Importing a car from france.

[Louise2cv]

I know a few of you have done this, so I was wondering if we could have a bit of a HOW 2...

 

Say I find a gorgeous 2cv near Paris and I get Matt drunk enough to agree to buy it...

 

what happens?

 

How do you go about insuring it? What is the best way of finding a cheap ferry? Once it is here is there a time limit on getting it MOTed and registered? Can anyone just pop over and drive a car back to the UK?

 

It is a bit of a dream at the moment, but if he is just humouring my wild ideas he is being very convincing about it. I tried a search on here but the results page just looked like the normal forum, don't know what I did wrong there.

[dollywobbler]

Ha! Jono will be pleased. WARNING - attending 2CV meets can be bad for your finances. I'm sure someone will be along shortly though. We have a few experts on this importing malarky. I'm quite tempted myself. Ami 6 berline or GS/GSA...

[nigel bickle]

Hi Louise, it's pretty simple really.

 

Find car you like, agree 'terms' with insurers, based on Vin plate.

 

French Mot is called a CT < contrôlée technique, V5c is a CG - Carte Grise . If the cars ok, vendor will produce a Certificate De vente, official sales doc getting him freed from obligation. Complete, keep a copy, leave balance, and cash presumably with him.

 

Drive home. If you want euro cover try Adac, German AA that will cover you in Uk & Europe for same price as AA.

 

Cheapest ferry is usually Dunkirk, but euro tunnel is a lot easier quicker, for not much more if booked a bit in advance.

 

Once on uk soil you aren't supposed to drive it, save for a pre booked mot, so book one in your local friendly mot centre, drive there, fail drive around relevant garages to sort( lights etc),

Apply NOVA online within 14 days, EU oldie so tax free. You'll get an online letter to print off for dVla.

 

Once paper worked, dvla . Happy to run through that nearer .

 

Tis easy, really.

[dollywobbler]

Thanks Nigel. What's the definition of 'EU oldie' these days? Bearing in mind some 2CVs are only 24 years old. 

[Junkman]

Say I find a gorgeous 2cv near Paris

That's going to be a though one.

 

and I get Matt drunk enough to agree to buy it...

That's the easy bit.

 

what happens?

Usually a right old kerfuffle unfolds.

 

 

How do you go about insuring it? What is the best way of finding a cheap ferry? Once it is here is there a time limit on getting it MOTed and registered? Can anyone just pop over and drive a car back to the UK?

 

It is a bit of a dream at the moment, but if he is just humouring my wild ideas he is being very convincing about it. I tried a search on here but the results page just looked like the normal forum, don't know what I did wrong there.

UK insurers insure you on the VIN for just this exact purpose.

Provided the car is registered in France, and has a valid CT, you can drive it home.

 

For cheap ferry tickets, check www.ferrysavers.com

 

There is no time limit to get the car registered in the UK, however, you must declare it NOVA within a fortnight upon arrival.

There are no import duties or taxes to be paid, because it isn't an import at all. It's just a transfer of goods within the EU.

[panhard65]

I always trailer them back as it is a lot less hassle. To be able to drive it back legally you need to insure it in france. This can get tricky if you don't have an address in france though. When you get it back here you need to fill out a NOVA declaration within a fortnight to tell HMRC that it is here. You need to do this in the timeframe or you will get fined and won't be able to register it. Once you have done that and the car has arrived safely you should be able to get tempory insurance on the chassis number so you can take it for mot. The french insurance you took out wouldn't be valid once you get back here. Finally when it has passed an mot you get all your paperwork together and fill in an import pack that you can get from DVLA then post the lot including photo copies of your driving license to the DVLA. It costs £50 plus the cost of the road tax. As I typed all that Nigel has provided a better answer. When I enquired the other day a return through eurotunnel was 60 quid but may be dearer doing a one way crossing

[dollywobbler]

Why is a UK policy not valid in France? IIRC, a UK policy is valid anywhere in Europe, and many other countries beside.

[Junkman]

Do not use the tunnel.

You haven't really travelled abroad, if you weren't on some tacky ferryshite with their tacky carpetshite and tacky chairshite,

having eaten some tacky fish and chipshite, while looking at some tacky wallpapershite.

[chaseracer]

The BIG CHOOB is also in a bloody inconvenient place, unless you live in the south-east or in THAT LONDON.

[castros_bro]

Do a trial run blagging a mobylette or velosolex mopedshite which fits in your back pocket and go on a cheepo offer daytrip ferryshite for max poverty points. Boozoshite and fagshite an optional extrashite.

