car removal again

stammler · Post by **stammler** » Mon May 30, 2005 3:08 pm

Hello,
please forgive me if I don't know the correct netiquette for this forum. Just found this today and not yet really aquainted to the special code of conduct.

I will be moving to Rovaniemi from the UK in August, and would like to bring my car with me.
I 've read about the tax reduction for removal goods and MOT regulations, but some questions still open:
- I 've been living in the UK for the last two years, but the car, which is my own, is registered and taxed in Germany. The German MOT is expired, but the Tax and Insurance are all ok.
- Do I need to import the car (on paper) from Germany ? Does it have to come from Germany physically? Do I have to pretend I lived in Germany all the time, or can I tell them that I brought a German-registered car together with my removal from the UK ? Do the Finnish MOT people care when the last MOT was done, or do they just do a new MOT anyway? Can I bring the car to Finland using the existent German numberplates, or do I need to apply for importing number plates?
- I read something about special headlights that you need in Finland. Is that correct, and what are they? Any other particular technical specifications I need to know?
My car is an old 1988 Renault Espace TXE 2.0i, in good condition.

Any helpful comments will be appreciated

cheers

**Sponsor:**

Elmukelmu · Post by **Elmukelmu** » Mon May 30, 2005 8:38 pm

Can't answere the first questions, but any extra lights are not demanded by law, even in Rovaniemi. But I think It's just common sense to add some more efficient headlights to your car if planing to drive over winter in there. And of course you need winter tyres

You also need an insurance for your car. I counted that the cheapest, and the only one that's mandatory, insurance from Pohjola-insurance company for your car is 646,40€ per year. That covers the damages for the third party only if your the guilty one.

Hank W. · Post by **Hank W.** » Mon May 30, 2005 9:53 pm

"Special" headlights are needed if the car is from UK, as you guys shine in the other peoples' eyes. A german spec car with German-shining lights is OK.

doctorforsh · Post by **doctorforsh** » Mon May 30, 2005 10:47 pm

stammler wrote:Hello,
please forgive me if I don't know the correct netiquette for this forum. Just found this today and not yet really aquainted to the special code of conduct.

I will be moving to Rovaniemi from the UK in August, and would like to bring my car with me.
I 've read about the tax reduction for removal goods and MOT regulations, but some questions still open:
- I 've been living in the UK for the last two years, but the car, which is my own, is registered and taxed in Germany. The German MOT is expired, but the Tax and Insurance are all ok.
- Do I need to import the car (on paper) from Germany ? Does it have to come from Germany physically? Do I have to pretend I lived in Germany all the time, or can I tell them that I brought a German-registered car together with my removal from the UK ? Do the Finnish MOT people care when the last MOT was done, or do they just do a new MOT anyway? Can I bring the car to Finland using the existent German numberplates, or do I need to apply for importing number plates?
- I read something about special headlights that you need in Finland. Is that correct, and what are they? Any other particular technical specifications I need to know?
My car is an old 1988 Renault Espace TXE 2.0i, in good condition.

Any helpful comments will be appreciated

cheers

you would have to register the car in finland,,,if you are coming here it is best to bring your car with you as if you were here for more then 6 months then brought your car,,then there would be TAX to pay on the car,,,but as your bringing it with you ,,there will be only the registrating to pay and the MOT and the Winter tyres and the headlights like Hank said,,if you bought it in germany you would be ok,,,but from german did they fiddle about with the lights to be able to drive in UK or has it been left "german style",,,and i think you need winter lights!!! which are just brighter,,i think,,,dont hold me to anything though!

you might even be able to drive in finland with the registation you have for 6 months or so!! not to sure what the law is like

stammler · Post by **stammler** » Wed Jun 01, 2005 2:53 pm

THank you Elmukelmu, doctorforsh, and Hank W. for your replies.
Do you have any idea whether the car insurance you mentioned takes into account the number of years you drive and your accident record?
Mine is empty for 15 years now, never claimed anything from the insurance, which is why I pay just 40% of the full price (250 EUR in Germany). Would be nice if in Finland there is the same system

Mook · Post by **Mook** » Wed Jun 01, 2005 3:15 pm

stammler wrote:T
Do you have any idea whether the car insurance you mentioned takes into account the number of years you drive and your accident record?

