French Market for 2nd hand cars

[scooters]

OK, we know our cousins across the sea like many things - fine food and wine, dirty girls, leaving the deoderant in the shop, shying away from sea battles and saying Jawhol every 40 years or so but we also know that they tend not to buy a new car every three years, conseqently the market values for 2nd hand French chod has always been pretty high - a 12 year old Xantia will go for over a grand over there and not make £400 over here.

 

Because of this I have always discounted France as a source of chod - how foolish!

 

With my recently rediscoverd love of hydropneumatic Citroens I have been on the look out for a half decent CX of non Gti flavour - perhaps a LWB Mk1 Pallas...such a car is silly money in the UK and will inevitably have bodywork issues - however, a weekly trog through the Frinch sites and there are a plethora out there - now all we need is for the bottom to fall out of the Euro!

 

I know Nige has sourced cars from over there before, has anyone else done the same?

[Cavcraft]

Pretty sure Mr B0110x has brought (bought?) a couple over too.

[trigger]

Theorganist and Mr H Spectre (i think) have also both imported cars over this year.

[Felly Magic]

I know 'Lard' Brewer got a reasonable DS from Froggyland in Wheeler Stealers. Watched it the other night on Youtube. The car was a lot cheaper than a Uk car, and was just about rot free.

[lovejoy]

Scooters, have a peruse at this site; I look at it now & then, and see some stunning bargains on Offa,

but that may not be atypical of ze frog market, as it's usually ex-pat Brits advertising.....

http://normandy.angloinfo.com/forum/forum.asp?FID=1006

[trigger]

I still regret not having to balls to drive over to France last year when that cheap VW Golf Swallowtail came up.

[scooters]

I still regret not having to balls to drive over to France last year when that cheap VW Golf Swallowtail came up.

 

Nige has the advantage of living on the south coast and confessed to Skizzer and I to picking up some chod without telling the good Mrs Bickle he was out of the country!...

[scooters]

Scooters, have a peruse at this site; I look at it now & then, and see some stunning bargains on Offa,

but that may not be atypical of ze frog market, as it's usually ex-pat Brits advertising.....

http://normandy.angloinfo.com/forum/forum.asp?FID=1006

 

 

top site LJ, had a quick butchas and there's BX's, Xantias, 605's and all sorts including loads of 50cc shit scooters!

 

I wonder if Mr Skizzer fancies a weekend in Normandy runnig an errand or two!?

[Cavcraft]

This....

 

http://normandy.angloinfo.com/forum/top ... c_id=90802

 

 

...would be bloody ideal if you needed to go to France and drive something back.

[theorganist]

I am only a novice at importing cars (having done it once)! I know there some on here with much more experience so they will probably have a better idea!!

 

I imported my R14 last year, if would have been fairly painless experience if they thing had started when I got there!!

 

I was lucky as the guy who was selling it, spoke fine English as he does a lot of business in London, he was also very enthusiastic about a Brit buying his (fathers) old French car, I think he probably thought I was mad!! He was very helpful though and I still keep in touch occassionally.

 

I flew over with the intention of driving back but things didn't work out due to the car not starting (a £5 rotor arm!!). I eventually got it Shiply'd at a cost of £300.

 

I think when I do it again and I will, hopefully next year I will drive over with a friend and come back in convoy!!

 

I found that most people won't answer your e-mails, most likely due to the language barrier and I suppose some may think that exporting their car is hassle. I think the French authorities are quite beaurocratic about it.

 

There does seem to be loads of cheap tat on Leboncoin including plenty of 70's and 80's cars, there are currently 30 Renault 14's showing on their. When did you last see 30 Allegro's for sale on the internet let alone just one site?!!

[nigel bickle]

Yes, I've bought more than my fair share of French chod, over the years- but am desisting right now. Ill health aside, the prices just seem too high right now -when you take the issues of collection, bureaucracy & lhd into account. I suspect that will change -in our favour -shortly, when the euro collapses & there's a European rush to sell ''unused assets''.

 

I find it simple- I '' do the deal'' on the internet, paying a paypal deposit if needed -or sending my French mate some funds to pay him by transfer if he's an awkward customer. I rarely lose a car because of language.

Then I just drive over with an A frame in the boot. Might take a couple of spare rims if the tyres are uncertain, but my intention is to get it back home before the Mrs notices! (She's getting better- spotting the altered (French) ringtone on my mobile!). I find, by clever timing, that I can get to central France & back -in a long summers day. I've never had any real issues- perhaps a small fire on the hard shoulder of the Brussles ringroad when a seized caliper failed to free -but urine came in handy -and the two passing rozzers both pointedly ignored me.

 

My tip? Cover it in GB stickers, 'Magnetic ON Tow' plates and a clearly English Trailer board (even if it doesnt work!). Its too much hassle -they'll just drive on by.

 

(I am currently shipping a late 50's BMW bike from the southern Greek Islands- but this is a car forum -so not for here)

[lovejoy]

Nigel - good to see you up and running again, with a full MOT ?

