Re-registering English to French plates

[Speedbird]

Not quite ready to go as yet but will be living in 22 - we have a Missedsomebitsout Pajero so called grey import. I understand re-registering can be a nightmare, also someone has suggested a grey import, Japan to U.K., is not acceptable in France.

Does anyone have any comments on the Pont L'abbe the 'new' Brittany Ferry. I've heard it's a little on the loud side. 

[Kergohy]

Sorry, can't help on the Pajero.  But can tell you about the Pont l'Abbe - anyone remember the ship on 'Triangle'?  that's her!  And on the subject of reregistered Japanese cars - does anyone know where I might find LHD 'feu de croissance' for a 2002 Toyota Celica?  Got to get the lights sorted for the contre visite for the CT asap.  Suggestions (polite of course) gratefully received.

 

Thanks

[Sunday Driver]

Re-registering in France is normally a straighforward process, but in your case, it certainly won't be.

You say your vehicle is a so called grey import.  If it was never commercially imported into France, then it certainly won't be acceptable here without a single vehicle type approval inspection.  For this, you'll need to obtain some obligatory technical documents from the importer (who I assume from your humourous comment is Mitsubishi) but I've heard that official Japanese importers are generally unenthusiastic about assisting someone with an unofficially imported vehicle.

You'll also need to supply independent test certificates proving conformity of such items as emissions, suppressions, noise levels, brakes, seat belts, etc. You'll also need to have the headlights adjusted or changed for driving on the right in order to pass the French" MOT" test.

Big expense, up to four months of hassle and the car worth nothing in France at the end of the day.  So on balance, I'd be considering flogging the thing before you leave the UK and buying a LHD Renault Twingo instead.

Sorry to appear negative, but the tranquility of your passage on the new Brittany ferry is going to be the least of your problems.

 

 

[Nick Trollope]

I'm afraid that I'd have to concurr with SD's coments, having tried it myself with 2 "imports" - a Isuzu/Irmscher and an MR2 G-Limited. Complete waste of time & money. Sent them back to the Uk after 18 months of trying.

Bad luck!

[Lou]

Hi

I have actually recently helped some friends re-register their Pajero in France (I'm not an expert on cars but do speak fluent French). Theirs was also a Japan-Uk grey import.

It wasn't exactly straight forward but they did succeed in the end!

They had to get  a certificate of partial  conformity from Mitsubishi France, then have it inspected by the DRIRE.  Obviously as well as all the usual stuff like CT, quittance fiscal etc (see all the other threads on registering your car).

They had to get a couple of replacement light covers - sorry don't know the technical/proper name - the plastic bits which go over the bulbs! This was because they didn't have the E symbol on them indicating European conformity for the parts.  I think they'd already had some replaced in the UK for various reasons which did comply so only had to do a couple not all of them.  They also had to get a new ID plaque, the one that's in the engine bay, the original Japanese one didn't have all the bits of info on it that the French require.  The guy at DRIRE said Mitsubishi would send it out (presumably for a fee!) but suggested they get one made up themselves; which they did with the help of his little drawing showing what it should look like.  Don't know if this is acceptable everywhere or whether we were lucky and got a nice man!!  Once the DRIRE had approved it, back to the Prefecture for the carte grise and nice shiny new plates for the car........

This was in the Hautes-Pyrenees; like everything in France it may depend on where you are as to how far this works for you!

It will almost certainly require a lot of patience and return trips to the Prefecture and DRIRE, so it really depends on how much you want to keep the car

Hope this has helped a bit

Lou