Find a car. You can visit any Italian dealership or use online sources, like Auto Shopping, OACL, and Seconda Mano.
Inspect the car. Look to see that the servicing information (tagliandi) is up to date and that the road-tax certificate (scadenza bollo) is up to date.
Pay for the vehicle. Cash is highly frowned upon, even for relatively little amounts, as it tends to draw the attention of the authorities (money laundering, don't you know).
Obtain an act of sale (Atto di Vendita), the vehicle documents (Certificato di Proprietà), and the car registration certificate (Carta di Circolazione) from the previous owner.
If you are a U.S. citizen, you will need to provide a copy of your Residence Permit (Certificato di Residenza) and / or your passport (along with all the aforementioned paperwork) to the local branch of the ACI (Automobile Club d'Italia) to make the sale legal.
Foreign buyers must obtain an Italian driver's license if they do not intend to export the car within 90 days.
