Before I go!

[Carpinmike]

I will be moving to La Creuse in August. I am looking to purchase a LHD car before we move as I will need to drive down. I have seen a couple of cars that are already French registered, which brings me to my poser... If I purchased the LHD within the next few weeks, I would wish, for obvious reasons, to avoid registering the car in this country, and then having to go through the whole thing again in France. Can I register the car in France without having to go there in person, and if so, would I be able to get insurance from a French company to cover me for my final weeks in England before going over?

Mike

ps, anyone want to buy a Renault Laguna 1.9DTi T reg, or a Renault Clio 1.2 Grande W plate both RHD?

[Humptydingo]

Presumably by French registered you mean they have French number plates and the owners have Carte Grises for them. You cannot register a French car in the Uk without going through the export from France to Uk process. You could send off the necessary documentation as a new owner to the local Prefecture of the area where you are moving to. However the address in France (it must be in France)you enter on the documentation will appear on the new Carte Grise and the address to which it will be delivered. This will only be possible if you already own/rent the property to which you are moving and you will be able to have it forwarded to you in the UK or can collect it to enable you to use your new French registered car. The Carte Grise can only contain a French address - the same applies in the UK - the UK registration document V5 cannot contain a French address.

You might find an insurer to insure a French registered car in the Uk for a limited period, as with a UK registered car, which some French insurers will take on provided you intend to register it in France (i.e. French number plates.) However if you are able to apply and receive your new Carte Grise by the method in the first paragraph, then you could problably then get French insurance to cover you whilst you are in the UK, before you leave for France, but you must not hide this from them otherwise you may not be covered in the event of an accident - doesn't pay to lie to insurance companies.

Why don't you just cross the channel in August (or just before) and buy a French car from a reputable dealer, i.e Renault etc. who will then do all the documentation for you and you will also have a warranty which you won't get from a private seller.

Hope you understand the above since it's getting late (an hour ahead of you) and my beauty sleep awaits.