Rups14

My car is seven years old and out of production, in which case i will have to pre-order replacement parts. It's more a question of timing and preparation.

Creuser69

I have registered 2 RHD cars in France, its a doddle to do.

Search the internet for LHD headlights.

The CofC is the worst part.

I wont drive LHD, I dont find any issues other than overtaking behind large vehicles.

Happy to talk you through it.

Regards

Im_and_Er

If the car is not a European spec. model you could face virtually insurmountable problems in getting it registered in France.

You could for instance be obliged to change all the glass and the lights, the seat belts, and quite possibly have to transport it to Paris for specialist tests such as noise and bizarre items like like the angle of view from the rear view mirrors !

It's all about 'e' marks on safety components and if they are not present then the car will be rejected by the French system. Is it really is worth the aggro for a 7 year old car ?

Not wishing to be crass but on another thread you have stated that you have resources in excess of €1.2m and give that IMO you would be mad to waste time on such a potentially frustrating, time consuming, and qiute possibly fruitless endeavour, especially when you will have 1001 other more pressing things to deal with in those early months.

Rups14

Im and Er

Your reply is precisely why I asked the question. I have no idea what specs are required for cars in Europe.

The car is old but less than 20,000km clocked up and in perfect condition. For complicated reason I can't sell the car in Malaysia, as such it seems wasteful to just walk away from it.

But many thanks for the heads up on the complications involved.

Novocastrian

Perhaps if you posted exactly what the origin of the car is and its model, its year (2005?) etc the intrepid googlers on here could see if it meets Euro specs?

Rups14

Novocastrian,

The car is Lexus ES300, made in Japan, 2002 model.
2995 SP (this is malaysian registration, i guess SP means horse power or whatever)
Bought new from Lexus showroom in Brunei in 2006.
Approx 15,000 km on the clock.

I'll be amazed and delighted if anyone would take the time to look this up for me, my French doesn't run to that level, neither does my knowledge of cars.

Im_and_Er

Not 100% conclusive but the ES300 is not even listed on this site which means it was never officially sold in France and that fact alone immediately rings all the alarm bells !

The principal document you would need to register it in France is a European certificate of conformity so you might ask Lexus if they can supply that for the car, if as I strongly suspect, the answer is 'no' then all the factors I mentioned previously come into play.

You could also enter the VIN number here and see what it comes back with.

Rups14

Im and Er

Thanks for the info. Maybe the car wasn't on the website you showed because ES300 no longer produced.

Am currently working on what is a VIN number and how to find it.

Will also try contacting Lexus tomorrow.

Again, thanks.

Im_and_Er

It's a site for secondhand cars and if you look at the GS model for example it lists them back to 2001 !

The VIN number should be on the top of the dashboard readable through the windscreen.

As a matter of interest I checked out the secondhand prices for the ES300 in UK (much generally easier to register grey imports there) and it's around £8000, perhaps a bit more because of the very low mileage.

Another aspect I haven't mentioned is insurance. Most French insurers tend to work from a standard database of cars homologated in France and if they cannot find your exact model then they will probably shrug and decline to insure it. The fact that it's not on the lacentrale.fr site suggests that this could well be the case.

Finally there is servicing and spares to consider. Since it's not a European model spare parts will have to be ordered in from the far east as required meaning that it could possibly be off the road for weeks waiting for even simple items.

All in all it makes absolutely no sense at all.

Rups14

Im and Er,

I think i agree it doesn't make sense to bring this car. Just out of interest and since you took the trouble, I will look up the VIN and post it on that website.

Thanks for so much valuable information.

bigglesworth

Rups, seems you are probably as knowledgeable about cars as I.
It was some years before anyone explained to me that VIN is simply an abbreviation for Vehicle Identification Number. Hope that helps a little.

Novocastrian

This is my first attempt at posting the Least Helpful Post of 2013, but that Lexus was sold in Canada and would probably fetch ~C$11k today.

Rups14

Very strange about the VIN.

I can find it straight away on my mother's German import car ( don't ask, I know, she's 90 but an independent one).

But I've looked and looked on the Lexus and can't find it.

I guess I'll have to get a man to look for it.

I was driving the Lexus this afternoon and it's by far the nicest, quietest, powerful and smooth ride I've ever had. So sorry to just walk away (can't sell it here).

Im_and_Er

Apparently Toyota (= Lexus) are notorious for hiding the VIN number but if all else fails it must be on the registration document.

Another potential minus point for France as I'm pretty sure that EU vehicles are supposed to have the VIN on the dash as I described and as per the VW.

Off topic slightly but why can't you sell it there ?

Not to you of course but technically if it's unsaleable then it's effective value is nil so I can understand your wish to bring it with you if at all possible

Domino

VIN being individual to each car should also be found in the log book

most cars have the VIN visible thru the windscreen but have seen some with it stamped into the floor by the drivers seat under a little lift up flap of carpet.

hth