I guess the only way to get it through customs is to go over with a trailer and bring it in on that.

Try Steve Hill, he is a regular traveller to the UK. I think he would for a fee trailer the 2cv to the UK.

You're right. Getting it trailered all the way is the only way. I'd concocted some half-baked idea to take one of my kids on an adventure at half-term, taking public transport down and then driving the car back to Britain. Could still do it, I suppose, and introduce him to dealing with Johnny Law. That would count as an adventure too.


I don't know of Steve, Viking. Does he use this forum? Could you put me in touch with him?

I'd do this but I would stick some French plates on it first. Get on leboncoin and search for 2cv 'postable'. Get it insured on it's new chassis number and slap the frog plates on it. Drive it home in the uk on them and deal with the SORN once you've got the (original) v5 back in your name. You won't get stopped driving it in the UK on French plates and if you do you're just importing it aren't you?
It's about as legal as shagging your own sister but it's been done before. If the cars cheap enough I'd risk it for a biscuit.

Say G'day

http://www.stevehill.co.uk/

Where's the quote from, though...?

We're in a half-way position at the mo. MOT on the van expired in May, but we retaxed it online before that, so the tax is still current until Jan. I've checked the insurance paperwork carefully, and it makes no mention whatsoever of the MOT - which means they cannot claim that it's invalid purely because of an expired MOT. If there's a claim, they may say "Well, it wasn't MOTd, so it's only worth the value of an MOT-fail, so here's your £200 weigh-in less the £200 excess. Ooops.", but we'll cross that bridge if we come to it.

The second sentence of your quote is probably more important than the lightweight scaremongering of the first - you CAN drive a vehicle to a pre-booked MOT (straight there). No mention of distance. Just that you have to be en-route. When we come back, we'll have an MOT pre-booked. Legal. And, yes, that applies also if the vehicle's SORNed - since you can't tax without an MOT.

But - yep - current UK insurance is a must.

The pre-booked mot thing isn't as cut and dried as 'I've got one booked so I am legal', if you get pulled over leaving Plymouth docks and tell PC Plod you're just taking it for an MOT you've pre booked near Glasgow they'll probably use their judgement and suggest that it isn't reasonable. I'm sure you can argue with it but I doubt the legal system will find favour with you. I'm not saying don't do it, just that if you do, you might not get away with it as readily as you expect.

'tis true. We'll have one booked at a reputable specialist in the type of vehicle, near-ish to the port. Should make it a credible claim.

And, fingers crossed, it'll pass...

As an ex plod put the bloody thing on a trailer all the way,you have no idea how safe the car is in the first place.The Gendarmes are not as obliging as UK police because they don't have to be,their simple answer would be you lock you up! Don't try taking the piss either side of the channel as it could well end up costing you much more that the car is worth mate!

Take the tax disc, number plates and VIN plate from your 2cv, along with a screwdriver, cordless drill and rivet gun.
Bob's yer uncle. Road legal in about ten minutes.