Buying cars in Italy

[John B]

New series of Wheeler Dealers started last night with Mike Brewer buying a Fiat Dino coupe in Italy and (supposedly) driving it back to the UK complete with Italian number plates. However when it arrived at Ed China's workshop it was devoid of any number plates.
Unless you are a registered resident here in Italy it is not possible to buy or insure a car for use on Italian roads. I have been reliably informed that a non resident can buy a car but must surrender the number plates making it impossible to drive the car back to the UK and therefore having to use a transporter or trailer to move it.

My question is - has any Lancia club member ever bought a car in Italy and driven it back to the UK?
I am wondering if perhaps there are different rules for motor traders (or TV programme makers) perhaps........or maybe
Wheeler Dealers used a bit of artistic licence and just pretended it was an easy thing to do.

[HPEHF]

I know it is along time ago when I bought my 2nd series Delta in Italy and it was brand new but it was put on export plates to be able me to drive it home. The only problem was finding and insurance company to accept them. The broker I used allow me to use the chassis number. The plate came with 3 months Italian road fund for the cost of 720,000 lira approx. £250.

Regards

Simon

[mikeC]

I have bought two Lancias direct from Italy - both Appias; the first fifteen years ago came complete with the Italian registration plates, the second, last year, had the plates removed. In both cases, the cars were transported,not driven.

[neil-yaj396]

Paul Greenway drove a Thesis back to the UK that he had bought a couple of years ago. There is a thread on here somewhere about how he did it. It wasn't simple, but he did do it.

[neil-yaj396]

Here it is, all four pages (said it wasn't straight forward);

http://www.lancia.myzen.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=4332.0

[John B]

Here it is, all four pages (said it wasn't straight forward);

http://www.lancia.myzen.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=4332.0

Thanks for finding that...... very interesting.
I think it's safe to assume Wheeler Dealers intentionally failed to mention it was not possible to just simply buy a car in Italy
and drive it back to the UK.