It does.

dusty_bin · Post by **dusty_bin** » Wed Jun 01, 2005 4:02 pm

If coming here for less than a year then you can buy 'Border insurance' that runs when your UK insurance will no longer give cover in Finland and gives Finnish minimum legal cover. When you buy it, from the Customs Office nearest to you, you must still have valid UK cover and valid 'Green Card', although it can lapse during the time you are in Finland. Your car will be given a brief inspection, in my case they checked I had a first aid kit, fire extinguisher, red triangle and that my headlights had the appropriate alterations to avoid blinding Finnish drivers.
For the headlights, I used a fresnel lens; a plastic lens that is stuck to the front of the headlight assembly. This is a permanent fix, specific to the car IIRC and is legal in Finland. You can buy them at Halfords and the like for a few quid.
Don't buy those silly black masks that reduce the amount of light. They may be legal (I don't know) but you want to be able to see!

bobs12 · Post by **bobs12** » Sun Jun 26, 2005 12:35 pm

This is mainly addressed to dusty_bin, but if anyone else has info, I'd be hugely appreciative.

I need to take my car out of Russia next week (UK registered, old, bit of a heap).

Does Estonia require the UK MOT? Mine ran out in January

Has anyone come into Estonia via this route? Can I buy insurance at customs on the Estonian side? (i.e. the Estonian side of the river) Will it be a green card?

Some people tell me all I need to have with me is the V5. I hope they're right...

If they don't let me drive through, what happens? Hopefully they can't turn me back to Russia

At worst, would I be able to take the car to a dump/scrapyard in Narva? Any ideas how much that would cost?

I'm hoping to avoid this alternative, especially after buying a full set of Dunlop summer tyres.

dusty_bin · Post by **dusty_bin** » Sun Jun 26, 2005 7:19 pm

You will need insurance.
If things are the same as in Finland, you can buy Frontier Insurance, but you need to buy this before your other insurance expires.

It seems that you may be asked only to produce your V5 document. In the EU, all EU based insurances now provide basic third party cover, usually for a limited period though. But, this means that you may be asked to provide evidence of UK insurance, but not Green Card. Of course, without an MOT your insurance cover is invalid anyway...

SO, if you are asking if you can get away with what you are planning, then perhaps. If you are asking if you can be legal, then no way. If the larest part of the value of your car is in the tyres, I would be inclined to dump it and take a bus.

bobs12 · Post by **bobs12** » Sun Jun 26, 2005 8:02 pm

Thanks - in this case bad news is better than no news at all

I'll figure something out.

Anyone know of a scrapyard in Narva that could pick the car up from the border?!

dusty_bin · Post by **dusty_bin** » Mon Jun 27, 2005 11:26 am

If you were to be willing to pay the impound fees then perhaps somebody might be interested. But on the whole, unlikely. There is no shortage of scrap metal in that part of the world.
Seriosuly, get rid of the car, give it to a friend on condition they drive you to Estonia, you might even get a couple of roubles in your pocket!

bobs12 · Post by **bobs12** » Tue Jun 28, 2005 9:10 am

Unfortunately I can't leave it in Russia if I want to come back myself! Customs rules are very strict here.

What are the impound fees? Is that the charge for scrapping a motor?

Today is pretty much the last day I can stay, so if I can't find a way to scrap it here, I'll just have to take it to the border and hope that I can do something with it there. D'oh. Talk about getting into a stupid situation...

Am wondering though, just how efficient the system in Russia is, and whether it would show up on a record when I come in/out that I haven't taken the car with me. Just seems bizarre that I can't send it to the crusher here - nobody's going to use it after that!!

Maybe not worth the risk though. I'm sure they have a system whereby you're guilty of whatever they pin on you until proven innocent

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