Buying a car

You will do well to buy any car unless you are resident ! OK so what's the story with buying a car in Italy? We were not keen on buying a new car because just about every car I have seen in Italy has dents and bumps, but I have been told that it common practice in Italy to turn back clocks on used cars!! News to me ?So now we are in a bit of a quandary. Are cars generally more expensive in Italy new and used? Yes for sure, a lot of people stick with a UK based car (actually illegal) I know motor insurance is horrendously expensive (outrageously high!)and we will need to shop around, Keep your (UK ?) no claims paperwork as the local insurers tend to not give no claims on new customers from overseas!) but all suggestions welcome here. S

never heard of anyone 'clocking' cars but if you buy from a garage then you should have some warranty even if it's just three months.  Keep in mind as the buyer you will also have to pay between €400 and €600 to get the documentation changed into your name. For reasonably priced insurance try Italsure. If you are interested in a Land Rover freelander automatic (dent free) I have a friend who is selling.

Going by the continuous reports in the local press, plus the experience of one friend, clocking is rife! Much safer to buy from a personally known source than from a motor dealer - although I believe the proper factory concessions are much more reliable. However, if you check out used car prices you will probably be in for a shock. They are outrageously high - none of this losing 30% when you drive it off the forecourt as in the UK. Most models hold their value very well, and then (as mentioned) there is the €400 - €600 'passagio di proprieta' which you have to add on top. (This is included in the offer price on a new car.) You can get an overview of used car prices at http://www.quattroruote.it/auto_usate/ (though to be honest it is much easier to pick up the magazine at any edicola, which will also have the 'list price' of new cars). If you are just after a functioning small car, then do get 'personal' quotes from your local Fiat, Citroen, VW etc. dealers for a new car. They are desperate to sell - you might be pleasantly surprised. Insurance is outrageously expensive - direct line Italy allegedly does take account of your UK 'no claims' - I'm not sure if Italsure do third party insurance on IT registered cars, they certainly do the 'extension' to fully comp at a reasonable cost. Be aware if you buy new that the 'road tax' is never included in the price. You have to do this yourself. Also you should check out that the car tax is up to date if you buy second hand - either ask the seller for proof in the form of receipts going back to when the car was new, or check it out with ACI. You should also check whether the car is on HP, either ACI or a notaio will do this/tell you how to do it.

We always go back to the UK to buy our 2nd hand cars as even after driving it here and paying to register it in Italy it is still substantialy cheaper than buying a 2nd hand car here in Italy. Insurance is expensive but I believe from my UK based family it has gone up pretty substantially in the UK  recently. Not sure how different it is nowadays. Remember to look at Saga for UK insurance with cover in Italy for 12 months (if youre old enough).

Direct Line honoured my no claims discount but then I had been insured with Direct Line in the UK before moving here so maybe that was why.  I have sinced used Italsure, groupama and Direct Line and do recommend that you get several quotes when you renew as it does vary each year.  I went with Direct Line first year to get my NCD but then went to Italsure the second year as wanted policy docs in English.  Third year found wasn't worth paying much higher premium for English wording (my Italian improved!!) and found groupama were most competitive.   Have been with Direct Line since, renewing just last week for another year.

Thanks for all the useful comments. I think we are going to buyand insure in UK. I assume that we will have to use an UK address to register the vehicle and insure. The only problem I can forsee is having to bring the car back to UK each year for the MOT.

As from previous posts, Saga will insure for 12 months abroad, but if you plan to travel back to the uk within the 12 months and leave the car in Italy you will find the insurance would be not cover this. With Saga you have to remain with the car in Italy or drive it back when you want to travel to the uk. Again as from previous posts if you want to be able to leave your car and travel back to the uk within the year then there are very few insurance companies who will do this. The only one we know off is www.stuartcollins.com

You have the advantage over Italians in being able to keep your motoring relatively cheap. I presume you know that EU and Italian rules require that residents reregister their cars and there are supposedly limits to the time a car can be kept in any country. On French and Spanish expat sites these topics are always discussed and it is generally accepted that no EU nation has yet tried to enforce these rules. There are Brits who have kept their UK reg cars in France/Spain for many years with UK insurance. UK road tax and MOT are only relevant in UK i.e. There is no offence in not having these things in any country outside UK. I kept my daughters Fiat Panda at my French house for many years and had a letter from my insurance company that they would cover me on my UK insurance 'other cars' section for use when I was there. Unfortunately that was stopped some years ago. In Spain and France many UK vehicles have local insurance as it is often cheaper. There are many of the 'hang and flog' brigade who don't like using these loopholes. La vostra scelta