Mark_France

Hi there: Yes I did finally get the trailer registered. I had the paperwork from Ifor Williams that cost me €200 (the price may have changed since December 2011). I then made an appointment with the DREAL (normally one in a prefecture or sous-prefecture). They take a copy of my paperwork and they then send you a time and date. The test was made and he checked sizes, details etc. He told me that I needed to have the trailer weighed (as he said with options that the weight stated might be incorrect. I got this done at the local weighbridge and that cost €3. He also stated that I needed a 'pare-cycliste' for one of the sides. One side has a spare wheel fitted. Although Ifor Williams actually sell the same trailer in France without the famous 'pare-cycliste' I took one off my old trailer and sent him some digital images. With this he was happy and then sent me the pass and the documents needed to register it. The DREAL test was about €80 and the carte grise about €50 (note they keep the original invoice receipt) To be honest it wasn't a difficult thing to get done but frankly a bit unnecessary for a what is simply a trailer. That is France though and of course it generates more money for the state. Another point for all those who have the relevant category to tow heavier trailer and loads. Watch out if you now have a French licence as the validity of these categories is reduced and you need to renew them via a medical exam - this was another €30 and in my case lasts 5 years - for older persons these categories need renewed much more frequently.# Good luck to you all...... (pare-cycliste = bar that 'may' prevent cyclists getting swept under the trailer)

I already had a trailer bought in France. It was, like many French trailers, of poorer quality than IW and other such better marques. French dealers: approached 3 of them for a quote. One failed to reply and the other two took 3-4 weeks and then quoted full price that was 1,800 euros more than the UK price. The problem occurs when you need a +750kg PTAC trailer in France. Not sure having never met how you think you know what I need or don't need?

It's just a question of price and then you decide. Ifor Williams make decent trailers and can provide the paperwork for getting a UK (cheaper priced) trailer registered in 'admin land' ... Money being no object then go ahead choose your model at whatever French dealer then good luck if you think that anything is done in half an hour in France.

Hi Charlie I'm at this stage with my trailer: Ordered trailer GD85 dual axle with options. Got receipt from UK dealer to get the carte grise provisoire and plate plus assurance for my trip to the UK to get trailer Collected trailer November 2011 and drove back with lots of goodies bought at better UK prices. Trailer now off road on my garage in France Applied to IW UK (stage 1) with the relevant details they asked for (did this 5th December) Received IW reply mid January 2012 asking for payment (200€ cheque) for stage 2 Am awaiting the relevant paperwork (this is not a COC but rather a long list of what the sizes/spec of the composants that went into the trailer), Will post again when I've received paperwork from IW and visit the French inspection. Hope this helps? Regards, Mark

I forgot to add that for the very brave amongst you - you could try doing a titre isolé (and avoid the famous Ifor Williams paperwork) where you get all the conformity paperwork yourself for the individual parts of the trailer that the DREAL would inspect. I think though after reading the paperwork that you need to be up for a real challenge if you try this route This is a: Fiche de constitution d’un dossier de Réception à Titre Isolé de véhicule en application du Code de la Route Remorques neuves dont le PTC* est supérieur à 500 kg et inférieur ou égal à 3 500 kg * PTC = poids total en charge

