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Buying a Car ...


joanthe

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Can anyone help?

I have a Holiday Home in (Lot-et-Garonne). I need to buy a car to use and leave in France.

Is it possible for me to buy and insure a Car in France ?

Can i be a french resident and still remain a UK Tax payer?

Any help or advice greatly appreciated.

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If you have a holiday home then you're obviously receiving utility bills and probably have a bank account.

Therefore you can buy a car, take the paperwork to the prefecture and get it registered in your name with the necessary extras such as a utility bill and your passport (and some money!!!!)

It shouldn't make any difference to your residency situation, when the 'Carte de Sejours' were around some prefectures were difficult about registering cars without one .. but that's all gone now!!

You'll be fine, just don't get ripped off when buying - find a friendly neighbour to go with you.

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If you buy a car from a private sale make sure it has a minimum of 18months still to run on the contrôle technique if it is over four years old and you also have no guarantee unlike buying from a garage or dealer. Also check it has no outstanding HP payments still be made on it or else you will be liable to finish the debt. As the other poster has said, take someone to check the car over who has knowledge of engines etc if you don't, there are plenty of rip-off merchants here in France too!
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Hi,

 

Watch out for the high prices for used cars in France. The owners seem to have an inflated idea of their value especially when you consider that there are some extremely good deals on new cars in France. Prices advertised in euros are what we pay in pounds! It might be worth you sourcing a left hand drive car in this country (very cheap as obviously few people want them) and exporting it. I have noticed in the local used car sales in Monflanquin (where we have a holiday home) that most of their cars originate from Belgium. I understand that they are quite cheap there.

 

Hope this helps

 

Paul

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This is not strictly in line with the main thrust of the posting but I wondered please if anyone can help.

Having searched around and as a retirement present to my wife and myself we are going to buy a new vehicle in France.  We live in (50) but the price at the Cherbourg dealer is more expensive than the price at the St Malo dealership and by not an insignificant amount of euros.

If I buy in St Malo does that mean have to take vehicle back into (50) and then to the Prefecture and going all through that problem again for re-registering. In any event it does seem a problem.

Again and because the vehicle is on a long lead time delivery wise and thus is very popular at this moment in time the dealership(s) want at least 5000 euros deposit.  I am aware of the very limited consumer protection laws in France but can anyone please throw some light on the protection one is afforded if you pay this sum in advance.

 

Many thanks

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