I apologise for my typo. A DPF problem is likely to be picked up when the exhaust emissions are measured as it will have a direct effect. I certainly wouldn’t put my car in for a CT if I knew that if it had that problem. If you want a diagnostic check go to a dealer.
I’ve withdrawn my apology as I can legitimate blame my spell checker as it did it again.
Whenever I’ve looked at a secondhand car I’ve been concerned by an over valeted example, I prefer to see them warts and all. As I said it’s individual.
Talking of first impressions…
David, I’m not suggesting that a new DPF should be part of the CT but it underlines my new knowledge that a CT has limited value when one is buying. An English mechanic has told me that a new DPF is necessary if I intend keeping the car; his advice is to use something that squirts something through that (usually) clears the pipe if I intend to sell and to hope it works.
No, the CT check does not say “the pollution is over the top”.
The “spasmodic” thingy happens a lot of the time. I do understand it is my responsibility to get it fixed; I haven’t implied otherwise.
I agree that a list of what exactly is covered by a CT check would be useful. Thanks again for your output.
OK, thanks!!
No problem; my reply was to Stella who wrote: “but I think we have given it a fair go, even so, eh David… 
”.
OK, Véronique; I do know about the CT time requirements but I don’t know why you wrote: “As an aside, we aren’t massively bothered on how clean a car is, it won’t make a difference to the price. (We don’t go in for home staging etc either.)
We aren’t hugely interested in how people in the US or Australia do administrative things, or only anecdotally.” Who is “we”? I’m not particularly interested in how UK people do things, anecdotally or otherwise, either, but my mention of Australia and USA was in relation to an ongoing “discussion” with David. If you take the time to bother to look back you’ll see our messages to each other. It will obviously come as quite a shock to you that initial impressions of a car or a house for sale do, in other parts of the world, sometimes affect a potential buyer’s decision as to whether or not to look more closely. But that is why I asked the question so, whilst I now have your opinion, it’s a shame you provided it with a degree of condescension.
Thank you, Helen I imported mine from UK also.
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"It does appear that fewer sellers here have their cars detailed as I call it, or valeted as you guys call it, before sale which I find interesting. Assuming I’m correct in that, it means that French buyers care less about the cleanliness of the car they’re buying than is the case in Australia. "
“when it comes to selling, a bit of a clean inside and out wouldn’t cut the mustard with people in some other countries; Australia and USA to name two. Hence my question about the situation in France.”
Oh sorry, ‘we’ means French people, I am French - as we are talking about France and Véronique is a French name I thought it would be obvious.
I was under the impression that you were asking a question about French people and their attitude to car primping, comparing it to that prevalent in the USA and Australia.
French people aren’t, as I say, generally very bothered about initial impressions of cars or houses etc, certainly not to the extent that Anglosaxons seem to be.
I presume that this is what the OP was asking about. https://www.largus.fr/actualite-automobile/voitures-doccasion-quels-recours-contre-le-vice-cache-3508379.html
Mind you if he’s selling a RHD UK import it’s unlikely that it will attract anybody but the expat community, polished or not. I would guess that members of that community might be less willing than others to chance up what they believe to be hidden faults.
I’m of AngloSaxon extraction and throughout my life I’ve never been impressed by mutton dressed as lamb. I would never presume that a valeted car was a well maintained car, in fact it would make me delve deeper.
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The usual remedy for scam car sellers is going round to their house to say hello and give me my money back, possibly with some athletic friends, perhaps on the way to play baseball or snooker.
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My ex had an accident in November, his car was a write off.
Briefly, without a car here in rural France life is very difficult, had to move quickly to look for a replacement. Found a nice little second hand car at a localish garage. Asked that a new CT was done,it passed, only ‘fault’ was with one of the tyres, the garage replaced two. The car was clean inside and out.
2 weeks later there was a problem with the clutch. The garage had the car for 3 weeks whilst awaiting parts (ex was loaned a car) it’s now all repaired and ready to collect tomorrow.
My ex will ask for an extension on the 3 month guarantee.
It’s ok saying that with a private sale you have recourse to contact the seller BUT I have noticed quite a few cars being advertised by British returning to the UK. If something major goes wrong a short time later then good luck trying to get some sort of compensation !
You’re welcome Lee…I’m trying to keep up with this thread…are you buying or selling a uk car…???
My uk car was ultimately scrapped…my local garage helped me through that process too as I went through the process of purchasing a used French car from them…
When my “new” used French car next needs an mot…controle technique… then my local garage has an option to take it to them first so problems can be sorted beforehand…
Whilst I always thought that my preferred option would be importing another uk car if and when my first one failed then given how genuine my local French garage has been since I got here and their level of service then I’ll not ever be looking to buy another uk car either from uk or the expat community…
When I was in the process of buying my new/used lhd French car then every defect was pointed out…nothing much…every possible foreseeable problem was sorted before I picked her up…but more than that…and more important to me currently alone in France…is that I have friends for life at my local garage just 3 miles away…x 
What you write makes sense, of course, Ann. I’m not inclined to buy privately. Thank you.
OK, thank you, Véronique.
If only I had friends like that, it could certainly be an option if I found myself scammed!
Helen, I’m trying to keep up with it too! Am finding it difficult to distinguish between those genuinely trying to help and those just interested in being sarcastic and very slightly superior!
As for you, thanks. I’m probably selling a French registered RHD and then probably buying a French LHD. Your comments have helped to confirm my reluctance to buy privately; thank you.
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I’m the OP…I think! Your link is helpful; thank you.
Of course you’re right that selling my RHD to anyone but a Brit is unrealistic but my original post was trying to find out…; I won’t repeat it as it’s at the top if you want to read it. Thanks again for the link.
And a house you were considering buying? If it was dirty, untidy etc, you’re implying that your initial impression would be the same as if the house was spic and span?
I appreciate your replying but your “mutton dressed as lamb” analogy, whilst vaguely amusing, is not necessarily a majority feeling; but I accept that it might be.
You should see the house I bought, the condition it was in and what it has become. I knew what I wanted and by the sound of it it would not have appealed to you, you would have preferred the smell of coffee and fresh bread to the real gem on offer. Some of us look deeper than first impressions. Are the people that you know that shallow?
Having reached this point I can only say that I wish your original post hadn’t been so vague and so far removed from what you actually wanted to know. Perhaps you have tried to polish the t*** here too, hiding the reality below a thin veneer.
Luckily we are all different.
Australia has become a "reformed hoor’ police state. I remember those happy days in 70s Earls Court when Aussies weren’t so worried about this crap. I’m still not. One of the (much lessor) reasons for Brexit is the backlash from the EU laws that the inflexible British authorities enforced and that the more sensible countries (read France) ignored.