The 230 TE moved to France

[gdb]

We moved to France a year today, bringing two UK registered rhd cars with us, one being a 1991 230 TE petrol, with 158k on the clock. had it serviced at the independent garage before we left, and insured it in France early this year, just to keep things ticking over while I sorted out all the other challenges of moving away from England.
I work for myself, travel a lot, and given the way the locals drive, we decided that the Mercedes would be a very good car to have here. Not that we didn't try and buy a local car.... but don't ever try to engage a salesman in a car showroom in France after 11.45am, because he's thinking about lunch, and you will be told to leave the showroom and come back after 2.30pm.....I mean, really........France closes for lunch, between two and three hours, garages, banks, everything.
So, having heard all the dreadful tales of how strict the Controle Tecnique(the french MoT test) is , we left the car with a local garage last week, pointing out to the garagiste (mechanic to you and me) that the left headlight filled with water when it rained, that there was a bit of rust, etc, etc, all the things that almost failed the car in England last time round and had not been repaired.
No problem, car passed without any work, is good for the next two years, and now we can drive around the area in safety and comfort.
One question to anyone who might read this - I'm trying to get a "Certificate de conformite" from Daimler CHrysler Mercedes in Paris, but I can't get them to answer the phone. Would anyone know if there's a charge for this certificate? I know they want a copy of both sides of the uk log book, and it has to be in French so we can now apply for French plates, but -any info woiuld be greatly appreciated.
Thanks in advance

 

[Myros]

I had to get a cert for my C280

which I brought over from the continent. it cost me about £85 quid from MB UK. You might try them and see if they can issue you one for France.

 

[gdb]

the 230 in France

Thanks Myros. I had tried calling Daimler Chrysler in Paris - the phone is always engaged, so then I called DB in the UK, got put through to a message that told me to fax the car details, "and we'll get back to you."
Progress.
gdb

 

[telletubby]

My advice would be to go to your local MB dealer in Poitiers or wherever, register the car on their customer database ( OK so you may not want to get your car serviced there, but you might want some bits at some time and its useful to have the chassis number etc on their database) and let them do it.

I went through the same procedure a couple of years ago with e W123 280 estate which couldn't get a 'certificat de conformité' because somewhere in its chassis number it says 'English - RHD.' From memory the slip of paper from Stuttgart sayign the car was oK cost me about 60 quid - or was it euros.