I'm from Hawaii living in Italy right now and I'm wondering if anyone knows of a way I could buy a US spec RX8 while i'm here? I'm thinking maybe I can buy one through a stateside dealership and then have it delivered to a mazda dealer here? Or maybe military car sales? They can sell fords, from what I was reading maybe they can get a mazda too? thanks in advance for any info!!

 

Would it be legal to drive a US-spec car in Europe? From what people have told me here, my understanding is that some things that are not on the US cars, like the front headlight washers, are mandatory in the EU.

 

You can register and drive anything here. RHD, LHD, whatever. I've seen skylines, toyota's mini coopers, all kinds of cars. What's really hard is taking something back to the states if it's not US spec.

 

You have a few options...

1. Buy it through AAFES, if they offer it.

2. Go up to Ramstein AFB in Germany...there is a place outside the base there that sells new U.S. Spec vehicles. They usually can get what AAFES can't.

3. Come back to the states, buy the one you want and you'll have to ship it because you need your overseas orders to get it there. Then you won't have to worry about shipping it back either because you'll have registered it here. It can be a pain in the butt buying a US spec vehicle there and then trying to get it registered when you come back...just to let you know.

 

yea, i'm gonna check out the exchange car sales today. Funny that you have a S2000. I was gonna buy a friend's S2k from back in the states but insurance out here for me was ridiculous!! I have a clean record and even with discounts I would have to pay about 8k a year for full coverage.... I'm hoping the RX8 will be less.... Thanks for the info !

 

8k a year??!! I hope that is a typo or something other than USD.

peso maybe??!

 

good thing is that if u didnt ship a vehicle over there, u are still entitled to 1 free ship to and from overseas. im sure that exchange new car sales can pick u up a mazda. i picked up an S10 from them a long time ago when i was stationed in england

 

Probably not...if he's single and young there's 2 strikes against him...not sure if you've ever been to Italy, but there's not a car there without a dent in it. Lane markings don't really mean anything nor do stoplights. They just kind of drive however they want. For example, I was on a marked 4 lane highway over there and yet there were 7 lanes of cars.

Not to mention Germany is right next door and the Autobahn could be tempting...and the fact that USAA is the only American insurance you can get over there. Otherwise, if you get local insurance when you come back to the states it looks like you haven't had insurance for X years and that means no more discounts.

I'm sure the 8 will be cheaper than the S2000 because switching from an RSX-S to the 8 dropped my insurance...a lot.

 

2ks2k has it right.... It's weird how 3 lanes turn to 6 and there is NOT ONE car without a dent.... It's also fun as hell to drive here though. There are two choices for car insurance, Geico and USAA. I'm not prior military so I can't get insurance through USAA. Geico asked me, how old are you and are you married? That right there screwed me! I tried Exchange car sales and NOPE.... =/ I'm still waiting on the sales manager from a dealerchip back home to see about shipping one out here.... Thanks for the responses guys!

 

hey 2ks2k, you been out here to Italy? Man, I wanted an S2k and i'm tempted to pay that insurance but the RX8 is just too tempting..... If I get my RX8 it's gonna look exactly like this in that dark grey....
http://www.memoryfab.com/used/DSC_05.jpg

 

Yeah, I got to stay in a place called Jacotenente. It's in the hills about 1/2 hour from Vieste...which is about 45 minutes east of Foggia. Actually, we stayed in Vieste and worked up the moutain...military stuff.

I was there for about 2 months but we were fortunate enough to have rental cars and we had enough time off to cruise around the country. I had a wonderful time there and the food is awesome.

I love my S2K and don't ever plan on getting rid of it. The RX-8 is my wife's car...she keeps going back and forth on whether to keep it or not. I love it, but not enough to give up my car for it...

So, I'm guessing you're civil service...because I don't know of too many contractors over there...are you at Aviano AB or in Naples at the Navy base?