 

I blagged my mopedshite from a Belgium skip for extra extra poverty points.

[Junkman]

Multi extra poverty points if you bring it back on a pedal boat.

[skattrd]

I've got a question along similar lines ... I hope you don't mind a mini hi-jack Louise

 

How about registering a foreign car in the UK that is all ready here? Will there be an issue with NOVA or something else?

I'm asking for a friend http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/221540274822

[nigel bickle]

If wes here pre nova ( April 14?) and can prove it, then technically thee shouldn't be an issue. Will be those cos it's HMRC.

If post, you're goosed, unless of cour it leaves the country ( on a cold trailer) then returns under its Ian steam, whereby you could dope Kate ' in time'. Like. Honest. Guv

[nigel bickle]

Effing spell checker!

[320touring]

I would wager this is the sort of sport i could entertain

 

How does one ban oneself from a thread?

[dollywobbler]

Effing spell checker!

 

Did you leave it on Hairnet setting?

[Junkman]

I've got a question along similar lines ... I hope you don't mind a mini hi-jack Louise

 

How about registering a foreign car in the UK that is all ready here? Will there be an issue with NOVA or something else?

I'm asking for a friend http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/221540274822

 

There shouldn't be a problem if he does it right after purchase. After all, he cannot be held responsible for the dereliction of duty by someone else.

Even in England you arguably only are punished for the crimes you commit. Your friend might check this with Customs and Excise before he commits to buy, though.

A simple phonecall might clarify this, and believe it or not, those people are actually more interested in helping you, than frying you.

[Louise2cv]

So I just need a crash course in French and Matt's cash card then??

[dollywobbler]

I believe folk on here have offered a better-than-Google translate service before, though Google is useful for deciphering ads.

[Louise2cv]

Fair play, this is the first ad that had anything to decipher... the French don't seem very forthcoming or helpful: typically 1 photo of the car in a garage under a pile of junk and a description of 4 words. My car, for sale. Then they demand you are deadly serious about buying it before phoning, only at supper time. They make eBay look like heaven!


Here is what google thinks this guy said:

Hello there,

I sell my 2CV AZAM gray pink 1965 AC 136 normal CG

I bought a first hand so I history.
It is complete and fully consistent with the original.
It has all the elements specific to this model: rods, chrome diamond bench ...

The frame is perfect undrilled same for the floors and the trunk condition.
The front fenders have been restored and the front bumper is new

there is just surface rust.

For the rest it is in its own juice (a desire on my part for authenticity.

Regarding his state has:

battery, master cylinder, brake hoses, fuel hoses, carburetor zenith, faisseau headlights, braces gimbals, exhaust manifold and new coil, starter renovated, new wiper new hood identical to the original ferlor brushes.

engine oil and limps realized.
I have the doc and also the original key.
it is pavement zx 135 Recommended.

I want to sell it because I will have a third child.

The exchange is possible against a GS X2 Phase 1 primarily or GS Stage 1 in perfect condition.

 

Which mostly makes sense (also this man sounds very cool don't you think? 2cv --> GS).

 

He doesn't mention the CT or CG though so I guess that should be in my questions? And asking if he is willing to let it go out of the country.. does it make life harder for him?

[Junkman]

He mentioned the CG, which is 'normale', as opposed to 'historic'.

[skattrd]

Thx Nigel & JM. I've pinged the seller a couple of questions and will call someone official tomorrow for a word.

[Louise2cv]

Wow, so I need to email the dude then... Enough wine has been drunkled (!)

[Mr_Bo11ox]

BO11OX translation service is available

[Louise2cv]

Thanks MrB.

[Junkman]

You are supposed to get Matt plastered, not glug glug it all yourself!

[hairnet]

if you rock up with trailer - surely not the sellers problem how it goes anywhere

 

ps do it

[purplebargeken]

I had to read the ad a couple of times as it was quite amusing. Bloody good luck and just imagine the collekshun kapers. Yay!

[Station]

Louise I go over to Europe three times a year, use myferry and book the ferry as you leave the house for late night early morning. I get return journey for 44 pounds minimum.

[mat_the_cat]

Next time I view this thread I expect nothing less than to hear that you've bought it, and an epic collection thread will be forthcoming. No pressure

 

I go over a few times a year but never tried booking at the last minute! One day I'd love to collect something French and unusual, stocking up on vin rouge too...