Panje Posted June 3, 2009 Share Posted June 3, 2009 My son is planning to spend 6 months or so - Feb2010 to Late Sept 2010 in France as a cyclist. He wants to take his UK car with him but is concerned that if he stays for 6 months he may need to register his car in France. He will return to UK during his stay for a couple of weeks in the Summer. Can anyone advise the best course of action for him to take?Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gosub Posted June 3, 2009 Share Posted June 3, 2009 Just make sure that his insurance company will cover him for that length of time. No worries about having to register the car. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chancer Posted June 3, 2009 Share Posted June 3, 2009 [quote user="Panje"]My son is planning to spend 6 months or so - Feb2010 to Late Sept 2010 in France as a cyclist. He wants to take his UK car with him but is concerned that if he stays for 6 months he may need to register his car in France. He will return to UK during his stay for a couple of weeks in the Summer. Can anyone advise the best course of action for him to take?Thanks[/quote]Take his bike! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick Trollope Posted June 3, 2009 Share Posted June 3, 2009 6 months, fine (check UK insurance). 6 months plus 1 day, problem and he must reregister. Plus, it is "in any 12 month period", so if the total number of days in France in 12 months exceeds 6 months, etc etc.Car must remain UK-legal (tax MOT, UK insurance, etc) and comply with French rules (beambenders, warning triangle, reflective jacket), for all of its time in France.Assuming that he is British too, he must have an EU licence (Although unless you are very old, he is likely to already have one!!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnOther Posted June 3, 2009 Share Posted June 3, 2009 [quote user="Nick Trollope"]Assuming that he is British too, he must have an EU licence (Although unless you are very old, he is likely to already have one!!) [/quote]Don't know where you get that one from. Any valid UK licence is valid in France - period; and that includes old style paper ones.Insurance is likely to be the major issue and assuming he doesn't qualify for a policy with Saga ([:)]) he might need to get cover with someone like Stuart Collins Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gosub Posted June 4, 2009 Share Posted June 4, 2009 [quote user="Nick Trollope"]6 months, fine (check UK insurance). 6 months plus 1 day, problem and he must reregister. Plus, it is "in any 12 month period", so if the total number of days in France in 12 months exceeds 6 months, etc etc.Car must remain UK-legal (tax MOT, UK insurance, etc) and comply with French rules (beambenders, warning triangle, reflective jacket), for all of its time in France.Assuming that he is British too, he must have an EU licence (Although unless you are very old, he is likely to already have one!!) [/quote]From the goverment website:Q. Un ressortissant d'un pays étranger devantséjourner en France pour une période de plusieurs mois doit-il y faireimmatriculer son véhicule ? A. L'immatriculation d'un véhicule dans undépartement français ne s'impose à un ressortissant étranger qu'àpartir du moment où il y a déclaré son domicile. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clarisworkz Posted June 4, 2009 Share Posted June 4, 2009 [quote user="Nick Trollope"]and comply with French rules (beambenders, warning triangle, reflective jacket)[/quote]Dumb question probably, but may I ask what a Beambender is? Is this a safety device like the triangle and jacket?As an add-on, can an Australian Compliant Vehicle be brought into France? In case anyone does know [:)] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnOther Posted June 4, 2009 Share Posted June 4, 2009 Beambender = headlight deflector.You can bring what you like into France, getting it registered is a whole different matter though and I imagine an Australian vehicle could be somewhat problematical and on a par with say USA imports.My advice, don't bother, the steering wheel is on the wrong side anyway [:)] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clarisworkz Posted June 4, 2009 Share Posted June 4, 2009 [quote user="ErnieY"]You can bring what you like into France, getting it registered is a whole different matter though and I imagine an Australian vehicle could be somewhat problematical and on a par with say USA imports.[/quote]Shouldn't be too much of a problem then, as Australian Vehicle Compliances are based on the strict European Emissions standards (since 1996).[quote]My advice, don't bother, the steering wheel is on the wrong side anyway [:)][/quote]So are UK Vehicles. [:)] We're the same country really, we're just better at Cricket [;-)]It's just my car is a very rare model of the Mazda 121, and I've had it for so long. I'd like to keep it as a second car, seeing as I'm planning on buying a Peugeot 407SW as my main car in France anyway. It's a sentimental thing.Thanks for the info Ernie [:D] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnOther Posted June 4, 2009 Share Posted June 4, 2009 There is far more to French compliance than emission standards !According to THIS government site 2001 and 2002 models of the Mazda 121 were homologated in France but yours is presumably much older, (mid 80's possibly but then why mention 1996 emission standards ?) so you'll almost certainly have to get it passed by the DRIRE and that could range from virtually routine to next to impossible, tending firmly towards the latter if it is indeed a rare model.I stand by my advice then, forget it, what price sentimentality [blink] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulT Posted June 4, 2009 Share Posted June 4, 2009 [quote user="ErnieY"]I stand by my advice then, forget it, what price sentimentality [blink][/quote]Says Ernie who brought over his MGB [:D] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sunday Driver Posted June 4, 2009 Share Posted June 4, 2009 Simple answer is to write to Mazda France with a copy of your Australian registration document and ask them for an attestation de conformité. It'll cost you around 120€ but at least it'll tell you which elements of the car (if any) do not conform to French regulations. From that, you can work out the likely cost of making the car compliant.You can then decide whether or not it's going to be worth shipping it halfway round the world.....