MFK validity on Canton change

Transportation, Travel and Trips
1
Hi All,

Need some help / advise. I've received conflicting opinions from two different dealers.

One says that the MFK is valid for two years (really old car, I know ) across CH, while the one here says I have to get a fresh one if I "import" from another canton.

Thanks is advance for your (quick) replies - I'm planning to see both cars tomorrow - and haggle

The cars in consideration are a VOLVO and a MITSUBISHI Galant

2
I'd turn it around. If they want to sell to you then you want a fresh MFK.

This may mean the car costs more but at least you know when you bought it that it could pass MFK.

3
The Mitsubishi has a new MFK. not sure about the Volvo but possibly. Why not ask the Garage?

4
According to the TCS, for old cars (10 years) it varies from canton to canton. Here in Zurich it's two years, in other cantons it just might be one year you have to show it again.

5
It doesn't mean you will pass MFK, but it means it passed it at least some time ago... Volvo was checked August this year. Depending on the canton you move you will have to show it again in 8 months or 20 months again...

If you move to Zurich probably 2 years because it's not always EXACTLY two years or so. They don't check it earlier but maybe some months later.

6
And in general I would never buy a ten year old car in Switzerland even if it's "MFK fresh". Because this just means the car is somehow roadworthy right now.

They don't check anything. Could be possible the car shows some new problems within the next few months and you would have to spend a lot of money to fix it and so and so on.

7
Having bought 3 cars more than 10 years old in CH, no problem at all. Bought with 130,000 - 181,000 KM, 2 of which passed 300,000km without any repairs other than Oil, Filters, Brake Pads & disks. The other I sold ca 228,000 when I left CH.

MFK is pretty easy to pass in any case......I don't know why people are so scared of it.

8
That's what I wrote... And if you bought three old cars and it worked for you it's just luck and not the MFK that gave you that guarantee or whatsoever.

If you really want to be sure regarding the condition of a used car it should be MKF fresh and also checked by an independant garage. Something like that.

9
Thank all, for the replies. I have bought the Mitsubhishi. This is going to be my 3rd ten years old car in CH. I find that the cars here are maintained rather well.

As I understand from most of the posts, an MFK does seem to have CH wide validity.

So I have less bother till at least December 2016.

Thanks once again.

10
It's nothing to do with luck, I use my eyes & buy German cars.

I really don't think any amount of garage checking will be that helpful, the only time I ever had any issue with a car in CH is after taking a car to a main dealer.

11
I do tend to agree with that. My earlier Bimmer and current Merc run smooth despite 10+ years and 100,000 km plus! However my regular local garagist (does this word even exist, or is my Romandie imagination?) tells me the Gallant is a 'very strong' car.

I also checked out many car forums and this particular model seems to have a cult following. My being a bit if a petrolhead helps me avoid the lemons, I guess.

... Eyes open, as the man says!

12
Hello

I'm giving a bump to this thread.

I'm moving to Kt. ZH soon with my "old" car (20 years old), which passed its last MFK exactly a year ago.

Will I be required to pass a new MFK as soon as I move ?

Can I do the MFK now before moving to Kt ZH ?

(I have had bad experiences in ZH and wonderful ones outside, same car in same state. There is an article, i can't remember the paper, comparing the strassenverkehrsamt in various cantons, and some have terrible pass rates while others are more relaxed...)

13
New MFK at registration is only done when the last MFK is more than 2 years ago.

14
We bought our car in ZH and then got plates etc for our canton VS - it was several years before they called us for an MFK (3 or 4).

15
Although that seldom happens unless it's over 10 years old from experience.

16
It will be called in when they choose, it' doesn't need to be done before.

Tom