What's involved in bringing a car over from the UK? I'd be driving it over myself and what I need to know is -

-Will I need to be insured for travelling through the countries on route to Zurich?
-How much is swiss car insurance roughly for an average small car? - Fiat Grande Punto
-How is parking at you apratment in Switzerland? Permits? Road Tax?
-Petrol expensive?
-If I was driving to Austria for the weekend would I need to get special insurance cover for this?

Thanks Folks

typically you will have UK plates and UK insurance. This will cover you at least for the legal minimum insurance-wise on your journey. Getting Swiss insurance means getting Swiss plates which means importing your car (try searching on import).

Petrol is cheaper here than the UK.
Driving in Austria - you'll need a motorway sticker (as you will also need here).

Most of your questions have been answered here before, but not perhaps in the order you have posted them:

- of course you will (that really doesn't need asking)
- about 20% more than in the UK. But generally cover and payouts are better and includes most of Europe.
- parking is difficult and you will need to pay several hundred francs a year for the privilege of having no reserved space
- petrol is about the cheapest in Europe. About CHF1.71/ litre today (P).
- Swiss insurance covers most of Europe

Is it more hassle that its worth?

I purchased the car on hire purchase in January and it would be quite handy to bring it. Although it seems like that might be more hassle than its worth.

It depends on all sorts of things that only you will know.

- What price you bought it for and you can get now for the vehicle
- how long you intend staying
- if you are comfortable with the steering wheel on the wrong side (making the car basically unsellable here)
- if you are prepared to go through the formal import or the vehicle and register it here

etc etc

Have you checked with the company ( I assume its a pcp scheme) that you took the hire/purchase from that its ok to take a car abroad.

I have a UK car, on PCP over here and I can't change the number plates, and I have to keep it on fully comp insurance, not discussed MOT with them yet :S

To be honest, when my 2 years are up, I can hand the car back and pay nothing, and thats what I intend to do, because it is turning into a pain in the bum.

PlantHead is on the right track here. I had a friend many years ago who got himself a new car when he knew he was coming across and had only regrets.

Having said that, dumping the car now might cost.

All cars with finance outstanding must be fully comp. Same here.

From personal experience i'd say its more hassle than its worth.

We brought our UK car over thinking it would be less hassle but to import it, it would have cost a fair bit as we had had it less than 6 months before we moved here, our UK insurance only covered us 3rd party for the 14 months we had it here.

In the end we decided to buy a second hand car over here and had to drive our UK car back to the UK and sell it, luckily we have family members to sell it for us while we are here

Oh and now having a left hand drive car is so much better, tickets from car park machines aer a nightmare if you are driving on your own.

Nicky, you're allowed to drive on your own now? Tsk tsk

well........techinicaly I am now allowed as I am now insured!! i still haven't though!!!