Importing a car from France and driving it home advice

[WIWs]

Looking for some advice from people who are more knowledgeable than me on imports post Brexit.

I have been wanting a Mk1 Twingo for some time and have been looking in the UK for well over a year but have not seen one that meets what I’m looking for, I have decided it would be easier to buy one in France an import it. I know the rules have changed post Brexit and its not as easy anymore as it once was, so I am looking for advice from those who are more knowledgeable on the subject.

My Brother in law is French and lives in the alpes and I am planning on going out in the summer so I am thinking of buying a car when I arrive and then driving it back to the UK and registering it here paying the duties etc. Its my understanding that the way car insurance works in France is that when someone insures the car anyone who has had their license more than 2 years is insured to drive the car, would this cover me on a UK license if my brother in law insured it to his French address? Would this cover also extend to the UK? If not can I insure on a UK policy with a French registered vehicle?

The other question I have is what are the import duty rules now post Brexit, I assume I will have to pay some kind of VAT but what is this based on if I have a private sale purchase, do I just submit a scrap of paper in French to HMRC that says I bought it for 1000 Euros? Or do I need to buy from a dealer to get an official receipt?

If France is difficult is there another European country that is any better for buying and driving home?

Thanks!

[WIWs]

sunbeam alpine said:

I haven't done it since Brexit, but you used to be able to buy a car in NL, go with the owner to the Dutch equivalent of the DVLA (offices in most large towns), and get a document putting the car in your name, and "transit" plates. You also had to pay for an insurance green card valid for 2 or 4 weeks. It cost about €140 the last time I did it.

You also got to keep the Dutch ownership document which was a credit card sized piece of plastic. They just cut off one corner to render it invalid.

I've heard similar stories about buying cars in Germany, again pre brexit, where you go to the local town hall and get a transit plate that includes insurance for 2 weeks, again don't know if that's still the case but france would be easier for me as I have local connections and fluent French speaking family memebers that would help me!

I guess it wouldn't be too hard to cross the border into NL buy the car and get the zebrugge ferry home

I'm mainly worried these days I will get stopped at the border and they won't let me bring the car in for various reasons brexit/vat/import duty related!

[WIWs]

that sounds like a right ball ache, i thought the rules would have changed but using an import agent add more complication and cost, interesting that according to that VAT is only due on cars under 30 years old, so if i bought a 1992/early 1993 it would be exempt?

Either way looks like I'm going to have to find and agent and chat with them about the costs/logistics

I know they make RHD headlights for them as i have the parts numbers noted down somewhere, and i can do the other bits needed to pass inspection so that's a not an issue