we've lived in Italy for three years now. The initial plan was to try it out for 6 months. Hence, we drove over our Rover 75 (51 reg), taxed, MOTed and insured in the UK. But time has passed, and driving a RHD on the wrong side of the road became a day to day thing. This specific car, has attracted the attention of the local police, in terms that they kept staring at it each time they had a chance. But we were never stopped. Because of the MOT issue, we've purchased an Accord (V reg),on the second year. This car soon became a nightmare, as I was stopped at least once a month for paperwork checks in various parts of Italy (mainly central and north). This car ended up selling on the internet, because I overlooked the fact that the MOT was expired by ONLY 10 days when the police has last stopped me. I was fined 125 euros paid on the spot (they even had a card machine/terminal in their boot, so there was no way out of it). To make things even worse, they told me that I was not allowed to move it from that spot (which was a petrol station), only to have it taken on a platform back to good old England. Fortunately, we were 2 miles from home and after checking the codice fiscale and everything else to prove the address they did let as go, on the condition to keep the car parked in front of the house until transportation was arranged to ship it back to London. They actually said that we could keep it for ever parked in Italy, but not to drive it (when I told thm that will cost more to transport it rather than buying a new one). Our house being close to the police station, I was worried to move the car, and I have sold it on the internet. The third car we brought over was an IS200 (T reg). This one has been a joy: not falling apart over the ½ûÂþÌìÌà pot holes such as the Rover did, and also not attracting police attention what so ever (touch wood). Saddly, it has got four more months of MOT at the end of which we will have to part from her :(Finally, I will tell you why we keep going back home for cars, once a year (apart from visiting family and friends): To purchase an ½ûÂþÌìÌà car will cost more, but that's not all. Besides the price you pay for the car, you will also need to pay at least 300 euros for ownership transfer - this for a small car. If you go for something exeeding 2L it can easily cost over 800 euros (for a CLK200, E300 or an old Lexus...) The prices are calculated according to the car's Kw (not HP). The insurance is no more expensive then back home. The biggest of all, the mother of all problems with buiyng a car in Italy is that they do not sell as quickly as they do sell back home. I've seen my local dealers with the same cars for three years now. And if you don't sell it you are liable for yearly taxes for the rest of your life ! Obviously, , there is the option of exporting it to the UK, but once again, there is a charge of a few good hundred euros for that purpose - it does cost to have it removed from the ½ûÂþÌìÌà registrar. However, if your car was cheap or you are not in a rush to recover your costs, you could hand it over to a car dealer...to deal with it :)  They will sell it (or try to sell it for several years...) for whatever you want (obviously they will give you a price list to follow); and all they seem to charge is 150.00 euros - less some taxes, that will come of the selling price.For some, it might work out getting an ½ûÂþÌìÌà registered car, but for someone like me, that changed cars every 6 months back home, this will not be an option - when you buy a car in Italy, is like buiyng a house...you'll have it for a long, long time ! I hope this helps ;)
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we've lived in Italy for three years now. The initial plan was to try it out for 6 months. Hence, we drove over our Rover 75 (51 reg), taxed, MOTed and insured in the UK. But time has passed, and driving a RHD on the wrong side of the road became a day to day thing. This specific car, has attracted the attention of the local police, in terms that they kept staring at it each time they had a chance. But we were never stopped. Because of the MOT issue, we've purchased an Accord (V reg),on the second year. This car soon became a nightmare, as I was stopped at least once a month for paperwork checks in various parts of Italy (mainly central and north). This car ended up selling on the internet, because I overlooked the fact that the MOT was expired by ONLY 10 days when the police has last stopped me. I was fined 125 euros paid on the spot (they even had a card machine/terminal in their boot, so there was no way out of it). To make things even worse, they told me that I was not allowed to move it from that spot (which was a petrol station), only to have it taken on a platform back to good old England. Fortunately, we were 2 miles from home and after checking the codice fiscale and everything else to prove the address they did let as go, on the condition to keep the car parked in front of the house until transportation was arranged to ship it back to London. They actually said that we could keep it for ever parked in Italy, but not to drive it (when I told thm that will cost more to transport it rather than buying a new one). Our house being close to the police station, I was worried to move the car, and I have sold it on the internet. The third car we brought over was an IS200 (T reg). This one has been a joy: not falling apart over the ½ûÂþÌìÌà pot holes such as the Rover did, and also not attracting police attention what so ever (touch wood). Saddly, it has got four more months of MOT at the end of which we will have to part from her :(Finally, I will tell you why we keep going back home for cars, once a year (apart from visiting family and friends): To purchase an ½ûÂþÌìÌà car will cost more, but that's not all. Besides the price you pay for the car, you will also need to pay at least 300 euros for ownership transfer - this for a small car. If you go for something exeeding 2L it can easily cost over 800 euros (for a CLK200, E300 or an old Lexus...) The prices are calculated according to the car's Kw (not HP). The insurance is no more expensive then back home. The biggest of all, the mother of all problems with buiyng a car in Italy is that they do not sell as quickly as they do sell back home. I've seen my local dealers with the same cars for three years now. And if you don't sell it you are liable for yearly taxes for the rest of your life ! Obviously, , there is the option of exporting it to the UK, but once again, there is a charge of a few good hundred euros for that purpose - it does cost to have it removed from the ½ûÂþÌìÌà registrar. However, if your car was cheap or you are not in a rush to recover your costs, you could hand it over to a car dealer...to deal with it :)  They will sell it (or try to sell it for several years...) for whatever you want (obviously they will give you a price list to follow); and all they seem to charge is 150.00 euros - less some taxes, that will come of the selling price.For some, it might work out getting an ½ûÂþÌìÌà registered car, but for someone like me, that changed cars every 6 months back home, this will not be an option - when you buy a car in Italy, is like buiyng a house...you'll have it for a long, long time ! I hope this helps ;)