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[w3526602]

Hi.

Controle Tecnhique (French MOT) ? I thought the French had a similar MOT Age Exemption to UK (I could be wrong, it's been a few years since we sold our "Ruin in France. Small profit).

I believe you will need a km/hour speedo, but I assume that a bi-lingual S3 speedo will suffice. ?

French trailers have their own registration plates. Memory is vague about VED, insurance and testing.

RH Dip headlamps? I pondered on having both radiator and wing mounted headlamps, with a change over switch, so I could choose which side of the road I wanted to drive on.  My experience was that the truckers hurrying South from the ferry in the wee hours did not like centre headlamps, and would hit you with their array of roof mounted "night suns".  I have no idea how many HGVs they can squeeze onto a ferry, but it's "lots", and none of them are friendly.

I also pondered on fitting a pair of "Lotus 7 replica",  head lamps, with right dipping facility, in front of the wings, in addition to the rad mounted lamps, and a change-over switch. As all fitted lamps must work, it may have been necessary to fit the temporarilly "unwanted" lamps with hoods.

I believe that any vehicle spending more than 180 days, in a year, in France, must comply with French Laws. Headlamp masks will not comply with Controle Technique requirements.

Alternatively, I think that you could fit a pair of plastic head lamp bowls (Vehicle Auto Electric Supplies), and carry a pair of LH or RH dip reflectors, and quickly swap them over at the ferry or rail terminals.  The French do not like sealed beams ... possibly because of the requirement to carry a full set of bulbs.

OT ... due to the difficulties of changing a blown side-lamp bulb on a modern car, I have read that Monsieur Plod will tell you to call out a garage ... and send the bill to the French manufacturer. I never had cause to test that.

We found it quicker, and cheaper, to drive from our place at "Le Deluge" (think Evran/Dinan), to Calais, and catch the train, than to catch a ferry from St Malo. Set off just before midnight, empty roads almost all the way (apart from the convoy of truckers heading South). Lovely! Arrive at the Terminal, book the dogs in, and have a cup of coffee before boarding the train. The only fly in the ointment was the M25 toll in the morning rush hour.

On one daytime return to UK, I stopped to water our two GSDs, leaving Barbara in our "hippy-ish" van conversion. I returned to find her being interrogated by two strapping (one of each gender) Customs officers, each carrying a huge side-arm, and riding big motorcycles. We had difficulty explaining why we hadn't taken the St.Malo ferry.  Eight hours on a ferry eventually becomes boring ... unless you can afford to travel in style, or as part of a group.

We eventually sold our now habitable "ruin" at a small profit. An enjoyable experience, but .......  living for a couple of months at a time, in a remote hamlet, where nobody spoke English (though Barbara has A-level French ... and passed A-level Welsh at O-level) had lost it's charm.

A French girl with a Series 2 (bought in UK) lived in the next village. And we got on well with a neighbour who drove a Renault 4 (jelly mould, pre-Dauphine). A local supermarket had a corner dedicated to English tastes, including Marmite. We listened to BBC Radio Jersey. A local restarant was run by a retired Jersey bank manager ... she introduced me to moules, which I enjoyed, but I wouldn't want to eat them in public again.

602

Ruin? we had to install water, electricity, and a fosse septique, which meant living in a 12ft caravan, with two German Shepherds, a chemical toilet, and a petrol generator, buy bottled water. I swapped the Land Rover and caravan batteries over every day ... one running the Land Rover, the other providing, lights, chemical toilet flush, and entertaiment.

[Bonnet-rouge]

602---- no age related controle technique here , ordinary cars every two years after there four years old , voiture de collection every five years..

[Wittsend]

We live in a fast moving world.

Rules and regulations change all the time, you/we need to keep up with what's current.

Brexit no doubt has throw a spanner in the works.

I might be wrong, but when I last looked into it - you couldn't register a RHD vehicle in Spain, whilst you can in Portugal.
I seems (to me) that each country has their own set of rules). For instance I could emigrate to Italy and take up residence on Mrs Wittsend Irish passport, Whereas in Spain my GB passport makes residency harder.

To reiterate:
If exporting a classic vehicle to France (or any other European country) you need to meet the current regs, which is why you are asking for help.


 

[Gosney83]

I don't know how plentiful series 2/2a land rovers are in France, but it may be easier to buy a vehicle already registered there. Its another option to consider.

