IMPORTING CAR FROM FRANCE.Anyone done this?

[van ordinaire]

Then how do people with vehicles that had no UK/US export models, pre decimal Oz/SA stuff, etc manage?

I suppose the simple answer is - disconnect the speedo for the MoT!

[CitroJim]

Strictly, you should ahve the speedo recalibrated to MPH...

There are specialists who can do this... Or do it yourself with tippex and Letraset!

[Stickyfinger]

Strictly, you should ahve the speedo recalibrated to MPH...

There are specialists who can do this... Or do it yourself with tippex and Letraset!

The regs say you cannot use stickers now ....anyway, yours will be better cus its a Veggie one

[CitroJim]

anyway, yours will be better cus its a Veggie one

No, it came out of my V6 Donor so a good petrol one

[Ocellia]

As ever....you DON'T need to have an mph speedo, I was told when importing a van from Japan, BUT you DO to import it!
So....you don't recalibrate the speedo (at £200+ for electronic speedos) and pray the MOT man doesn't notice, or.....once it HAS an MOT, it can have either/both!

[Stickyfinger]

The world is a screwball !

[van ordinaire]

Given that you can't get RHD headlights for some vehicles I'm certain you can't get MPH speedos - & some are so weird or have originality issues which mean a conversion not the answer.

Just out of curiosity, at what stage in the import process is the calibration of the speedo checked - & by who?

Reminds me of when Citroen stopped exporting 2CV's to Sweden, because Regs, required controls & instruments to be in Swedish, the locals just wandered over the border & bought them in Denmark!

[Ocellia]

So you really DO have to hope MOT man doesn't notice.
Calibration? No idea. My El Grand van had electronic speedo, so they change a chip (I think), but cable ones.....?
It IS a stupidity, if it's legal to DRIVE here with only a kph speedo, why insist on conversion?

as to headlights, I guess -with XM - you'd need to find a scrapper set to fit?

I've shelved the idea. I did immediately find a nice UK V6 car (thanks Mr Xantia) but circumstances prevailed (off to NZ for winter etc).
Maybe I'll just keep my Citroen memories AS memories. But that itch!!!

[civvie]

Couple of points, do you have a UK driving licence and live in the UK, if so you are not allowed by law to drive a foreign registered/plated car in the uk on your licence. If you have say a holiday home in France you may be able to persuade the boys in blue if stopped of your status in that country, mind the car would have to be insured and registered in your name in that country.
Best to stick it on a trailer for the UK bit. There is a good chance you won't get stopped but if you do a whole can of worms will open up for you.