To sell it or not ?!

[lambros]

Hi folks,

I am planning to move in UK permanently from August...my job will be in a village close to Bristol so i will definitely need a car running 40 miles per day....my initial thought was to bring mine (LHD - Grande punto t-jet sport 120ps) but i am considering many stuff, like how easy will be to drive a LHD car in UK,the transport costs till UK (will be 2000miles from Greece) and also fuel consumption (currently 9lt/100km)...the 2nd thought was to sell it in Greece and buy a Diesel one from UK since i arrive there...especially i am looking for either an Alfa Romeo Mito 1.6 JTDM veloce or a Giulietta 2.0 JTDM-2 Veloce...what do you thing? thanks in advance!

 

[Ziggy122]

You've got import issues

Since your LHD, you need to swap lights over to RHD ones
Sometimes Fog and reverse need to be swapped over as well!


LHD means you have a blind spot where we dont, it makes it harder for you

Are you in KMH or Mph?

My gut feeling if you coming to stay, get a UK version

ziggy

 

[fingers99]

There are implications -- as Ziggy says -- but a lot of the Czech guys I know run LHD cars registered, taxed and insured in Czech and save a lot of money that way. You've probably got to go home at least once a year to make it possible.

Current trend is for Italians to drive big Mercs and BMWs registered in Romania or Bulgaria to avoid super car taxes -- drives the Carabinieri nuts!

 

[lambros]

definitely there should be import issues without these conversions but for the time being i would keep my Greek plates,insurance which covers me for 1 year...after 1 year, i would re-consider it...at the same time i was thinking to install also an LPG kit in order to save same money for the fuel...i counted that approx 1/3 of the installation costs will be saved during the trip to UK!

 

[austenw90]

I wouldn't recommend the 1.6 diesel MiTo. I had one for 2 and a half years and it was nothing but trouble. The Fiat dealer network is much better than Alfa Romeo in the UK so I would be inclined to stick with Fiat whether you keep your current car or replace with another Fiat group car.

The 1.9 Multijet Punto can be picked up pretty cheap here.

My comments are based entirely upon my experience only.

 

[lambros]

Good to know...well my Fiat is really reliable and trouble-free so far (4,5 years)..i think i will follow the LPG solution...i see more pros than cons on that...Btw the 1.9 diesel Grande punto consumes approx 7 lt / 100km so its doesn't make huge difference...with LPG i will pay min 40% less in fuel...so it does worth i guess!

 

[Eklipze3k]

It might be worth checking to make sure there are LPG suppliers in the area that you'll be living/working. Not all filling stations in the UK carry LPG.

 

[lambros]

I will live in Bristol so there are plenty !

 

[fingers99]

Should be enough suppliers with that kind of range and it'll probably be dual fuel anyway.

 

[lambros]

thank you all guys, i have already arranged to install the Landi Renzo original LPG kit with 1000 euros! finally, i am happy with my choice and of course that i will retain my lovely car!

 

[Davren]

i would keep my Greek plates,insurance which covers me for 1 year...after 1 year, i would re-consider it

You are only allowed to use a foriegn registerd car in the UK (and most other countries) for up to 6 months in any year. After that you need to export the car to another country for 6 months. I have the same problem with my car when I come to Kerkyra, Greece for the summer. I'm only allowed to have the car here with UK number plates for 182 days.
.

 

[lambros]

You are only allowed to use a foriegn registerd car in the UK (and most other countries) for up to 6 months in any year. After that you need to export the car to another country for 6 months. I have the same problem with my car when I come to Kerkyra, Greece for the summer. I'm only allowed to have the car here with UK number plates for 182 days.
.

I agree on that but they cannot prove that my car is over 6 months in UK! so, no worries!

 

[Davren]

The authorities know when you arrived because they photograph the the car and it's number plates as you enter the UK. If you are stopped by the police in the UK they can check what date you arrived. Also if you are stopped by the police, it is your responsibility to prove what date you and the car entered the UK. (ferry ticket for example) Same here in Greece, I always have my Igoumenitsa to Lefkimmi ferry ticket with me.

A Romanian friend of mine had his Romanian registered Ford Galaxy in the UK for 8 months. Several times I told him about the law but he ignored me. 2 months ago the police stopped him because the computer in the police car said the car had been in the UK for over 6 months. They impounded the car. Because the car was in the UK illegally, his Romanian insurance was invalid, so he was also prosecuted for having no insurance. He was given the option of buying UK insurance to drive the car immediately to Dover to take it out of the UK. Because he had already been prosecuted for driving with no insurance, the cost for the insurance was over £3000. To get the car back, he would also have to pay the recovery and storage charges while the car was impounded.

The car was crushed by the police and he bought a UK registered car.
.

 

[lambros]

if its the case, what's the point of Green card? let's say that i am already for 6 months in UK and police stops me, if i show them my valid Green card what can be happen?also what exactly the law says? 182 days in a row or during a year?i believe, there are many tricks that you can do, like passing the car from Dover to calais etc etc

 

[Davren]

You don't need a green card for any European registered car to be in any other European country, but you still have to comply with the laws in each country. All European countries have the maximum of 182 days for personal importation of a car. Years ago when a green cards were required, they were never issued for longer than 6 months.

It's a total of 182 days in any one year. You can't have the car in the UK for 182 days, then take it to France for 1 day, then return to the UK for another 182 days.
.

 

[lambros]

That's very strange! In all EU countries that i 've been so far, the 1st thing that is checked when you pass the borders is the validity of Green card which proves your insurance! also, i have already a Green card valid for 1 year!

 

[Davren]

From the CoBx (Council of Bureaux) website:

Is the Green Card essential for all Countries which a motorist might visit?

For visits by motorists to 32 of the 45 Countries participating in the Green Card System the Green Card is not a required document since it is substituted by the national vehicle registration plates of those 32 Countries, which are - the 27 Member Countries of the European Union as well as Andorra, Croatia, Iceland, Norway, and Switzerland.
.

http://www.cobx.org/en/index-module-orki-page-view-id-188.html
.

 

[lambros]

practically, this is not valid! for example in Greece, did they leave you pass without green card ?

 

[Davren]

It is valid..... the CoBx are the official organisation that administer the green card system .

Every year since 2007 I have driven to Greece via France, Belgium, Germany, Austria, (sometimes Switzerland), Italy then car ferry to Greece. After I've been in Greece for a while I then drive through Bulgaria to Romania. I stay there for a few weeks, then return to the UK via Hungary. Austria, Germany, Luxembourg, Belgium and France.

I've never had a green card and despite being stopped by the police a few times, the only time they asked for a green card was 3 years ago in Hungary. It took me about half an hour to explain to him that green cards were no longer neccessary in Europe. Eventually he contacted his office and agreed with me. (I think he just wanted a bribe, which I wouldn't give him).

 

[lambros]

I have just read this article

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/motoring...rists-escape-punishment-for-flouting-law.html

The fact is :

"Despite mounting concern about the number of unregistered foreign cars, only four were clamped by the DVLA last year!"
“You see foreign vehicles driving around and there is no database"

So, are you sure about taking photo of your car's plate in the borders?! obviously, your Romanian friend was very unlucky!