General feel, bring over UK car, buy UK LHD or buy when in France from say Belgium?

[redlancer]

Title says it all really.

After a general feel.

Hopefully off to France next 3 months.

So thought sell UK car and buy a LHD before hand and register it in France. 

But then saw the Begium thread and was wondering is that the cheaper better option, but presume you must be importing it just into France.  It will be for me and my wife in France, i'll have UK car when i'm in UK.

I've got no problem importing cars and going thro the procedures. 

Graham

 

 

[Will]

I've done all three, and there are pros and cons with all.

Another alternative - more difficult now because all the dealers and most individuals have caught on - is to buy a cheap LHD car in Britain, make sure it's one that is popular in France, preferably diesel, and take that.

[redlancer]

[quote user="Will "]

I've done all three, and there are pros and cons with all.

Another alternative - more difficult now because all the dealers and most individuals have caught on - is to buy a cheap LHD car in Britain, make sure it's one that is popular in France, preferably diesel, and take that.

[/quote]

that was my initial thought

just seen all that CV stuff so TVR out of the question she'll have to have a Clio va va vooooom

[Will]

Buying UK LHD means, to most people, going to one of the specialist dealers. There is little, if anything, to be gained from doing that compared with buying in France, as you generally have to go through the re-registration process anyway. Even buying on ebay can add a premium, rather than a reduction, for LHD, as so many people seem to be looking for them. Try to find a private seller who still thinks LHD is unsaleable in Britain, or a dealer who has taken one in part exchange and only wants to keep mainstream rather than specialised stock.

Don't assume that because it is LHD, or even because it has been registered in France before, that it will make registration in France easier. In theory, yes, but in practice it is not necessarily the case.

[redlancer]

Will, points taken

as for dealers with LHD px would expect them to know of or have access to other dealers

had notice there are LHD that cost more than the RHD equivalent in some cases double!!!!

in my case getting a LHD for a few months from the UK especially say a dealer makes it easier if anything goes wrong.  say's with tounge firmly in cheek

 

 

[Will]

I quite agree - though if you have contacts in the trade (or even if you just ask), a dealer will be just as happy to offload an unwanted PX to you as he would to another dealer - though of course this is on a trade sale basis and there is no comeback. Because second hand prices have, historically, been comparatively high in much of mainland Europe (including France) compared with Britain, the specialist dealers and knowledgable private sellers can now get away with charging a premium for LHD - I don't think I have seen double, but I do believe you. So in practical terms it is a lot less potential hassle to buy in France anyway (which is exactly what we have done with our last few vehicles).

As with anything in life, you get what you pay for. Cut corners on the initial purchase and you can either make a killing or lose out in other ways. It's just a lottery really.

[redlancer]

LHD car was 11K equivalent UK would be about 7k  so not quite double.

relooked and the mileage is very small on LHD car.

but anyway it was more[:@]