h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Italy did create one of the greatest (matter of opinion) empires this world has ever known and given us many great inventions and more importantly democracy!

Not bad for a country shaped like a boot!

I quite agree Italy has given the World democracy, decent football, proper wines and some cracking women ! - shame that whenever they build a car it either falls to bits with rust within 5 minutes of driving it out the showroom or Mr & Mrs Normal cannot afford it !

The natives are prone to bouts of over-excitement,usually when shiny red cars (the expensive sort) are hurtling around in circles, when good-looking and over-paid men kick a round muddy object about a field for 90 minutes and when fat blokes sing loudly and incoherently whilst sweating profusely.

Still Id rather be Italian than W***h anyday !

Italian cars are built to the italian weather standards. That means fairly dry and sunny.
Unfortunately when exporting it was not considered that the weather in Britain is not so kind and that, combined with being surrounded by the sea is deadly even for human bones!!!
Lately they(finally)discovered it and treated the bodywork to suit the weather.
My dad had an Italian car (in Italy!) parked in the street for 20 years. Not a bit of rust.
Ciao!

Your dad was very lucky to still have a car after 20 yrs of being on the road in italy. Very few Italian cars more than a month old have all their lights intact. Wing mirrors etc. are considered rare relics and windscreens are normally redecorated with a distintive crazed glass styling.
The weather may often by dry and warm but when it rains it REALLY RAINS.
Italian roads are proberly in worse repair than British roads. Road markings are rare and if visible are normally deceptive.
The majority of Italian drivers are technically able but have no roadcraft or sense of danger.

Was your father a mafia capo? that could be an explanation.