I got a quote to import my wife’s car from Florida to France, the price was very reasonable but it also stated I would have to pay 10% duty and 20% vat, my question is, how do the French authorities calculate the value of the car?
I can’t answer your question, but I have seen many tales of woe and grief in forums so strongly advise against attempting this unless your car is unusual such as being over 35 years old, or exotic. The costs of bringing it up to EU standards in many cases exceeds $5 or $10k and may takes years off the road.
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On production of a sales invoice that they may or may not accept. If they do not, they make their own valuation.
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And does the car have a certificate of comformity? If not and you can’t get one you may end up having to pay for a DREAL inspection and any work they think necessary.
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And if it’s over 150 hp, then there’s an additional tax to pay on registration, based on how big and powerful the engine is.
I heard of a Lincoln car costing 50,000 €. (Or it would have cost that: the owner decided against importing.) That’s an extreme example, but I paid over 2,000€ for a VW Tiguan.
Hi.
I’m not clear if you’ve been to Europe before but some large American cars aren’t really suitable for some roads in France.
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What do you have a quote for? Shipping or actually making it compliant with the requirements for registration in France? These will be two very different numbers.
This site will give an idea of conversion costs.
My son paid €750 engine tax on a brand new T-ROC last month and its not that big a car either, Another con on buying a new vehicle.
Yes.
I was in two minds, but eventually decided that a 5yo VW would probably last until we’re ready to replace it with an electric car.
France does seem to have a tightly controlled approach to motor vehicles, in a way that can appear very harsh compared to the US and UK. It’s probably not worth the trouble of trying to get a non-French approved vehicle registered here.
As @David_Spardo mentioned Mark Rimmer in this Facebook group is the go to guy for French registration questions and I think he’s also imported some US cars.
I don’t think it’s that bad when you consider the annual tax cost of running a car in the UK. A T-Roc would cost £195 every year.
That’s the chap whose name escaped, me no comment on him I can forget my own name some days. But, in addition to being an expert he did import an American car from the States and followed its progress as it was brought across in a shipping container. But he will have all the knowledge you need which might well be, as @David_M_Matthews says ‘don’t do it’, but he did.
Best of luck. 
Make, model and year?
I would go so far as to say that almost no American cars are really suitable for most roads in France. After driving my beloved Subaru Forester in the US, we bought a Peugeot 208 here. It’s almost small enough…
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I saw no end of small american cars on the roads in Nashville recently, mostly Japanese and Korean models and VW’s. Its the big trucks and some were so tall I would need Clarkson’s tractor stairlife to get in and out with and most big SUV’s and the disgusting C*bertrucks that could never get round corners here. What I did love was to see some 70’s pimp mobiles still on the roads.
He was extremely pleased though that the insurance was a lot lower than the T-Cross that got wrecked, something to do with the fabrication and style of engine the insurers said. Anyway from day of accident to picking up brand new car, it took only two weeks in total as the assessor expert came the next day, his report in that evening and the insurers paid within days so everyone was happy plus as the model is not coninuing after December, the dealers gave a very good deal to get rid of stock vehicles and he ended up paying less that he did four years ago for a smaller car.
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Unless the make/model has an EU Certificate of Conformity, I would spare myself the pain.
I have a near neighbour who’s running round in circles trying to get an RHD Mercedes (don’t know why either) registered here because the EU CoC says “Sold in U.K. only” at the bottom and DREAL don’t want to know.
Cool!.
I have a Forester which is essential to get to our place via a rocky and muddy DFCI forest track. You are right though, it’s not the best on the tiny narrow roads but when the weather is bad, it’s great and when the weather is severe, I use the best proper 4x4 ever made, our Lada Niva. (All with AT tyres).