Getting rid of a RHD car

I exported my Golf in 2005 and it has been in my barn ever since. I never insured it or drove it in France although it was correctly exported and insured to be driven to the barn! Now I can’t get rid of it as everyone is worried about the paperwork. You surrender the registration on export but I now have a letter from the DVLA saying I was the last owner. My local garage is trying but the lack of paper work is proving difficult. I can’t go to the Gendarmerie for help I am told as there are very strict regulations on the storage of old cars. Any advice please?

What is year of manufacture?

Apologies but I am not in France so I have to guess 1994 but it is a guess. I will be there in November.

Scrap - usually free of charge by the local auto-caisse but they might refuse if you do not have the correct paperwork,you can try them and see. You do realise that you must have had it insured continually from the time it arrived until now by law even if it does not leave the garage or even turn over therefore the gendarmerie may ask to see your insurance papers.

@Bess

check your files… you must have kept the V5 bit which would have allowed change to French regn in 2005.

"You’ll need to:

  1. Fill in the ‘permanent export’ section of your vehicle log book (V5C) and detach it from the log book.
  2. Send the completed ‘permanent export’ section to DVLA, Swansea, SA99 1BD.
    Include a letter if you’ve moved abroad and want your vehicle tax refund (if you’re entitled to one) sent to your new address.
  3. Keep the rest of your log book (V5C) - you need it to register your vehicle in the country you’re taking it to."

Thank you. I am afraid I haven’t got it anymore! I seem to have misplaced it.

Ah… I misunderstood… thought you reckoned it had been sent to DVLA…

Perhaps DVLA will issue a replacement V5C ??? as you’ve lost the previous one ???

You may finish up doing what many car owners do round here - just leave it to rot in your barn / garden.
Most places have 2-3 cars gently aging.

Is that true? I thought there was a charge?

No they won’t but instead sent me a letter showing I was the last registered owner. This is proof that I am the legal owner. The regulations are designed to stop scrapping stolen cars I believe. However doesn’t so far have much traction with the local casse.

??

Strictly illegal! if there is ever a fire it will invalidate the insurance. However i know most people do this.

Yes I am aware thank you as I tried to indicate. Hence my problem!

No. I got my 35year old VW taken away free of charge last summer before I put the house up for sale. Shame as it was roadworthy but I could not afford to run two vehicles and it was not power steering and 9cv so a hefty insurance. I must point out that it had been storage for 20years previously here and insured all that time as the law demands. You do have to hand over the carte grise etc to the breakers but you get all the legal destruction paperwork done for you.

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To make you feel better, if the vehicle is not insured even at a minimum (public liability?) there are steps you can take…

I think it’s advised to remove the battery, ensure there’s no chemicals/oil/fuel (unlikely) in the tanks/wherever… not sure if it should have windows open or shut…
the idea is that the car is as safe as it can be, from causing fire/injury/whatever to people or property… while it is stored.

I know one householder was congratulated by the loss-adjuster, on hearing of similar preventative measures, after a housefire… he was so relieved that the car/motorbike/whatever could not be blamed

EDIT let’s be clear, this vehicle is still on UK plates … and that is the sticking block ??

Was it French registered though? In that case it would not be a problem, which does not appear to.be the same case as the OP?

Thank you.

Thanks. Yes it still has GB plates. It was never registered in France

The GB plates aren’t necessarily an issue but I think you’ll struggle to destroy the car without having a carte grise. The problem then is that to get a carte grise you’ll need to import the car first. And to import the car, I think you’ll need a “certificat de conformité” from the manufacturer to confirm it meets the same standards as French cars (Mercedes charged me £100 for mine last year :person_facepalming:).

It’s a shame Mark Rimmer is no longer a member as I’m sure he’d know how best to do this.

Yes, originally brought over from UK when we moved and back in the early 90’s and back then you HAD to re-register your vehicle within 6 months of arriving in France as well as changing your driving license for a french one. Therefore I had a carte grise for the destruction. The OP should have re-registered her car when brought over, there is a time limit to do this and to leave it on UK plates would not allow it on the road which it seems to me is where things went wrong and probably too late now to do much about it.

I had a Ford Anglia years back in the UK Ended up cutting it to pieces with an angle grinder and over a period of months taking the bits to the what was then called council rubbish dump

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