car purchase

With all the hasle with hiring at the airport, I am considering purchasing a small /medium size car locally.

 Has any had experience of this, what are the legal pitfalls,and who and where are selling.

 

Please pm me

 

 regards Mike

Looked at this very closely. The thing to consider above all things is the cost of getting to your car from the airport. Typically a return trip to CDA by proper taxi is 120€ which is the same price as a rental car for the week plus fuel. So even though you have a car, you still have this cost. Some people leave their car at an airport car park which is around 1€ per day. 400€ approx per year, but then you are restricted to which airport you use.

Then there is car insurance and tax, around 600€ per year depending on vehicle type. I've not costed owner transfer fees as many vehicles from a dealer will include that.

I thought about bringing my own car across and registering it here, but there can be heavy import duties depending on the Spanish value of the vehicle, which will be much higher than a UK valuation. Then you are stuffed at a toll booth if you are driving solo!

So in summary, unless you are visiting for more than 4 weeks at a time, or more than 3 months stay per year at the very least, it just isn't worth it. For longer stays, the best option is to bring your own UK vehicle, take the long ferry cruise to Bilbao or Santander, enjoy the experience and run you car on a fuel only basis. As long as the car is Uk legal, you are fine here in Spain subject to your insurance restrictions which you can negotiate. You will see some Brits running older UK cars that have been brought over and left for some time without tax or insurance. Fine ish on an urbanisation, but I wouldn't like to get pulled by the guardia civil especially if they can speak English. Very soon now British vehicle data base details will be available in Europe too, so no escaping speeding cameras etc!. Jon Faulkner.

Hi, I bought a UK vehicle and brought it over.
( I did used to rent but I had a jetski and I need a vehicle with a tow bar, which is not easy to rent with)

I changed the headlamps ( ebay... Left hand drive replacements) and had my solicitor do the rest. It did cost about 1000 euro to change but I only paid £2000 for the car. ( freelander )

I leave the car at airport ( one of the parking companies will transfer your car to either Murcia or Alicante if you let them know).

All what John has written is correct but I am glad now to have the car in Spain and once done its great. The costs are not too high and I drive appx 3 - 4000 miles a year .

If ( as John has said ) you only come irregular and for not a long period then hiring is best especially as Condado club hire is cheaper now. ( was a time in Summer when car hire was a few hundred a week)

So yes duty is a big cost as a one off hit but if you factor all of it in ( including no queues at the airport) I am happy with my choice to buy second hand Uk and bring over.

Insurance is direct line ( Spanish )
Mot ( TUV) is only 40 euro a year.

Hope this softens johns factual post.
( nothing wrong in your post John other than matter of fact. Please do not take offence non is meant)

Cheers
Neil

To give you an idea what's available to buy here and for what price here are some localish car sale companeis aimed at the ex-pats:

Costa Cars

Specialist Vehicles

AutosDirect

EasyOption

and not so local:

MotorcardeSpain