yours: they'll cost you the mighty sum of about £10 I imagine.
(Mine have been in place since 2010: the van passes its MOT without any comments.)

I have headlamp protectors anyway so may as well just stick them on there then, at least it looks like I made the effort , thanks for the advice

 

[korky]

I have headlamp protectors anyway so may as well just stick them on there then, at least it looks like I made the effort , thanks for the advice

That's exactly what I do on my Ducato, leave them on all the time. It's a no-brainer.

 

[horace]

Hi we use black insulate tape , two small bits and as you say it shows you have tried your best

 

[Clunegapyears]

It's also courtesy not to dazzle oncoming vehicles. You may not plan to drive at night so may find you do. If you can't change the headlamps for EU, as we do on the motorhome, carry black electrician tape as suggested above. But be warned, it will reduce the lamps effectiveness more than beam benders.

 

[Jann]

Just because you don't drive at night, doesn't mean it won't start raining making it dark enough to need them
They cost less than £10

 

[rambrose]

My son's Ducato failed it's last MOT for a number of petty reasons. One was having deflectors still on. They were that old it was a pig to get them off.

 

[KayEm]

800 miles a day... glad I was an HGV class 1 driver and had to abide by the tacho rules...

 

[korky]

My son's Ducato failed it's last MOT for a number of petty reasons. One was having deflectors still on. They were that old it was a pig to get them off.

Maybe they were incorrectly fitted and affecting the beam pattern. Mine have been on since 2013,no MOT problems.