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Buying a car in France question....

Buying a car in France question....

Old Dec 28th 2011, 9:27 pm
  #1  
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Default Buying a car in France question....

Hi all,

As many of you may know, we will be retiring to our house in Normandy in a very few years. If all goes to plan we hope to spend quite a while there before then, (I have a sabbatical coming up ), so... I think we should buy a car next July.

I've been browsing around on leboncoin and have a question: several dealers state "TVA recuperable" in reference to certain vehicles, but I've no idea of the implications / rules etc surrounding this.

Any illuminating advice welcome.

Merci en avance.

Novo.
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Old Dec 29th 2011, 6:51 am
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Default Re: Buying a car in France question....

Originally Posted by Novocastrian
state "TVA recuperable" in reference to certain vehicles, but I've no idea of the implications / rules etc surrounding this.

Any illuminating advice welcome.

Merci en avance.

Novo.
Hi, good to hear that you'll soon be back in France!
I would guess that this only applies to company cars/vehicles.
I couldn't justify having a company car, but all my company expenses (and some private ones) ended up Hors Taxe since the TVA was "recovered". I left all this to my Expert-Comptable and can't explain how!

But there may be other explanations that car-oriented people out there know about....
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Old Dec 29th 2011, 2:30 pm
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Default Re: Buying a car in France question....

Originally Posted by dmu
Hi, good to hear that you'll soon be back in France!
I would guess that this only applies to company cars/vehicles.
I couldn't justify having a company car, but all my company expenses (and some private ones) ended up Hors Taxe since the TVA was "recovered". I left all this to my Expert-Comptable and can't explain how!

But there may be other explanations that car-oriented people out there know about....
Hi dmu and thanks. Maybe that's it but I'd also like to hear from others on this.
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Old Dec 29th 2011, 3:39 pm
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Default Re: Buying a car in France question....

Originally Posted by dmu
Hi, good to hear that you'll soon be back in France!
I would guess that this only applies to company cars/vehicles.
I couldn't justify having a company car, but all my company expenses (and some private ones) ended up Hors Taxe since the TVA was "recovered". I left all this to my Expert-Comptable and can't explain how!

But there may be other explanations that car-oriented people out there know about....
I thought some of the low/first band emissions cars are "TVA recuperable" good rebates on Le Gaz Naturel Véhicule (GNV) cars etc. Sewing machines with wheels
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Old Dec 29th 2011, 3:47 pm
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Default Re: Buying a car in France question....

Originally Posted by Ka Ora!
I thought some of the low/first band emissions cars are "TVA recuperable" good rebates on Le Gaz Naturel Véhicule (GNV) cars etc. Sewing machines with wheels
Aha! that's likely it. Because we have a very (and I mean very) small garage, I'm looking in the sub-compact range. Several of the cars labelled TVA recuperable were things like a Clio Campus diesel.

BTW any recommendations in this class?
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Old Dec 29th 2011, 5:55 pm
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Default Re: Buying a car in France question....

Originally Posted by Novocastrian
Aha! that's likely it. Because we have a very (and I mean very) small garage, I'm looking in the sub-compact range. Several of the cars labelled TVA recuperable were things like a Clio Campus diesel.

BTW any recommendations in this class?
We have one of those which we got as an ex rental "Hertz" with Renault guarantee. Will be up for it`s first ct next august. Another than the known fault it picked up with the air con it`s been fine. Owning a Laguna 2 as well all I can say is don't touch any Renault car that uses a over complicated engine management system. Because they have to be one of the worst I have ever come across personally.
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Old Dec 29th 2011, 6:12 pm
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Default Re: Buying a car in France question....

Originally Posted by Ka Ora!
We have one of those which we got as an ex rental "Hertz" with Renault guarantee. Will be up for it`s first ct next august. Another than the known fault it picked up with the air con it`s been fine. Owning a Laguna 2 as well all I can say is don't touch any Renault car that uses a over complicated engine management system. Because they have to be one of the worst I have ever come across personally.
Thanks again. The browsing goes on. I think I need a 2008 or younger small diesel, manual tranny with less than about 80K on it. 5-door preferred.

Anyone else got an idea? Golf perhaps?
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Old Jan 6th 2012, 12:23 pm
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Default Re: Buying a car in France question....

