a french car in the UK

floatindolphin · 26 Jun 2009 at 12:06

Hiya,

My brother moved to Nice for 3 years and bought a car while he was over there.

He's since moved back and has been told he needs to get the car converted to MPH and have the headlights altered. A garage has quoted £2000!? :eek:

Also something about import tax.

Sorry it's all a bit vague but does anyone have any info on what he needs to do to get his car legally over here?

(I think this has all come through trying to roadtax it over here)

mjt · 26 Jun 2009 at 12:07

does he want to officially import it and stick it on UK plates?
he'll need the EU Certificate of Conformity when he takes it to be registered

changing the clocks can't cost anywhere near as much, although my mate had a problem trying to get it done on a RR Sport. what car is it?
changing the headlights also can't cost very much either..

InvaderGIR · 26 Jun 2009 at 12:07

mjt said:
does he want to officially import it and stick it on UK plates?

If he wants to put tax on it, I'd say he does/should be.

DVLA - Import should be a good start.

MikeHunt79 · 26 Jun 2009 at 12:09

What car is it? If it's something old like a Pug 205 you can get new headlight clusters for around £40 each and a speedo could be had from the scrappy...

I don't know about import tax tho...

floatindolphin · 26 Jun 2009 at 12:09

it's a peugot 307

mjt · 26 Jun 2009 at 12:10

floatindolphin said:
it's a peugot 307

is it really worth the hassle?
once he's done all this, who's going to want to buy a LHD 307?
he should sell it in france and buy a better car

kaiowas · 26 Jun 2009 at 12:11

Unless it's something special it's probably much less hassle to just sell it in France and buy something over here.

GravyMonster · 26 Jun 2009 at 12:11

I thought it was just a screwdriver job to change the angle of the headlights?

floatindolphin · 26 Jun 2009 at 12:12

mjt said:
is it really worth the hassle?
once he's done all this, who's going to want to buy a LHD 307?
he should sell it in france and buy a better car

yeah, that's what I think but he bought it brand new over there for a silly price. Shoulda gone to CarCraft

floatindolphin · 26 Jun 2009 at 12:12

Spunkey said:
I thought it was just a screwdriver job to change the angle of the headlights?

Or can't you stick things on the lenses?

mjt · 26 Jun 2009 at 12:13

Spunkey said:
I thought it was just a screwdriver job to change the angle of the headlights?

depends on the car doesn't it?
on the E39, there was a switch your could flick and they'd point the other way..

on most cars i think you have to change the lamps. if it was a screwdriver job, people wouldn't bother with those little triangular stickers..

floatindolphin said:
yeah, that's what I think but he bought it brand new over there for a silly price. Shoulda gone to CarCraft

even so, he'll still get more for it if he sells it on the continent now than he ever will in the UK.

UK 2nd hand car prices are stupidly low. it really is a waste of money. insurance will be higher because it's LHD and LHD in the UK gets annoying when overtaking, and it can be dangerous on the motorway with blindspots, etc.
having overtaken buses in london with LHD, i can tell you it's not fun :/

Dogbreath · 26 Jun 2009 at 13:06

Spunkey said:
I thought it was just a screwdriver job to change the angle of the headlights?

You can change the alignment, but you can't normally change the direction in which the dip.

MikeHunt79 · 26 Jun 2009 at 13:08

I'd sell it, the euro is good compared to the pound now isn't it?

floatindolphin · 26 Jun 2009 at 13:28

MikeHunt79 said:
I'd sell it, the euro is good compared to the pound now isn't it?

true, I'll tell him to flog it

cheers for you help folks!

MikeHunt79 · 26 Jun 2009 at 13:31

floatindolphin said:
true, I'll tell him to flog it

cheers for you help folks!

tell him to buy something other than a 307 if he does sell it also!

floatindolphin · 29 Jun 2009 at 15:03

he's been quoted just under £800 now. Still seem a lot.

£70 to fit new headlights!

Malt_Vinegar · 29 Jun 2009 at 15:13

floatindolphin said:
he's been quoted just under £800 now. Still seem a lot.

£70 to fit new headlights!

He is paying money to essentially de-value his car in both its domestic and new markets.

Flog it in its orginal country, buy in UK with the money from the sale. Job done.

floatindolphin · 29 Jun 2009 at 15:15

I've just told him that. If he wanted to sell it back to "Ze French" then he'd have to reconvert it.

Malt_Vinegar · 29 Jun 2009 at 15:18

floatindolphin said:
I've just told him that. If he wanted to sell it back to "Ze French" then he'd have to reconvert it.

Good

Now make sure he does it, or rip him to shreds forever if he does not.

It's your OCUK motors duty!!

floatindolphin · 29 Jun 2009 at 17:14

he's saying he's only just finished paying for it and won't sell it............tit!