Further info on getting my Ifor Williams trailer. 1 .Three different French assurers have confirmed they would insure the trailer on carte grise provisoire or definitive (of course) but NOT on the trailer VIN only! 2. The cheapest insurer was 48 euros/year - MAAF for a trailer which I gave as 3000 euros value / 2 axle PTAC 2700kg model. Contents not covered but you kind of expect that with a trailer (even one with a hardtop) 3. The ONLY legal way to get the trailer back from the UK with a French registered car for the over 500kg PTAC model trailers is with a carte grise (provisoire or definitve) 4. The carte grise provioise can be obtained with only an invoice (showing VAT paid, model, VIN etc) plus some other details. 5. The carte grise provisoire is valid for 30 days. It costs 45 euros/each time. It can be renewed later if you have a delay between the expiry of the first one - this is useful/necessary due to the Ifor Williams delay in issuing paperwork for the carte grise definitive. You'll need a new temp plate with each carte grise provisoire 6. The carte grise definitve is 75 euros (in my department 71 but will vary with dept) Next: The conformity issue 1. It seems that Ifor Williams will drag their feet on supplying paperwork for newly bought trailers. I think that it may even be that they don't even provide anything for trailers until said trailers are 6 months old. I can only confirm this for sure when I have my trailer and try them. 2. I'm not sure what Ifor Williams will supply at the point of sale. If they supplied some European conformity (although this appears not to be the case for trailers which are not treated like cars) then I would avoid the DREAL altogether and could get my carte grise definitve. 3. However it seems 99.99% sure that I'll receive nothing from Ifor Williams UK at the point of sale - even if I ask in advance 4. So this will mean a wait on Ifor Williams and whatever policy/game they decide to play. 5. When I have paid the ransom to Ifor Williams France (their rate seems to change and I can't confirm this but it is between 100 and 300 euros) I will almost certainly only received an 'attestation de homologation' which seems to be marked 'partially confirms' even if the trailer is 100% compliant (this is what many people report). Said attestation will take about 6 weeks to obtain from IW but may take longer. 6. This paperwork will not be enough to just pass directly to La Prefecture but will mean a trip to the DREAL. Until I try this for myself I can't confirm or say how it will go. It should be straight forward for models that are currently on sale in France. The cost of this visit is 84 euros. Now many of you have had different experiences of the DREAL and Ifor Williams attitude to supplying the paperwork so I'll remain open to how it may go. I shall report back at times as I pass each hurdle of this process. One thing is sure and that is that this represents a lot of nonsense for what is after all just some metal and wheels. The combination of France+Ifor Williams is a real pain in the A**. But I will overcome all the hurdles and I will make a considerable saving when all is completed. And I will have the knowledge of knowing I don't rely on the advice of a certain smug forum member who prefers making snide remarks rather than just giving open advice.

Just an update on insurance costs. I found the MAAF would do it for 48 euros/year but they wanted me to take either their house or their car insurance at my next annual renewal. This quote was for a trailer PTAC 2700kg braked twin axle, value 3000 euros on it's own carte grise. So bottom line not too expensive

It can be the only reason. When did the refusal part arrive? I'm waiting to speak to someone at Ifor Williams this week and I'll report back my findings.

wry/rī/Adjective 1. Using or expressing dry, esp. mocking, humor. 2. (of a person's face or features) Twisted into an expression of disgust, disappointment, or annoyance. So which one could you not resist. The mocking humour or an expression of disgust, annoyance?

Thanks for the reply. I can only try asking Ifor Williams (another person on another forum has reported that they had no problem doing this) but if IW UK say no then I'll take the route via the DREAL. I actually think under European free trade agreements I.W can't refuse an order like this as that's what car companies tried a few years back (when Sterling was high) and these companies were fined for blocking individuals. In any case I won't try it on if they won't do it. I would be okay paying a little more for the same product but the differences are not justifiable and the French concessionaires are just creaming too much off the customers - after all Sterling is weak, VAT is higher in the UK and the UK concessionaires have a margin built into their prices, so what's the French excuse for much higher prices? I have to bring back a lot from the UK so the extra costs and hassle of getting it registered will still make it well worth the effort. I wasn't aware that trailers didn't have a pan-European C.O.C so that clears up another point and I'll have to give Ifor Williams France 100€ for a sheet of paper and 30 minutes of their time. Regards, Mark

