Buy a mgf/Tf in UK ? ( french )

[nestea57]

Hi,
I'm french and I would like to have a mgf but in France, it's very expensive !!
I watched on Ebay.co.uk, pistonhead etc.., there are cars for under 2000£.
If I go in UK, it's in London so have you informations ?
How I could gone see the cars ? ( I will go in London in train .. )
Thank you

[adrianclifford]

If you send us the link, somebody may live close and could have a look for you. If it's worth it, you can then come over on the train yourself. We done this in Germany two years ago for Gábor who lives in Budapest. Claude looked at the car and Gábor flew in, paid for it and drove it home.

[Mykel]

Yeah, go for it, nestea!

I'm from Germany and I got my MGF from near London as well. You can actually check a lot of UK cars' history beforehand over the Web, so you might pick out two or three offers worth the while.

When you want to take the car to France, you should check if the car is MoT'd (that's the UK version of CT) and if it's taxed. An uninspected and untaxed car must not be used on UK roads and can be confiscated any time, especially when a foreign driver's behind the wheel. When having arrived in France it is a sign of politeness to return the UK tax disk to the previous owner for him to reclaim any unused months.

For the day you actually drive over, you will need a short term insurance quote covering 24 hours all over Europe. For a Continental driver in an MGF this will be around 80 Euros, it's available on http://www.shortterminsurance.co.uk, but you will have to do that after you actually know which car to buy, as you need the registration. That can be done quite simply from an internet cafe or maybe the seller lets you use his computer. Have a credit card handy.

I suppose the registration process is a bit different in France from what it's here in Germany, yet you will definitely need LHD headlamps. If the RHD ones are okay and you are brave, get a set of LHD spray lenses from the scrappy, completely undo the lamp assembly and change them, as that is all you really need. For more France details ask Reckless Rat here on the forum, he's done the UK import with his MGF before.

Good luck!
Mykel

[colintf]

Bonjour,

good luck finding the right one for you, it will be worth it!

[nestea57]

Hi,
Thank you for the answers

When having arrived in France it is a sign of politeness to return the UK tax disk to the previous owner for him to reclaim any unused months.

Yes of course. I thank that it was just for one car.

I know how do to import and register in France. ( just LHD headlamp and a certificate European ).

For the insurance, the mine is enough. ( just a calling when I have the car )
I will ask at "Reckless Rat" but my problem is : How I will be able to move in London and at each seller' home. ( bus ? train ? rent car ? )
If there are citizens of London who will be able to me

Thank you very much ! I more will enquire

[Mykel]

Salut Nestea,

the problem with the Certificate of Conformity is that MG Rover is not with us anymore. There is a website where you can order one for the specific car you will have bought, but this will cost some 200 Euros or so. And I found on this site, that "if you are exporting a vehicle manufactured before 1st January 1998 to France a Type Approval Certificate will not be accepted. Please contact A.B.P. for further information. Telephone Number 0033 1 34 73 48 02." So better go for the later models.

Over here it was possible to get a datasheet from the type approval number stamped on the VIN badge (e11*93/81*0017) when the tech inspection for Germany was done, which cost 92 Euros incl. the CT fee. I don't know whether the CT people in France can do this as well.

As to the insurance: AFAIK in the UK the insurance quote gets linked to the car's registration immediately after you booked it. The police can do an online check if a car is insured or not. So even if your French insurance would actually cover you, this will not be known to the UK authorities and therefore the car may appear as uninsured on their screen, possibly getting you in deep trouble.

London has a great public transport system, you shouldn't have too many problems getting around. Yet you will be limited to the more urban areas and from my enquiries there are a couple of interesting cars around the South Coast and South East areas as well. When I bought mine, the owner picked me up at the nearest train station, I suppose this can always be arranged. Possibly one of the local forum members could be of assistance as well.

Hope that helps
Mykel

[Stan_B]

I'm sure most forum members would be pleased to help. If you find a car worth checking out just post the location on here and you can get directions and advice about train/coach/bus, or "too difficult". some may be prepared to look at a car for you before you travel, and you can book an independant inspection although I have no opinion how useful these are. Good luck, MGFs and TFs are at irrestistable prices here now, but you should allow for some work on any car you buy. The most recent MG-Rover built cars are now 6 years old.

[adrianclifford]

Please let me know where you want to be and I will advise or help how I can.

[nestea57]

Ok thank you very much !!
When I'm decided, I will submit here
Thank you again.

[Reckless Rat]

You shouldn't have any trouble obtaining a Certifat de Conformité Européan for any MGF or MG TF (there should be one in the original documentation which came with the car), but beware regarding the TROPHY 160 - a friend of mine (whose wife is french) has had a nightmare trying to register his Trophy 160 in France (even though 500 were exported there) and he's eventually given up. The car is still on its UK plates as the DRIRE are being very uncooperative - they will not accept the car without the full E11 number series on the VIN, AND a certificate.

He was the previous owner of my MFG 1.8i which was registered in France in 2004 without any problems.

[nestea57]

Hi,
Yes but I will am not able to have a insurance for MG vvc ( I'm still a younger driver. ) So just 1.8 120cv(hp) and I don't think have of problems to have the European certif...

It is a pity because this one is beautiful !! http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/MGF-VVC-75TH-ANNI ... 4aaa6a55e4

[adrianclifford]

I know we wrote about this Trophy problem a long time ago, have you contacted Phillipe Aubry at the MGCF, there's not much he doesn't know about getting MG things done in France ?

[Reckless Rat]

I've passed on all the information, but unfortunately on peut amener l'âne à l'eau mais ce n'est pas évident de le faire boire...(translates as you can take a horse to water etc,)

Broadsword to Danny Boy, over.

[adrianclifford]

I've passed on all the information, but unfortunately on peut amener l'âne à l'eau mais ce n'est pas évident de le faire boire...(translates as you can take a horse to water etc,)

Broadsword to Danny Boy, over.

Do you want me to write to him ? (I didn't know you still had the problem). I shall see him next month in Paris for the MGCF 30th anniversary weekend.

[Reckless Rat]

If you can send me his details or an up to date e-mail I will pass it on to the Trophy owner - I'm seeing him on Saturday.

[adrianclifford]

Bruce, I'm in a dash, got a pub meet to go to (and the weathers nice ) look up the MGCF web-site and they have very kindly put their e mail addresses on the home page.

[Chris48mt]

Hello,
I have an MG Tf 135 british regisitered in 2004 in silve with black leathe interior at my house in France (Magnac Laval 87) that I will be putting up for sale soon if anyone is interested.

[adrianclifford]

Chris, it may be an idea to put this in the classifieds section for, more views.

[Chris48mt]

Ok thank Adrian. I,m new here

[yorkie]

Certificate of Conformity is NOT needed to register in France they now have the system up and running that eliminates the need for every car to have one.
The type approval number is enough.