Buying a 2nd Hand Xantia Estate in France? Info please...

UFO · Unread post by **UFO** » 05 Mar 2007, 12:20

My wife and I are planning to go to ICCCR 2008 near Rome in August next year. Yes, crazy, Italy in summer

But the Italians are hosting ICCCR so I suppose they get to choose to hold it in their own country.

After ICCCR we are planning on staying on in Europe for up to three months to continue our love affair with France in particular while seeing Italy, Austria, Germany etc etc and maybe even over to the UK again.

Anyway, we are exploring options on vehicles and one was to Eurolease via the Citroen scheme, or hire a car or use a combo of train and hire cars at major points.

The latest crazy idea is to look at buying a Xantia Estate in France, and this is where I thought you might be able to help. We would preferably be looking for a diesel with aircon and in reasonable condition. I would not want to have to do more than perhaps an oil change or very basic maintenance. I am mechanically competent these days, but do not want to have to buy carry a tool kit of any substance.

We would possibly be sharing the costs with some other Aussie friends, and at the end of the trip we would sell the car via either friends in Paris or others near Bordeaux if we had to leave it to be sold.

Can anyone advise on any of the following:

At this stage how much might we be looking at in Euros?
How easy are cars like this to buy?
Are there legal pitfalls? (We could probably buy the car in a Paris friend's name)
Do you other suggestions for a car that would reliably transport four adults and their luggage that of course would have double chevrons on the bonnet? (We had thought of an XM as we have one here, but the size of them in some Euro towns and their age would be frightening)

Anyway, any helpful advice would be welcome.

Unread post by **CitroJim** » 05 Mar 2007, 12:46

Come and buy one in Pom Land Craig! We speak the same language as you and I'm sure it would be much simpler overall. Xants of all types are cheap here. Unless you speak native French and understand the French culture intimately, I'd be wary.

No such problems with us Poms. No doubt we'd all be happy to lend assistance to you as well!

bxbodger · Unread post by **bxbodger** » 05 Mar 2007, 13:52

Yes- in the UK Xantias are vrtually valueless now, and go for giveaway prices, whereas in France they still get a good price, even though the UK ones may be in better shape overall as our testing is done annually, wheras in France it's every two years.
You'll be able to get a pretty late one here for what a very early one goes for over there.

Just compare the prices they fetch on UK ebay and French ebay- it'll definately be cheaper to buy one here and get the ferry across, the only difference other than price will be that a UK one will be RHD, which you'll be used to anyway. The only downside would be getting rid of a RHD car in Europe.

As for other cars, anything modern would do an equally good job, but the Xantia will be so cheap, and if you think an XM would be too big for little French towns, watch Ronin!!

Brian UK · Unread post by **Brian UK** » 05 Mar 2007, 17:29

Second hand car prices are far higher in France than the UK. Like 3 times.
Particularly Citroens, which have zero resale value in the UK, but are liked in France. However, you will not be able to sell a UK reg RHD one in France. There is absolutely no market, apart from one or two robbers who specialise in taking Ex-Pat's cars off their hands.
If you are only going for a few months, far better to get one in the UK, and sell it again here when you return.
You would not be able to buy and register a car in France without an address there, though don't know the details of Eurolease. It also costs a fair amount to register a car, new or S/H in France. Well a couple of hundred Euros anyway, depending on the fiscal horsepower.

njr · Unread post by **njr** » 05 Mar 2007, 19:40

Hi there

I live in France and when I wanted a cheap modern diesel went back to the UK and bought a 2000 HDi Xantia hatchback with low miles and full service history for the equivelant of about 3700 Euros. Looking for a similar model in France prices started at about 4500 and went upto about 10500 Euros.

Buying a car in france is very easy, it should have controle technique (MOT), there is no road tax here

and be registered at the local prefecture in the new owners name. This cost about 150 Euros for the UK reg to French but I think it was about the same when I bought a French reg Merc recently.

Insurance here is generally a bit cheaper than the UK and covers any driver with the owners permision. It also includes breakdown cover.

If you wanted to sell a car here it is worth putting an advert in the English language papers here called French News and another called The Connexion

Let me know if you have any other questions

Neil

Unread post by **xantia_v6** » 05 Mar 2007, 21:02

Not sure about the insurance market today, but 20 years ago, as an antipodean arrived for a working holiday, it was not easy or cheap to get UK car insurance, even with a clean driving record, UK address and bank account.

