Hi Andrew,
Thanks for your info about the Rover. Hope you have fixed the gauge.
Regards, Ian

I absolutely agree, jase. The logical thing to say in terms of effort and cost, although I can't imagine it having much impact on the powers that be, would be that it would save money in the long run...

That is still the case I beleave. Through some of my work I regularly get to meet Danish & Norwegian car enthusiasts. It is a great source of amusement to discuss car prices with them! One that I was chatting with recently said that he had paid £50,000 for a Mondeo ST estate a couple of years ago! What really iritates the Danes is us being able to go over there and purchase cars at their pre-tax price - which is low beacuse of the mega taxes they have to pay on top - but they are unable to go to Germany for instance and buy a car to take back home to use. They end up having to pay the full tax rate so it is'nt viable.

To own a Ferrari or other high end car over there really does set someone apart as being very rich, which lets face it is not always the case in Blighty.

Agree with replies above. As regards emissions and having recently researched this, I would say that if it is a European market vehicle with a valid EU Certificate of Conformity (see below) from the manufacturer then it is subject to the emissions regulations at the time of registration, i.e. 2003, in France. With the certificate, registration should be straightforward in the UK and no need for SVA. If you don't have the Type Approval certification, then I think you are going to be asked to go through SVA (although emissions will still remain those for 2003) as well as get an MoT. There is info on this on the DVLA website. It is actually easier if you are coming from outside the EU with a LHD vehicle and you can show it has been owned and in use by you for at least six months while living abroad even if it doesn't meet EU emissions.

Excerpt from DVLA site :
EC Whole Vehicle Type Approval (ECWVTA) - Passenger Cars Only
Most new cars sold in the European Union will conform to an "EC Whole Vehicle Type Approval". (ECWVTA has been available optionally since 1993. From January 1998, virtually all new mass-produced cars sold in the EU must conform to an ECWVTA).

ECWVTAs are recognised throughout the European Union but you must ensure that the vehicle is suitable for use on UK roads. Normally, this will not be a problem for right-hand drive vehicles intended for the UK market. To confirm compliance with an ECWVTA, you should obtain from the manufacturer or his agent a valid "Certificate of Conformity" (CoC) and present it when first licensing & registering the vehicle. (The manufacturer might charge if a duplicate Certificate is required). A CoC is only valid for the UK if the light and rear-view mirrors are designed for left-hand traffic and the speedometer is marked in m.p.h. as well as km/h.

If the certificate is not valid in these respects, you should be in a position to produce evidence that modifications for left hand traffic have been made and that the speedometer includes a miles-per-hour display e.g. a statement from a garage/mechanic or receipts for necessary replacement parts (see Section 2.6 for further guidance). When the modifications have been completed and you have obtained a statement or invoices to that effect from a garage/mechanic, you should send it together with the CoC to the Vehicle Certification Agency who will, if satisfied, issue a Mutual Recognition Certificate for which the charge will be £65 (as of August 2003). It is this Certificate that you will need to present to your local DVLA Local Office.`

Vehicles with a valid CoC can be imported by individuals and businesses without restriction; it is not necessary to demonstrate compliance with the personal import criteria as described in Section 2.4.

If your vehicle is more than 3 years old, it must also pass the normal "MoT" roadworthiness test before it can be licensed and registered. (At August 2003, this costs up to £40.75).