Importing and driving a 500 back from Italy - advice

Importing and driving a 500 back from Italy - advice

Author
Discussion

Ved

3,825 posts

174 months

Friday 5th August 2016
quotequote all
Following this with interest! Sophia looks like an ex-girlfriend of mine, also Italian. Beautiful, petite, cute from all angles and a complete money pit. Good fun though so go for it and get some videos done as you go - they'd make a fantastic diary of your exploits.

Lagerlout

1,810 posts

235 months

Friday 5th August 2016
quotequote all
FYI - you're no longer allowed to drive a foreign registered car in the UK if you're UK resident..

That means if you arrive at a port, you have to get the car transported from the port to your final destination in the UK. You can't drive it until you register it in the UK.

This might sound like BS but please check with DVLA. I had to go through the same issue myself.

Alternatively, you might be able to do this with a german transit plate as mentioned above, I'd look at that, that may let you drive it home as it's on a temporary plate.

Adding to the problem, it will be very difficult to find a UK insurance company that will cover you from collection back to the UK port. I finally managed to convince Adrian Flux using their internal broker (Red star something) to cover me at the last minute.

I had to do this recently collecting a Mercedes and driving it back from Portugal. Was flabbergasted that you can't simply buy a car anywhere in the EU and take it home. Seems totally nuts.

jackpe

Original Poster:

501 posts

163 months

Friday 5th August 2016
quotequote all
Hey, car is insured already so that's not an issue.. And I cannot believe that a UK national cannot drive a foreign car in the UK. That's simply impossible? You say it happened to you??!?
I'll find out soon enough.

Welshbeef

49,633 posts

197 months

Saturday 6th August 2016
quotequote all
I'm not really a fan of these and normally would laugh at that sort of colour but honestly that looks really good.

OP. Cracking choice + amazing how small it is v a tiny Smart how times have changed.

phib

4,464 posts

258 months

Saturday 6th August 2016
quotequote all
Have the rules changed on foreign cars being driven by uk nationals ? I just flew out and drove my 550 home in a day when I bought it ( from the Netherlands) then drove it at home with transit plates on.

It really didn't seem that complicated ( I checked everything with DVLA) and insurance wasn't any issue at all.

This was about 2 years ago, so things may have changed.

Good luck bringing home, hope you do a full write up.

This is already is 100 times more interesting than the "which diesel estate shal I buy' threads !!

Good luck and keep us posted

Phib


k-ink

9,070 posts

178 months

Saturday 6th August 2016
quotequote all
Lagerlout said:
I had to do this recently collecting a Mercedes and driving it back from Portugal. Was flabbergasted that you can't simply buy a car anywhere in the EU and take it home. Seems totally nuts.
So much for the free trade in Europe myth!

battered

4,088 posts

146 months

Saturday 6th August 2016
quotequote all
k-ink said:
Lagerlout said:
I had to do this recently collecting a Mercedes and driving it back from Portugal. Was flabbergasted that you can't simply buy a car anywhere in the EU and take it home. Seems totally nuts.
So much for the free trade in Europe myth!
Not at all. Just not "absence of procedure". We have been complaining long enough about foreign EU nationals bringing cars here and driving them untaxed past speed cameras, can't have it all ways.

jet_noise

5,630 posts

181 months

Saturday 6th August 2016
quotequote all
Good job you talked to an expert before buying. Well written funny smile
You've not been reading the heart over head thread have you?

Trailer it, please. Do you really want to be jousting with 42 tonners for 24hrs of driving in something with the performance of Eddie the Eagle and road presence of a gnat?
You do, don't you. Keep posting and good luck biggrin

regards,
Jet

jackpe

Original Poster:

501 posts

163 months

Saturday 6th August 2016
quotequote all
battered said:
Not at all. Just not "absence of procedure". We have been complaining long enough about foreign EU nationals bringing cars here and driving them untaxed past speed cameras, can't have it all ways.
That's not what is being said here.. A foreign national can still drive their foreign registered car in the UK, untaxed and past speed cameras. But a UK national cannot drive a foreign registered car and that is simply stupid. As longn as it is insured and taxed there is absolutely no reason a UK citizen should not be allowed to drive a foreign registered car in the UK. In any case I have dual nationality so one way or another I'll be driving it to the UK. My plan is to end up past Big Ben if it all works out.. For the finale.


jackpe

Original Poster:

501 posts

163 months

Saturday 6th August 2016
quotequote all
jet_noise said:
Good job you talked to an expert before buying. Well written funny smile
You've not been reading the heart over head thread have you?

Trailer it, please. Do you really want to be jousting with 42 tonners for 24hrs of driving in something with the performance of Eddie the Eagle and road presence of a gnat?
You do, don't you. Keep posting and good luck biggrin

regards,
Jet

Cheers! I won't be doing it in 24 hours, also as it will be filmed. It will be done over 3-4 days.. And I'll be avoiding motorways at all costs

Wish

1,256 posts

248 months

Saturday 6th August 2016
quotequote all

Welcome to the club.


Wish

1,256 posts

248 months

Saturday 6th August 2016
quotequote all

This gets more looks than my 1910 Model T
Enjoy the car.



k-ink

9,070 posts

178 months

Saturday 6th August 2016
quotequote all
That looks amazing! cool

jackpe

Original Poster:

501 posts

163 months

Saturday 6th August 2016
quotequote all
k-ink said:
That looks amazing! cool
Wow, that is really stunning... Love the suicide door model but way beyond my budget! I will get some white walls though, they really finish these cars off well.
Maybe see you at a meet sometime!

Iva Barchetta

44,044 posts

162 months

Saturday 6th August 2016
quotequote all
If your location in profile is up to date ,Auto Italia at Brooklands is fairly local for you.

On the Saturday before the May Bank Holiday iirc.

J4CKO

41,283 posts

199 months

Saturday 6th August 2016
quotequote all
Please ensure you have European breakdown cover, you will need it !

Have had two, completing a journey is like playing Russian Roulette with the AA Man.

Best of British Luck !

jet_noise

5,630 posts

181 months

Saturday 6th August 2016
quotequote all
Is that an Abarth badge?

acd80

745 posts

144 months

Saturday 6th August 2016
quotequote all
Wish said:
This gets more looks than my 1910 Model T
Enjoy the car.


That is a beautiful car!

anonymous-user

53 months

Saturday 6th August 2016
quotequote all
jackpe said:
Mainly don't be blinded by a shiny one and absolutely avoid one that looks like it was crashed.

Sofia looks pretty shiny and I think there's some evidence of a crash repair up front.
hehe

jackpe

Original Poster:

501 posts

163 months

Saturday 6th August 2016
quotequote all
Took her for a drive tonight.. goes really well. Distributor cap was worn, the contacts inside were quite scored. I think it's because the springs were not clamping it down snugly enough so it had some movement. Bent them back a bit and now the new one is secure. Took it for drive, goes really well but heel and toeing seems essential for downshifts.. and the pedals make it very difficult. Any way of adjusting the throttle pedal so it sits higher?

Tomorrow an oil change and a bit more fettling.

Couple of pics from the drive