Hi folks, Does anyone have a 2011 based guide to the black art of registering a new Ifor Williams trailer in France? I am going to ask Ifor UK to supply me with a French Spec GD85 dual axle model and a European Certificate of Conformity. Then once the trailer has arrived in France pulled by my French registered car (answers on how best to do this would be appreciated) I shall set about the devilish task in hand. Plan A) Takes all the relevant documents to the Prefecture. At this point I'm going on a chancer and trying to avoid Monsieur DREAL and the 'ever so cheap' Ifor Williams COC. If this works great... Plan B) Expecting that Plan A will fail. I wonder if the trailer can go via the DREAL and pass with minor problems. If I have the French spec model, surely it'll be okay but......... Any thoughts? Plan C). Contact Ifor Williams France for an attestation d'identification at the lastest rip-off price - does anybody now latest price? If I can't get the French spec model what number of mods might I have to make? Here are some I have thought of - fog lights (I'm hoping they are dual working and that would solve that), reflectors (hopefully they will be the same), Weight marked on a plate (maybe I'll have to get the trailer weighed somewhere and some new PTAC plate made?) , the famous cyclist bars (bought and retro fitted from Ifor Williams or made up to appear to be the same - some people have said that some French sold IW trailers don't have these fitted either. This is the most confusing as I havn't found an internet image that confirms either way and the Ifor Williams French site has UK trailer images! Plan D) drop the idea - I can't afford the French price for the same thing. As it is I'm on a extended budget buying it from the UK where it is already not exactly cheap! I have read lots and lots of the old posts and stuff on other forums but the info is sometimes dated and not 100% sure (can anything be so in France). So I have tried to find the details without asking a question already asked. Any help would be much appreciated. Mark

Thanks for that. That is a very good point. I have since been trawling the internet to try to find an image that is of a French registered Ifor Williams trailer to spot those 'pare cyclistes' I think this could be a real stumbling block. Not sure if Ifor Williams UK will sell me a French spec trailer or whether I can get the thing modified before visiting the DRIRE (what might a DRIRE visit cost) and would the correctly made modification count as being okay? I certainly don't want to buy and have a nightmare. When I think of some of those home made trailers I have seen running around my part of France......

Thanks for your reply. I do intend to have it registered in France and it will be done correctly with a correct Cert of Conformity and all the necessary steps needed to become a French based trailer. My assurance replied as follows, 'En revanche Amaguiz ne propose pas pour le moment d'assurance pour les remorques de plus de 750kg poids total en charge.' I think it may be they just don't deal in trailer insurance. I'll contact that guy Nick if my French girlfriend doesn't uncover something first. As you appear a knowledgeable sort of person can you see how I can overcome this issue? I want to bring said trailer (new/virgin) from the UK Ifor Williams dealer to France, driving my French registered car with French plates (of course). What steps can I take to get it to France? As it is new it won't have been registered, hence it won't have a number. Can it be brought to France by having some temp WW plates pre-issued to get me back to France prior to having it registered correctly? You see the problem? Reason why I buying in the UK. I want to go empty but return full. My local French dealer was not helpful when I tried to buy from him and the French price was much higher than the UK price (plus he wouldn't budge a cm on the list price). Much as I would like to support my local French businesses some of them don't merit the effort.

Hey folks, my present assurance won't do a quote on the trailer I am wanting to buy. The trailer will be 2000kg rated and braked so the standard 750kg trailer assurance won't apply. I can't find an online assurer that does a devis and I'm overseas at the moment so I can't pop into a local agence. Can anyone recommend a company based on their service/price? Also what might I expect to pay per year. Thanks

Hi there, Sorry to bother you but I would be interested in hearing about the ups and downs of how you figured a way around the problems of UK work and a French home. I work as an employee for a UK company (but never work in France) and France is my tax residence.  I presently pay N.I.C and Tax on this salary.  What I would prefer though is to be in the French system, assumming that the cost is not exorbative for either me or my employer.  The logic being is I live in France and wish to contribute to the society where I live and hopefully that society will look after me during hard times - based on my contributions. I'm open to all sorts of ideas.  I have no confidence in accountants and their various different answers to a similar question. Thanks, Mark