My husband and I are looking to buy a French vehicle (having decided not to take our beloved 2007 Alfa Romeo 159 SW through the reg process) but are not exactly au fait with what to look for on a prospective car. In the uk we sometimes used RAC inspections but have no clue what to do here. We did previously find MOT advisory sections helpful though, can anyone advise if the CT has something similar? We live in the Cote D’Azur area (Ramatuelle) and are looking at a 2010 Subaru Forester near Nice. Any advice, including info on local inspections, would be greatly appreciated. Or anyone selling something similar on here would be even better! It would be amazing to buy from a community that I already trust. Thank you very much in advance, Mo x
The CT report should say why the vehicle failed if it did fail, but in that case, the vehicle shouldn’t even be up for sale, unless for scrap, at least, that is my current understanding. If the vehicle passed its CT, then the report that is given to the owner will also include things that will need sorting at some stage in the near future, and before the next CT. As the number of points that can cause a vehicle to fail have gone up, the corresponding number of “advisories” has gone down. It would probably be best to ask to see the actual CT report, rather than just believe the current owner.
Morning Alex,
Brilliant, thanks for that, that’s exactly what I was hoping to hear! Buying cars is always nerve wracking, maybe it’s time to learn some motor mechanical skills so that I can know what I’m looking for in the future. My other half is a boat builder/carpenter, so if it’s made of wood he’s an expert, but cars… thanks again for your helpful and prompt response Bon Journee x
The CT test needs to be undertaken before a sale. If it passed then the CT must be less than 6 months old on the date of sale, or less than 2 months old if it failed.
There is no reason that a vehicle that failed its CT should be considered scrap as Alex says unless the items listed in the advisory section indicate major issues. A car can fail the CT on an inoperative brake light bulb, I would put a new bulb in!
The CT today is very thorough & includes things like brake fluid condition, exhaust output, warning lights & even dents in the bodywork.
A seller is required to provide the result of the CT test as above so that a buyer has a basic independent report of its overall condition & can make a decision whether to purchase based on the items listed. The list does not cover everything but then apart from totally dismantling the vehicle & inspecting every part assumptions will have to be made.
Buyers are protected by the “Vice Cache” law though, which provides for unknown but previously existing faults (not wear) that cause premature failure of your purchase.
Here is a copy of a typical CT. This one failed on the items listed, nothing terrible but the age & mileage meant that its value after repairs was not much greater that the cost.
Suggest you buy a car through Autoscout24.fr or LaCentrale.fr. Many dealers offer a 3 month or 6 month warranty. Car must have a current CT not more than 6 months old.
Yes, I should’ve been more precise. This linklink indicates that you can’t make a private sale person to person of a vehicle with no currently valid CT, you can however sell to a licensed dealer or garage.
Thanks so much Mark, appreciate your detailed and helpful response. Checking out CT advisories turned out to be useful ruling out a couple of vehicles in the end. Mo x
How about the rules and regs for vans? I have a Renault Master DIY camper RHD on UK plates. I want to start again with LHD ditto on FR plates, a tasty one of which I have spotted in a massive commercial vehicle dealership down Lyon way.
Anyone have experience with <3.5 tonne vans/self-build campers … etc? And insurance for same? I have looked around for a suitable thread but not found one.
The new stricter CT came in to force in May 2018 so there are still cars out there that had the old CT & passed.
It could also be that they are in better nick generally than they look, they have deteriorated since the last test or, as Stella points out, a collection car. The latter are subject to a 5 year test if older than 30, while pre 1960 collection vehicles are not required to have a test at all.
Owners are still required to keep them road worthy though.
DIY campers involve a lot of paperwork & inspections. Never done one but I know of plenty of people who have tried. You need to change the category from CTTE to VASP.
Thanks Mark. I had a feeling it was not going to be as per UK where the MoT doesn’t care a hoot what you do with a vehicle as long as it it passes the test to prove it’s mechanically safe and sound.
I’d appreciate a steer towards anyone of these people known to you. Can you PM me with more info please?
And, as I’m new to all this, please tell me what CTTE & VASP mean?
x
Bon Journee x
