waiting until Thursday when I can visit my local DREAL place, a question on the subject - has anyone imported a car from the USA? I’d be interested if anyone has and the procedure.
I have one in mind, less than seven years old, very low mileage, currently in Germany (USAF import) TVA paid, with a TUV certificate that makes it OK to register in Germany but not necessarily anywhere else in the EU. I fear that I will need a full and possibly costly DREAL inspection 
I imported two, a 1973 classic which was a simple exercise after getting the documents from the veteran car group. The second was five years old and was total nightmare and I gave up on it eventually finding a dealer who shipped it to Eastern Europe to dispose of it.
You have answered my fears!
Maybe I shall cancel my rdv with DREAL and my plans to pop over to Ramstein…!
Thanks!
Why not keep the RDV and ask all the questions about “what if…” etc etc… then you’ll be geared-up to seek the car which will give you least hassle… and you might be pleasantly surprised
Hasn’t Mark Rimmer done just this? For vehicle registration things in general there are good recomendations for him here on SF since a long time and I gather his fees are very moderate. dukwman@gmail.com or I think he’s on Facebook.
Thanks Karen, but it is not importation per se I am interested in - the general procedure is a doddle - but the importation from the USA. American cars will not have a certificate of EU conformity that then requires, in theory anyway, a complete examination by DREAL which can be costly. Crazy situation, as nowadays I am sure there is no or little difference between a car destined for the USA or the EU. But regulations are regulations!
Yes Stella, I might keep the rdv. As you say, i might be pleasantly surprised. They might even say the car is exactly the same as an EU car making it a rubber stamp job and a small fee of 500€! And the sky will be full of little pigs flying all over the place… 
At least I will have an answer for anyone ever thinking the same…
You might well be surprised at how much difference there is especially around things like lighting, glass, mirrors etc.
I was reading about the Tesla Cybertruck and there was a comment about how it would never pass European standards on protection of pedestrians as there “was no similar standard in the US”. Now, I don’t know if that’s accurate (as it looks a bit bizarre to these European eyes) but, if so, there’s huge scope for differences to save money.
Ultimately, even if there’s little difference, a US car is unlikely to have all those little “E” markings that provide assurance that things meet EU standards and the DREAL will be wanting evidence.
Mainly because it’s all sharp edges and unyielding materials - I’m actually surprised that it’s legal in the US but the do tend to be a bit more gung-ho out there.
You are of course right - I was not engaging brain!
Anyway, it’s not going to happen. CapMorgan’s word ‘nightmare’ is enough for me to look elsewhere! Pity as it would be a lot of car for the money 
When @KarenLot mentioned Mark Rimmer I think she may have been referring to the fact that he imported a car from the US for himself i.e could be a useful source to contact for feedback. He’s helped me on a few occasions and each time I found him to be very willing and obliging, and freely gave very useful advice.
Ah, big apology in that case! I completely misread her post.
He defo imported his own US vintage one - but obvs he’s also more known around here for extemely reasonable fees to help some of us sort various bits of car-related bureaucracy here in France from the very simple to more specialist or niche queries.
I am currently car-free but the instant that changes I’ll be in touch with Mark. Too much experience of the struggles of bureaucracy here to tough anything out alone that I can get help with. Especially if it involves the upcoming pleasure of ANTS 
Provided you’re signed up to ANTS (now France Titres, thanks @kim ) and one of the others (eg Ameli) its a doddle, takes about 5 mins and a couple of days later the new certificat d’immatriculation gets delivered.
As CaptMorgan confirmed, importing a classic, a proper classic, is always easy as one has FFVE there to help.
I visited my DREAL office today who were most helpful. As the car I am interested in was made in Germany, it is all so much easier than US homegrowns that still (?) persist in using the crazy old fashioned rear light setup the US has a love affair with. With a car of EU origin, it is possible to get a certificate of EU non-conformity from the manufacturer that one takes to the DREAL testing place in Paris where they test only any non-conforming items plus the basic vehicle functions - brakes, steering etc. The office indicated that on the car I have in mind, there are very few non-conforming areas so I should get away with a bill of only a few thousand. BUT, aything can jump up and bite so there is always a risk…
Anyway, all academic now, as I see from the car’s diagnostic detail there is several instances of engine overrevving… So I am adding a few things up: Ramstein, top gun, powerful car, proximity to Nurburgring. …
I might just pass