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sudden crisis - help needed with cars


MKT
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I have recently and suddenly been bereaved, My 48 year old husband dropped dead 10 days ago. .

I need to sell his van - I cant drive it, its manual and too big, I can only drive automatic and my family say i must get something more reliable than my RHD peugeot 106 that is 16 years old. Given its unreliability and my sudden aloneness, I can see this needs to be sorted asap. I live in a rural area and need to be able to get around safely, and need to sort this out quickly. I am not sure whether to post here or in the legal forum but I would be extremely grateful for any adivce,

My questions, if anybody can answer them are:

1. Is the van mine to sell? it is in both our names in insurance but just his on the carte grise, Maybe I have to wait until the notaire or whoever has freed up the estate (whcih all passes to me, we have a community universel)?

2. Is there a scrappage scheme or equivalent in place here where I could trade my uk peugeot in? I realise it has no value. which is why we kept it, for me to drive for short hops.

3. I need an automatic which is not common here. Any recomendations or insights or even cars to look into would be good. I shall want to buy from a proffesional to get a warranty as I know nothing about cars. I know renault clio comes in automatic but does anybody know any others available here and preferrably french so I can easily get them seen to, though I dont suppose spare parts is an issue as I wouldnt be able to fit them anyway. I would prefer a diesel, for economy and I have a golden retriever so a hatchback is needed. I would be scared to drive anything too big.

grateful for any advice or help at all at this time. I am in the Gers (32) if that makes any difference

Thank you

Maria

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Ask your notaire (see my other reply to you, re your house).

The scrappage scheme is running down, it"s now only 500€ see http://www.service-public.fr/actualites/001093.html

Automatics are not so common in France. Try Nissan & Toyota

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Sorry to hear about your loss.

I don't think you will have any difficulty in selling the van. You have to hand over the carte grise, marked 'vendu' and a certificat de situation, which basically confirms it is not stolen or has outstanding fines or finance. The certificat de cession is likely to be the only possible difficulty if the prefecture does not accept your signature (unlikely in my opinion).

Although the government scrappage scheme is coming to an end, you may still find good offers at dealers. Scrappage only applied to new vehicles anyway.

The Clio may prove best for your purposes as it is French with a very wide dealer network; the Nissan diesel automatics are mechanically the same. If you have a Toyota, Ford or VW dealer near you they might be options. I think Peugeot and Citroen have made small diesel automatics for some markets but they seem to be rare in France. Of course, if diesel is not essential that widens your choices.

Regarding this and your other questions, a lot depends on how your joint finances were set up. If you had individual accounts, or joint accounts in the names of 'M et Mme ...' then I believe there could be delays in sorting out the situation, and a notaire will need to be involved. Accounts in the names of 'M ou Mme ...' will not be affected, as either signature on its own is valid.

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If you sell the van through a garage they would probably fetch it which would get over the problem of you driving it.  I have a Peugeot automatic (petrol)  307, which I don't like but the smaller 306 was really nice. I had to order an automatic (new) and the wait was several weeks.

Mrs H

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Hi,

Firstly I would offer my condolences.

Looking to the car/van questions.....

Is the van a RHD UK van? make and model would help. I would love to keep a van France side but would not in any way consider it appropriate to make an approach in this regard in current circumstances.

.If you know the van details however I notice lot of vehicles advertised on supermarket noticeboards, this may be an easy way of getting a local buyer. If your French is good enough I would suggest speaking to the dealer of your choice and telling them that you are interested in buying a car once the van has gone, they may take the van on a sale or return basis.

Your little 307 probably isn't worth much at all, not even as parts and unlikely to command much at trade in...supermarket ad may work best

Car, I suspect that the Citroen C3 may fit your requirements, it comes as an automatique and is a bit like a Peugeot 306 but with a slightly higher roofline (Ideal when you have a large pooch to transport). Citroen cars tend to be very competitively priced in the UK. I am not sure if this applies in France also and the later ones tend to be quite sturdy in my experience.

 

 

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[quote user="MKT"]
1. Is the van mine to sell? it is in both our names in insurance but just his on the carte grise, Maybe I have to wait until the notaire or whoever has freed up the estate (whcih all passes to me, we have a community universel)?

[/quote]

At the moment, you are not the 'titulaire' of the carte grise so it's not your van to sell.  However, there is a proper procedure for situations like this

The notaire will issue you with a simple attestation certifying that the holder of the carte grise is deceased and the vehicle (identified by make/model/registration number) forms part of his estate.  That will allow you to sell the vehicle in the capacity of an inheritor.

If the sale occurs within three months of his death and the vehicle hasn't been used on the roads, then you treat it as a normal sale and sign off the carte grise and give it to the buyer together with a certificat de cession and CT certificate.

If the sale occurs later than three months, then you have to transfer the carte grise into your name before you can sell the vehicle on to someone else.

 

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Very sorry to hear of your loss MKT and good luck in sorting out his affairs in what is obviously a distressing and stressful time for you.

[quote user="Sunday Driver"]If the sale occurs within three months of his death and the vehicle hasn't been used on the roads, then you treat it as a normal sale and sign off the carte grise and give it to the buyer together with a certificat de cession and CT certificate.[/quote]Why should it matter if it's been used in that period and who's to prove it anyway. Chances are that it will be used if only by way of a test drive by a prospective purchaser or purchasers so would that disqualify a sale until the ownership is transferred ?

Ar you saying in other words that the death of the titular owner effectively nullifies the registration and therefore it's not a case of hasn't been used but one of cannot be used ?

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Once again, thank you for your help in my hour of need. or hours should I say.

the van is a french one, and LHD. its 2000, so 10 yrs old and has 183thousand kilometres on the clock and its diesel. Reasoanble condition - nothing wrong with it that I know about but the tyres look a bit like they could do with changing, at least two of them. Its  Nissan Vanette Cargo 2.3, and its boarded out inside. Controle technique next due December. We have always been very pleased with it - if I could drive it myself Id keep it but I cant so no sense in sentimentality.

Interesting comments about using it on the road - my brother has already driven it for me to move a load of gear (after I phoned the insurance and checked). It wont be driven again except for test driving.

have made appt with notaire but he's away until 6th august so looks like I cant do anything before that anyway.

I would utterly welcome anybodys rough estimate as to what it might be worth   - I know someone who says he would be able to sell it but I will have no idea if hes quoting me a good bad or indifferent price.

on further question -

The insurance comes up for renewal on 1st Sep, and they usually send the form out about now. Do I have to renew if it is off the road?

Many thanks for all the recommendations for small automatics here. I dont know why they are so rare, but liking the sound of the citroen with dog headroom but its going to come down to what I can get secondhand in automatic I suppose

Anyway, just wanted to say thanks

Maria

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Maria, I am afraid that I can't help you with your van, but I would like to offer our condolences on your loss!

As far as the car is concerned it may well be worth looking at the Citroën range. We have a C4, it doesn't have a fully auto box, it has a semi auto 6 speed box that is quite a lot more economical than the fully auto version. I needed it because I was finding it difficult to change gear due to arthritis in my hands and this is a wonderful and very easy car to drive. When Auto is selected it is just like driving an auto anyway. They have been around for a couple of years now so they should e on the second hand market by now. Or perhaps even a new one if you could afford it, then you have a full 2 year warranty.

Whatever happens we wish you all the best  and very good luck to you![:D]

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Maria,

I too am unable to help re the cars, as I hate driving automatics, but totally understand your need to have a car you feel you can drive, confidently.

I wanted to say that I think you are dealing with all of this is an excellent manner, as it must have been a shock, and I can only praise you for your admirable courage in getting to grips with the necessary and urgent matters, rather than giving way to grief and despair (though I am quite sure you are suffering those also).

When we wanted to buy a "new" (ie second hand but new to us) car recently, we decided to go to the relevant garage, simply because they could and did deal with all the paperwork for us.  It made life much simpler. 

Also we bought a car larger than I was used to driving because we wanted carrying capacity, and it felt very strange at first, being so much larger, but it actually handles much better (with power steering and abs) so it is safer than the smaller car as well.  At first I hated driving in towns with it, but after a long trip to the UK, I became much more accustomed to it, and now drive it always in preference to the older, smaller one.   Its a Peugeot 207 SW, diesel,  but I don't know whether they do an automatic or not, but I would be surprised if they didn't.  You would have no problem with a large dog, we have just moved house with it.

Bon courage.

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Maria, as others have said, sorry about your news.   You might find this article interesting:

http://www.theaa.com/motoring_advice/small-autos-five-of-the-best.html

Yes, models will differ slightly here but at least it is an informed and disinterested view.  Personally, as many on this forum know, I loved my Micra so would happily recommend one. It has many French mechanicals, including the engines.  My dog and four cats travelled over here from the UK in mine and were as happy as sandboys and girls when they got here!  The downside is that the diesel isn't available in auto'.

I'd be inclined to look at the Toyota as dealers can't shift the things at the moment so will give you a good deal and afaik the Yaris has not had any of the problems its bigger brothers and sisters might have had.  They also have a five year warranty these days.

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