Relocating to France? Why no just buy a French car already registered in France. Surely, there must be some nice used 405's still available?
Here's a tale of someone trying to register a JDM Mazda MX5 in France. I'm not implying all of below applies to an Iranian built car, obviously it doesn't but it's an interesting and depressing read but very possibly some of this red tape will apply to the 'new' 405.
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I have lived in France for the last 11 years, and over that time have imported several cars, all for our own use. I know how the system works. Its not complicated, as long as you follow the rules and have all the right paperwork.
This spring I was given a 1995 Eunos Roadster by a good friend. The car was imported to the UK in 2000, when it was bought by my friend. He brought the car to France in 2005, but was unfortunately involved in a terrible road accident ( not in the Eunos I hasten to add), and the Eunos was left parked in a barn for the next 11 years. As my friend was returning to the UK permanently, he asked if I would like the car. He had to clear out the house and barn, and just wanted the car gone. He was the sole owner of the car since importation, and had owned it for 16 years. A sad day !
I did some preliminary research on the web, and realised it would not be easy to register the car in France, as it was made for the Japanese Domestic Market, and as such had no European Certificate of Conformity available. I did however find several posts from people who had successfully registered a Eunos, and also several from people who had failed and given up.
I now realise that the people who have succeeded did so under the old rules. The old system has changed ( I don’t know exactly when, but my DREAL testing was September 2016 ). All non EU imports now, without exception, will have to go to UTAC at Paris, for 5 or if you have a nice man at the DREAL possibly 4 tests……………read on………..
I decided to have a go, sold my BMW E36 convertible, and ploughed the funds in to restoring the Eunos.
1995 Eunos Roadster
Over the summer I completed the following work, after tailoring the Eunos to my home.
Fuel Pump
Cam Belt and associated bits
Rear Brake Callipers
Brake Pads
Brake lines
Clutch Slave Cylinder
Tyres
Shockers and Springs
Rear outer sill repair panels
Cat Back Exhaust
Under sealed
Rust treated everything
Headlights
Door Lock Spring
Wiper Blades
All Oils ( Engine, Gearbox, Diff, Tower )
Plugs and Filters
Seat Belts ( originals not CE marked )
Ipod Stereo.
Numerous other bits I have probably forgotten………….
I obtained a Certificate of Partial Conformity from Mazda France ( €150 ), and with my UK V5 went to get a CT ( French MOT ). The Eunos passed with flying colours, not even an advisory!
So chuffed to bits with my little self, filled in the paperwork ( reams of it ), and sent it off to the DREAL ( French ministry of transport ), and requested an examination to give the Eunos “Type Approval”.
After a lengthy wait, the inspection day arrived and I presented the car to the test station ( about an hours drive away ). Over all, the inspector ( who I have met before whilst registering a boat trailer…..another story! ), was pretty happy with the car. I had already ensured that all the glass, seat belts, and lighting had the relevant CE marks. He found the following faults, which were quite easy and cheap to resolve
Rear Number plate holder and no plate lights didn’t conform ( easy swap for UK rear panel )
Front & rear side reflectors not allowed ( although they are present on the 2003 MX5 I have subsequently purchased, which does have a Certificate of Conformity
). He suggested painting them the same colour as the car ( white ).
3rd brake light not CE marked ( although it present on the 2003 MX5 I have subsequently purchased, which does have a Certificate of Conformity
). He suggested disconnecting it and painting it the same colour as the car ( white ). Not obligatory on a car of this age.
Front fog lights not CE marked ( not obligatory on a car of this age ) Remove
Rear fog light button illuminates blue – change to orange.
New Vin Plate with weights on
Then came the real sting in the tale! Because Mazda would not confirm on the partial certificate of conformity that the
Brakes
Fields of rear vision ( Mirrors )
Noise output of the Engine ( should be less than 96 Db )
Antiparasitage ( interference from electrical circuits )
complied with European standards, they would have to be further tests carried out at UTAC, the only designated testing station of this type, in Paris !
There should have been a fifth test for pollution, but the kind man at the DREAL accepted the tests performed for the CT ( French MOT )
Today I have received the quote for testing at UTAC………………are you sat down………………..€1545.00 plus TVA ( VAT ) ……………..over €1800.00 !!!!
This is for a car that is already registered in the UK, an EU Member state ( at the moment ! )
So, forgetting the cost of restoring the car, here is a breakdown of the costs
Certificate of partial conformity from Mazda France €150
DREAL Inspection €89
UTAC Inspection ( Travel costs not included ) €1846
French MOT €60
Eventual registration fee €200
Vin Plate & Number plates €50
Total €2395 (£2177)
Needless to say, the end of the road has arrived. Whilst I will be very sorry to see the Eunos go, I simply cannot justify the costs. I have put so much time, effort and love in to this car, but I feel it must go back to the UK and be sold there.
This will involve more cost in travel ( fuel, tolls, ferry ), UK headlights, UK MOT and road tax.
Someone will get a cracking car…………….it just won’t be me ! I have not made any of the “modifications” requested by the DREAL, but have bought the bits to do them. The car is totally original throughout, with the exception of the stereo (I have kept the original, along with the plastic cuddy beneath ), and has only done 87k ( 114000 KM ), so if any of you guys or gals out there are looking for one, I will be putting it up for sale, probably returning it to the UK in February 2017, my next scheduled trip.
I hope this helps others decide if the cost / hassle of importing a non EU car to France is worth it. For a much higher value car, it probably is in percentage terms, as the cost of second hand cars here is much higher than other countries. My Eunos has been treated exactly the same way that a direct import from Japan would have been, so for a 3 year old MX5, I am sure the cost savings over buying one here would be well worth it……………It would still be a right hand drive though…………