 

left a massage on yr landline, not sure if you even use that, was trying to contact you,as Renault 12 Brian said you had "gone to ground"

for a while.....

do you know that "Normandy" forum I recommended - it certainly has some interestion stuff from time to time, but not as wide coverage as Leboncoin,of course !!!

Au Revoir, monsieur

[scooters]

Yes, I've bought more than my fair share of French chod, over the years- but am desisting right now. Ill health aside, the prices just seem too high right now -when you take the issues of collection, bureaucracy & lhd into account. I suspect that will change -in our favour -shortly, when the euro collapses & there's a European rush to sell ''unused assets''.

 

I find it simple- I '' do the deal'' on the internet, paying a paypal deposit if needed -or sending my French mate some funds to pay him by transfer if he's an awkward customer. I rarely lose a car because of language.

Then I just drive over with an A frame in the boot. Might take a couple of spare rims if the tyres are uncertain, but my intention is to get it back home before the Mrs notices! (She's getting better- spotting the altered (French) ringtone on my mobile!). I find, by clever timing, that I can get to central France & back -in a long summers day. I've never had any real issues- perhaps a small fire on the hard shoulder of the Brussles ringroad when a seized caliper failed to free -but urine came in handy -and the two passing rozzers both pointedly ignored me.

 

My tip? Cover it in GB stickers, 'Magnetic ON Tow' plates and a clearly English Trailer board (even if it doesnt work!). Its too much hassle -they'll just drive on by.

 

(I am currently shipping a late 50's BMW bike from the southern Greek Islands- but this is a car forum -so not for here)

 

Welcome back mate! Hope you are feeling a bit better - I might be down your way in a couple of weeks if you fancy a blether - we can compare pain killers!

 

BTW you are a fucking Autoshite Hero with that Chod Collecting method!

[nigel bickle]

Thanks guys. Lovejoy, try saying who it is next time you leave a message!! Couldnt even trace through 1471 -BT dont do international! Hadnt a damn clue -kind of you to call though, Chris. Hot out there?

 

Not out of the woods yet, sadly, & the prognosis isnt great. Be good to catch up Rich -if you're local. Give me a bell -hopefully with a couple of days notice. I understand the ol' Yugo is back in the Dungeon -seems I'm supplying a manifold for a X1/9 engine transplant? Up there soon to collect a tatty 12 Estate- will be strange to see it back there!

 

However, thats not stopped me lining up some substantive British (French) tat to collect -when circs permit. I've an old bike on the high seas right now, & have joined a syndicate to repatriate/ restore a Zimbabwean DC3 Dakota that hasnt moved since the early 90's. Happy days.....

[hairnet]

(I am currently shipping a late 50's BMW bike from the southern Greek Islands- but this is a car forum -so not for here)

 

says shite onthe box sir please continue

[Cavcraft]

If anyone finds a cheap Vespa over the water and has room to bring it back please let me know!

[lovejoy]

Nigel Bickle wrote - " Zimbabwean DC3 Dakota that hasnt moved since the early 90's. Happy days....."

 

erm, I think you need your bumps felt Nigel !!! I have spent a lot of time in Zimbabwe, whereabouts exactly is the Dakota ?

 

used to drive up from Jo'burg, stay at Todd's motel (until the Chinese Red Army moved in) then Grey's Inn, Bulawayo, Fort Victoria,

(now "Masvingo") en route to Harare (Salisbury, wiltshire....) or sleep in the 3-litre Cortina wagon overnight,under Baobab trees, fighting off the monkeys!

 

lots of good stuff STILL lurking down there, that's where my 1st Renault 12 estate came from, but a bloody nightmare trying to get bits in, or ship stuff out. I even know of a couple trying to restore

a Sunbeam Tiger down there. Beautiful country, completely SNAFU'ed.....

[nigel bickle]

8 of them sitting on the airport, c/o the Air Force! We negotiated on one complete & a hell of a lot of parts. The complete one has been dismantled & the majority of it is now en route. the parts are still being boxed up.....

 

There's a huge amount of suspicion over this -and so I'm holding my breathe until all of its out. Perhaps I'll talk a little more then -although progress is going to be glacial.

 

A proper long term resto

[michiel]

Zimbabwean planes... wow. Good to hear, er, read from you Nigel!

 

If you need to get rid of some of your cars in the future (like a certain tiny roadster or lhd Datsuns) to make room for more planes , please let us know

[Skizzer]

I wonder if Mr Skizzer fancies a weekend in Normandy runnig an errand or two!?

 

I'm always up for an adventure! Work and moving house are dominating the agenda for the next few weeks, but would be well on for it after Christmas

 

I can envisage taking temporary (?) ownership of something shitey with a reasonable towing capacity (XJ40? Rover 800 Coupe?) then renting a trailer for a few days. I can use it to move on the Scirocco and then go chod-hunting.

 

Would be grand to swing by Nigel's place for a cuppa en route (or more likely en the route back).