France in Focus

Hi
Last year I was given a suzuki Jimny by a friend who has now passed away.

My friend bought it new for her farm, it arrived as a 4 seater, but was converted with a kit to a two seater for commercial use, but she was given all the rear seats and seat belts etc, which I now have.

When I got the vehicle I just changed the owner to my name, it has been more usefull to me as a two seater with load space, so never bothered to change it, i am now comming up to a year and had a reminder for the CT pollution test.

I was just wondering what I have to do to change it back again, is it just a case of changing the carte grise or do I have to fit everything back in, and get a CT like that, before changing the carte grise?

Regulations and more regulations, it's the same old song everywhere I'm afraid.

Passing the CT depends on the number of seats stated on the vehicle registration document: if it states 2 seats, the vehicle must be presented strictly in a 2-seater configuration, whereas if it states 4 seats, the seats and seatbelts must be fitted.

Consequences for the CT.

* Registration document compliance: the inspector checks that the number of physical seats matches field S.1 on the registration document. Any discrepancy results in a failure. If the registration document specifies 2 seats (Utility/CTTE): your nice Suzuki Jimny must be presented with the 2-seat kit and the partition. In your case it specifies the original 4-seat configuration, work to do.

* The presence of rear seats in the boot is not a problem, but they must not be fitted. If the registration document specifies 4 seats: all rear seats and their seat belts, as supplied by the dealer, must be fitted and in working order at the time of the CT.

Legal and administrative situation.

* Type-approval: removing or refitting seats alters the vehicle’s type-approval. To drive legally as a 4-seater, the vehicle registration document must be amended accordingly (which involves undergoing type approval again and paying the original eco-tax/penalty).

* Insurance: carrying passengers in the rear when the vehicle registration document specifies a 2-seater configuration constitutes a breach of regulations and poses a major risk in the event of a personal injury accident (the insurer may refuse to cover the claim).