santenay Posted May 7, 2011 Share Posted May 7, 2011 We have just purchased a used left hand drive Renault Scenic on French plates for our forthcoming move to France at the end of the month. It seems cheaper to buy one here than in France and we purchased ours from a very helpful guy (French) named Andre at Heathrow LHD Centre near Heathrow. He even arranged the insurance for us in France - temporary for a month until we get there and can go to the prefecture to complete the rest of the formalities.He has told us we can call him any time if we need any help once we are in France. They have a great selection of left hand drive vehicles and are not a bit pushy. Just thought it might be useful for someone thinking of purchasing a vehicle before they move. Love this forum! It has been my major source of information since we planned our move. Keep posting - I'm sure I'll be asking for all kinds of help once we're there! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnOther Posted May 7, 2011 Share Posted May 7, 2011 I'm sure Andre is a very nice man but then so are most people when they are trying to sell you something [Www]Have you got the carte grise, crossed and signed by the previous registered owner, and a copy of the Certificate de Cessation, 2 vital pieces of paper without which you won't be able to register it yourself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woolybanana Posted May 7, 2011 Share Posted May 7, 2011 Was the steering wheel on the right side? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
santenay Posted May 7, 2011 Author Share Posted May 7, 2011 Yep - all paper work present and correct. He didn't actually TRY to sell it - we had already made up our minds! Life is too short to be too cynical!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
santenay Posted May 7, 2011 Author Share Posted May 7, 2011 Will have to check! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
santenay Posted May 8, 2011 Author Share Posted May 8, 2011 Forgot to ask - the vehicle obviously has a UK MOT but presumably it will need a CT before I can get the rest of the formalities completed? Appreciate your help! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnOther Posted May 8, 2011 Share Posted May 8, 2011 If it's 4 years old yes, a UK MOT is worthless in France. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
santenay Posted May 8, 2011 Author Share Posted May 8, 2011 Many thanks AnO -will get that done as soon as we get there then....Cheers! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kitty Posted May 9, 2011 Share Posted May 9, 2011 [quote user="santenay"] from a very helpful guy (French) named Andre at Heathrow LHD Centre near Heathrow. [/quote]Thanks for the recommendation. My daughters need a small LHD car and they are SOOO expensive here in France. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulT Posted May 9, 2011 Share Posted May 9, 2011 [quote user="santenay"]Forgot to ask - the vehicle obviously has a UK MOT but presumably it will need a CT before I can get the rest of the formalities completed? Appreciate your help![/quote]I would presume as it has a French registration, as AnO says an MOT is worthless and that driving it on French roads before having the CT carried out will be illegal and liable to a fine.Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnOther Posted May 9, 2011 Share Posted May 9, 2011 That's a good point actually and is a catch 22.No CT = no drive in France but no drive in France (to a CT station at least) = no CT.Theoretically the car should not have been sold without an 18 months + CT. Being French Andre should know this but maybe he'd made a bit of a bobo and some of his smiles and helpfulness were because he had found an eager buyer who didn't appreciate the finer nuances of not having it. Also the Certificate de Cessation effectively cancels the existing French registration meaning that technically it is no longer valid. How long ago was it sold to him ?What to do about it is the question ?The official procedure would be to apply to your (a ?) Prefecture for a temporary WW plate which would allow you to legally drive the car to France but of course you would need to be in France to do that, unless someone knows where it can be done online that is.Alternatively you can take the chance and drive without it.Tricky [blink]Are you sure there is no CT with it or that Andre hasn't got it tucked in a drawer somewhere. It's surprising to me that a French dealer would buy a French car with a short CT or none at all. Is the sticker still in the window showing the month and year of expiry ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cooperlola Posted May 9, 2011 Share Posted May 9, 2011 It has a UK MOT does it not so presumably had a UK registration until relatively recently or can UK MOT garages do French reg' cars? And how would it have got an MOT with the lights pointing the French way? All a bit odd unless Andre has registered the car in the o/p's name or organised the WW plates somehow. All a bit rum without more info'. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NickP Posted May 9, 2011 Share Posted May 9, 2011 Call me cynical, 1st time poster, nice Frenchman working in a second hand car dealers near thiefrow, UK Mot. etc. [Www] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cooperlola Posted May 9, 2011 Share Posted May 9, 2011 [quote user="NickP"]Call me cynical, 1st time poster, nice Frenchman working in a second hand car dealers near thiefrow, UK Mot. etc. [Www][/quote]Er, quite.[:)] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
