Best way to import our car
Discussion
Hi all,
Wondering if the Pistonheads collective can help me with a little problem.
We recently moved to France and still have our car reg'd in Switzerland. It is a 2008 Jetta (nothing exciting yawn).
We are expecting a baby in February and my girlfriend wants to keep the car if possible because she likes it. My thoughts are that it may be easier and cheaper to simply sell the car in Switzerland, and buy another car in France. My reason for this is that there will be some hassle with exporting the car from CH and importing it to France. I haven't bought a car in France before and was wondering if it is easy or whether it takes ages to get the plates. We can't do without a car really.
Either way, within a month or two we need to have the/a car on French plates unless we want to risk getting into trouble.
Has anyone done this? How long does it take to import a car? What's it likely to cost me? (Value of the car is approx €12000) Anything else to bear in mind?
Thanks!
Wondering if the Pistonheads collective can help me with a little problem.
We recently moved to France and still have our car reg'd in Switzerland. It is a 2008 Jetta (nothing exciting yawn).
We are expecting a baby in February and my girlfriend wants to keep the car if possible because she likes it. My thoughts are that it may be easier and cheaper to simply sell the car in Switzerland, and buy another car in France. My reason for this is that there will be some hassle with exporting the car from CH and importing it to France. I haven't bought a car in France before and was wondering if it is easy or whether it takes ages to get the plates. We can't do without a car really.
Either way, within a month or two we need to have the/a car on French plates unless we want to risk getting into trouble.
Has anyone done this? How long does it take to import a car? What's it likely to cost me? (Value of the car is approx €12000) Anything else to bear in mind?
Thanks!
It's been a while since I did the same thing (about 7 years) so the details are a bit sketchy - maybe someone who has done it more recently will add/correct my info.
As I recall, when I registered by UK plated car in France, I went to the Hotel des Impôts with the paperwork for the car, with receipt of purchase showing the tax had been paid, and the registration documents. I think they then issued me with a piece of paper (probably 10, as it's France
) to take to the Prefecture who, on payment of a fee, issued me with a new French registration document. They kept the old UK one. Went to a garage to get new plates done and riveted on and that was it.
All fairly simple if you don't mind queuing - take a book.
As I recall, when I registered by UK plated car in France, I went to the Hotel des Impôts with the paperwork for the car, with receipt of purchase showing the tax had been paid, and the registration documents. I think they then issued me with a piece of paper (probably 10, as it's France
) to take to the Prefecture who, on payment of a fee, issued me with a new French registration document. They kept the old UK one. Went to a garage to get new plates done and riveted on and that was it.All fairly simple if you don't mind queuing - take a book.
I did it 2 years ago with a UK registered MX5. The description above worked for me, but the order was -
1 Get a certificat de conformite from the manufacturer (I got one from Mazda France at a cost of €131, but it is up to the company how much they charge).
2 Do the Control Technique - usual charges. I convinced my local centre to do it before I had the certificat de conformite, but supposedly they should insist on this.
3 Go to the Centre des Impots (no queue, nice people in my town) with the paperwork. I managed to get the garage in the UK that sold me the car to sign the French forms that you use to sell a car, so I don't know if they'd insist on a certified translation if not in French - no fee;
4 Spend over 3 hours in various queues at the Prefecture with all the above paperwork to get it registered and pay a fee - I think it was around €300.
It took time, but the French officials that I dealt with were fine.
1 Get a certificat de conformite from the manufacturer (I got one from Mazda France at a cost of €131, but it is up to the company how much they charge).
2 Do the Control Technique - usual charges. I convinced my local centre to do it before I had the certificat de conformite, but supposedly they should insist on this.
3 Go to the Centre des Impots (no queue, nice people in my town) with the paperwork. I managed to get the garage in the UK that sold me the car to sign the French forms that you use to sell a car, so I don't know if they'd insist on a certified translation if not in French - no fee;
4 Spend over 3 hours in various queues at the Prefecture with all the above paperwork to get it registered and pay a fee - I think it was around €300.
It took time, but the French officials that I dealt with were fine.
I had real problems finding a reasonable quote the first year. For a garaged car, living in a reasonable Parisian banlieu it cost €800 for third party (not including fire and theft). Despite being in my 40's with a clean driving licence, as I didn't have an insurance history in France, they seemed to treat me as a new driver. I had a company car in the UK and then nothing for a few years in France.
I went with Euroassurance the first year then swapped to Direct Assurance this year as they were nearly half the price. Since then noticed that L'olivier (who appear to be a subsidiary of the UK's Admiral) have entered the market and appear competitive.
I went with Euroassurance the first year then swapped to Direct Assurance this year as they were nearly half the price. Since then noticed that L'olivier (who appear to be a subsidiary of the UK's Admiral) have entered the market and appear competitive.
Dug out my old Bookmark to the French Government webpage
http://www.ants.interieur.gouv.fr/ants/Pieces-a-fo...
I suspect that Switzerland isn't that difficult, as when I was looking at MX5 prices in France, quite a few dealers seemed to be selling cars first registered there.
http://www.ants.interieur.gouv.fr/ants/Pieces-a-fo...
I suspect that Switzerland isn't that difficult, as when I was looking at MX5 prices in France, quite a few dealers seemed to be selling cars first registered there.
Yes that's what I did. Had a long chat with the guys doing the Contol Technique (MOT) who thought that it wasn't safe and shouldn't be allowed to register a RHD drive car here - till I pointed out that they may have to ban all the British tourists bringing their own cars and that as I've spent most of my driving history in RHD cars, I'm probably safer in an accident where you act on impulse than in a LHD car.
Peage's on the autoroute are a pain though.
Peage's on the autoroute are a pain though.
You can use the transponder in whatever car you want, however frequently/infrequently as you need. The bill is deducted from your bank account automatically, and they send you a regular statement. Especially good for Le Mans time, or in busy summer traffic queues... 
One thing; do keep it out of sight in your car when not in use as they are nickable...
One thing; do keep it out of sight in your car when not in use as they are nickable...
You just subscribe for a transponder send off the cheque vacances (up to €150) - it's called Liber-T vacances at www.bipandgo.com
Seems also to be a good way to extend the life of cheques vacances as once loaded, it appears that there is no expiry date for your credit. No annual fee or running costs it appears if in credit.
Seems also to be a good way to extend the life of cheques vacances as once loaded, it appears that there is no expiry date for your credit. No annual fee or running costs it appears if in credit.
Thread update... We are going to buy something French and sell the Swiss car. It's a pain up the arse on every level because its not technically EU. The cost to change is far lower than cost to import and do all the paperwork, plus the French hate insuring non French origin cars.
Thanks for your helps!
Thanks for your helps!
Le Pop said:
You can use the transponder in whatever car you want, however frequently/infrequently as you need. The bill is deducted from your bank account automatically, and they send you a regular statement. Especially good for Le Mans time, or in busy summer traffic queues...
One thing; do keep it out of sight in your car when not in use as they are nickable...
In fact to save the agrro as we have 2 cars we use regularly with tolls we added another unit on the same acct, not a big charge to do at all and saves forgetting to transfer it from one car to the other depending on which we're in . .One thing; do keep it out of sight in your car when not in use as they are nickable...
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