English or French car

[bryansmith]

We are moving to France permenantly in the near future. We have a C5 estate car for our touring caravan both of which we would like to keep. Is it better to change our current car to French registration or to sell and buy a similar French model? What problems are there in changing the registration regarding insurance, tax MOT etc ? 

[Teamedup]

Caravans also need to be registered as individual vehicules, with their own number plate.

Changing the car over to the french system should be relatively easy.

 

[Babnik]

Changing the car over to French plates/insurance requires :

1) Certificate of Conformity from Manufacturer

2) Changing of headlamps (some people say they have gotton away with stickers, but I'm not sure what their position would be if they had an accident!)

3) Passing CT (equivilent of mot)

4) Insurance (I was able to use my UK non claims bonus)

5) Obtain a Carte Grise

I'm sure I've missed something, and some things may need to be done in a different order...I've forgotton exactly how it was done!

Steve

[Crevette]

Another thing to consider is insurance.

Some french companies don't insure UK/left drive cars.

This is especially annoying when you find a quote several hundred cheaper, only to be told they won't insure you (e.g. Direct Insurance).

Also, be careful if you had an acident recently covered by "no claims protection" as you may have problems transering accross no cliams to france (this insurance doesn not exist in france).

-Rob-

[Maddie]

[quote]Changing the car over to French plates/insurance requires :1) Certificate of Conformity from Manufacturer2) Changing of headlamps (some people say they have gotton away with stickers, but I'm not sure...[/quote]

Not one official here said anything about the absolute requirement to change over the headlights. I had no problems whatsoever reregistering but then I did not have to get a CT as my RHD car was practically new (hence the reason for keeping it rather than selling a losing a ton of money). 

In addition, you will also need a certificate of acquisition from the French tax/customs office to show no further VAT is payable.

I got my info from this website which was really helpful.

http://riviera.angloinfo.com/information/1/motoregister.asp

[passiflora]

All the above comments are really helpful regarding the car but I also think you should follow up Teamed ups comment about the caravan.  The caravan will have to have its own registration document (carte grise) and its own insurance. Many people I know have given up trying to get this done in France and have sold their vans back in the UK.  They have not been able to obtain the correct type of conformity to obtain the carte grise.

We went down a different route and purchased a second hand caravan in France which came with documentation. 

Just something worth looking into.

 

[chirpy]

I HAVE FRENCH C5 ESTATE AND I EXPECT YOURS MAX. 3 YEARS OLD.

THEREFORE LIKE ALL CARS YOU LOSE ON SALE A LOT.

DESPITE PROBLEMS IF OVERCOME STICK WITH IT APART FROM THE INCONVENIENCE IF DRIVING ALONE IN RHDRIVE ESPECIALLY ON NARROW FRENCH ROADS AS C5 IS WIDE AND OVERTAKING TRICKY SOMEYIMES.

GET U.K. INS. CO. TO GIVE YOU LETTER STATING LENTGH OF TIME DRIVEN WITHOUT ANY CLAIMS.

I WENT TO AZZUR AND GOT MAX. DISCOUNT WHICH IS 50% IN FRANCE.

PERHAPS CIT. CAN ADVISE YOU IF LIGHTS CAN BE CHANGEDETC.

WHERE ARE YOU MOVING TO?

IF YOU HAVE AN ACCIDENT AFTER 3 YEARS AZZUR SAY HAVE IT ON THEM WITHOUT LOSING NO-CLAIMS ,ONLY PAY FIRST 35O EUROS I THINK.

[Jonzjob]

We heard enough horror stories about registering U.K. caravans over here to sell ours before we came over. When you see the state of some of the French vans it makes you wonder?

Insurance, we got in touch with a company called BIBA (British Insurance Brokers Aquitane). They only deal with ex-pats, they are British and they are very helpful. I don't work for them, or anyone else come to think of it, being retarded retired is for me! Our U.K. registered, LHD car was resistered with them over the phone with instant cover, but they do a lot with RHD.

I have recomended several people now and they have told me that they had good quotes and have taken them up. Any  problems we have we just phone Gaye Galliver and usually get an answer.

As an aside we have holidayed here for better part of 20 years now and a RHD car on holiday is not usually a problem, but living here I would always go for a LHD. I know that others will po-ho that, but I don't have to get out in the hissing rain to pay Autoroute tolls and that's just the start. We went from a Xantia estate to a new C8, bought from Holland and although we lost a bit on the Xantia we made up for that on the C8. And before anyone yells about that, we wern't living here when we bought. So you can't buy a car in France without a French address and I ain't paying the stupid prices asked for LHD cars in the U.K.

Good luck with your move and if you would like any gen on BIBA please PM me

John.

[Ianhaycox]

The main problem with UK caravans is, I believe, that the door is on the wrong side.

[Miki]

That is a myth Ian. On that theory all French cars would have doors on one side and none on the other ! but seriously, John Moore a year ago put on a terrific explanation on how he did it all.  We have helped a few people get their vans passed through for their carte grise at the DRIRE, both at Plela and Rennes

They are more concerned with chassis strength, brakes and their size, gas pipes, lighting and rear fog light etc plus a few other little things, we did get pulled up once for no chassis plate and that took some getting over, a trip to the weighbridge can also be neccessary. The best thing really is to contact the chassis manuafcaturer and ask for a full spec and go from there. DRIRE have always been helpful and slowly bit by bit, it will come together.