Passed MOT

[rbaz]

Well she passed the French MOT (CT) today
French are very odd folk the bloke insisted I had to change my headlights to French ones as the beam pattern wasn't right, after about 5 minutes he understood I had changed them and he let me adjust them

So all in all not bad for the next 2 years motoring before the test I regressed a wheel bearing & bronze bush, replaced both bottom ball joints, new front pads, 1 tyre (had one odd new tyre so just matched it) adjusted the tracking, replaced dash bulbs, full service and fitted a new alternator.
Bring on the snow

Just need Toyota France to give me partial conformity (at a cost of €135)then can get an import inspection done and see about getting French plates on her but suspect they will want European seat belts, E back lights, all morrows replaced apparently they have E mnarkings too, new fog light and possibly std tyres put back on

[jonathan blane]

Do you have to have Cert of Conf AS WELL as DRIRE inspection?

If you are having a DRIRE inspection done ( what's the charge btw ? ) do you ALSO need a Cert of Conformity / Non Conformity ?

Can't they just do the Inspection ?

Please advise.

[rbaz]

Hi yes it will have to have a DRIRE inspection I have done a Subaru a couple of years ago I cant remember the cost but it wasn't much.
You need to get a partial conformity first from Toyota €135. I got my friend to ring them and they have sent me a questionnaire to fill in that i have to get stamped by a dealer to verify the information then they will issue a partial conformity.
Not sure yet but I think I may have to change the seat belts for ones E marked. I have already done the lights.
You also need to make a plaque with the axle weights on. I am going to copy a UK plaque put a e marked fog light and rear reflectors if they aren't marked already.
And of course get a quitus fiscal and a CT.

What department do you live in?

[Surfer Ross]

Well done Richard, glad to see she's still going strong. Is it worth all the hassle to get French plates on her? Can't you just continue to run it on British plates?

[rbaz]

Well done Richard, glad to see she's still going strong. Is it worth all the hassle to get French plates on her? Can't you just continue to run it on British plates?

Hi Ross its technically illegal to carry on using UK plates without taxing and getting UK MOT every year (although many do for years) but once its on French plates will be worth a lot more money secondhand cars are worth much more over here

How are you finding the 3rd gen compared to a 2nd?

[Surfer Ross]

Ah, I understand. Definitely worth getting it fully registered then.

The 3rd Gen in my opinion is twice the truck that the 2nd Gen was. The suspension set-up is much better (McPherson struts on the front vs torsion bars), the drivetrain has a centre diff so can be driven in 4WD on the road, theres more room in the back seats, the boot is bigger, the front seats are better, it has a full size hinged tailgate instead of relying on that stupid rear window and the two 3rd Gen 3.0TDs that I've driven have also been much quicker than my previous 2nd Gens. The one I have now has a 2.5" stainless exhaust from front to back and that seems to unleash quite a lot more power along with the turbo spooling sooner. I have a bottle of Tresemme and a bottle of Vidal Sassoon shampoo in the Glovebox from when I picked her up, courtesy of a very amused Richard (Stormforce).

She's getting a new head fitted next week so I'm hoping she'll last a good 10+ years now.

Sell your Surf for mega-bucks in France and come back here for a 3rd Gen.

[BUSHWHACKER]

3rd gens still have that "stupid rear window".

[Surfer Ross]

3rd gens still have that "stupid rear window".

It doesn't need to be open to use the tailgate though

[rbaz]

Ah, I understand. Definitely worth getting it fully registered then.

The 3rd Gen in my opinion is twice the truck that the 2nd Gen was. The suspension set-up is much better (McPherson struts on the front vs torsion bars), the drivetrain has a centre diff so can be driven in 4WD on the road, theres more room in the back seats, the boot is bigger, the front seats are better, it has a full size hinged tailgate instead of relying on that stupid rear window and the two 3rd Gen 3.0TDs that I've driven have also been much quicker than my previous 2nd Gens. The one I have now has a 2.5" stainless exhaust from front to back and that seems to unleash quite a lot more power along with the turbo spooling sooner. I have a bottle of Tresemme and a bottle of Vidal Sassoon shampoo in the Glovebox from when I picked her up, courtesy of a very amused Richard (Stormforce).

She's getting a new head fitted next week so I'm hoping she'll last a good 10+ years now.

Sell your Surf for mega-bucks in France and come back here for a 3rd Gen.

Did you buy her knowing she needed a head? Big expense if you have just got it.
Yes I plan on selling it on and possible getting a 3rd gen but I have to sell a Saab Viggen Cab first and the time of year isn't helping. Also dont think the 3rd gen was sold at all in Europe so will be even harder to register

[Surfer Ross]

Did you buy her knowing she needed a head? Big expense if you have just got it.
Yes I plan on selling it on and possible getting a 3rd gen but I have to sell a Saab Viggen Cab first and the time of year isn't helping. Also dont think the 3rd gen was sold at all in Europe so will be even harder to register

Not exactly but we've sorted it out between us.

The famous French bureaucracy eh?

[jonathan blane]

Well the ( 1991 / J Reg, imported in 2004 ) Surf's in Pyrénées Orientales.

You ?

Do let me know if you manage the registration : most seem to think it's impossible.

I thought the whole point of the Euro######## was that at least technical regulations were harmonized - so that you would imagine that if a car is passed as roadworthy in one country it would be automatically accepted as such in another member state ???

Hi yes it will have to have a DRIRE inspection I have done a Subaru a couple of years ago I cant remember the cost but it wasn't much.
You need to get a partial conformity first from Toyota €135. I got my friend to ring them and they have sent me a questionnaire to fill in that i have to get stamped by a dealer to verify the information then they will issue a partial conformity.
Not sure yet but I think I may have to change the seat belts for ones E marked. I have already done the lights.
You also need to make a plaque with the axle weights on. I am going to copy a UK plaque put a e marked fog light and rear reflectors if they aren't marked already.
And of course get a quitus fiscal and a CT.

What department do you live in?

[rbaz]

Well the ( 1991 / J Reg, imported in 2004 ) Surf's in Pyrénées Orientales.

You ?

Do let me know if you manage the registration : most seem to think it's impossible.

I thought the whole point of the Euro######## was that at least technical regulations were harmonized - so that you would imagine that if a car is passed as roadworthy in one country it would be automatically accepted as such in another member state ???

Yeah but it is different. No E marked lights, belts etc
I registered a Jap imported STI Impreza a couple of years ago and they didnt do a Euro equivalent of that car but the guy at Subaru was very good and gave me a letter to say in Subarus opinion it does conform. Toyota dont appear to be as helpful but every DRIRE office is different I am told.
Am i in Finistere 29