Importing car from Italy - Temporary License plates for export.

[Caracad]

Hi all,
Currently own a Gamma Coupe and am in the process of buying a Fulvia Coupe from Italy.

As I want to drive the car home and the current owner has to hand back the license plates I will need to obtain temporary license plates for the journey home.
I have been told these plates are available in Italy as well as other EU countries.

Has anyone done this recently?

Thanks
Mark.

[Parisien]

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

Don't think it was at all straight forward, heres a thread to peruse, hope it works out!


P

[chriswgawne]

For a UK citizen I think it's best to trailer the car back to the uk. I wouldn't be happy about trying to drive it an unknown quantity that far for a first journey.
Chris.

[Caracad]

Car is going to be transported back.
It does seem impossible to drive away Italian registered cars. Its quite hard to buy an Italian registered car however you do it.
Going to Rome to see the car was fun though. The seller, Giorgio, was great and even picked me up at the airport in the Fulvia.
Anyway hopefully my new Fulvia will arrive in the UK at some point.

The main thing is the car is in astonishingly good original condition. It really is a 40 year old car that looks about 3 years old. 

Only downside with the car is that its Brown and an S3, neither of which bothers me, but may affect the value if I sell it.
The other thing is that's its probably to too nice to use and I do like to drive cars rather than just look at them. I use the Gamma all the time as I just like driving it.
Update and pictures to follow when it arrives.

[smithymc]

Nothing wrong with brown cars!

Hope it all works out.

Mark

[frankxhv773t]

I agree, brown actually quite suits a Fulvia. It sounds like you will have to drive the Gamma everyday and use the Fulvia on dry high days and holidays.

It should be fun.

Frank

[kevbo]

I think you might be surprised re S3 value if the car is nice. My impression is that what with Lancia coverage in the classic press, the Fulvia has a good reputation generally.  I recently sold my Fulvia S3 (my first) and as a classic that you could use daily and get such driving pleasure from, there's little to match them for the money in my opinion.  To me there's no downside esp. if yours is original with white instruments (but clear Perspex), impact steering wheel, green carpets possibly(?) and brown bodywork that is a complete package, that is mid 70's fab!

[Caracad]

Yes, the brown actually looks quite good when its nice and shiny. I think because its a dark brown.

My favourite 70s colours however were the lime green and the orange. Both look great on a Fulvia.

Fulvia Coupe looks good in all colours actually.

[Paul Greenway]

For future reference as you are now transporting the car back, you can order temporary plates from Italy any garage can obtain these, they are called demolizionale targa and cost circa 200 Euros. I had to have these (or just the one for the rear window) fitted to my Thesis when I brought it back from Turin in 2012 (see my thread in the Thesis section). You also need a document called passagio (another 200 Euros) which you have to complete showing exact route you plan to take back home. The dealer has to present both to the Italian equivalent of the DVLA. Combined these two items last for four days in which time you have to get your vehicle out of Italy and back home.
I travelled through Italy and the whole of France and no-one batted an eyelid about the car with no front plate although I did take a photocopy of the rear plate & taped in the front window. It was only when I returned to the UK did anyone stop & question me!

[fay66]

Sounds more or less the same I had to have when I bought my Y elefantino Rosso in 1999 from Van Dijk Schouten, the Lancia Dealer in Rotterdam, the difference being that as it was new the Dealer did all the work all had to do was pay the money! I still have the original temporary plates.

Brian
8227

[Caracad]

I have read about temporary plates for transit home.

The thing is I bought the car privately, so I would have had to do this myself, with no Italian.

Anyway car is due to arrive tomorrow!

[Parisien]

Just reading the latest edition of Classic Cars where the guy bought a Renault 5 Turbo from a dealer in Italy and drove it home. See pics attached of how he recommends doing it/tips, plus I've sent an email to the dealer to see if they can assist as regards how to obtain temporary export plates (€100 apparently).
.


P

[Paul Greenway]

Officially it's 214-Euro for demolizione targhe (removal of existing Italian Plates) & 134-Euro for passagio which includes the temporary plate for 3-4 days to get you out of Italy and back home as per your agreed route.

[Caracad]

In the end I got the car transported back.
I'm sure it's easier if you buy from a dealer.
Buying privately involves trusting the seller as there is no way of transferring ownership of the car while you are there. This is because of a new rule whereby the car cannot be de-registered in Italy without the delivery note, CMR document, proving its arrival in UK. So the process went:

Go to Italy to view car and if okay pay deposit.
Back in UK, transfer part or all money for car.
Arrange for collection of car.
Car is collected and then delivered to UK.
Send original delivery note (CMR) to seller.
Seller de-registers car in Italy and sends the Italian registration document. Needed to register car in UK.

I used an Italian company to bring the car over as they were a little cheaper and had the car picked up and delivered within a couple of weeks.

So good news is I am finally driving my new Fulvia. Finally got the UK registration last week. Just in time for snow and ice! It is a lovely thing though, so well worth all the above. In fact I enjoyed getting to know the seller and my visit to Italy was memorable. most of all I like the fact that under the carpets is Roman dust rather than mud and rust.

[Paul Greenway]

I've just gone down a similar route purchasing my Fulvia Sport in Germany-

Flew out to Germany, inspected and test drove the car, gentleman's agreement on price, transferred the agreed amount via bank upon return- again this requires trust but one's own judgement regarding the vendors personality and establishment should provide the confidence to continue.
Also arranged with seller albeit a dealer to arrange transportation, but no issue with removal of German plates.

Car arrives at my home address tomorrow, I settle up transport costs (£576) with haulier upon delivery. Although slightly more expensive it is much easier and less time consuming than flying back out, sorting out insurance cover and driving home at this time of year.

Subject to satisfactory delivery- totally hassle free

Next step the MOT & registration process!