Will the headlamp units from a face-lifted mk1 focus (01-04) fit the earlier 98-01 car? Would it be possible for a garage to do the job? I know the new ones have incorporated indicators but these could be left unconnected.
The reason I'm asking is that there is a pair lumped in with a set of new wheels I'm thinking of buying. Also, they have a separate main beam lamp for superior night time vision.
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Fitting is not a problem ,but the wiring connections are totally different.You will need the connectors and wiring from the later headlamps and graft them on to the original wiring harness.hth
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Thanks for your reply.
Do you think a garage could do this for me if I provided the necessary wiring and so on? Would the gubbins be easy to obtain if it doesn't come with the units?
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Dunno - but this is a modification for insurance purposes. You need to tell your insurers (and this may affect your premium).
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Anything like this is possible - but the time and therefore cost involved might be worth it. If you get the lights as part of the deal then sell them on?
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I know the new ones have incorporated indicators but these could be left unconnected.
Would these not become part of the MOT or would they be over looked cause the the original one's are still fitted in bumper?
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Would these not become part of the MOT or would they be over looked cause the the original one's are still fitted in bumper?
Who knows? Perhaps I should just punt them if I buy the wheels.
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Don't buy the wheels either. A Focus with larger wheels from the factory would have different suspension setup etc.
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"A Focus with larger wheels from the factory would have different suspension setup etc."
Are you sure? Plenty of people upgrade to a (slightly) larger wheel size as a dealer fitted option so surely no suspension changes. Manufacturers often fit bigger wheels to special editions which are based on the standard car too.
I thought going up in size by 1 inch was a fairly commonplace and harmless modification?
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Don't think it's that simple if you're looking to improve the car's handling and ride instead of just going for the "bling" of different wheels. Which you have to inform the insurer about too.
The car will also ride better on the tyres with the correct profile. Larger wheels need lower profiles as you will know and thus a firmer ride.
Edited by rtj70 on 08/01/2009 at 20:59
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I was prepared for a slight compromise in ride quality but I thought that you only had to inform your insurer if they weren't manufacturer's genuine parts? The wheels I'm looking at are 16'' and come from the special edition 'edge'.
My reason for upgrading is that the improved handling and stability would be appreciated on the longer distance, cross-country trips that I do.
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You will still need to tell the insurers. You really think taking out a 1.6l petrol engine and fitting a 2.5 litre turbo in a Mk III Focus is okay as long as it's a genuine set of Ford parts? An extreme example but changing the wheels (even if the same size) you need to tell them...
I know someone who had an accident and had replaced the standard 17" rims with a different design and had to pay the insurer the extra premium when he had an accident - he was lucky. But the accident was not his fault either.
Edit: and you "assume" bigger wheels with lower profile tyres will improve handling... how do you know. I looked back at your earlier thread on rusting breaks posted before xmas.... they at least need changing don't they.
Edited by rtj70 on 08/01/2009 at 21:54
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IIRC that popular entertainment programme called Top Gear (sic) played around with a car, and tried to improve it's lap times. One of the changes was larger wheels/lower profile tyres. Can someone remind me of the difference it made?
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Make sure the radius is the same, or your speedo and trip will be wrong see link
www.miata.net/garage/tirecalc.html
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when i changed my 16" mondeo wheels (mk3 mondeo LX with steel wheels)
to 17" alloys from a ghia model (bought from a ford breakers, the wheels and tyres where cheaper than buying new 16" tyres for my steels wheels. and yes they looked nicer...)
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my insurance company told me even though they where still ford alloys and standard fit on a ghia model they where not standard fit to an LX and would load me 10% for the pleasure.....
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Paul.
I remember when the xr2i and xr3i where being made with steel wheels and wheel trims but most owners went for the optional alloys, how many 2nd hand owners declaired those as options,,,as technically they where not fitted as standard. but not many where sold without alloys...
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