All the best Gary

[rivarama]

This is how i did it , i used https://www.cartegrise-cafe.com they do all the administration work but first you will need all the necessary paperwork a visit to local centre des finances publques for a certificate D'acquistion (quitus fiscal) for that you'll need V5 and a reciept for car a hand written one will do , if your english m.o.t is more than six months that wii be accepted if less then a control technic is required . For the letter of conformity email  [email protected] that took about a month to arrive and around 200 euro's . You will need proof of address and copy of passport , that will get you normal registration if you want (voiture de collection) then contact FFVE on five.org for a certificate d'immatriculation vehicle de collection for that you'll need photos of car front back inside and one with the engine number that took about three weeks to arrive and around 60 euro's the cartegris cafe was around 220 euro's then there was the tax same as road tax but you only pay that once i paid around 150 euro's depends what engine you have , once you have all paperwork as i said i used cartegrise cafe but you can find others that do as well . once i dropped off all paperwork it was around five weeks to get registration .. Good luck.

Amazing !! Thank you so much !

[rivarama]

Hi.

Controle Tecnhique (French MOT) ? I thought the French had a similar MOT Age Exemption to UK (I could be wrong, it's been a few years since we sold our "Ruin in France. Small profit).

I believe you will need a km/hour speedo, but I assume that a bi-lingual S3 speedo will suffice. ?

French trailers have their own registration plates. Memory is vague about VED, insurance and testing.

RH Dip headlamps? I pondered on having both radiator and wing mounted headlamps, with a change over switch, so I could choose which side of the road I wanted to drive on.  My experience was that the truckers hurrying South from the ferry in the wee hours did not like centre headlamps, and would hit you with their array of roof mounted "night suns".  I have no idea how many HGVs they can squeeze onto a ferry, but it's "lots", and none of them are friendly.

I also pondered on fitting a pair of "Lotus 7 replica",  head lamps, with right dipping facility, in front of the wings, in addition to the rad mounted lamps, and a change-over switch. As all fitted lamps must work, it may have been necessary to fit the temporarilly "unwanted" lamps with hoods.

I believe that any vehicle spending more than 180 days, in a year, in France, must comply with French Laws. Headlamp masks will not comply with Controle Technique requirements.

Alternatively, I think that you could fit a pair of plastic head lamp bowls (Vehicle Auto Electric Supplies), and carry a pair of LH or RH dip reflectors, and quickly swap them over at the ferry or rail terminals.  The French do not like sealed beams ... possibly because of the requirement to carry a full set of bulbs.

OT ... due to the difficulties of changing a blown side-lamp bulb on a modern car, I have read that Monsieur Plod will tell you to call out a garage ... and send the bill to the French manufacturer. I never had cause to test that.

We found it quicker, and cheaper, to drive from our place at "Le Deluge" (think Evran/Dinan), to Calais, and catch the train, than to catch a ferry from St Malo. Set off just before midnight, empty roads almost all the way (apart from the convoy of truckers heading South). Lovely! Arrive at the Terminal, book the dogs in, and have a cup of coffee before boarding the train. The only fly in the ointment was the M25 toll in the morning rush hour.

On one daytime return to UK, I stopped to water our two GSDs, leaving Barbara in our "hippy-ish" van conversion. I returned to find her being interrogated by two strapping (one of each gender) Customs officers, each carrying a huge side-arm, and riding big motorcycles. We had difficulty explaining why we hadn't taken the St.Malo ferry.  Eight hours on a ferry eventually becomes boring ... unless you can afford to travel in style, or as part of a group.

We eventually sold our now habitable "ruin" at a small profit. An enjoyable experience, but .......  living for a couple of months at a time, in a remote hamlet, where nobody spoke English (though Barbara has A-level French ... and passed A-level Welsh at O-level) had lost it's charm.

A French girl with a Series 2 (bought in UK) lived in the next village. And we got on well with a neighbour who drove a Renault 4 (jelly mould, pre-Dauphine). A local supermarket had a corner dedicated to English tastes, including Marmite. We listened to BBC Radio Jersey. A local restarant was run by a retired Jersey bank manager ... she introduced me to moules, which I enjoyed, but I wouldn't want to eat them in public again.

602

Ruin? we had to install water, electricity, and a fosse septique, which meant living in a 12ft caravan, with two German Shepherds, a chemical toilet, and a petrol generator, buy bottled water. I swapped the Land Rover and caravan batteries over every day ... one running the Land Rover, the other providing, lights, chemical toilet flush, and entertaiment.

I spoke to my local FFVE chapter and no modifications will be required (gauges, lights etc..) if I register the car through them as a classic.
The “control technique” will only be needed every 5years.
Only vehicles registered pre 1/1/1960 are exempt on control technique.