Andrea50

Morning everyone

It now looks like we will be going over to France around 1st August to look at properties to buy. My English friends in Gourdon have said it might be wise to take my current (Renault Clio) car over there as French second hand cars are expensive to buy.

I have a question:

Its MOT runs out 25 September 2008. We are unlikely to be bringing it back to England at all, so do I need to get the English MOT renewed HERE before I take it over there, or, when the English MOT runs out in September, would I take it to a French garage for them to do a Controle Technique?

Thanks for any advice.

Andy

stanage2

[QUOTE=Andrea50;6568943]Morning everyone

It now looks like we will be going over to France around 1st August to look at properties to buy. My English friends in Gourdon have said it might be wise to take my current (Renault Clio) car over there as French second hand cars are expensive to buy.

I have a question:

Its MOT runs out 25 September 2008. We are unlikely to be bringing it back to England at all, so do I need to get the English MOT renewed HERE before I take it over there, or, when the English MOT runs out in September, would I take it to a French gahttp://britishexpats.com/forum/images/icons/icon12.gifrage for them to do a Controle Technique?

Thanks for any advice.


I would take it for a Controle Technique as you will have to get French plates,to stay right side of French law.

Good luck in your house hunting.

Andrea50

OK, I know I have to get it re-registered once we are resident in France, but for the first month or so, we will just be like "English visitors", so presume I do not have to have anything done to the car before we go?

Do we need anything done to it HERE before we take it over there, to comply with French law?

Andy

stanage2

I would check your Insurance cover,to see that they will cover you for all the time it is in France.

Andrea50

have spoken to Admiral my insurers, who say the car is covered for me and my partner to drive in France. Have also checked with AA for a quote for one month's breakdown cover. Just don't know if I have to have any adaptations to car done before we land at Roscoff, and what happens if the MOT runs out whilst we are still over there.

Andy

Collioure_Bee

You know you have to have all the stuff like warning triangle, spare lightbulbs etc? Don't forget the hi viz jacket.

The Mail was scaremongering about how the nasty French haven't spent a penny warning the British with adverts in the UK you'll need one of them.

It's a £100 instant fine for not carrying one. (figures supplied by the Daily Scaremonger so give or take a few quid on that!).

stanage2

How long do Admiral cover for?
If M O T.runs out.go to Controle Tec.in France.

Andrea50

Oh crumbs, what's a warning triangle look like? OK, probably triangular in shape, is there a list somewhere I can look up to find out what we need to have onboard to be within the French law? All I remember when we lived there before was it was illegal to be in the Pyrenees in winter without chains! I wonder if one goes into Halfords or somewhere they have a list?

Admiral will cover for 120 days.

Andy

Andrea50

Have thought of something else now. Even if I get the MOT renewed here, to run from 25th September 2008 to 25th September 2009, would that be accepted in France, or would we have to get the CT done immediately?

Sorry guys, panicking now, I can hear you thinking "women and cars DON'T mix and you would be RIGHT!!!

Andy

stanage2

Not to certain about that.But why have one done for a year.when you can get one done that lasts Two years.

Mitzyboy

The car is supposed to be legal in the country of registration, so if your MOT runs out .... well .... it isn't any more, so I suggest you get it MOT'd before you leave, thats what I did.

You need warning triangles, headlight deflectors (or new headlights) luminous jackets and a medical kit to start with.

Andrea50

Oh thanks, that sounds great. So, as we are likely to be over there with the car when the MOT runs out HERE on 25th September, I should get it done here before I go, then it covers me in France until the English MOT runs out the following September, then I get a Controle Technique done, is that right?

OK, off to look for luminous jackets and the other paraphanalia. halfords do a kit for about £30.00 but I didn't see luminous jackets included.

What about GB stickers? Do we need them? And my car tax will run out whilst we are over there too. Don't need to renew that do I?

A

Andrea50

Right, have spoken to my friendly mechanic who is going to do the MOT on 28th July, AND he said if I buy the headlight adjustment kit at Halfords and take it down with the car, he will adjust the headlights ready for me.

He also said I could renew the car tax on-line from France, anyone ever done that and is it easy enough? Got a bank card etc, but would I need any forms or anything?

Sorry, being a real pain today.

treskillard

You can get away with your UK car here for a while but you can't do a French MOT unless you actually change the headlight units for real - the kit won't get through.

Jazzy n Lol

You can buy a kit with a triangle and snazzy orange flourescent vest for about 8E in any of the car shops here. If you can find one near to the port I would wait and get a kit there, much cheaper and you know it will be the right type. Just do NOT breakdown between the port and the motoring shop!!!


Here is a link to Norauto- http://www.norauto.fr/Acheter/Outill.../00230380.html

This is for a luxury breakdown kit, which gives you some idea, plus you can see if they have a branch on your route.