Hi. My first post!
I have a lovely Ford Mustang GT bought new. Low mileage and will last for many more years. Love it so much, and want to bring with me when I retire next year from California to France. Am a UK citizen although that doesn’t count for much.
Question 1. Any insights on if it is even possible to adapt and get the car registered in France? It is very different from the new ones.
Question 2. Would importing to UK first, and getting adapted there (as I already know I can get that done as there are several companies that specialize in it). And then importing into France as a second step?
Sorry this is a doozie of a query, but this car is very dear to me and don’t want to leave her behind.
Many thanks for any help you can give!
Tina
Hi Tina and welcome to SF.
Lucky you having a great car like that. Unfortunately you might have some problems with the conformity, france/EU is fairly strict on car imports but our resident “garagiste” @anon90504988 or maybe @DeTolkTW can hopefully give you more information
Thanks Mark for the welcome and the tips! I have a sad feeling it won’t work, but I have saved money if I can bring it so can afford to make some changes to bring her into compliance. Keeping my fingers crossed 
Night night.
Mmmmm. If I was you Tina I’d look at the Mustang’s emissions and the cost of registering here before any other exploration . It could be very expensive. I just had a quick look and it would seem your 5 ltr would cost €30,000 to register😱
Gulp!
Thanks for the info and the link. Hugely useful. Not quite sure I understand it but looked at the section for 2009/10 registered (year of acquisition) car at fiscal hp 22.35 ( my calcs) under the heading of
Vehicle in national or isolated type-approval
It says €2300 and reduced by 10% for every year if registered in another country ?
I am not sure if I am deluding myself and only seeing what I want to. But seems to imply that as I owned it since 2009 the tax is from that date and not the current year?
This has already been a ton of help thank you! Please do tell me though if I am having a senior moment in my interpretation!
Hi Tina, you are right that the malus tax on your 2010 car would not be huge as the rate does reduce about 10% for every year older from new it is. this part of the registration tax is calculated based on the Co2 output.
The regional tax is based on its Fiscal rather than actual horsepower & a 2015 Mustang 5 litre has a fiscal hp of 33, so the regional tax on a 2010 car would be in the region of 700€.
Your biggest cost would be EU compliance. There is a French company that will do this for you for about 4500€.
Thanks Mark!
Starting to believe that the girl might make it into retirement with me. Was starting to doubt before I came across this forum when looking for others who have retired to France and then saw the topic.
Looks like the cost to convert her etc would still be cheaper than buying a new car. I only do an average of around 4K mikes a year so the petrol wouldn’t be too bad. She is in good nick so hopefully will be like the rest of her fellow Stangs of that generation and give me another ten plus years. They typically go 2-3 times round the clock but that is here where it is dry and rust doesn’t get a chance. Other than a rehose for cooling system which is due to horrible dry heat a lot of the year here, she hasn’t had anything other than brake linings, a new battery and wiper blades. She is the 4.6L V8 but close enough for the calculations!
It’s is a bit early but would you know the name of the company you reference to do the conversion? And if I would need to find a specialist garage for servicing her?
So grateful for the help.
Oh I didn’t know that Mark. So a big engined classic isn’t out f the question.
I have never used their services so cannot endorse them but they do specialize & they speak english.
Does it do cornering?
Eventually…
Like a yacht 
Someone spent a few bob on restoring that
Thanks guys!
That is a beautiful car - needs whitewall tires 
. Does it come with free seasick pills? Sorry,
Mark - looks like tou are into vintage cars etc. Love going to those rallies here in CA (although not managed Pebble Beach Concours yet). Hope there are some events there as well.
BTW is there a trick to preventing the site from hanging/locking up? Not sure if it is only me.
Take care!
I can’t see how it would be any different to re register a car from the USA from the UK. If you message me I can give the name of the handholder who is currently doing this for us. It is not expensive; its a fairly simple procedure and the CT is regular and nothing to worry about. If the car has been in your possession for more than six months it will come under your Chattels and you have up to 12 months from moving to France to bring it in without taxes or duty as part of those chattels. Our volvo passed its CT last week without problems (or alterations to headlights) and we have insured with AXA in our nearest town. The handholder puts together all the paperwork and its processed. Simple. You just need a certificate of Conformity from the manufacturer or a Carte rouge for cars manufactured outside the EU and that shouldn’t cost you more than £200. Bon chance and good luck.
I think the problem is that until recently, all newish cars sourced from European or Asian manufacturers in the UK complied with EU regulations so are (or should be!!!) pretty easy to register in a different European country.
Cars for the USA market do not conform with all the regulations so certain modifications, and usually an inspection as well, will be necessary before registration can take place
Thanks! That is interesting and it would certainly be great to get a personal recommendation. I will be bringing my stuff and the car in a 40’ container. A lot of it I have owned for many years - it was imported to USA from UK originally lol. And owned the car from new. So I will need someone to help with all the paperwork. I think some of the shippers can help as well but it is a challenge getting info without opening the door to tons of calls and email.
Clicked on reply to you so let me know if a message is different! Thanks again!
Hi. I think that Brian is right at least for my car. Happy that you got yours done with what seems like minimal hassle - and must look up Carte Rouge. A new one for me. But my car had oddities like no side indicators, and the rear indicators are red and flash sequentially as a repeating series of three separate blinks. So I am sure that they will want me to get those changed 
. Also worried about tires as US Michelin’s don’t have the ‘E’ on them that I read is needed. And these are huge. 19” wheels, so would be good to know what to buy here where they are a lot cheaper. The company Mark recommended along with potentially your hand holder Amanda seem like great sources to have a conversation with to clear these questions up.
Thanks for the info and advice!
Never heard of this “carte rouge” - what is it for & who supplies it?
Usually non EU compliant imports under 30 years old require a DREAL inspection or possibly a national attestation from the french importer.