Hi Everyone

My headlights have got the dreaded water stains on the reflectors inside. Im considering painting the plastic inside black to look like the later model XKR/XKRs.

Just wanted to know if this is MOT compliant ? has anyone done this and had any trouble at MOT time ?

Thanks

 

The relevant section of the MoT Inspection Manual gives as a reason for rejection of an obligatory headlamp:

inoperative, excessively damaged or deteriorated or has a product on the lens or light source so that the light output is well below that required to illuminate the road ahead

Whilst it's going to be a particularly pedantic tester who rejects it, you may find the illumination is inadequate.

Graham

 

good point but i wonder how its legal in the later XK8 headlights ?

 

IMHO this part of the light is not a reflector, (that is behind the bulb, not in front of it) and later models without this silver material are quite leagal. In fact if you carefully disassemble the headlamp you can simply wipe off the silver material, it is microscopically thin.
I had dried water marks on my silver in the headlight from a prior leak. I disassembled it, and using a very soft cloth attempted to polish out the marks. As soon as I touched the silver it simply wiped away with no effort, even dragging the cloth over it marked it.
Replacement cost for that half of the headlight was over $300. If it leaks again, the water marks can stay....
Regards,

 

This is exactly why I'm not sure if its worth wasting the money buying replacement headlights or getting my local body shop to paint them for a fraction of the price.

 

The answer is probably - because it came that way from the factory.

Over here, for example with classic cars, if you want to have any non stock accessory, even wheels, sometimes you have to prove they are period correct. Normally by showing a magazine of the time which shows the car with the wheels or a manufactuer's brochure will do.

Basically if it came from the manufacturer or was offered as an option is way easier to justify a change with any car.