When you want to buy a used car abroad, it is usually to gain at the exchange rate compared to the prices on the French market. Italy, very close to France and the birthplace of some of the world's most famous car manufacturers, may represent a good avenue for a used car purchase, but beware, this country may have some surprises in store! P >
Italy, a supplied market and prices between 10% and 20% cheaper
Like many other European countries, Italy has the advantage of offering attractive prices for many used cars, with differences of up to several thousand euros for large models. As always, the more expensive the vehicle you are targeting, the greater the chances of getting a good deal.
The more attractive prices in Italy can be explained for several reasons:
The market is different, Italian buyers change cars more often and prefer vehicles that are slightly different from ours. They love the automobile and it represents a larger portion of their budget. We will therefore have more choice on certain vehicles (in particular gasoline), therefore more competition and better prices. This is not the case with all cars. Large used cars are more difficult to sell: in Italy, buying a large displacement is expensive: more expensive gasoline, insurance and exorbitant taxes… All this limits car purchases second-hand from our transalpine neighbors. If you are looking for a nice sedan or sports coupe, this may be a good lead to consider, in some areas the purchasing power of Italians is more limited, especially in the south, which is tender prices down. Some cars have a bigger discount than in France.
But beware, because in Italy, the used car market is more chaotic than in France. So be careful if you want to make a purchase and import a car from Italy!
Buy an Italian!
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Be careful, the 'Italy is a land of surprises!
When you're looking for a used car in the land of "Dolce Vita", expect some potential surprises. To search for cars, you have a choice of sites: you can first use the LeParking site, which allows you to search for cars throughout Europe by listing information from hundreds of sites. Autoscout24.fr is also a good lead as it is the # 1 auto ad site in Europe.
Then you can tackle classifieds sites, like Subito.it, which is the Italian equivalent of the Le bon coin site, or the secondomano.it site. Google will also be an additional ally to help you in your research. Feel free to type in queries with keywords in Italian as well as the vehicle you are interested in to get results.
On these sites, you will obviously find a fair amount of ads. Individuals should be avoided unless you have a complete command of Italian or are accompanied in your research by a person you trust.
Professional salespeople should be sorted with care: they are not all scrupulous and sometimes have a relative notion of professionalism! So, don't be surprised if the cars that interest you on the ads have been sold for several months or you don't receive a response! It can happen, like everywhere, but it turns out that small garages in Italy are not always the most responsive. Finally, when you find the right car, make sure of the quality of it and of the seller, which are very important to limit worries after the sale. Check everything: bodywork, interior, engine and undercarriages if possible, as well as all invoices and the maintenance book.
Do targeted research to maximize your earnings h2 >
In Italy, you can do good deals on many models of cars: French (Peugeot, Renault, Citroën), German (BMW, Mercedes, Audi, ...) or, of course, Italian (Fiat, Alfa Romeo, Lancia,…). The trick is to do a first search in France for the model that interests you, in order to see the market prices, and then to launch the search on the Italian sites.
By doing this, you will be able to notice if price differences appear for equivalent vehicles. Also note that you will have more choice on certain models and if this one is specific, you may not find that few equivalences in France.
Be careful though that the model also has been marketed in France to avoid problems with the supply of spare parts. With many car enthusiasts in Italy, you will find beautiful, high-end and prestige cars, but you will need to be extra vigilant when buying!
If you are targeting Italian cars, you will certainly have a good choice since it is in their own country that they are sold the best. Once again, we advise you to rely on high-end models to hope to save on the purchase of the car.
The formalities for buying a used car in Italy
As is the case when you want to import a vehicle from another country bordering France into the European Union, you can easily import a car while respecting some standardized administrative formalities.
In Italy, you will have to obtain during the purchase:
the registration certificate (the libretto) which is also very complete since it lists all the previous owners (to be checked!) The certificate property (it is digitized and easily available, the owner's contact details must be clearly indicated and identical to that of the libretto) The purchase invoice or certificate of sale, indicating the serial number, the mileage of the car and the number Italian registration of the car deletion of the car from the Italian automobile file, obtained after delivery of the car in France by an approved carrier and sending of the delivery note Obtain a European certificate of conformity. Either directly from the professional seller, or on the internet (cost around 100 €). If you do not get it in Italy, do the procedure in France before registration
Be careful with the procedures for repatriating a car from Italy! Repatriation is important to bring a car back from Italy. If you do not do things properly, the risk is that you will not be able to register your car once in France! Since 2014, Italian law has changed and transit plates no longer exist. Therefore, prefer delivery by an approved carrier and send the delivery slip to the Italian authorities once the vehicle has been received in order to prevent any problems and to be able to register your car without risk!
Once in France, you will have to carry out the classic operations inherent in the registration of an imported European car:
Bring the libretto and the certificate of ownership Request a fiscal discharge to be exempt from paying VAT in France (possible for a car over 6 months and 6000 km) Prepare a copy of the identity document and a recent proof of address Prepare the Cerfa document necessary for the registration of a car in France Carry out a French technical check if the car requires it
By carrying out all these steps with the following documents, you will be able to register your Italian car in France without any problem.
The steps to validate without fail to buy and register your car without problem Make sure of the condition and history of the car, as well as the seriousness of the seller. Take the libretto and the Italian certificate of ownership, both of which must be in the name of the previous owner, and the invoice from Purchase stamped by the garage / transfer certificate with the individual Have your car repatriated by an approved transporter so that it can then be deleted from the Italian automobile file
Consult professionals such as CapCar before turning to a purchase abroad!
Italy is a country that could rightly interest you in purchasing a used car: the prices are attractive and the choice of certain vehicles is more important. However, the risks are higher than for a purchase in France, the language can be a barrier, and the price difference must be important to be profitable on arrival.
If you do wish, you can consult the advertisements of an auto professional like CapCar. We sell private vehicles to buyers all over France, and guarantee the best price for both buyers and sellers by selling the cars at market prices. In addition, you can be sure to find healthy, tested and guaranteed cars! And administrative procedures will be simplified.
Don't wait any longer and take a look at CapCar's quality used cars. And if you are selling an Italian used car, do not hesitate to make a free estimate of your car to know its value!
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Related articles on buying a car in Europe: buy a used car in Germany, Belgium, Spain, Portugal, Switzerland.
And to the 'international: import a used car from the United States, Japan, United Kingdom.
CapCar's technical advice: Buying a used car is not easy. To be as insured as possible during the sale, it is better to know yourself or to call upon a trusted intermediary like CapCar!
