shipping a mini from the us to europe?

[girasole]

i'm in the very very very early stages of thinking about a sabbatical in italy (one year, two years, maybe longer, maybe forever!). i would love to have my beloved mini with me. has anyone done this? i'm wondering if a 2005 mini made for the us is fine to drive legally in italy, or if it has to be modified somehow? is the premium gas there compatible? will the mini/bmw dealers be able to work on it? also, regarding shipping, does that damage the car in any way? i know it was shipped to get here from southampton, but it was slathered in that protective stuff and mechanics were waiting at the other end to do the final adjustments. and if anyone can give me a ballpark idea of what it costs to ship from the east coast of the us, that would be helpful. thanks for any advice!

[Elvind]

I have no idea, but I suppose you can find info on the internet.

Like this company, but looks like you had to register to get a price
www.dasautoshippers.com

Good luck

[DaFlake]

Working for the military here in Germany, I can tell you that it is not cheap. I wouldn't think that Italy has any higher standards for autos than that US has. I do know that here in Germany we have a seperate process that we go through to get our vehicles inspected. I would guess that half of the American cars here in the military community would probably fail the TUF inspection that the Germans have to use.

Shipping cost is about 3K (at least that is the cost to get my Subaru here paid by my company.)

The good thing about the MINI is that there is not much of a difference between the US spec and the European spec. You should be ok as far as that is concerned.

[girasole]

thanks guys!

i was expecting the shipping charges to be expensive. but i think it will be worth it (especially if it's one way!!!) . i'm not sure i'd want to be driving a used car that costs less. plus i'd much prefer to be driving nigel!.

what i think i'm going to do regarding the mechanical issues is drop by a mini dealer next time i'm in italy, and maybe there's an enthusiasts' club in the area too...

[fraujmj]

Umm - rumor has it (now mind you - I've never been to Italy, so not MY experience just word of mouth) that driving can be a bit more spirited in Italy than you would like . . . IE the other folks' spirited driving could cause your beloved MINI to get banged around a bit!!

[DaFlake]

Yes, Italy is a different world of driving and they don't really care about each others cars. However, this really depends on where you are planning on going. I have driven in Tuscany with no problems, but if you go to the Naples area, you are better off using blindfolds when you drive.

Either way, expect that you will get a ding or two if you plan on staying for a while. If you are careful when you park and give lots of room, you might have a better chance of your car not being dinged. Of course, you have to drive the Almafi coast...

[girasole]

i know all about italian drivers! but no one is going near my beloved mini, let alone park on top of him on some sidewalk in rome. there are two types of car owners in italy - the type who do that. and, the type personified by a guy i met in montepulciano who took me for a spin in his pride and joy alfa romeo.

i commented on what a nice "macchina" it was. and his charming personality suddenly turned to anger. "how dare you call this beautiful object of perfection a macchina!"

and then his smile returned, as he added "this, bella, is an au to mo bi lay"

and don't worry, i plan to drive nowhere near the center of naples!

[DaFlake]

Sounds like you are familer with the driving there which is good. That i usually a huge culture shock for most Americans. I say go for it and enjoy! I don't think that you are going to have any issues. Your speedo should have kilometers and the rest is pretty much standard.