Buying a large estate to move to Italy - what would you recommend? | Ask Honest John

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Buying a large estate to move to Italy - what would you recommend?

I am in the RAF and posted to Naples in Sept. I currently have a 10 plate Skoda Octavia estate 1.6 but it isn't powerful enough to carry all my kit down and then back again in 18 months time. The car will also be sat there while I am in Afghanistan for 8 months.

I would like a comfy automatic diesel estate like the V70 but worry about the short journeys to to work once I'm in Naples and how the diesel particulate filter on newer cars might ruin my car.

I will also need air con or climate control! I was thinking of a left hand drive car because they are so much cheaper and more practical for Italy but I know nothing about getting them registered and insured here for the drive over.

Budget of about £15k max I think because it will be half finance.

Asked on 25 May 2013 by Amandawolfe

Answered by Honest John

Used cars are by their nature tax paid and tax paid LHD used cars are more expensive across Europe than used RHD cars are in the UK. The only way a LHD is cheaper in the UK is if it's a private 'distress sale'. The best specialist is www.thelhdplace,co.uk near Basingstoke. Very difficult indeed to buy and sell second hand in Italy because of the amount of paperwork involved. That's why cars stay in families, why BCA isn't there and why there isn't much of a used car trade in Italy

Tags: buying used cars driving abroad

Dear Honest John,

Please help me choose my next car. I would like it to have:

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