Irish Family with French roots - Family Carrier

Durty Diesel

My Misses is French. She visits her French Granny regularly with our 4 children. When I'm with her we need 6 seats ie we need a family carrier.

Also I adore the old Merc G Wagons (Boxey Jeeps). Now besides the maintenance issues I desperately need to answer some unusual car tax / VRT / car insurance questions...

I want to bring a G Wagon (1985 9 seats currently on Irish Plates) fairly much full time to France from Ireland. I am willing to bring the G back to Ireland about once a year. Longer term 6+ years away I would like to bring the G back full time. I live in Ireland.

A number of questions arise from my situation.

1 If an Irish reg'ed vehicle is subsequently reg'ed to another Euro country, then after some years that vehicle is re-reged back to Ireland is that counted as an import and therefore subject to VRT.

If that action incurs VRT (which under new rules will be thousands) then the following questions arise

2 Can I effectively insure a vehicle that is
reged in Ireland
insured in Ireland
based in France for 6 - 12 month periods.
ie will standard claims will be honoured.

3 Can I effectively insure a vehicle
reged in Ireland,
insured in France,
based in France for 6 - 12 month periods.
ie will standard claims be honoured.

4 How long does a vehicle need to be in France before you are obligated to register it in France. I believe it is 6 months however I'm told that if you drive it out of the country within 6 mths and re-enter that restarts the clock - How do you prove you have left the country in that vehicle.

5 Does anybody know how expensive it is to register a vehicle in France that is originating from another Euro country.

6 If a vehicle is out of the country for year long periods - do I need to tax it in Ireland during that period of absence. Many british retirees living full time in France drive British registered vehicles - do they still pay British road tax - even though the car is fairly much based in France full-time.

7 For Irish Car Tax purposes when does a vehicle turn classic and therefore is subject to reduced car tax. I believe it is 30 years but cant be sure.

Sorry for the detail, but simply wanting to move an old family carrier from one Euro country to another may be very awkward.

thank you - Durty Diesel

L1011

1: An Irish registered but exported vehicle can be reimported without VRT.
2: I've never heard of an Irish insurer giving more than 90 days cover for out-of-Ireland.
6: Your only way around/out of Irish road tax is to declare the vehicle off the road, which would likely have insurance implications...
7: Yeah, its 30 years.

Hagar

Technically you should re-reg a foreign car in France within 6 months, practically you won't get hassle. I drove an Irish car for 3yrs without re-reg. The gendarmerie tend to turn a blind eye to long stay tourists unless you start getting speeding tickets. No problem getting French insurance either, just had to pay a small premium as it was a RHD. There is no French road tax to worry about. To bring the car in and out of Ireland you will need to keep your Irish road tax / NCT up to date.