Location, location, location

[epipete]

I have a dilemma! My wife has been offered a posting to Cyprus, so, as an unemployed freeloader, I can look forward to three years of swimming, sailing and powerboat driving. Sounds good so far and, even better, I could take the Lotus and travel in style!!!!

But, and there are several, I have concerns:

1. about getting the car through the Cypriot Registration/mot process given our well documented brakes and emissions (& what else?) considerations.
2. ongoing maintenance, as there will be a lack of spare parts and hands on expertise
3. Insurance costs

I'm inclined to put her into an expert (sportsmotive, etc) for an overall condition assessment, new belts, HG and service!

Has anyone exported their car before and can I have views on any of the above and anything I nights have not thought of?

Pete

[Fredjohn]

You lucky b*s*a*d

Go for it: you will never regret it :living / working (or not in your case) outside the UK is an experience not to be spurned.

No experience re exporting cars, but one member on here (if he still is) is in Cyprus: name Zinon. Joined in 2009 and appeared to be bringing a car into Cyprus. If contactable he may be able to help.

PS if you need any sailing lessons let me know I'm happy to come out and help (I am a qualified yachtee, but not to Ellen McC's standard )

[dapinky]

Just in case you don't have enough spare rooms in your villa, I'd like to try and oust John from his "No 1 freeloader" spot....

.... I can also teach sailing...

.... and powerboating (Displacement & Planing vessels)....

....in fact, anything up to and including RYA Coastal Skipper...

But, back to your list - I can't help with 1 & 3 on your list, but for #2, I'm sure that there would be a steady stream of volunteers to courier parts out to you (and I'll even bring my spanners!).

On a serious note - As well as John's 'local owner', there are a few more members who spring to mind.....

Costas- not currently an elan owner, but he built the fastest one ever known - The Sh4rk - (and brought it over to Donny) - from Athens, but maybe able to help with either contacts or language issues.

Dimitris_GR - again, from Greece, but may be useful to speak to.

nissias- is actually Cypriot, and may be able to help in all areas.

[cliff]

I lived in Cyprus for three years and loved the lifestyle, in fact I am flying down tomorrow morning to meet some old friends and look at some beachfront apartments. I am seriously considering moving back, my son is going to uni this year and that means I can escape from Germany, Northern Europe is just too cold.

Location is important, not sure where your wife is going to work but a few tips. I lived in the non tourist part of Larnaca, close to the airport (important for me). This meant that shops, restaurants etc are open all the year round. Many parts of Paphos, Limassol & Napa close for the winter, Limassol especially has its own issues and for me would be a place to avoid.

Don't forget you are not going there as a tourist but to live, that does make quite a difference. One glaring example, I saw many people buying or renting apartments, fantastic in the summer, but they didn't realise that in the winter months they would need heating. It can get surprisingly cold between November & March and many apartments and houses in Cyprus are not built with heating.

Our company cars used to go for service and come back worse than they went in. I would recommend you get as much work done before you leave the UK as possible, I am sure there must be good garages somewhere though.

Given the state of most Cypriot cars, I doubt the inspection is too difficult. The main roads are pretty good but can be challenging off the beaten track or in some of the towns. I can find out some registration & insurance info in the next few days if you need it.

Overall, Cyprus is a brilliant place to live, once you get used to the slower pace of life, the weather, the relaxed view of everything, you will love it.

[epipete]

Guys, many thanks for your kind words.

I confess, I used to live in Cyprus at the turn of the century, when a Keo Beer was only C£1 and deisel was 10cents per ltr! It was a long time ago, before they joined the EU so I guess I'm in for a real shock at the increased prices.

Cliff, like the last time, we are going to be at Episkopi (hence, rather moronically, 'epipete') but then I had roles at both ends of the island so am also quite familiar with Dhekelia. (I did the 'Dash' in 1998 along the corridor road). This time, of course, roles are reversed & I shall be dependant on my wife's status which means the car will have to be registered in her name Needless to say we will need to make another vehicle purchase when we get there (I'm thinking CRV or Freelander) but I have no luck in determining what local vehicle costs are currently. I'd be interested in current fuel prices though. I am also concerned about the speed bumps around the bases I fear they are large enough to deter 4x4's so will be a problem to our low slung cars, though I recall a lot of MX5's & MGs didn't appear troubled. I had an Iszuzu Trooper in them there days so wasn't concerned about either - bumps or fuel costs

Your comments about Cyprus winters is true, it really is solar powered and when the sun sets in the winter is really cold, the Qtrs are not heated but this time, without the kids, we will have one calor gas heater each.

