Registering UK car - CT needed?

[Ian]

I'm about to register my car in France. I have assembled most of the necessary documents, including the CoC (in french) from Ford.

I have not yet changed the headlights, because locally available new units are very expensive (around €200 each, if I remember) so I'm trying to source a reasonably priced set  - E-bay Germany looks promising. I accept that the car will not pass a CT till I've changed them.

The car is around two years old, so does not yet need a CT because of its age.

Do I need a valid CT just to get it registered?

Thanks

[Clair]

If the car is only 2 years old, no, you don't.

The CT would be required if you registered the car on or after the fourth birthday of its first registration.

[tracteurtom]

and yes it would pass a CT with RHD headlights.  You just get some words on the CT telling you that they dont conform to french regs.   Not sure what happens when you go for CT no 2 if you haven't changed them by then though [:D]

It worth noting that the rear lights on many UK cars dont conform to french regs - the fog and reverse lights are the wrong way around, but no one mentions that one !

[Nick Trollope]

[quote user="tracteurtom"]and yes it would pass a CT with RHD headlights.  You just get some words on the CT telling you that they dont conform to french regs.  

[/quote]

No, it would fail a CT with RHD headlights (in theory). You would be given 2 months to change them - although the failure could be used to reregister (within 2 months). If after 2 months you haven't retested the car, then it would be sans CT.....

[Iceni]

No you don't need a CT - thus highlighting one of the (many ?) idiotsyncracies (sic) of France.

As regards acceptance of headlight gender benders for a CT - when we first arrived here various local CT stations dealt with this in one of 3 ways

1. absolute no-no = big fail

2. pass but sort it in 2 months without revisit

3. pass

I have been informed that for the past couple of years they all treat it as cat.1  

John

 

[Sunday Driver]

Why do you feel that not requiring a CT for a two year old car is an idiosyncracy of France?

 

[Bugsy]

Headlights are available at reasonable prices from VALEO..................a french manufacturer of aftermarket parts for a wide range of vehicles.

Thats VALEO................................................

ps how are the aches and pains Dave?

[Iceni]

[quote user="Sunday Driver"]

Why do you feel that not requiring a CT for a two year old car is an idiosyncracy of France?

[/quote]

Because the RHD cars may (and some do) have the wrong headlights. Another revenue raising opportunity missed.

But then my Honda passed an MoT in England while fitted with "right dipping" black tape

John

 

[clarksinfrance]

my car has so far passed 3 cts with RHD headlights, but with manufacturers lenses over them, these have black strip to remove directed beam.

[Ian]

Thanks, Bugbear, I'll have a look into it.

[Ian]

[quote user="Ian"]I'm about to register my car in France. I have assembled most of the necessary documents, including the CoC (in french) from Ford.

I have not yet changed the headlights, because locally available new units are very expensive (around €200 each, if I remember) so I'm trying to source a reasonably priced set  - E-bay Germany looks promising. I accept that the car will not pass a CT till I've changed them.

The car is around two years old, so does not yet need a CT because of its age.

Do I need a valid CT just to get it registered?

Thanks

[/quote]

Well, if I don't need a CT, there's no excuse for not doing it. I'll start tomorrow.

Thanks to everyone for the advice.

[RicandJo]

[quote user="tracteurtom"]It worth noting that the rear lights on many UK cars dont conform to french regs - the fog and reverse lights are the wrong way around, but no one mentions that one !
[/quote]

.........Are fog and reversing lights mandatory?  Anybody know??

[Sunday Driver]

Rear fog light - yes, for vehicles first registered after 1 October 1990.

Reversing lights - no.

 

[allanb]

Same thing going in the opposite direction.  If a car supplied new in France has only one rear foglight, it will be on the "wrong" side for a visit to the UK.

I've never heard of this causing a problem, but one small curiosity is that my car, with its rear fog light on the left, actually has an empty bulbholder in the corresponding place on the opposite side.  When I saw that I thought : aha, brilliant design - I can simply change the bulb over and be legal in the UK.  But no: the wiring isn't there to support it.

I've no idea whether this is strictly a legal question in the UK, but I would prefer always to have the rear fog light on the "off" side, for safety.

[tracteurtom]

I suspect that a car with the fog light on the "wrong" in the UK would fail an MOT, whilst a car with the fog light on the "wrong" side in France will pass a CT.

This is so annoying, because of cheap skate car manufacturers saviung a few £€$, if they would just fit a pair of fogs and a pair of reverse lights, all would be good.  But no, thet save that money by making LHD and RHD specific wiring looms and you cannot swap around.  To get the fog/reverse lights reversed you will need the correct lamp lenses and also to run some cable between the 2 [:(]

The respective laws for car lights are complex and different from one country to the next.  For example, I own a 4x4 with a spare tyre on the back door, now would you believe it, but because, at a certain angle the RHS rear light is obstucted, the manufacturer has to fit lights in the bumper !!  I'm looking for a pair of rear lights that include all so that I can get rid of those pesky bumper lights (Spain or was it Afica spec ebay is a wonderful thing !) .  I'll bet a CT inspector doesn't even notice [6]

[RicandJo]

[quote user="Sunday Driver"]

Rear fog light - yes, for vehicles first registered after 1 October 1990.

Reversing lights - no.

 

[/quote]

Thanks SD - double no in my case then [:)]