XJ XJ6 / XJ8 / XJR ( X350 & X358 ) 2003 - 2009

European driving

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Old Jul 8, 2018 | 11:13 AM
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Default European driving

i have just bought an X350 sport premium tdvi and so far impressed with it, a few questions:
is it possible to change the aim of the HID headlamps for European driving?
Can a ski hatch be retrofitted?
 
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Old Jul 8, 2018 | 12:31 PM
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Check the vehicle's Owner's Manual or contact a Jaguar agency. Some vehicles have a lever at the back of the headlamp units that can be used to change to LHD beam pattern.

Police will issue a ticket in France if headlamps are still set for RHD.
 
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Old Jul 8, 2018 | 03:30 PM
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Thanks I have searched the manual and there is no mention, my Porsche has a similar lever, just wondered if the XJ would?
 
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Old Jul 8, 2018 | 04:48 PM
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Unfortunately there is no RHD/LHD conversion mechanism on these cars. I always just buy a set of stickers in Halfords to put on to keep the French police happy. I go on holiday to Germany where nobody seems to bother, and also as it's summer, I very rarely use the headlights. Certainly nobody has tooted at me yet ! The other thing to consider is the dipped beam pattern. If it is the same on LH and RH drive cars there is no need to adjust them. On such cars there is no bias in the dipped beam for either side. You can look at your own pattern against your garage door and see what it looks like.
 
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Old Jul 9, 2018 | 04:39 PM
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I took out the rear plate over the ski hatch area, hoping to install a pass though from a BMW I purchased on ebay for $30. The BMW pass though does not fit the opening. I cut the carpet and opened the material on the inside and pass the skis though. It is a tight fit if you have any of the newer wide skis, but it works. Went to Vermont at least 10 times last winter. Only issue was the front air shocks deflated if the temperatures were below 10F. Purchased some Arnott replacements which I will install when the weather gets cooler. Hopefully those will work down to the -25F I saw last winter.
 
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Old Jul 10, 2018 | 04:47 AM
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Originally Posted by Fraser Mitchell
Unfortunately there is no RHD/LHD conversion mechanism on these cars.
​​​​​​...
The other thing to consider is the dipped beam pattern. If it is the same on LH and RH drive cars there is no need to adjust them. On such cars there is no bias in the dipped beam for either side. You can look at your own pattern against your garage door and see what it looks like.
Fraser's absolutely right on the first point, but to be clear on the second (since this is an X350 subforum) there certainly IS an asymmetric beam pattern on X350 HID dips, at least on UK and EU models (possibly not in the North American market)

It is possible convert HIDs, ie to switch the asymmetry the other way around, by turning around the internal 'dipping flap'. Some time back someone posted up how to do it in Jagforum.com (an EU based Jag forum; [​​​​this forum is Jagforums.com, a mainly North American forum]). However it involves removing and dismantling the headlamp unit (x2 !) and is only worth the hassle if the car is being permanently exported.
 

Last edited by Partick the Cat; Jul 10, 2018 at 09:05 AM.
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Old Jul 12, 2018 | 06:02 AM
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I have XJ6 without HIDs from Japan and it has asymmetric beam pattern. I will have to pass technical inspection this year and that is the only thing that bothers me a lot. Unfortunately there is not switch that might do the job and i was unable to locate any thread or forum where I could fin an instruction how to convert headlights from RHD pattern to LHD one. Buying new ones or second hand ones from Europe seems like a bad idea due to the price
 
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Old Jul 12, 2018 | 07:44 AM
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If you can't swap-in a LHD set then I think your only option is putting patches on the front of the lamps to block out the L/H 'kick up" in the asymmetric beam (and that may only be legal for temporary use, ie as a visitor).
 
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