Hi, apologies if this question is in the wrong section, but I'm new here :)

I am a UK expat living in France and am looking to buy a UK Mini Cooper S to bring back here. I have imported and re-registered cars from the UK before and the biggest pain has always been the headlights, which need to be changed for French roads so that the beam points the right way.

Obviously this can be very expensive, but I have read on the net that Minis have switchable headlights so that you can move between LHD and RHD literally at the flick of a lever located behind the headlights.

Can someone please confirm this? Do ALL Minis have these levers on their lights, even non-xenon models?

Many thanks :)

ive owned two minis now..dont think they do that. however it is my undertstanding that you dont nneed to do anything to xenons to drive abroad..ie if you go on holiday you dont need those little strip things.

Sorry but this information is wrong :(
Why do people do that?

Yes you WILL need to adjust your lights even xenons! Since the way in which the light is produced does not effect the way it is projected. The problem is that all UK lights point at the left side of the road. In Europe this is the oncoming traffic.

Anyway, the Mini Xenon lights (well 2nd gen at least) have a switch on the back to allow RHD to LHD operation, if you want to find out more please use the search function to find the appropriate thread on here...
Or even use google as I did: http://www.mini2.com/forum/second-generation-mini-exterior/161362-bi-xenon-headlights-driving-abroad.html :)

you can thank me using the "Thanks" button below this post ;)

Why do they indeed, but I can see why they do.
MINI drivers handbook, mine, brand new last week,

Page 103, quote:

Rule of the road
When entering countries where traffic drives on the opposite side of the road to the country in which your car was registered, certain measures are necessary to avoid dazzling the drivers of oncoming vehicles

Halogen headlights
Masking film is available from your service centre, apply it according to the instructions enclosed with the film.

Xenon headlights
The light distribution of the xenon headlights has been designed so that additional measures do not need to be taken to avoid dazzling the drivers of oncoming vehicles, dip beam selection only needed.

Very interesting, the handbook can sometimes be wrong though (or maybe thats on new models only).
Please read the link I posted http://www.mini2.com/forum/second-generation-mini-exterior/161362-bi-xenon-headlights-driving-abroad.html it describes in great detail all the other mini2 users who have found the specific switch on the back of their Xenon lights to adjust for European and UK driving situations.
I think in balance this option must also be discussed.