Have a look at the Fiat 500. I have one and love it to pieces. I have had her from new and have never had a second of problem with it. The workmanship is first rate, and there are quite a lot of them around. They are perfect for French driving.
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Old Jan 6th 2012, 6:16 pm
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Default Re: Buying a car in France question....

Originally Posted by Novocastrian
Thanks again. The browsing goes on. I think I need a 2008 or younger small diesel, manual tranny with less than about 80K on it. 5-door preferred.

Anyone else got an idea? Golf perhaps?
You may wish to consider a Toyota Yaris diesel. Mme TweedP has one, 5 door, 50k klm from new - now 5 years old, never missed a beat. Will almost certainly buy the updated version next year. Plus it's made in Toyota's Valencienne, France facility which makes it a sought after vehicle here on the s/h market.
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Old Jan 6th 2012, 8:36 pm
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Default Re: Buying a car in France question....

Originally Posted by Tweedpipe
You may wish to consider a Toyota Yaris diesel. Mme TweedP has one, 5 door, 50k klm from new - now 5 years old, never missed a beat. Will almost certainly buy the updated version next year. Plus it's made in Toyota's Valencienne, France facility which makes it a sought after vehicle here on the s/h market.
Like Mme Tweed, Madame Castrian is on her second Yaris since 2005 (although the diesel is unavailable in Canada). She also loves it but I have to admit to liking it a bit less. I'm a lot taller and although the headroom is excellent for a small car, I find it a bit difficult to get into a comfortable driving position. I'm also not a great fan of the central instrument displays, but I fully agree it's remarkably reliable.

It's a thought though. I'll do a bit of digging on used prices. Thanks for the input.
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Old Jan 6th 2012, 8:42 pm
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Default Re: Buying a car in France question....

Originally Posted by MillieF
Have a look at the Fiat 500. I have one and love it to pieces. I have had her from new and have never had a second of problem with it. The workmanship is first rate, and there are quite a lot of them around. They are perfect for French driving.
Aha! I know these (they only went on sale here last year after Fiat merged with / took over Daimler-Chrysler). A friend who knows a lot about cars is also a big fan. Hmm.

Do you find it's up to comfortable long distance driving? Or is it better as a city car?
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Old Jan 6th 2012, 9:49 pm
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Default Re: Buying a car in France question....

Originally Posted by Novocastrian
Aha! I know these (they only went on sale here last year after Fiat merged with / took over Daimler-Chrysler). A friend who knows a lot about cars is also a big fan. Hmm.

Do you find it's up to comfortable long distance driving? Or is it better as a city car?
Few test reports:
http://www.edmunds.com/fiat/500/2012/road-test.html

http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/...rm-test-review

http://www.roadtestreports.co.uk/roa...orts/Fiat/500/

http://www.autobytel.com/fiat/500/re...at-500-104375/
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Old Jan 7th 2012, 7:14 pm
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Default Re: Buying a car in France question....

Thanks again TP; from what I can gather it only comes as a 2 dr, moreover the doors are exceptionally long front to back. I'm not sure there'd be enough width in our tiny garage to get in & out of the thing.

Have you (or anyone else) experience of the Nissan Note? The 1.5l diesel 5 door mini-MPV seems interesting.
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Old Jan 9th 2012, 9:02 pm
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Default Re: Buying a car in France question....

Since our return from TO we have been enjoying our Fiat Panda Diesel. We've had it for almost 2 years and 17000 miles. Great city car with admirable motorway cruising ability - just done a 3000 mile round trip from London to Venice. Excellent little compromise city/motorway vehicle. Have a read up on it www.honestjohn.co.uk, Autocar and by all means ask me some questions.
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Old Jan 9th 2012, 9:18 pm
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Default Re: Buying a car in France question....

Originally Posted by Rob4BC
Since our return from TO we have been enjoying our Fiat Panda Diesel. We've had it for almost 2 years and 17000 miles. Great city car with admirable motorway cruising ability - just done a 3000 mile round trip from London to Venice. Excellent little compromise city/motorway vehicle. Have a read up on it www.honestjohn.co.uk, Autocar and by all means ask me some questions.
Thanks for the tip Rob. So you and your partner never actually made it to BC?

I hope you're still happy together and wish you luck in blighty.

That car looks interesting, very comparable to the Note I asked about.

I'll check it out and its costs (buying & servicing) in France.

Thanks again.
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