Buying and Selling a car

[Dave]

Hi,

     I recently bought a LHD French Reg car from a garage in the UK that they had in PX from someone returning to live back there. I have driven it down to our house in France with the intention of selling it on, my problem is that although I have a receipt from the garage in the UK and the Carte Gris, the tear off part that you fill in when you sell a car has already been torn off filled in and sent off. I have asked the garage in the UK if he filled it in their name and they don't know...! Do I have a big problem now? SD are you there?

best regards

Dave

[Sunday Driver]

Yes, you might have a big problem.

I don't know why the tear-off coupon on the bottom of the carte grise is missing because it's just used for when you need to post the original to the prefecture - it's a substitute for the full carte grise until the prefecture issue the new one.

It states" In the case of transfer to a third party or for destruction, enter the details of the acquirer and your signature.  Do not complete the coupon in the case of transfer to a motor dealer. Enter your own details and signature if you are requesting a new carte grise.  This coupon permits you to drive for a maximum period of one month."

So, the original owner has either sold it to someone else, or has notified his prefecture that the car has been scrapped, or he has incorrectly filled in the UK dealer's name and sent it off without properly reading what it says - or more probably, he's kept it himself because it's got his name and address on it.......

You say you are intending to sell the car on.  Are you a professional motor trader?  If so, then you have to issue a Volet A certificat de cession to the buyer and send a copy to his prefecture.  This certifies that you own the vehicle as a motor trader and you don't need the carte grise in your name.  If you are not a professional motor trader, then you will have to register the car and have the carte grise in your name before you can sell it on.

Although the car's documentation is incomplete, you've bought and paid for it and it's now at home, so there's not a lot you can do other than go to your prefecture and explain matters to them.  They can check the national vehicle register to find out if it's still registered to the original owner. I expect you won't have the required certificat de cession that validates the transfer from the UK garage to you, so you'll need to try to rely on their invoice as proof of ownership. It may help if the UK garage can give you a copy of their purchase invoice or a letter confirming they bought the car from the original owner.

 

 

 

[Dave]

Hi SD,

     thanks for your advice, I showed the car's Carte Gris to our French neighbour and they seemed to think it was all intact, on looking at our own car's Carte Gris that is newer it is different and has the tear off part as described  On the older one it shows a pictogram of scissors indicating that the corner should be cut off when the vehicle is scrapped. They are getting a car given to them and they have a form that they got from the Mairie called a 'Certificat de cession d'un vehicle' she showed us where the present owner will sign and she will sign then send it off to the prefecture to obtain the new Carte Gris, if she is right then all we need is to get the form and then get it signed by the previous owner, luckily the garage in the UK has his new address in the UK......ho hum....best laid plans and all that!

thanks again, I will let you know how I get on.

best regards

Dave

[Sunday Driver]

Good.  If you can get the certificat de cession signed by the current registered owner, then you've established the chain of title and the prefecture will be happy.  Once you've got he new carte grise in your name, you can sell the car on without any problems.