Probably Off Topic but don't know where else to post it

dunno BUT there are loads of students around the city in foreign registered and plated cars who don't seem to pay our road tax etc and are here for a few years ... ho hum...

I've seen quite a few foreign death traps belching smoke too. If they stay over a certain length of time they should have to get an MOT.

Bob

Bob Smith ( snipped-for-privacy@spoo.Usenet-News.net) gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying :

They do.

If a foreign-registered vehicle is in the UK for more than 6 months, it should be registered here, which means UK MOT/tax/insurance.

If it's here temporarily, it should be legal in the home country - which means local MOT/tax/insurance.

We were somewhere around Barstow, on the edge of the desert, when the drugs began to take hold. I remember "Blondie" saying something like:

The procedure is - do nothing. If you're there for a few months and the car is taxed, MoTd here, insured for abroad (for that length of stay) and legal otherwise (tyres, lights, bits falling off, etc) then you are entitled to use it as you please.

Don't attract attention to yourself by ramming it into an airport building, no matter how frustrating foreign customs are.

Grimly Curmudgeon ( snipped-for-privacy@REMOVEgmail.com) gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying :

Not quite that simple, depending on the country. In the EU, yes, it is absolutely that easy.

But many other countries are more bizarre - the US, I know, gets really tetchy about even temporary imports. Senegal won't allow anything over 5yo in to the country, even just to transit through. Oz has a real hard-on against left-hookers. Some countries you need an international Carnet, and may need to pay a HYOOOOGE temporary deposit at the border.

I guess the answer is "it depends", and "speak to the embassy" if the OP's planning to do anything outside the EU.

We were somewhere around Barstow, on the edge of the desert, when the drugs began to take hold. I remember Adrian saying something like:

I'd made the possibly erroneous assumption the OP was asking about an EU country. As you say, other countries have differing attitudes but I'd be surprised if there was any trouble about it in most of them. Balance of probabilities - how likely is it the OP is asking about a trip to Senegal [1] - she'd have been more clued up about it from other sources.

[1] Afair, the Senegalese were perfectly ok about it until we started racing old shiteheaps to there and leaving them behind us when we left.

The message from "Blondie" contains these words:

Assumption that it is in EU and you are only visiting (as towards relocation move / export) then I suggest the following:

1. Inform insurance, even if it states covered in EU - reason is that the small print may contain restrictions coupled with a time limit. Additionally although "green Cards" are not generally called for, you will need a translation of your policy or at least the statement of cover translated (in Germany the actual policy card is green when you request it / first take out a policy, clever are they not).
2. Have you one of the latest EU liences, you may need the translation of it if not, cannot remember the link but go to the DVLC site, it is pretty good. (No provisional even with pass sheet, must be full)
3. Most EU have a requirement that you need to carry items not considered in the UK. (Halfords used to have a list, pretty good but beware point C. it is new so older lists may not have it)

a. First aid Kit (meant to comply with some ISO standard) b. Red triangle (one for germany, two in some EU) c. Fluresent jacket (under discussion as to interpretation at present but considered as one per vehicle for Germany, believed one per passenger for France.) d. Some EU require spare light bulbs to be carried e. Some EU require Fire extingusher. f. Registration document (Leter of authority to have car if not in your name), MOT and valid tax disk. g. EU number plates (UK not SCO or welsh etc) else UK sticker on rear. h. cannot remember if tow ropes are needed in some? Suggest breakdown cover, strangly this appears to be (RAC & AA) chargable dependant on length of stay so it might be cheaper (if recovery to UK not required) to join the local EU one (ADAC in Germany) I pay less than RAC per year and I am covered within all EU + others and even when back in the uk.

Try the caravan club for EU cover etc as when I came over here RAC and AA would not cover me even for the one day off the ferry, the wanted a return date. Took the risk and all was ok

Pete

Thanks for all your input - I should have mentioned that I was considering Non EU countries

CARNET seems to be what I should be using

Grimly Curmudgeon ( snipped-for-privacy@REMOVEgmail.com) gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying :

Unfortunately for that line of thought, we weren't actually leaving 'em in Senegal.

Eh? i just take my cover note or ins proof, its been checked many many times by the Germans and Polish at borders...never had a problem...

i even took the little slip from the V5 when i went ot Germany last year days after buying a car...

yeah, but i have seen hundreds of cars with none...even in deepest E Germany!!!! i have a GB and ENG

could you please offer a bit more advice on that, i have a 15 year old bimmer, i go on trips with, not had problems before, and either it was way too expensive, or couldnt cover me. I looked at ADAC

The message from "Jules" contains these words:

Have a look at bthe small print of many policies, yes the cover note may state covere in EU country but your small print can have a limititation to something like 30 days and subject to informing them. Checked by police is diferent from being involved in an acident. I actually found it easier to take German insurance on my uk reg car, only problem is taxing it.

I answered the OP as the "laws" state, I will conceed a typo/error, should have been GB not UK. I am not saying that you will be stopped, purely that you can be had if they really want to do you.

I would certainly agree that German police are not as likely to random stop as perhaps the UK due in part to the insurance, tax and MOT being linked to the sticker on the number plate, they dont have to stop you to confirm if the car is insured etc, however be in an acident and the "more than my jobs worth" attitude can come into force.

When I first came over to Germany I wanted to have breakdown cover to get me here (RAC extension for trip) as I had an old Volvo 740 G reg., both AA and RAC declined to offer this as I was not returning and they claimed that there was a legel requirement to return the car to the UK. Becasue I had mentioned one way they would not except a fictisious return date. This was 4 years ago and perhaps thing have changed. AA recomended the Caravan club as they are apparently more flexible in their cover, however as i was leaving the next morning I never took it further so cannot give you any firm data. Reference to ADAC is purely that for less money I get automatic cover in all of europe including the UK, this was on the .

Mine says 90 days max outside UK, i belive some differ

I spend a lot of time in Germany, with a view to moving next year (love the country, esp east) but the German broker wanted some info on my car i cant find...not just model, spec and engine size etc, but some wierd numbers given out at time of making it (not just on chassis details)

I get mobility, so free road tax, but i guess that wouldnt apply if it was with some German ins co. if you could offer any advice further it would be appriciated!!

At borders sometimes i get waived through, other times they check out the car on there computers, and me of course...never had a problem, 9 times out of 10 very polite

yes, i bought my stickers from Halfrauds before i left..at the ferry points they gave em away...but still saw lots without. i belive if you have the GB sybol on the number plate thats ok instead, but i dont

i belive so

thanks, will take another look Im back off to Berlin, Cottbus, Dresden ina couple of weeks, never had a problem so far, but would feel at ease if i had cover, esp as this time im taking the dog