[;-)] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clarisworkz Posted June 4, 2009 Share Posted June 4, 2009 [quote user="ErnieY"] but yours is presumably much older, (mid 80's possibly but then why mention 1996 emission standards ?) so you'll almost certainly have to get it passed by the DRIRE and that could range from virtually routine to next to impossible, tending firmly towards the latter if it is indeed a rare model.I stand by my advice then, forget it, what price sentimentality [blink][/quote]This is my car. It's a 1996 Mazda 121 ...And I do appreciate your advice, so please don't think I'm dismissing it. [:)]Because it's an imported model here in Australia, and it came off the same manufacturing line as the European version, I will check out every aspect of homogolation and see if it does come up to french regulations. [quote user="P2"] Says Ernie who brought over his MGB [:D][/quote]LOL, that made me laugh. I'm sure a modern car would pass DRIRE then [:D][quote user="Sunday Driver"] Simple answer is to write to Mazda France with a copy of your Australian registration document and ask them for an attestation de conformité. It'll cost you around 120€ but at least it'll tell you which elements of the car (if any) do not conform to French regulations. From that, you can work out the likely cost of making the car compliant[/quote]Thanks for that info too SD. I will contact Mazda Australia and get this "attestation de conformité" done through them, as they would have better resources to do it with their french counterparts.[quote]You can then decide whether or not it's going to be worth shipping it halfway round the world.....[;-)][/quote]It's strange what people want to take with them isn't it? As Ernie said, it's sentimental, and you really can't put a price on that. I could arrive in France and buy a used 121, but it wouldn't be the same. It's not my 121. I've had my little buggy for 13 years now (from new) and have always looked after it. I want to turn it into a classic (like an MGB). It's currently being worked on now, paint job and some mechanical stuff (new clutch and re-syncing the gearbox) and I'm sure it won't be too expensive to get it up to french specs. At best, DRIRE will pass it and I'll drive it on special occasions. At worst, It'll sit somewhere on the grounds of my home (longere) and be a conversation piece. [:D]Or I'll turn it into a racecar and challenge Fiat Unos ... [:-))] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnOther Posted June 4, 2009 Share Posted June 4, 2009 [quote user="P2"]Says Ernie who brought over his MGB [:D][/quote]Not quite the same is it.A short ferry trip followed by a pleasant drive down through France. €150 for a C of C (no need for DRIRE), £40 for headlights, and €180 for registration, all fully researched and quantified in advance as a result of which both CT and registration formalities were completed in a day.Good luck in turning a Mazda 121 into a classic [Www] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulT Posted June 4, 2009 Share Posted June 4, 2009 [quote user="ErnieY"][quote user="P2"]Says Ernie who brought over his MGB [:D][/quote]Not quite the same is it.A short ferry trip followed by a pleasant drive down through France. €150 for a C of C (no need for DRIRE), £40 for headlights, and €180 for registration, all fully researched and quantified in advance as a result of which both CT and registration formalities were completed in a day.Good luck in turning a Mazda 121 into a classic [Www] [/quote]No I know but I bet you have quite an attachment to your BPaul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnOther Posted June 4, 2009 Share Posted June 4, 2009 After conveying me well in excess of 200,000 miles over 22 years without significant breakdown you could say that [;-)]If only other things in life were so reliable ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick Trollope Posted June 6, 2009 Share Posted June 6, 2009 [quote user="gosub"][quote user="Nick Trollope"] 6 months, fine (check UK insurance). 6 months plus 1 day, problem and he must reregister. Plus, it is "in any 12 month period", so if the total number of days in France in 12 months exceeds 6 months, etc etc.Car must remain UK-legal (tax MOT, UK insurance, etc) and comply with French rules (beambenders, warning triangle, reflective jacket), for all of its time in France.Assuming that he is British too, he must have an EU licence (Although unless you are very old, he is likely to already have one!!) [/quote]From the goverment website:Q. Un ressortissant d'un pays étranger devant séjourner en France pour une période de plusieurs mois doit-il y faire immatriculer son véhicule ? A. L'immatriculation d'un véhicule dans un département français ne s'impose à un ressortissant étranger qu'à partir du moment où il y a déclaré son domicile. [/quote] Where does residency come into it? Read the original posting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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