| Author | Message | ||
     Mr_grumpy |
I wish to register my XB12STT here in France, purchased & currently registered in the UK. To do so, I need a European Certificate of Conformity. In most European countries when you purchase a new vehicle, the dealer provides you with one, or if not you can contact the manufacturers representative for your country & as the owner from new get a free copy. HD UK want £96. Yes, you read that correctly NINETY SIX POUNDS!!! that's a shade under $150 for a piece of paper. When politely asked why so much, the nice lady replied "Administrative Costs." What a F*****G RIP OFF. Yes I'm seething & needed to vent. I have some other as yet unexplored avenues to check, but it looks a whole lot like I'm going to have to pay. To paraphrase Jerry Reed, They got the the Gold Mine, I got the Shaft.  | ||
| Greg_e |
Is that certificate unique to your specific cycle? Maybe you can get a copy from someone else. | ||
| 86129squids |
How do you say "Douche Canoe" in French? Work all the angles you can before paying- if you have to pay, ask for a reach-around. | ||
| Hootowl |
When I moved to Texas, I had to pay $95 per vehicle in addition to all the other fees to get them titled in this state. No one could tell me what it was for specifically. I guess because they've got you cornered, they can charge you whatever they want. | ||
| Mr_grumpy |
Greg e, you have to present the VIN to get it. Hootowl, that's basically it, they've got you by the nuts & they're going to grab what they can. I don't like it but I understand it. My real gripe is that I bought the bike NEW. I've imported many vehicles & some you have to pay for the certificate others you don't, but they've all been bought used abroad to specifically import & I consider that as fair game. This however isn't the same & it pisses me off. I may be able to get one from the vehicle inspectorate here, (if they're having a nice day & the guy got his oats last night etc) for half that price, we'll see. | ||
| Dmmblaze |
I don't think I would label your issue corporate greed since HD makes its money off selling new bikes, not looking after the 3rd party resale market. Pretty much all vehicle manufacturers charge money for the service of making up another CoC unless it is for the original owner... | ||
| Dmmblaze |
That being said, the dealer you bought the bike from should have the CoC, since by law they or the supplier should have the original... Your issue is not with HD, it is with the dealer you bought the bike from. | ||
| Dmmblaze |
Not reading your second post I was assuming you bought it second hand from someone in the Uk while your in France. I kinda see your gripe now, since being the original owner you should have gotten it with the purchase of your bike. | ||
| Buell2001b |
just look at your buell and just imagine of all the great times you will have with your buell  its worth every penny and more. just think about it, its now an exotic bike. only a few lucky of us were lucky to buy a buell and now where ever you go and people hear that ehasut they will be , whats that I have never sen one like it | ||
| Johnnymceldoo |
Hes telling the truth gang. Buisnesses in the US are out to make money. Fortunetely you can opt out of their products and services and convince others to do the same. Just be glad there is no mandate in France to buy harley crap. | ||
| Glitch |
Buisnesses in the US are out to make money. Yeah and? What else would they be in business to do? European Certificate of Conformity Is this some sort of emissions certificate? What needs to be conformed to? | ||
| Brother_in_buells |
They do that a lot in europe ,specially with vehicles from outside europe! The}European Certificate of conformity} is the paper that proofs that the vehicle is produced for that country or delivered through a dealer for that country! The best chance is to go find another xb12stt or a xb from the same year and ask the owner for a copy from the title/registration papers and show that to the them! That,s how i did it with my Jeep j4000 Good luck! | ||
| Greg_e |
Also called DoC for electronics or Declaration of conformity and you can often just download the form from the manufacturer which is why I asked if it was specific to that vehicle (like a title). I would contact the nearest HD dealer in France and ask them about it, then see if I could grab a copy from anyone that might have one handy. Cost me $75 to get the title transferred to my name when I registered my bike last fall, plus a $20 new plate fee, plus the registration fee of $15 for the part of the year left over, and of course sales tax which means that tax has been paid 3 times on my bike (3 owners now). And then last month another $17.50 to register for this year. | ||
| Mr_grumpy |
Greg, €150 ($200) through a French dealer. Landrovers were about €120 a couple of years ago but you could get one through the inspectorate for €67. Bikes are different here though, but it won't cost me to ask them so I'll try that next. | ||
| Andymnelson |
Meh, $150 to draw up a document isn't outrageous. | ||
| Greg_e |
Did some google for you, can't find the relevant info but it looks like it will need your VIN on the paper. CHeck out this post, and note that HD-UK does not charge the dealer for this paper so if your bike was really one made for the UK/EU you might be able to fight with them to get it. http://www.harley-davidson-hangout.com/forum/hdrcg b-594126-post14.html (Message edited by Greg_E on April 08, 2010) | ||
| Mr_grumpy |
Greg, that's no longer the case. The UK vehicle market is extremely competitive & prices are well below the rest of Europe for many of them. There has also been a large drop in the value of the pound against the Euro in recent times, so it's been extremely attractive to buy in the UK for export. The volume has been such that HD no longer deliver them free, even to dealers. Andy, I'd agree with you to draw up a document, but this is for printing off a stock form from a database with the VIN included. I agree there are admin costs in time, paper , ink, & postage. But at $150 a pop, they're on a winner, ka-ching! | ||
| Lake_bueller |
At least you can import/export vehicles. While I'd love to get me hands on a modern diesel Defender 110, I'm only allowed to import rust buckets that are over 20 years old. Oh well....I guess I'll just keep my 11 year old rust bucket Discovery  | ||
| Mr_grumpy |
I'm keeping an eye open for you Dennis, don't worry. Have a good, June 4 trip, wish I could be there. | ||
| Crusty |
Well, Innes; It isn't worth $150, but watch your mail for some interesting reading. | ||
| Mr_grumpy |
Dammit John, now I have to get up earlier to wait for the postman.  | ||
| Glitch |
You ain't got that thing yet? I keep opening this thread hoping all is well, and you're fixin' to go out ridin' | ||
| Koz5150 |
I am actually more amazed that anyone in Europe knows who Jerry Reed is, much less can quote his lyrics... | ||
| Mr_grumpy |
Update. Went by the local black'n'orange poseurs paradise this afternoon, took the littlun out on the back with me for a gentle ride to bed in the new front boot. Tried to see the service guy who deals with all this stuff & was supposed to call me back during the week but didn't, (he's actually an OK guy, had a very sweet S1W at one time) & was told by the snotty but pretty receptionist that he couldn't see me because he had customers to deal with. She asked me what bike it was for & when I said XB12STT, asked me what it was. FAIL! I have to say I was hardly shocked. I was more surprised they didn't get the mop & bucket out to clean where I'd been standing. But, after a little tour of some of the local bike shops, I popped by the BMW dealer to pick some brains about GS's unfortunately the Brit' spanner there was away this weekend. The salesman though was pure gold, had a good chat about various year models & options even though he knows I'm not going to buy one with them. He rides what? Yes a white Super TT just like mine, he's going to check in his paperwork & see if he has a CoC & if so, if it has the VIN on it. Made another bud & had a nice ride in the sunshine, took the sour taste of HD out of my mouth too. Koz, it's a great sadness to me that Jerry Reed is better known as "That guy who was in all those Burt Reynolds movies" than the master guitarist & song writer he actually was. |
