Mini Contessa on EBay

[Jean]

Has any one seen this 221175659033 item on EBay.  I am not sure how to bring it up on the Forum, can anyone do this for me please?  The chap is making some pretty way out statements about the vehicle don't you think?  Jean

[richard]

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/221175659033;jsessionid=D2C73A485B7468BD11DA2F3793984D41?ru=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.co.uk%2Fsch%2Fi.html%3F_sacat%3D0%26_from%3DR40%26_nkw%3D221175659033%26_rdc%3D1


i know little or nothing about these cars but wikipedia has them as built 1973-84 . strange how many cars seem to masquerade as 1972 to meet the u.k. free road tax date . am i wrong here .maybe i am just too sceptical though , or just wrong  personally if i bought a car and it wasn't what it was purported to be i would consider suing .

[Barry]

I am no expert but I don't think they made this model for long, however, there seems to be an Identification plate on the inside of sans permis vehicles with a date on it.
I don't think this is the date of manufacture, I think it is the date of 'type approval' or something like that.

It is printed on the plate, not stamped.

Hence all Mini Comtesses may be 1972 on the plate but Denis' site has them in a slightly improved form (with boot) in 1979.

http://www.microcarfan.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=13&Itemid=26

Attached my SuperComtesse plate

[Jonathan Poll]

Yep, that plate is called the "Plaque des mines". Mopeds also have them, so I'm guessing all 50cc vehicules had them sisnce they werent registered?

IT is the date of "type approval" as you say, and then you get the "feuille des mines" which has all of the original specs on it. It's good, because its the only paperwork mopeds have, and the french law says "you need indicators if the vehicule originally had them" and if you don't have any, you need to prove it, and these papers usually state it.

JP

[Big Al]

Prossibly paid to much for it from a source up country and is now in need of fluid funds. Classic Evilbay fodder.

[steven mandell]

 The chap is making some pretty way out statements about the vehicle don't you think?  Jean

Was it the "turning on a six pence", or the "takes up no space at all" that impressed you as "way out?  Remember Stuart actually drove one some 150 mi going and coming back from a meet.  Way out Stuart!
It looks to be in great shape- even a little better than the one I haven't received yet., and for essentially the same price.  Just a little scary about the electric drill starter.
Any side effects to this?

[Bob Purton]

I also wondered what was so outrageous. Maybe Jean was referring to the ease at which getting it registered was alluded to by the seller, that IS fanciful.
 

[Jean]

Bob Purton I also wondered what was so outrageous. Maybe Jean was referring to the ease at which getting it registered was alluded to by the seller, that IS fanciful.    Yes Bob, just what I was referring to, bearing in mind the discrepancy in the year of manufacture quoted and the fact the rules and regs for road use in GB are not the same as in France.  Buyer beware.  There should be an article on these matters in the next RUMCAR NEWS. Jean

[Bob Purton]

It will be interesting to see how the new moped/car catagorie effective this month will effect these older ones if at all.

[Big Al]

Classes for Gallic shrugging are to be started in certain urban areas and Wellington, I understand.