Has anyone here imported an a 916 Alfa Spider?

Dr Dave

I'm seriously considering importing a 1999 Alfa Spider as a modern classic.
Have imported a good few cars from the UK in the past and they have always been on the VRT Calculator, so have not had any issues.
While the GTV is on the calculator, the Spider is not, so who knows what they might look to import it!
Contacted them but only got "bring it to us and we will have a look then go away and come up with a valuation"
Surely many of these have been imported in the past so it should be on the calculator.
Just wondering if it is treated similar to the GTV or as something special.

Thanks.

unkel

Values of the spider aren't higher than the GTV, so I can't see why it would be more expensive to VRT. That said, you import a car that's not on the calculator, you take your chances.

Both are great cars to buy now as prices are low (but already on the up) and the cars are getting rare now.

If you are getting the spider, I'd strongly recommend you try find one with a manual roof. It will save yourself a lot of heartache. Also the Busso V6 is a must. Bad on the old motortax for a few years to come, but you'll be glad you did. Tough old engine too, should last forever

Another tip, buy a car with history from an Alfa enthusiast. They will have likely cared for the car a lot and probably spend a fortune on it. Yet the second hand price of these cars barely seems to reflect it. Good for someone buying one

I've had some fond memories driving a Busso spider in the lower Italian alps a good few years ago. Glorious!

Dr Dave

While you and I are confident that the Spider and GTV are about the same value, I can't be sure that some desk jockey who takes the bus to work in Dublin doesn't have a completely different view. I'm suspicious that it is not on the VRT list for a reason. The assumption is that as vehicles are imported, they end up on the list. The Spider, X1/9 and Barchetta are not on the list and I simply do not believe that nobody has ever imported these into the country. I myself did import an X1/9 over 10 years ago - long since gone unfortunately. So it is just not right that a person can't get a reasonable estimate of the cost of importing a car not on the list without presenting the car to them; and then what do you do if they have a wild estimation of its' value compared to what you were expecting. They say pay up and put in an argument - good luck with that.

On the other part of your post. As fab as a Busso would be, the spider is (hopefully soon) for tipping about with the top down taking in the rays. The V6 just could be too much maintenance. The TS engine I'm very familiar with an will be easy to keep on the road.

Dades

Lovely cars. Typically unique Alfa styling.

Although you'd think the UK was the place to go, the blue one on Done Deal actually looks pretty good with a long NCT.

For what it's worth, I brought in an Alfa last month and got charged about 20% less than what the calculator had told me. It's a confusing setup.

You thinking of 2000 or older for classic insurance?

Dr Dave

Dades wrote: »

Lovely cars. Typically unique Alfa styling.

Although you'd think the UK was the place to go, the blue one on Done Deal actually looks pretty good with a long NCT.

For what it's worth, I brought in an Alfa last month and got charged about 20% less than what the calculator had told me. It's a confusing setup.

You thinking of 2000 or older for classic insurance?

Yes. 1999 for classic ins. Have found one with MOT until July 20 who should be able to bring to the port / boat for £1,250. So, once the VRT is reasonable, and not based on unrealistic asking prices, it will be worth it; even with the NOx @ €600.
Trouble is, it is not on the VRT calculator so God knows what they could come up with.
Hoping someone has imported one in the last couple of years and has documented evidence of the VRT