if I bought a LHD mh in france.

[PlatypusKiwi]

What adjustments should I make at point of sale.speedo and fog lights ?

 

[PlatypusKiwi]

thats to make it M.O.T uk compliant

 

[SpeedyDux]

Also I suggest you buy a pair of RHD headlights. You can swap back to LHD ones when you next go to France.

DVLA may want to see invoices for all the conversion work for UK compliance as well as MOT so make sure it is documented properly.

edit - sorry, I nearly forgot:

 

[Abgs]

Tech and mechanically:

Headlights need to be UK beam pattern, rear fog light needs to be displayed with in the middle or on the UK offside and speedo must be able to read in Mph.

For the paperwork:

You will need a European Certificate of Conformity from the manufacturer. Vehicles I have bought new on the mainland EU have always been supplied with this. Vehicles I've bought in the UK haven't been.

You then need to apply for a certificate of Mutual Recognition:

Check the notes on this form but you will need a letter from a VAT registered UK garage that confirms the works has been carried out to make the lights and speedo compliant.

Once you have this and an MOT can apply to DVLA to register and tax it. Just another form for this bit.

I've done quite a few cars over the years as I prefer LHD vehicles, and couple of bike but not a motorhome. My LHD Hymer was already registered here.

Might change after January. Process unlikely but there may be some import taxes -e.g. if you bring car in from the USA you pay an import tax if its less than 30 years old.

hth

 

[nicholsong]

Also I suggest you buy a pair of RHD headlights. You can swap back to LHD ones when you next go to France.

DVLA may want to see invoices for all the conversion work for UK compliance as well as MOT so make sure it is documented properly.

edit - sorry, I nearly forgot:

My Hella headlights can be adjusted easily with loosening 3 screws and moving them - hardly needs documenting. Speedo is km/mph already.

Are you sure they need documentation and if so what? Not just an invoice surely? Even 'Junior Jobsworth' could make it more complicated.

Geoff

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[Abgs]

A letter from the garage will suffice as long as it confirms the work has been done to make it compliant.

When I did one of my cars I was able to send them copies of the owner's manual page which showed the speedo could be switched between kmph and mph and the light beam pattern could be revered between lefthand and righ hand side driving.

The manual was in Spanish but there were pictures and so they accepted it!

I still had to get the garage to write a letter saying the fog light was on the correct side.

 

[nicholsong]

A letter from the garage will suffice as long as it confirms the work has been done to make it compliant.

When I did one of my cars I was able to send them copies of the owner's manual page which showed the speedo could be switched between kmph and mph and the light beam pattern could be revered between lefthand and righ hand side driving.

The manual was in Spanish but there were pictures and so they accepted it!

I still had to get the garage to write a letter saying the fog light was on the correct side.

Did not the MOT report you had to present note that point?

 

[Abgs]

Nope - has to fill in the form the way and the order they want you to. If the don’t issue the MR cert you don’t get a UK registration.

 

[SpeedyDux]

My Hella headlights can be adjusted easily with loosening 3 screws and moving them - hardly needs documenting. Speedo is km/mph already.

Are you sure they need documentation and if so what? Not just an invoice surely? Even 'Junior Jobsworth' could make it more complicated.

Geoff

That's what the jobsworth helpful gentleman demanded when I turned up at the local DVLA office (since closed) to re-register my SH German Westy import in the UK. Also as Al Bondigas helpfully pointed out, a VW CoC that I had requested via the German dealer. Plus of course the German registration document. If you have the right paperwork it is easy and DVLA won't ask to inspect the imported vehicle. Which would be a faff now that there are no local DVLA offices.

 

[bobandjanie]

Depends what vehicle your buying, some you can adjust the headlights, can't help with the import, because we purchased in Germany and registered it in Spain so no changes.
Most buy in Germany check out Broken Link Removed

BreweryDave Has delt with the French, I think everything went smoothly. Bob.

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[BreweryDave]

@BreweryDave Has delt with the French, I think everything went smoothly. Bob.

it did, apart from the difficulty in getting uk insurance to drive it back

have a look here....

Importing from France

now, before you tell me what I already know, I know about Germany ! I also know the import process in the uk ! I also know about insurance on the vin plate! I also know you aren't supposed to drive a foreign reg vehicle in the uk. Right, that's that over with !!! What I don't know is about...

www.motorhomefun.co.uk

 

[PlatypusKiwi]

Thanks guys .Some things to think about.

 

[Lenny HB]

What adjustments should I make at point of sale.speedo and fog lights ?

We have imported all 3 of our vans from Belgium.

Headlamps - If an A class they will probably adjustable for flat dipping which is acceptable, if standard van headlamps they will need changing. Beam benders are acceptable for an MOT but not for importation.
Rear Foglamps - Acceptable if it has two, left & right or a centre one.
Speedo - must read MPH, if a Fiat you need to change the speedo dial, if a Merc and the digital readout can be switched to MPH that is acceptable.

 

[mpdcymru]

Tech and mechanically:

Headlights need to be UK beam pattern, rear fog light needs to be displayed with in the middle or on the UK offside and speedo must be able to read in Mph.

For the paperwork:

You will need a European Certificate of Conformity from the manufacturer. Vehicles I have bought new on the mainland EU have always been supplied with this. Vehicles I've bought in the UK haven't been.

You then need to apply for a certificate of Mutual Recognition:

Check the notes on this form but you will need a letter from a VAT registered UK garage that confirms the works has been carried out to make the lights and speedo compliant.

Once you have this and an MOT can apply to DVLA to register and tax it. Just another form for this bit.

I've done quite a few cars over the years as I prefer LHD vehicles, and couple of bike but not a motorhome. My LHD Hymer was already registered here.

Might change after January. Process unlikely but there may be some import taxes -e.g. if you bring car in from the USA you pay an import tax if its less than 30 years old.

hth

No need for the speedo to read MPH, one of my cars has a speedo that only reads in Kph and it has passed every MOT (at several different garages) since 1984.

 

[Lenny HB]

No need for the speedo to read MPH, one of my cars has a speedo that only reads in Kph and it has passed every MOT (at several different garages) since 1984.

Will pass an MOT but not acceptable for importation.

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[mpdcymru]

Will pass an MOT but not acceptable for importation.

That's very odd and illogical (not that we should expect the authorities to act in a logical manner) but my car was imported from Bermuda and entered the country at Swansea where, in those days, it would probably have been inspected by DVLA.

 

[Lenny HB]

That's very odd and illogical (not that we should expect the authorities to act in a logical manner) but my car was imported from Bermuda and entered the country at Swansea where, in those days, it would probably have been inspected by DVLA.

The rules changed around 2002/2006 I'm not sure of the exact date. Same with headlamps beam benders OK for an MOT but not for import.