A classic for Italy?
Discussion
Im buying a property in Puglia and would love to have a classic car to keep over there for use in the summer months. So far I have read that you cannot keep a UK car in Italy for longer than 6 months in total before having to register it on Italian plates etc, BUT to have a car registered in Italy you have to be resident (which Im not).
Anyone have any experience of this scenario?
If anyone is interested, my current thoughts are: Fiat 130, Lancia Fulvia, Alfa 105, Maserati 222/224 or BMW 323i.
Anyone have any experience of this scenario?
If anyone is interested, my current thoughts are: Fiat 130, Lancia Fulvia, Alfa 105, Maserati 222/224 or BMW 323i.
Claret Badger said:
Im buying a property in Puglia and would love to have a classic car to keep over there for use in the summer months. So far I have read that you cannot keep a UK car in Italy for longer than 6 months in total before having to register it on Italian plates etc, BUT to have a car registered in Italy you have to be resident (which Im not).
Anyone have any experience of this scenario?
If anyone is interested, my current thoughts are: Fiat 130, Lancia Fulvia, Alfa 105, Maserati 222/224 or BMW 323i.
so what happens if you buy a car that is already registered in Italy? Anyone have any experience of this scenario?
If anyone is interested, my current thoughts are: Fiat 130, Lancia Fulvia, Alfa 105, Maserati 222/224 or BMW 323i.
i've got a home in Portugal (but am tax resident in the UK) and have a couple of classics out there which are Portuguese registered.
definitely go for a Lancia Fulvia... they are quite superb (massively biased as i have one in the UK).
It just has to be Italian!
I'd add a Gamma Coupe, Flavia Coupe, Beta Coupe and Beta HPE to the Lancia options.
Alfa GTV would be great but I'd love an Alfetta or Alfa 6 too.
And surely you need another Fiat option? I'd love a 124 Spider or Coupe, unless you want to up the budget and go all Italian Job Mafia-style and get a Dino.
You're making me want to emigrate!
I'd add a Gamma Coupe, Flavia Coupe, Beta Coupe and Beta HPE to the Lancia options.
Alfa GTV would be great but I'd love an Alfetta or Alfa 6 too.
And surely you need another Fiat option? I'd love a 124 Spider or Coupe, unless you want to up the budget and go all Italian Job Mafia-style and get a Dino.
You're making me want to emigrate!
Hi,
That rule only applies if you have formal registered residency in Italy. If you are not resident then you can drive your car. As you have mentioned you cannot register a car in Italy unless you are resident. I would be tempted to find a rust free Italian car and register it in the UK. If its over 40 years old you pay reduced import duty and no V.A.T as long as you meet the HMRC classic car exemption criteria.
That rule only applies if you have formal registered residency in Italy. If you are not resident then you can drive your car. As you have mentioned you cannot register a car in Italy unless you are resident. I would be tempted to find a rust free Italian car and register it in the UK. If its over 40 years old you pay reduced import duty and no V.A.T as long as you meet the HMRC classic car exemption criteria.
Alfa 105 are very easy to maintain. Maserati is electrics wise much more complicated, so is not the best solution for long lay ups. I have both and both are fun cars.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fWUopOlZcKY
https://youtu.be/eWYuc2c9mI0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fWUopOlZcKY
https://youtu.be/eWYuc2c9mI0
GTVOX said:
Hi,
That rule only applies if you have formal registered residency in Italy. If you are not resident then you can drive your car. As you have mentioned you cannot register a car in Italy unless you are resident. I would be tempted to find a rust free Italian car and register it in the UK. If its over 40 years old you pay reduced import duty and no V.A.T as long as you meet the HMRC classic car exemption criteria.
Thanks for your thoughts!That rule only applies if you have formal registered residency in Italy. If you are not resident then you can drive your car. As you have mentioned you cannot register a car in Italy unless you are resident. I would be tempted to find a rust free Italian car and register it in the UK. If its over 40 years old you pay reduced import duty and no V.A.T as long as you meet the HMRC classic car exemption criteria.
Id want to leave the car in Italy permanently, but if it is UK registered then it can only remain in Italy for 6 months Ive read? If UK registered then it will obviously be on UK plates even if it's a car bought from Italy. Also, finding UK insurance for a car permanently in Italy?