Find a sympathetic insurance agent before committing to buying a car in UK/France.

Fella · Unread post by **Fella** » 05 Mar 2007, 21:18

France has huge beurocracy regards cars and as others have said second hand cars especially diesels fetch good prices. I bought LHD drive cars quite cheaply in UK (a Volvo, a Mercedes and an American Ford) and imported them into France and eventually sold them on. I would strongly recommend LHD cars for the continent it makes road junctions and roundabouts easier to navigate. Note that when you sell a car in France you must provide the equivelent of an MOT with the car. Belgium is the best place for second hand cars.

Unread post by **Peter.N.** » 05 Mar 2007, 22:16

You will be very lucky to find and estate car in France, they just don't seem to go in for them. I have seen a number of BXs and XMs but never an estate!

Ross_K · Unread post by **Ross_K** » 05 Mar 2007, 23:28

First I've heard of it. There are plenty of estates knocking about over there. Most started life in the state and semi-state companies, but it's not like they're hard to find

http://www.auto-evasion.com/theme/break ... antia.html

www.marche.fr and www.webmycar.com are two other good sites for second hand cars. But as Fella says, Belgium is a better place to go shopping

Unread post by **lolingram** » 06 Mar 2007, 09:13

I have lived in France for 30 years.

I run 2 Xantia diesel estates on UK plates with UK NIG full European cover, which is at least 40% less than in France, and the French registration burocracyis almost impossible without a French domicile adress, and in any case horrific.

These RHD cars are practically valueless here, so are not targeted by thieves, nor are the lazy police at all interested in vehicle checks. As someone pointed out there is no private car road tax discs to be checked...

My advice is to buy in UK, and either flog it there, or just throw it away! You will find a good diesel estate on eBay for a few hungred quid.

Buying a car in france is very easy, it should have controle technique (MOT), there is no road tax here and be registered at the local prefecture in the new owners name. This cost about 150 Euros for the UK reg to French but I think it was about the same when I bought a French reg Merc recently.

Insurance here is generally a bit cheaper than the UK and covers any driver with the owners permision. It also includes breakdown cover.

Unread post by **Peter.N.** » 06 Mar 2007, 09:45

.....Must just be where I've been then!

UFO · Unread post by **UFO** » 09 Mar 2007, 09:11

Thanks all for your replies so far, which have helped highlight some issues.

I spent about an hour on the skype phone with Gerry Freed in Andernos les Bains last night. Some may know of or met Gerry - he of the lime yellow H van who appears at all sorts of Cit things in Europe it seems...

Anyway, after looking around at a few cars that are available at present, we have come to the amazing conclusion that it would in fact be far easier, cheaper and more reliable to do a Eurolease for the 75 days or so we will need a car in Europe next year. Current prices for a 2l auto diesel C5 work out to around 2400euros (must work out how to do a euro symbol soon).

Basically you pay for it in Aus before you go, you arrive, they hand you the keys and a brand new car that you have determined, and away you drive. At the end of your lease period, you return the car. If it requires a service while you have it, you pay for it.

Now opposed to buying, registering, insuring, hoping nothing goes wrong and then trying to sell again at the end, I know which option is a whole lot more workable.

So it looks like when we get there next year, for the first time in my life I will own a new car - even if only for 11 weeks!

BTW - anyone going to ICCCR near Rome?

Unread post by **lolingram** » 09 Mar 2007, 09:15

If I knew what ICCCR is...

BTW - anyone going to ICCCR near Rome

Brian UK · Unread post by **Brian UK** » 09 Mar 2007, 09:24

UFO wrote:Anyway, after looking around at a few cars that are available at present, we have come to the amazing conclusion that it would in fact be far easier, cheaper and more reliable to do a Eurolease for the 75 days or so we will need a car in Europe next year. Current prices for a 2l auto diesel C5 work out to around 2400euros (must work out how to do a euro symbol soon).

On my qwerty keyboart € = AltGr + 4

Sounds as if you have found the best option. I take it the cost includes insurance?

UFO · Unread post by **UFO** » 09 Mar 2007, 11:11

ICCCR is the International Citroën Car Club Rally. Held every four years and each time in a different country than before.

Try this

http://www.icccr2008.it/

Still working on the Euro symbol.

And yes the lease cost includes insurance.