Buying a car help required please

[1822Kim]

We have just bought a holiday home in the Gers (Dept 32) and are travelling over 5-10 times per year. Have decided due to car hire costs that we will probably buy a car and leave at Toulouse Airport.

We have just seen that a family who have just relocated back to the UK have a lhd 6 seater car for sale which would suit our purpose and appears to be a good buy. Oddly, it is registered to Department 32 already so we assume we will not have to change the matriculation (number plates)???

The CT runs until November 2017 and they say they have all the appropriate papers for the resale. Carte Grise.

As we have a French address, we presumably don't have to pay tax on the import?

Do we still have to visit the Prefecture in person and is this to change the vehicle ownership?

We are considering purchasing the car this weekend but will not be driving it over to France until Christmas. Any advice appreciated? Thanks

[Cathar Tours]

Firstly because you explained why you are buying it you might have a look at the Toulouse Airport long term parking website as prices have increased. A typical 4 week use of the "3 days or longer" carpark will cost you between 173 to 261 Euros depending which one you use.

https://www.toulouse.aeroport.fr/en/passengers/to-and-from/book-parking

Changing the plates depends on if it is on the old or new system. The old system is number, letters, department number. You will get a new style number plate that then stays on the car for life. If it is the new style letters, number, letters then you keep the plate.

You should have a piece of paper with the Carte Grise from the prefecture to tell you the car is debt free (bit like a HPI check).

You can re-register the car by post although it is easy to print off the forms, complete them then walk them round the prefecture. Usually takes a couple of hours max and you walk out, after paying, with your new Carte Grise. If you require new plates don't forget they have to be pop riveted on in France and not screwed. Treat it as a day out and do a bit of shopping or something.

I know you can get the forms of the internet but I don't remember where. If memory serves you need to attach a receipt from the seller plus their name and address (same one as on the Carte Grise). I am sure somebody will "pop" up and tell you where to find the forms on the internet.

[EuroTrash]

You need to re-register it in your name, obviously. The cost of doing this will depend on the age and model of the car, it can be anywhere from 100€ or so for an older, smaller, less polluting car to many thousands for a shiny new gas guzzler. There is no road tax in France, the tax takes the form of a one-off registration fee instead. For a six-seater I would check the cost before you commit yourself, it could be a bit pricey.

As said you only need to change the plates if they are the old style ones with the department code as the last two digits of the registration number.

Make sure you have all the correct documents (you can find the list online) as if the documentation is not correct the prefecture will send you away to sort it out, no ifs or buts. For instance the CT needs to have been carried out within the last 6 months, ie 18 months left to run, so you need to get it tested again before you can register it (technically, this is the seller's responsibility, you shouldn't sell a car without at least 18 months CT on it).

[Mikew]

If you are a UK resident you cannot legally drive a French registered car in UK...

[Cathar Tours]

[quote user="Mikew"]If you are a UK resident you cannot legally drive a French registered car in UK...[/quote]

Sorry but I am not sure what that has to do with anything. If you read the original post they want to take it to, and keep it France. They have no intention it would seem from their post of keeping it in the UK.

Mind you there are plenty of English resident in France who keep their car there who drive illegally on UK plates but that's for another post.

[nomoss]

All the details are here [url]https://www.service-public.fr/particuliers/vosdroits/F1707[/url]

[Cathar Tours]

That's what I couldn't remember. If you live in France it's a good thing to save as a link in your browser.

[AnOther]

[quote user="Cathar Tours"][quote user="Mikew"]If you are a UK resident you cannot legally drive a French registered car in UK...[/quote]

Sorry but I am not sure what that has to do with anything. If you read the original post they want to take it to, and keep it France.[/quote]Which necessarily involves driving it in UK which, as UK residents, they are prohibited from doing.

In the circumstances trailering the car to the port of departure is the only 100% legitimate way of getting it out of the UK, get stopped driving it and seizure is a very real possibility with a prosecution for no insurance to boot.