Advice on places to advertise?

[Mersons]

We're going back to live in the UK towards the end of August and have been thinking about selling our french bought, LHD car, or exchanging, or even part-exchanging it for a RHD one, before we go.  Please can anyone who's done this recommend good web sites and/or other places to advertise this where it'll get good exposure to the right markets, preferably free, or very cheap? 

Sheila 

[Sunday Driver]

[url=http://www.automarche.fr]French equivalent of Autotrader[/url]

Not free, but if you want the exposure......

 

 

[Bones]

Ebay, I suppose?

What kind of car is it (if you don't mind me noseying)?  Do you want the RHD one to drive back to the UK in?

[Mersons]

Hi Bones,  

The car's a Renault Laguna Expression 1.9 DCi 120, registered May 2004, electric sun roof, radio/cd, sixth gear, air-con, etc. with really low mileage, and in great condition.  We really like it 'cause its a lovely quiet, comfortable car (its even got blinds on the windows in the back), and have thought about keeping it and registering it in the UK, but the hassle and cost of having the headlamps changed to comply before we could register it kind of puts us off.  Also, being LHD in the UK would make it difficult to resell later, especially LHD with changed headlamps.  Ideally, if we could exchange or part exchange it for a decent RHD car - yes, to go back in to answer your question, that would be good.  We're sure there must be people who've either already come to live here, or are about to, who would like to change from RHD to LHD.  However, we're considering different options.  We've done costings on the Argus and another similar website to find the current value, so we know that we'd get more for our car here than in the UK.

Sheila 

[Mersons]

Slight change of question here.  Could anyone who has gone back to live in the UK and taken their french LHD car with them, and registered it with the DVLC, share their experience with us.  Were there any big hassles, or was it very straightforward?  Did you have to have the headlights replaced, or adjusted, and how expensive was that?  We do like our car a lot and, if we think it won't be a great hassle and expense, we might just take it with us.  Anyone??

Sheila 

[Onion van man]

All the information you will need to register your car can be found here. http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Motoring/BuyingAndSellingAVehicle/ImportingAndExportingAVehicle/DG_4022583

It's all fairly straight forward and can be done by post.

[Mersons]

Thanks for that OVM, I've already looked at that site.  I'd hoped to hear someone's actual experience of doing this, and maybe hear about approx. cost of changing the headlamps, if this is necessary.  Hopefully someone who visits this forum will be able to share that experience.  Its just a comfort thing to help us decide what to do.

[Ron Avery]

Cost of headlight change apart, if you do a lot of driving, do you really want to use a LHD car in the UK, they are as dangerous when driving alone as RHD cars are in France when overtaking. I think you have already found that you will get far more for your car here than in the UK and the price of an equivelant RHD car can be as much as half of what you will get for your LHD here.  Of course regions vary and prices near big cities are lower than in the country due to more supply of pre-owned (used) cars.  But there are far more used cars in the UK due to the date/plate fixation, hence the lower prices, have a little look on Ebay UK for prices.

[Bones]

A RHD Laguna 2004 dci expression in the UK is about 7000/7500 €

A LHD one in France is about 9000/11500€

(Very brief comparison of asking prices on ebay - could be a couple of grand more in both cases depending on condition and who's selling it).

LHD should reach 7000/75000 € in the UK. Prices seem to be about equal these days due to the amount of expats, how the LHD car dealers make money in the UK is anyone's guess!

Main thing to remember is that despite the fact you COULD get more for your car if you were willing to wait for the right price, you'll definately lose money on it in the UK. So it's simple economics, you want to make more than 7500€ which is the equivalant RHD price in the UK.

Get the thing sold over here for 9000 (quickish private sale) and you'll still save a pretty penny when you reach the UK. A French dealer would probably offer 7000/8000 € (seen one  - confort pack - go through the auctions some months go for 8700, probably cheaper now?).

Stick it in the local free ads and see if anyone bites. Nobody should haggle or kick tyres at that price!

(Don't take any of what I say as gospel, just looking around out of interest and am probably in the right ball park).

[Onion van man]

I have registered alot of Japanese imports in the UK. Your car will be easier to do because you won't need to put it thru a Single Vehicle Approval test. The things you will need to sort out will be headlamps, Rear fog lamp (might need to change rear light cluster), Speedo face change for one that reads in Miles and Km's.

You can then get a UK MOT and send off ( I found postal application to be easier) for your UK registration certificate V5C and your road tax disc. Number plates can be got locally from a motor factor with either the V5C or with a temporary certificate they might issue giving you the right to get number plates made with you allocated registration number.

The last time I registered a car was about 3 years ago but, I don't think much has changed if anything.

EDIT : Just realised I forgot to mention that you should get it MOT'ed on the Chassis number and not the french reg. When you send it off the DVLA will stamp the allocated registration number onto the certificate with an official stamp.

[Mersons]

Thanks for all the great advice folks.  We don't do a great deal of driving, but, it looks like our first thought, i.e. selling our car here before we leave, is the best, even if it makes things a bit awkward for us until we buy another one.  An exchange or part-exchange would be ideal, but I don't suppose there's a huge chance of that happening since we don't really live in an ideal world.  Small ads here we come.  I've been doing some digging for Internet classified sites meantime so that's a start.  Thanks again.

Sheila 

[Will]

How close are you to an airport? Sell your car in France, while the process is going through look on English eBay, fly to, say Birmingham (where cars seem very reasonably priced, e.g. http://stores.ebay.co.uk/hunter-mackenzie-automotive - I chose that one because he does have a Laguna or two and I have bought from him) see a few cars. If you take pound notes with you can drive your choice home via Speedferries or similar. You will need to give an English address for insurance, registration etc, but if you choose the right insurer you will be able to get cover for your last weeks in France before you move back.

[Mersons]

Very interesting Will.  The company you've mentioned do have a Laguna practically the same as our's at a very good price.  It's given us food for thought.  We have stuff to take over, so just selling our car and flying back isn't really an option.  However, we can advertise our car in several places, take a trip over with our stuff, then come back here and hopefully sell our car.  Then we could fly back to the UK and buy another almost right away.  At the moment we still don't have the final date for signing the Acte, so that's making planning a bit awkward as it could be 3 weeks away, or 5-6 weeks.  Thanks for the info and suggestions.

Sheila

[Will]

I would like to withdraw the recommendation (if anybody takes it as such) for that particular company, but the principle remains; you do get a better deal on cars in the Midlands compared with London and the south.