Importing LJ73 to France - impossible?

[Edward Moyse]

Hi all,

Apologies if this isn't the right forum, but I'm not sure where else to post it.

Anyway, I've given up trying to have my truck in Switzerland - they've made it pretty clear that an old vehicle like this isn't welcome. So, given I've got a house in France, I figured I'd import it there. How hard can it be, right? French bureaucracy is famously helpful after all...

My most recent problem (please believe me when I say that there have been many, many, many problems before it) is it failed the Controle Technique (MOT) and needs to go to DREAL to have a réception à titre isole because I have allegedly changed the diesel engine to a petrol engine, and have removed two seats. Now, obviously I've done no such thing, but it seems Toyota gave me the documentation for a 4 seater LJ73. I'm chasing them in case this was a mistake, but I'm worried that the RJ73 wasn't sold in France and perhaps this is all they can give me. Anyone have any experience with any of this?

My fiancé is utterly sick of me talking about the truck, and so for the sake of my future marriage, any advice would be much appreciated. (Truthfully, I'm sick of talking about the truck too.) At this point if someone would offer me a reasonable amount for it I'd take the cash and walk away sad but relieved. It's been exhausting (and incredibly expensive) owning it...

 

[mussy]

Hi Ed,

I live in France and work in Geneva. (Frontalier) I am in the international moving and relocation business. If you want PM me and we can catch up.

Paperwork in both France and Switzerland is a nightmare can't promise I can change things but happy to share coffee or pint to discuss.

Best Mussy

 

[froggy Steve]

My pal has just had 18m of stress with DREAL trying to register an 80 series! Its from 1993, so pre Certificate of Conformity days. He has 2 seats in now, no rear seat. Bigger tyres was the main thing - the 80 was sold in France from 1990 I think, but as it was a UK car (no Jap Import) steering wheel was on the wrong side....Personally I think the guy at DREAL was a Le Pen supporter and an awkward SOB. They had to measure the car......had an inspection at Toyota who charged a fortune and told them nothing.......grrrr
Any way, 1st thing to do is make sure it was a car sold for France, and if poss get Toyota to give you a CoC....or a partial one at least. And, dont go counting any chickens!

 

[Edward Moyse]

Thanks Mussy - I'm pretty booked up this week, but a pint next week would be awesome. I'll PM you in a sec.

Steve, I'm afraid that maybe it wasn't sold in France (which might be my entire problem). It was originally put on the road in Switzerland, and I'm worried that the petrol engined version was never sold in France (which would maybe explain why Toyota gave me documents for a the LJ73 instead).

 

[Shayne]

Maybe if you contact a Toyota museum with the chassis number they might be willing to help ?