Importing US SL500 (R129) to France

[velocitas]

PH collective, I need your help.

Purchased a very nice 2001 SL500 on ebay a few weeks back. In a drunken state, I spotted a bargain and thought it would be the perfect 'South of France' cruiser - I blame Harry Metcalf's videos. I live have residency in the US, Irish Passport and own an apartment in Nice. I offer that info, as I'm looking for the most cost effective way to bring this car to France.

The typical web info is on importing the car if you're moving residency, wherein you'd dodge the import taxes as a one off. As I'm not moving my residency, I'm liable for 20% Customs and 10% VAT. Some immediate questions, 1) are those percentages of the French market value or the US bill of sale? 2) what modifications are required to convert a US spec Mercedes to French markets specifications - headlights are a start but how far could they take this?

I also have the option of importing it to Ireland, where they may be less stringent on US spec modifications as seems to be the case with US spec cars I see for sale in Germany, Netherlands etc. but as the end goal is to garage this car in France I'm probably only be postponing the inevitable.

Grateful to hear from other folks who may have prior experience in this regard. A bottle of the very best table wine awaits you in Nice

[WyrleyD]

My old hairdresser who was from Ireland and lived in the Haute-Vienne never bothered to re-register his cars in France and just left them on Irish plates for the whole 10 years that he lived here, I've no idea what he did about insurance etc. One of the cars was a "classic" MGB and the other a bog standard Freelander, the Freelander was sold to a local and the MGB went back to Ireland with him when he sold up and left.

[velocitas]

Thanks WyrleyD. I suspect that your hairdresser might not have been entirely in the right if he'd an accident and almost definitely not road legal as all Irish registered cars would need to return to the homeland for the annual inspection (NCT). I had contemplated this avenue but aside from Irish insurance (6 months limit abroad) there's only so many days holidays in the year to be wasting them ferrying an old Merc between Ireland and France.

I also exchanged a few messages with Glynn (Vintage Racer) who imported his 2001 SL320 from the UK to FR and while the process in undoubtedly French (slow & bureaucratic) it still might be financially worthwhile given the difference in market values.

I think this will be a case of ship it and see. In the worst possible outcome, I'll be selling an extremely cheap SL500 with no registration to the first person outside the port with a handful of cash.

[leyorkie]

I don’t think you can answer this until the car arrives here and has a CT check, that’s step one. I don’t think that would cause any problems unless it fails, assume emissions and lights are acceptable, It’s a European car at heart so should comply with EU standards, thinking of brake lights that flash for indicators as found in US etc. You can check all the lights as they should have EU markings and seat belts have a type approval (more a problem with Japanese domestic cars)
After that you are at the mercy of French bureaucracy, the type approval number is what’s important, but things changed recently and it is all done on line now, before you could visit the Marie and discuss things, I think it’s a “ computer says no “ system now.
If you could find a Merc specialist garage they could help you but they don’t normally welcome a challenge.
Registration in Ireland would be a good route as if a car has been registered in another EU country then it has to be accepted, subject to type approval ( low volume or kit cars not type approved are the exceptions)

Good luck

[velocitas]

leyorkie said:

I don’t think you can answer this until the car arrives here and has a CT check, that’s step one. I don’t think that would cause any problems unless it fails, assume emissions and lights are acceptable, It’s a European car at heart so should comply with EU standards, thinking of brake lights that flash for indicators as found in US etc. You can check all the lights as they should have EU markings and seat belts have a type approval (more a problem with Japanese domestic cars)
After that you are at the mercy of French bureaucracy, the type approval number is what’s important, but things changed recently and it is all done on line now, before you could visit the Marie and discuss things, I think it’s a “ computer says no “ system now.
If you could find a Merc specialist garage they could help you but they don’t normally welcome a challenge.
Registration in Ireland would be a good route as if a car has been registered in another EU country then it has to be accepted, subject to type approval ( low volume or kit cars not type approved are the exceptions)

Good luck

I've applied for the Certificate of Conformity from Mercedes (7 day turnaround) which apparently will drive a lot of the changes needed to make my US car the same as the French spec. If it's only a handful of changes like lights, I'll put it on the boat and see. If there's a ton of market specific emissions etc. then I'll just put it back on eBay.

[elster]

A little bit late to the post, but I saw it. I know a guy who imports US cars and he says it is quite simple. The malus tax will apply and will need fog light/head light conversion.

If it is a US import will probably need to go through DREAL, but maybe not. Cost normally 1-2,000.

If you have managed to get a certificate of conformity then it negates the need of the DREAL so it is very easy to do it through the ANTS website.