The biggest problem is that any car you buy overseas has a completely hidden history - as I found out to my cost with both 131 purchases I made from Italy.
(I obviously didn't learn the first time
).
The costs of importing a Fiat 131 are not really that high, especially if the car is roadworthy and can be driven home - which is an adventure in itself
. On the two occasions I did it I flew out to see the car on a cheap (return!
) ticket with a budget airline and drove the car home. As I purchased a return ticket, had the car been a wreck when I saw it in the metal, (photos don't always tell the truth) I always had transport back to the UK.
IIRC the costs in the UK for registering an imported Fiat 131 are -
1) DVLA Registration fee - which I think is about ?54
2) MoT (plus the cost of any work needed to get one!
)
3) Road fund licence (tax)
4) Number plates
Yes, there is the potential for costs to escalate, but none of the above are really costly - unless the car needs loads of works to get an MoT, in which case it probably shouldn't have been driven half way across Europe!
There's no VAT or Duty to pay as it being made it Italy, it was made in the EU, and therefore both were paid locally when the car was first sold as new.
If you choose to get a 'specialist' company to go and get the car for you then I agree, the costs are high. Back in 2004 I was quoted almost ?2,000 for the collection of my Abarth from Northern Italy, and it was the same whether the company was UK or Italy based - as obviously they have to get back home. It was a little cheaper if there was something for them to carry home, but only a little!
You are quite correct 106, the biggest cost is related to RHD conversion - but I don't think that LHD takes much away from the driving experience, and for certain, my Abarth will always be LHD.
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