Is a Certifcate of Conformity necessary?

[mint]

I looked at this thread for the first time today because of something one of my OH's friends said last night.

These people have a Japanese 4x4, a grey import with UK plates.  He couldn't get a C of C for it and he said he'd tried all ways to get one.

The upshot is that, because of all the things that don't conform, seat-belts, windows, etc (although the lights were changed), he couldn't get it registered in France.  However, he assured me that it's passed its CT and is insured with a French company.

This last statement just doesn't sound right to even someone who knows as little about these things as I do.  How could it have passed a CT if it doesn't conform?

And how the devil is it possible to get French insurance for a vehicle that is 20 years old and has UK plates?

Am I missing some nice, big loophole or have I just been told a very tall tale?

This has been niggling at me a bit because I don't understand how this situation is possible.  I started by trying to see if I could suggest a way round things for these people but I don't want to poke my nose in if I am unable to be constructive. 

[AnOther]

Over the last couple of years it's got considerably more difficult to

get a CT for a UK regged car without a CoC although it's always been

possible and still is if you know where to go.  In any case a CT only demonstrates that a vehicle has passed what is really just a safety inspection and is not, nor ever can be, a substitute for a CoC.

Regarding insurance, while most companies will now only insure temporarily to allow registration some will still issue and renew annual cover regardless.

In these circumstances the problem may come in case of an accident because the insurer may decide to only pay out to 3rd parties leaving owners to cover repairs to their own vehicle themselves although that said there are many reports of people getting normal settlements despite technically being on the road illegally, I'm not sure I can recall hearing of a situation in which they haven't paid out in fact.

[Mrs Trellis]

The friend mentioned in my original post is now about to attempt to get a carte grise without the CoC - and wants me to go along as he doesn't speak French!  

By the way, in the FAQs for this topic, it says that all cars come with a CoC these days.  Not our Citroen bought in UK last year when it was 2 years old.  When I asked the salesman at Bristol Street Motors about the CoC he told me it was issued by DVLC  - obviously nonsense as nothing to do with them!

 

[AnOther]

The CoC is very much to do with DVLA but not in the sense of issuing them.

All new cars necessarily will have a CoC, it's required

for initial registration and would normally be surrendered as part of the

process.

Some manufacturers have block arrangements with DVLA

and it's in that instance that you might find the CoC still with the

vehicle when bought second hand but I would say that it's pretty rare to

find one like that though.

Revisiting your OP you were going to try registering without a CoC but saying you would still need it for your up coming CT.

That of course is wrong because once you are French registered that is the end of it, job done, and come CT time you would present the car just as you would any other French registered one.

[Mrs Trellis]

Ah yes, I see that once you have a Carte Grise, you don't need the CoC - in fact it's kept by the Prefecture anyway!  I was looking for it recently and realised that.

In the end I didn't bother to try and get the CG without a CoC, decided might as well do it once rather than be told to come back with the right docs!  I feel a bit awkward having to explain on behalf of a friend that he doesn't need the CoC.  I fear a bit of official distain!

[AnOther]

[quote user="Mrs Trellis"]Ah yes, I see that once you have a Carte Grise, you don't need the CoC - in fact it's kept by the Prefecture anyway![/quote]Yes, and it's a perfectly valid question to ask exactly why that is !

They may want/need to see an original but once they have there is no reason at all why they should not just keep a copy and return that original to you. You may have no further use for it but when you've very likely paid a fair sum of money for it then call me cranky but personally I'd prefer to keep it out of principal.

[Mrs Trellis]

Yesterday I went off with my friend, got the quittus fiscal at the tax office in Moissac then on to Castelsarrasin.  It was about 10.45, we took a number and there were 16 ahead of us.  After 2 people were seen in the first quarter of an hour, we began to wonder if we'd get served before the midi closure.  The office would then be closed until Monday.  Finally got to the counter at 12.05, handed over the form and were asked for the CoC.  I said that section K had a number, which if put into the system would bring up all the info.  'Well, that might be so in Angleterre, but this is Castelsarrasin!'  But it worked!  The woman behind the counter was quite pleasant in the end - even wrote the cheque out.   We got out at 12.15 - maybe she was helpful, and relatively quick, because it was lunch time!

So I felt happy for my friend and somewhat fed up that I paid 170 euros for a CoC last year. 

[Chancer]

Mrs Trellis.

Just before lunch or at 4 pm on a Friday is the only time to go in my experience.

[PaulT]

[quote user="sweet 17"]

This last statement just doesn't sound right to even someone who knows as little about these things as I do.  How could it have passed a CT if it doesn't conform?

[/quote]

Just after I built a kit car vehicles needed to pass an SVA test - think it is now labelled IVA.

This was extremely detailed and for instance, the bumper had to have a minimum radius on its edge. Therefore, a very in-depth examination. For a UK MOT it is just a case of the bumper being safe.

It was a case of some kit cars being no longer available as it was not economic / possible to re-engineer them to pass the test.

I assume that the French examination is as detailed as the UK meaning best avoided if possible.