Choose to import cars from Germany and other European countries with us

Frequently Asked Questions

• What cars do you deal with? Do you deal with both new, km Zero and used?

  Beautiful cars are our passion, so we specialize in Premium brand cars, new, KM0 and used. Obviously the rarer, harder to find or more expensive the car in Italy, the more sense it makes to look for it abroad.

• What cars can I search for?

  You can search for cars from both private individuals and dealers.

• How do I choose cars on the German or European market?

  We usually recommend our customers the following car classifieds portals that have a large number of ads: autoscout24 and mobile.de (extending the search to the entire European market), or https://www.ebay-kleinanzeigen.de/s-autos/c26 where there are many private ads.

• If the car I want is in a European country other than Germany, can I contact you for import?

  Of course, we deal with the purchase of imported cars from any country, within the European Union but also outside the EU. Contact us for information and to obtain a dedicated quote.

• How can I check the condition of the car I am about to purchase?

  We offer our customers the possibility of having a technical and visual inspection carried out at workshops affiliated with TÜV or other certified bodies. We can coordinate and request the seller to submit the car to this inspection, ensuring that it is available for inspection.

  If you decide to have the technical check carried out, the indicative cost is €250 plus VAT, to be paid in advance and regardless of whether you proceed with the purchase of the car after the check.

• How do you go about purchasing a car?

  Once you have chosen the car, you can alternatively:

  • Buy the car independently and rely on IMPORTAMI AUTO to transport the car to Italy and to have the right support for handling the related bureaucratic procedures.

  • Or, IMPORTAMI Auto, on your behalf, will carry out the purchase transaction of the car. In this case, we will sign a purchase contract between IMPORTAMI Auto and the seller, and at the same time we will prepare a contract between IMPORTAMI Auto and the buyer, which will contain, in addition to the data of the parts and the car, the commitment to transfer ownership of the car to the Buyer, the additional services offered by IMPORTAMI AUTO to the Buyer and the payment terms of the car.

• Can I transport the car myself by picking it up in person?

  Yes, you can do this by purchasing a temporary export license plate. In this case, we will support you in preparing the export license plate.

• What changes if I decide to have IMPORTAMI AUTO purchase my car, or if I choose to purchase it directly from the seller?

  Both options are available at the customer’s discretion.
  In the case of a formal purchase through IMPORTAMI AUTO, the paperwork will be easier.
  In the case of a direct purchase by you, after payment for the vehicle to the owner (whether a dealer or a private individual), – with a traceable method – IMPORTAMI AUTO will take care of transporting the vehicle to Italy and will support you in completing the related bureaucratic procedures.

  In this case, in fact, the procedures with the Revenue Agency for the regularization of the chassis will have to be carried out by you personally although with the support of IMPORTAMI AUTO.
  In both cases, the cost of commission, transport and registration will be the same for you.

• How much does it cost in total to buy a car from Germany and other EU countries with IMPORTAMI AUTO?

  To the cost of the vehicle, as declared and requested by the seller you have identified through the search channels we suggest or others of your choice, you must add the costs of transport, re-registration and consultancy.
  • The cost of transport depends on the size of the car and the distance from Turin, where the car is delivered.
  • The cost of re-registration depends on the power of the vehicle.
  • The consultancy cost for the import service is equal to 4% of the cost of the car (+ VAT), for a minimum of €750 + VAT for cars with a value lower than €18,750.
  EXAMPLE of consultancy cost calculation:
  Cost of the car: €20,000 VAT included
  Import consultancy fee: €800 + VAT
  If you want to delve deeper into the topic, read our dedicated article

• Is it possible to finance the purchase of a car through IMPORTAMI AUTO?

  Of course, we have the possibility of offering financing for the purchase of the car you wish to purchase.

  Financing is never mandatory, as is often the case with Italian dealerships.

• How does the warranty work?

  For new or zero km cars, the manufacturer’s warranty is valid throughout Europe, starting from the first registration in the country of origin.
  For used cars, the German dealer is obliged to guarantee the km, and to declare any damage or serious visible defects that could significantly reduce the value of the car.

  The more serious the dealer, the greater the reliability that can be placed in the conformity of the car to what was declared by the dealer at the time of sale.
  For cars that are no longer covered by the manufacturer’s warranty, if the car is not too old, it is possible to take out an insurance policy (optional at the discretion of the buyer, but advisable) that has the purpose of compensating, at least for mechanical and electronic failures, the absence of the manufacturer’s warranty expired due to the expiry of the validity terms.

  If you want to delve deeper into the topic read our dedicated article

• What are the rules for paying VAT?

  Sometimes there is some confusion about whether VAT should be paid or not on a car purchased abroad.

  Let’s briefly try to clarify.

  • If the vehicle has previously been owned by at least one private individual, the VAT on the asset has already been paid, therefore it is no longer due, as within the European Union, VAT must be paid only once; regardless of which country the payment was made.

  Therefore, no VAT should be calculated on the price of the car.

  • If, however, the vehicle was previously owned exclusively by VAT holders (companies, car rental companies, etc.), the vehicle has VAT displayed.

  In this case, the total price of the car, which you see reported in the car advert, is made up of the NET price plus VAT, and the first private individual who purchases the car must pay VAT on the goods.

  If you want to delve deeper into the topic, read our dedicated article

• If the car has VAT displayed, will I have to pay VAT in Italy or in the country of purchase (for example Germany)?

  Depends.

  • If the car is fiscally new, i.e. has less than 6,000 km OR less than 6 months since first registration, VAT must be paid in Italy.
  • If the car is used for tax purposes, i.e. has more than 6,000 km and is more than 6 months old since first registration, you have the option of paying VAT at the German rate (currently 19%), rather than the Italian rate (currently 22%).

  For this to happen, however, the purchase of the car from the dealer must be made in your name; the dealer will then issue an invoice to you, and you will make the payment transfer for the car directly to their current account.

  Following this, once you have received the car you will have to submit an application to the Revenue Agency of your territorial jurisdiction, to request the unlocking of the chassis, presenting appropriate documentation. Obviously we will follow you in every way in the process.

  If you prefer to have us take care of all the paperwork, and you don’t have the time/desire to deal with the Revenue Agency, we will purchase the car on your behalf, but we will have to invoice you with the Italian VAT rate, therefore the price of the car you see in the advert will have to be modified to take into account the difference of 3% on the NET price, between the two VAT rates (German and Italian).

  If you want to delve deeper into the topic, read our dedicated article

• How long does it take to complete the entire process?

  Normally, for cars already in the European Union and with European approval, the times range from one month to one and a half months.

  However, since some of the phases are not directly under our control, such as the times of the Revenue Agency for the regularization of the chassis, or the times of the Civil Motorization for the nationalization of the car, in some cases a longer time may be necessary.

  If you want to delve deeper into the topic, read our dedicated article

Watch our videos on YouTube