Dave, I can assure you it won't be a 'villa' though the scaling will provide plenty of space and, hey, you'd be my only visitor whom I'd trust with the Lotus. I think I'll try and make contact with Nissias.

John, your sailing experience would be useful, I got my power boat and initial dinghy certs when last there I fear I may need to refresh and spend the time increasing my abilities.

Cheers guys

Pete

[Fredjohn]

Looks like I may have to yet again to Dave: I have Day Skipper, one (only navigation detail) level below his Coastal Skipper. But I have 3 years dinghy racing experience, 6 yacht delivery trips, various flotillas and one bare boat holiday to add to the formal RYA certificate.

I am sure Dave and I would make a good instruction team............................ but only if you have twin beds in the one spare room

Good luck with your investigations and decision making.
John

[dapinky]

John,

Your sailing experience far, far, far exceeds mine - I may have the qualifications, but they were taken a long time ago as a means to an end - not to get used in a practical sence (I'll explain all one day!).

The only thing I really feel confident driving is a planing motor-driven vessel, as I use RIBs a lot, but nowt which relies on the wind (see, I'm NOT a proper sailor at all )

......And I was hoping for seperate rooms in this mansion/villa (barracks!).

[epipete]

RIBs are fun, I once hit a wave during a misjudged turn and nearly lost a passenger, a 6ft6 18st Major - oh how we laughed. And, of course, when the prop leaves the water the noise alerts everyone on the beach to your ineptitude

And whilst it's still not a done deal, apparently there are some issues still to be resolved, if they ever are and it ever comes to fruition then the quartering should provide ample rooms, which is just as well as it is amazing how many more friends you have when you live 2000 miles south rather than 200

[cliff]

Pete,

fuel is around the Euro 1.25 mark with diesel a couple of cents more. Car prices are generally higher than the UK although you will be more familiar with the military economy.

http://www.bestcypruscar.com/index.php?displ=2

https://www.cyauto.com/

Property and rental prices seem to have come down since I was last living there. Keo has gone up a bit though.

The main roads are pretty good but there are a lot of speed bumps around Larnaca & Napa. (Didn't go south) Some of the roads are in pretty poor shape as well, I managed to bottom the rental car twice! I would be quite wary of using my Elan unless I knew exactly where I was going and could plan a route without bumps. If this comes off for me, I would probably take the Grand Cherokee or look for something similar. Although after seeing this:

https://www.cyauto.com/used-cars-cyprus ... okee_.html

That is almost 10k more than I paid for mine with similar kms & year! Not sure whether to laugh or cry.

My first time back in 7 years and it felt like coming home, was Mr Grumpy on the flight back to Frankfurt.

[epipete]

Cliff,

Sorry for the tardiness of my reply, thanks for your comments below. Price of fuel look cheering and the cost of vehicles isn't to daunting, these adverts contain Tax Paid cars and I won't be in that market so despite the pool of available cars being smaller prices should be better.

We still don't have any firm dates so am rushing around trying to get things sorted as much as possible, house to sort, cars to sell, a Elan to prepare, swimming cozzies to buy, you know the sort of thing!

I fully understand the sentiment expressed in your final sentence.

Pete

[GeoffSmith]

British Summer Cyprus.gif

[epipete]

Thanks Geoff, we're off in September for a final few weeks of Mediteranean sunshine before their winter sets in

We'll be able to compare temps in Cyprus, Spain and the UK, won't that be fun?

[GeoffSmith]

I'm looking forward to it Pete. How about you? Oh the bad news is that I've had to book a flight back for October.

[epipete]

That's bad but you'll be able to smirk broadly later on.

Are you good for a visit tomorrow or Friday am re Elanscan?

Oh, and how fo I get this gif for my FB account?

Pete

[GeoffSmith]

FaecesByurk doesn't allow you to post animated gifs. I tried a long winded workaround but that didn't work. Try uploading this Pete.

EDIT: LEC doesn't allow MP4s so I've had to zip it!

[epipete]

Thanks for that, I'll give it a go.

[GeoffSmith]

Are you good for a visit tomorrow or Friday am re Elanscan?

I'll have to let you know Pete - the low pressure has pushed my headache over the precipice again and I'm trying to get a session of physio.

[epipete]

Physio, now I could do with some of that!!!

Get well soon, health priorities first in all instances

Pete