Hi - Ducato import from France- help needed... (1 Viewer)

[gvj]

Hi everyone- just signed up...Could do with some advice... we've just had to relocate from the Haute Savoie, where we've been living for the past five years or so, back to SE Wales. We have a 3 year old Burstner CityCar 540, bought in France, which we're going to have to reregister with the DVLA now we've been here for 6 months. So, we've cleared it with HMRC and now have to get the fog light, headlamps and speedo modified. From what I've gleaned on the forum a lot of you guys have some experience in this.
But so far I’ve yet to find a garage who can do it for me at any price. Any tips and recommendations would be most welcome!

 

[bobandjanie]

I think the French bit might throw some that have done it but most buy in Germany, but that doesn't matter as your in the UK with it. BreweryDave purchased in France, but Lenny HB and others could put you right. Bob.

 

[Phill D]

Hi welcome

the headlamps and fog light are simple enough just need the bits really . the instrument cluster is easy to remove a few screws and a connector, there is likely to be a method to replace the KM with MPH I would think.
but other have actually done this and i am sure you will get the more accurate info soon enough here

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[Boringfrog]

Do you need to change the Speedo to read MPH?

 

[Lenny HB]

All the mods should be easy to do yourself.
The speedo dial you can get from Lockwood Dials. Only 2 dials for the X290 one for manual & one for Auto.
Instructions on their website, dead easy to change.
Headlamps You will have to change Coastal Motorhomes are cheap for headlamps and give a Funster discount. Very easy to change on an X290.
Being a PVC I'm not sure about the rear lights but to save changing them if they only have one light you could disconnect the existing one and fit a surface mount central one.

 

[Lenny HB]

Do you need to change the Speedo to read MPH?

You can't register it without.

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[Abgs]

The might help - Changing the Speedo Overlay on a Fiat Ducato

and - KMH to MPH Conversion Dial for imported vehicle.

My 2018 Ducato Hymer had an overlay in order to get a UK reg - though I didn't do it myself. I bought it already registered.

 

[Abgs]

Ha - Lenny beat me to it.

 

[Boringfrog]

You can't register it without.

Stickers on the old clocks showing MPH at various intervals?

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[ambulancekidd]

 

[AnnB]

Hi and welcome.

 

[Wombles]

Hi & welcome! Some links that may help:
Replacement speedo overlay https://lockwoodinternational.co.uk/ &
replacement headlights & discount code as Lenny HB mentioned https://www.motorhomefun.co.uk/foru...e-for-fiat-citroen-peugeot-parts-more.183754/
Hopefully you have twin rear fog lights then no change needed.
The headlights are very easy to change over as a DIY job but need to be adjusted correctly so we used the MOT garage to do this who also supplied our statement for compliance for the speedo, headlights & rear fog lights for the cost of an MOT. We supplied the correct wording for them to print on their headed paper to make it easy as they had not done this before.

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[Lenny HB]

Stickers on the old clocks showing MPH at various intervals?

Not acceptable, has to be a proper lit dial.

 

[jonsea]

Hi and

 

[bobandjanie]

I'm fairly sure when we thought about putting our last van on Spanish plates it had two fog and reversing lights so the rear never needed doing, just the headlights needed changing, being UK it had both on the speedometer, unlike our lhd van we have now, and that would be the same as your French van, so you would need to do the speedo. Bob.

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[gvj]

Thanks for the warm welcome - useful links and helpful advice.
I'll check the rear fog light(s- hopefully).
Rather daunted at the £600+ price for a pair of rhd headlamp units .
Have been on the Lockwoods site and that looks promising for the speedo.
Trouble is the Gov. regs seem to stipulate that the work has to be carried out and certified by a VAT registered garage so don’t know if feasible to DIY maybe and then get it checked or not ? Bustner after sales seems very sparse in this part of the UK so .....

 

[Lenny HB]

Thanks for the warm welcome - useful links and helpful advice.
I'll check the rear fog light(s- hopefully).
Rather daunted at the £600+ price for a pair of rhd headlamp units ☹.
Have been on the Lockwoods site and that looks promising for the speedo.
Trouble is the Gov. regs seem to stipulate that the work has to be carried out and certified by a VAT registered garage so don’t know if feasible to DIY maybe and then get it checked or not ? Bustner after sales seems very sparse in this part of the UK so .....

It is only the inspection that has to be carried out by a vat registered garage or MOT station it shouldn't cost more than £35.

 

[HugoBNB]

Welcome

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[davidbaldam]

Hi and welcome to FUN.

 

[AndyPK]

Welcome from Ciren!

 

[sedge]

None of what needs doing has anything to do with the motorhome conversion - it is the vehicle ie Fiat, or Citroen or Merc etc. So check out eg Fiat Commercial garages capable of doing MOTs on vans of that size.

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[Onemanandhisdog]

Not acceptable, has to be a proper lit dial.

Hmm, my van has stickers on the outside and has gone through 6 MOT's in my ownership and probably many before being 20 years old. I'll stick to the same garage, just in case!

 

[Lenny HB]

Hmm, my van has stickers on the outside and has gone through 6 MOT's in my ownership and probably many before being 20 years old. I'll stick to the same garage, just in case!

Nothing to do with MOT's we are talking about importing and from 2012 you have to have an MPH speedo.
I fitted an MPH speedo dial for the import check then changed it back to the KMH one as I prefer it easier to read and we do over 90% of our mileage abroad. Just passed it's first MOT with KMH speedo.

 

[Onemanandhisdog]

Nothing to do with MOT's we are talking about importing and from 2012 you have to have an MPH speedo.
I fitted an MPH speedo dial for the import check then changed it back to the KMH one as I prefer it easier to read and we do over 90% of our mileage abroad. Just passed it's first MOT with KMH speedo.

Ahh, I've had mine since 2014, so every chance it was imported before 2012. For the few pence/euro's it must save I don't know why they don't just have both on the dial.

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[gvj]

Thanks again for the welcome and words of advice, especially Lenny.
An update …
So, I bought a suitable speedo overlay from Lockwoods (most expensive bit of plastic in terms of grams per £ ever ?). And I bought a pair of UK spec headlamp units (not Fiat supplied). Still couldn’t find a garage interested in fitting them.
So, not without some trepidation, I did it myself. The most time consuming part was swapping over the eight bulbs as the replacement units didn’t come with any. But amazed myself by following online instructions and everything worked first time. Then found a garage willing to certify in writing that everything was working for the princely sum of £30 cash.
Now waiting for the office in Bristol to send me a piece of paper so that I can get the van registered they debited my £100 a couple of weeks ago so hopefully not too much longer to wait....
One more question - How much should the road tax be on a 2018 Fiat Ducato ?
I am very confused looking on the DVLA website - does it now vary with the age of the vehicle and does that clock start running from when it was first registered in 2018 in France or when I (hopefully) succeed in registering it here ???

 

[Lenny HB]

One more question - How much should the road tax be on a 2018 Fiat Ducato ?

Under 3500kg £270
Over 3500kg £165
Don't forget first time registration fee of £55.

 

[Clipgate]

I assume your having it delivered to Calais docks by the seller on their insurance?

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[Lenny HB]

I assume your having it delivered to Calais docks by the seller on their insurance?

Why would he want to re-export it?

 

[Bolti]

I assume your having it delivered to Calais docks by the seller on their insurance?

It's he own vehicle. He is relocating from France.

Keep up at the back.

 

[Vipar]

Greetings peeps welcome from Bexley

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