I hired a Spider boat tail from near you and had a great time hooning around with Breadvan (late of this parish) Could you not agree a rental plan for when you want one?
The other option is to have it UK registered and do a road trip to France every 6 months so its out of the country, would that work?
The other option is to have it UK registered and do a road trip to France every 6 months so its out of the country, would that work?
Claret Badger said:
GTVOX said:
Hi,
That rule only applies if you have formal registered residency in Italy. If you are not resident then you can drive your car. As you have mentioned you cannot register a car in Italy unless you are resident. I would be tempted to find a rust free Italian car and register it in the UK. If its over 40 years old you pay reduced import duty and no V.A.T as long as you meet the HMRC classic car exemption criteria.
Thanks for your thoughts!That rule only applies if you have formal registered residency in Italy. If you are not resident then you can drive your car. As you have mentioned you cannot register a car in Italy unless you are resident. I would be tempted to find a rust free Italian car and register it in the UK. If its over 40 years old you pay reduced import duty and no V.A.T as long as you meet the HMRC classic car exemption criteria.
Id want to leave the car in Italy permanently, but if it is UK registered then it can only remain in Italy for 6 months Ive read? If UK registered then it will obviously be on UK plates even if it's a car bought from Italy. Also, finding UK insurance for a car permanently in Italy?
classicaholic said:
I hired a Spider boat tail from near you and had a great time hooning around with Breadvan (late of this parish) Could you not agree a rental plan for when you want one?
The other option is to have it UK registered and do a road trip to France every 6 months so its out of the country, would that work?
Thanks but dont want to rent nor be forced into driving to another country every 6 months if possible. Best option to get a car registered to my brother in law I think. Insurance is on the car not the driver over there which makes it easier too.The other option is to have it UK registered and do a road trip to France every 6 months so its out of the country, would that work?
Finlandese said:
Whats the cut out? Do you fulfill the requirement, by driving over the border and back before six months comes up?
From what I understood it's 6 months then that's it. You can't just drive it to France for a day then back in for another 6 months. Someone might be able to confirm though!Claret Badger said:
From what I understood it's 6 months then that's it. You can't just drive it to France for a day then back in for another 6 months. Someone might be able to confirm though!
I had a similar experience in Spain 10 years ago. Loads of 'Brits' use UK plated cars permanently and are now being caught, because they have no MoT when it expired, and therefore no VED. I had to drive back to the UK in the winter to get an MoT. Rumours abound about Gibraltar MoTs being valid weren't encouraging.If you use a 40 year old car, it will be exempt the MoT test in the UK and the annual VED is £0. You'd have to keep it insured in the UK to keep DVLA happy so you'd only be third party abroad, even green card or its equivalent would not extend fully comp to all year round abroad. However, you 'd probably be able to get fully comp for 90 days, depending on the insurer. My point is that even if stopped, a 40+ UK plated car would be legal at all times, so how would they know how long you've had it there?
Getting all year round breakdown cover on what would be a 'foreign' plated car (i.e. UK plates in Italy) may not be possible though.
"My point is that even if stopped, a 40+ UK plated car would be legal at all times, so how would they know how long you've had it there?"
But we come back to the fact that a UK car in Italy for more than 6 months *has* to be registered in Italy to be legal which I cannot do. You are right, how would they know? But after a few years of me driving about locally Im sure they would notice and we would have a problem.
But we come back to the fact that a UK car in Italy for more than 6 months *has* to be registered in Italy to be legal which I cannot do. You are right, how would they know? But after a few years of me driving about locally Im sure they would notice and we would have a problem.
Claret Badger said:
Turbobanana said:
It's a lovely problem to have, OP, in these dreary times. Can you befriend a local and get the car registered to them? Kind of like a flag of convenience on a ship.
I have family nearby so I think you might be right!
joshcowin said:
Where in Puglia? I am envious it is such an amazing place!
Between Martina Franca and Ceglie. My wife is from there so we have decided to get a place near her family. Looks like her brother is going to be the proud owner of a Lancia Fulvia soon, but doesn't know it yet!Gassing Station | Classic Cars and Yesterday's Heroes | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff