Importing Tat from France

[Mr H Sceptre]

Indeedio

[barrett]

What is your shite chariot of choice for the journey? Or are you flying over/driving back?

[Electric Leyland]

Ace. Trust you'll be taking a camera?

 

That'll be my department.

 

Spotting in France from the passenger seat of a Simca 1100 Break. It cannot possibly get better.

 

A full pictorial story will be presented.

[dollywobbler]

I'm now REALLY looking forward to this. Bon Voyage!

[Mr Lobster]

Fantastic! Inspirational work by the management

[eddyramrod]

Doesn't get much better, does it? I almost wish I was going with you guys, France is an unexplored blank for me.

[seth]

I'm looking forward to the full report already! Don't forget to pack the cable ties and gaffer tape.

[michiel]

Insanely jealous, a break is one of my dream vehicles. Have fun!

[Alexg]

Superb to see this is going ahead! Well Done

[Electric Leyland]

This really should be quite epic, thanks for the coomments.

 

Plan is to fly over to Tours next Thursday morning, pic up the motor (whereby Mr Bo11ox kindly performed some helpful French speaking chatness with the seller for us), and then amble around for a couple of days, then up to Paris to stay with a French chick that Mr HS knows, and have a Sat night on the town with her and her mates. Then pootle back to Blighty over the remainder of the weekend, however long that may take.

 

I can imagine the following being involved: French sticks, Fois Gras, cheap stubbie cases & wine, cafe cremes, spotting, Simca photoshoots, chateaux, pert brested French lasses, and some downloaded French accordian music.

[Mr_Bo11ox]

If you can get some snaps of these french birds draped over your simca that would be great! DO IT

[Electric Leyland]

If you can get some snaps of these french birds draped over your simca that would be great! DO IT

 

That is a challenge I am going to take you up on!

[trigger]

I am sooo Jealous, Really, I wish i had friends who where into shite cars and adventures, their kind of adventure is what kebab shop to use after a night out on the sauce.

[HillmanImp]

I am sooo Jealous, Really, I wish i had friends who where into shite cars and adventures

 

Tell you what come up to Leeds and figure out why the DAF wont start? Photograph 6 Sierras a golf and a Datsun Cherry on the way up, put some WD40 in the dizzie and go home.

 

Alternatively, i could just put some WD40 in the dizzie and you could stay there. Up to you?

[trigger]

Sounds exciting, i can't wait!

[Mr H Sceptre]

Cheers for the words of encouragement chaps. This will be epic.

 

 

LIVING THE DREAM.

[scruff]

Great stuff, enjoy your EUROSHITEING adventure!!

[Mr H Sceptre]

Well, everything is in place now (insurance, breakdown cover, flights etc etc), so off down to m'colleague Mr Leyland's flat in London this evening, ready to fly from Stanstead in the morning.

 

Really excited about this whole adventure. Living the Autoshite dream!

 

We'll obviously give you all a complete picture heavy rund-down of the whole trip when we get back (Sunday night).

 

 

Thanks to you all for your advice getting bits & bobs sorted, its made life a lot easier!

[Mr Lobster]

Brilliant!

 

Loving your work, should be a great trip. Enjoy!

[doug]

Any update? Or have I missed it?

[pogweasel]

I have just seen some pics of simca goodness on facialbook.HOT!

[barrett]

Yep, it looks amazing. I'm jonesing for an update with the full story!

[Luxobarges_Are_Us]

Things look GR9 for the 605 (may do another thread on it), and I'm probably going to have a look on Wednesday.

 

Can any of you France-experienced shitists tell me about the insurance when importing something under its own steam (not the most appropriate word, but it's not a K-series or anything)? Do you get a UK insurer to cover it under the VIN/French plate, do you have to do some temporary cover with a French insurer, is there vehicle-based insurance you take over from the seller or what?

 

Also, on a more practical level, is the new Carte Gris posted to you? Can the system send it to an address outside FR?

[Mr H Sceptre]

Things look GR9 for the 605 (may do another thread on it), and I'm probably going to have a look on Wednesday.

 

Can any of you France-experienced shitists tell me about the insurance when importing something under its own steam (not the most appropriate word, but it's not a K-series or anything)? Do you get a UK insurer to cover it under the VIN/French plate, do you have to do some temporary cover with a French insurer, is there vehicle-based insurance you take over from the seller or what?

 

Also, on a more practical level, is the new Carte Gris posted to you? Can the system send it to an address outside FR?

 

I used Footman James to insure the Simca. They insure it on the chassis number on a temporary basis (cover note), & you can then either amend the exisitng insurance once you've got it registered in the UK or shop around & get your insurance elsewhere.

 

Not sure about the Carte Gris issue. My car had an existing Carte Gris which the seller gave to me, but it is worth the square root of bugger all back in Blighty. Once you get the car back here it will need MOT'ing - again, this can be done on the chassis number as opposed to the registration plate.

 

Back to the insurance - make sure that the policy you take out covers continental breakdown (Footman James did), as when I tried to take out cover with the AA they wouldn't cover a French registered car abroad (though, for reference, once back home if you take out AA cover specific to you (ie to drive any car) then a foreign registered car is covered).

 

Hope this helps.

[Luxobarges_Are_Us]

Cheers for that, Mr Sceptre! Most helpful.

 

As far as I understand things, the Carte Gris has nothing to do with the MOT (that'd be the CT, no?)- it's the registration document that proves ownership of the car. Didn't the DVLA ask to see the full Carte when you went to them to get a GB reg for the car?

 

As for the breakdown cover, I'm thinking I'll chance it. I mean, according to viamichelin, it's only 71 miles from Comines to Calais...If it breaks down sooner than that, I'll probably set the bloody thing on fire and walk to the port.

[Mr H Sceptre]

Cheers for that, Mr Sceptre! Most helpful.

 

As far as I understand things, the Carte Gris has nothing to do with the MOT (that'd be the CT, no?)- it's the registration document that proves ownership of the car. Didn't the DVLA ask to see the full Carte when you went to them to get a GB reg for the car?

 

As for the breakdown cover, I'm thinking I'll chance it. I mean, according to viamichelin, it's only 71 miles from Comines to Calais...If it breaks down sooner than that, I'll probably set the bloody thing on fire and walk to the port.

 

 

Ooops, sorry, geeting my Carte Gris & CT mixed up!!

 

If I remember rightly, when I bought the car, I filled in a change of ownership section on the Carte Gris. There were 3 copies of this, one for me, one for the seller & one that the seller posted to the French equivalent of the DVLA. All copies were signed by both me & the seller & should suffice if the DVLA want proof of ownership.

[theorganist]

Didn't the DVLA ask to see the full Carte when you went to them to get a GB reg for the car?

 

They asked to see it when I registered the Renault 14, I think it is a requirement, although I am sure there is a way around it. I know some DVLA offices are different, Worcester are very helpful, Birmingham are not so helpful from my bosses experience of registering strange vehicles!!

 

As for the breakdown cover, I'm thinking I'll chance it. I mean, according to viamichelin, it's only 71 miles from Comines to Calais...If it breaks down sooner than that, I'll probably set the bloody thing on fire and walk to the port.

 

I insured mine with FJ, must admit I did not realise it came with Eurobreakdown cover. I too tried the AA as Mr Sceptre says they will only cover UK registered car abroad. IIRC the guy I bought the car from tried (and failed) to get me some temporary cover at his end.

[Luxobarges_Are_Us]

Didn't the DVLA ask to see the full Carte when you went to them to get a GB reg for the car?

 

They asked to see it when I registered the Renault 14, I think it is a requirement, although I am sure there is a way around it. I know some DVLA offices are different, Worcester are very helpful, Birmingham are not so helpful from my bosses experience of registering strange vehicles!!

 

Did you show them the handwritten copy of the "change of ownership" thing, or did you have to get the seller post you the new document that had been officially displaying your name?

[Mr_Bo11ox]

the thing thats in triplicate is a 'certificat de cession', its basically a doc that buyer and seller sign to show who is giving up responsibity for the car, who is taking responsibiltiy, when that happens, and both parties sign/date it.

 

Luxo, when you buy the 605 the seller will hand you the complete Carte Grise, though with a line drawn across it to render it no longer valid in his name. You need to take that to DVLA, and the certificat de cession is worth having too but its not 100% legally required in the UK, that doc is part of the french admin system.

[theorganist]

WHS

 

I had the complete CG, I would have liked it back from the DVLA (to keep for historical reasons) as it was the original from 1980 but the DVLA said that was not possible. He sent me the 'Certificate de Cessation' for me to sign and return to him. But I did not need it at this end.