I had to smile at your comment to M.C. that "buying a French car to use in France makes obvious sense". Some years ago an ex-colleague of mine towed his caravan to France, for a fortnight on the Cote d'Azur, behind his Renault Laguna. As was the car's wont, it got to somewhere in remotest mid-France and decided that it didn't fancy going any further. With a typically Gallic shrug the "le garagiste" explained that the offending part was British spec and that he would have to send to England for it. My ex-colleague spent several days living in his caravan awaiting the part's arrival and eventual fitting. He never did get to the Cote d'Azur.