taking delivery of a a new car in Europe

"I am curious about the practicality of having a car in Europe, parking, security, cost vs cost of other forms of transportation around Europe for 6 months."

To start off... assuming you are a US citizen, unless you travel on a student or business visa, you can only stay in the Schengen Zone for 90 days.

Second, your question is impossible to answer without more information, such as where you plan to go and what you plan to do. But in general, just about every aspect of driving is significantly more expensive in Europe than in the US. Feed us more information and we'll try to help you navigate your questions.

A car can be nice in parts of Europe, but very difficult to find parking in other destinations. Public transportation almost always beats out a car on pure economics.

It's a tough call based on the info you provided. My wife and I explored the same program you are considering, ours through Volvo. In the end we decided we didn't want to have a car for our trip, so took the trip and ended up buying in the US after our return.

Regarding your short list:

Parking: Easy in Rothenburg, medium in Munich, impossible in Florence or Rome. Your destination is the deciding factor.

Security: I've never had an issue with the rentals I've used - just be smart (don't leave things in car, don't park in dark alleys, etc...) and you will be okay.

Cost: Trains / busses are more economical than cars in almost every circumstance, even for 3 or 4 people traveling together in many cases.

I, personally, only choose a car when it improves the convenience of a sight or allows me a significant improvement in flexibility / freedom. Parts of Bavaria and Allgeau and parts of the French alps are more fun by car. Some destinations in the Italian countryside can only be done by car. Everywhere else, I err on the side of the train.

For the exact opposite of the folks above -- we make three month-long trips to europe just about every year and have never done anything but drive. It suits us and lets us get into the nooks and crannies.

One thing I'm fuzzy on and could well be wrong -- and can't find, sorry: you may well have to get the car out of dodge in a set amount of time to duck the vat.

If you have 6 months to spend in Europe, god bless you, and of course you're going to use your new car. As for your other questions, it's the same as in the U.S. In the cities, parking is expensive & security is more of an issue. In the countryside, no problemo. Europe is not the moon; it's more like here than you think.

Yes, you will need to look into long-stay visas, & you'll have to plan which countries you'll be in after your first 90 days & find out their visa requirements. As an American, your first 90 days in most European countries are visa-free. After 90 days, new rules apply.

Your post brings back fond memories of our 1982 trip to Germany and Austria to visit family, and for my parents to pick up our new Audi - keeping a family tradition alive (grandparents 1970 VW, other relatives 1978 Audi, 1982 Mercedes). But we were only there for 6 weeks, and back then one D Mark was worth about 50 cents...