just john Posted May 9, 2011 Share Posted May 9, 2011 and err, vehicles in France without CT, possibly work to do, become more problematic to sell, whereas the LHD premium in the UK might be appealing to someone with French connections able to acquire vehicles at a reduced rate without CT, transport to UK, MOT & Premium? . . . . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Les Posted May 9, 2011 Share Posted May 9, 2011 [quote user="cooperlola"]It has a UK MOT does it not so presumably had a UK registration until relatively recently or can UK MOT garages do French reg' cars? And how would it have got an MOT with the lights pointing the French way? All a bit odd unless Andre has registered the car in the o/p's name or organised the WW plates somehow. All a bit rum without more info'.[/quote]The Uk MOT station could do the Mot using the cars VIN number, as for the lights, provided they used something to mask the dip beam kickup, then no problem it's Ok for the UK Mot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bubbles Posted May 9, 2011 Share Posted May 9, 2011 Sorry to hijack this thread but.........does that mean that our French car which is about to be reregistered in England won't have to have its lights changed but can just have its "dip beam kickup" masked. Sounds much cheaper and I'm very interested!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
powerdesal Posted May 9, 2011 Share Posted May 9, 2011 Some years ago I had a LHD car MOT'd in UK for registration with the 'wrong headlights' fitted, I produced proof of order for the correct headlights and it passed ok. Apart from the fact that it was in Wales and the garage owner wanted to buy the 'LHD headlights' after I changed them ! this may be a way round the problem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pickles Posted May 10, 2011 Share Posted May 10, 2011 [quote user="bubbles"]Sorry to hijack this thread but.........does that mean that our French car which is about to be reregistered in England won't have to have its lights changed but can just have its "dip beam kickup" masked. Sounds much cheaper and I'm very interested!![/quote]No - under the mutual recognition rules you have to provide proof that the lights, speedo, indicators etc have been changed over to UK spec.RegardsPickles Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crossy67 Posted May 10, 2011 Share Posted May 10, 2011 So hows about importing a car from say Germany or Holland? These would not come with a French CT but would have the equivalent in their own country. Then there is the registration, could you buy a car in Germany and register your self as a French resident with the German authorities? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pickles Posted May 10, 2011 Share Posted May 10, 2011 [quote user="crossy67"]So hows about importing a car from say Germany or Holland? These would not come with a French CT but would have the equivalent in their own country. Then there is the registration, could you buy a car in Germany and register your self as a French resident with the German authorities? [/quote]Germany has an export plate system. You buy insurance for the vehicle in Germany and then get the export plate from the vehicle registration office. A dealer will arrange all of this for you. There are also temporary, 5-day plates which a dealer may be able to sort out for you.RegardsPickles Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crossy67 Posted May 10, 2011 Share Posted May 10, 2011 Thanks for that Pickles. What about Holland then? I have seen just the right car in both. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnOther Posted May 10, 2011 Share Posted May 10, 2011 My car came from Belgium but was bought in the UK still on Belgian plates. French insurance on the VIN plate and existing number for driving it over and the couple of days it took to register it was easy peasy.Came with C of C (and in French) so no hassles there either.I'll be doing similar when replacement time comes but that won't be for a good while yet, I believe in getting maximum value from my cars before shopping around for some saps 3/4 year old cast off to start all over again [:D] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pickles Posted May 10, 2011 Share Posted May 10, 2011 [quote user="crossy67"]Thanks for that Pickles. What about Holland then? I have seen just the right car in both.[/quote]The Dutch have export plates valid for 14 days. You apply at the local vehicle registration office.RegardsPickles Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crossy67 Posted May 10, 2011 Share Posted May 10, 2011 Ta Pickles. I don't suppose you know how long it takes to get these plates, I am thinking of flying to Brussels and driving to Amsterdam for a night then going to get the car and driving back. I could swap things about a bit so I could get the plates applied for on the first day if it were possible. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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