Renewing NIE Certificate

I understand that to buy a car in Spain you need to have a valid NIE Certificate, as they apparently only last 3 months. Rather than just take the easy route and go to the solicitor, I wondered if anyone else had renewed theirs. Is it easy,  what's required and where do you go please? 

Thanks Jim 271 1A

I believe you have to go down the local police station and queue up for a bit.

NIE certificates do not need renewing. Once allocated it is valid thereafter. You need this to buy property or a car.

To buy a car you also need to be registered on the Padron (electoral register). This does need to be renewed after some years.

You go to the "Empadronado" office at Torre Pacheco town hall. You need NIE, Passport and your property contract.

The NIE is permanent, but you do need a new cert. I'm just buying another house, and my lawyer needed to see copies of my old one so he could march down the local police station and get a new one issued.

Thanks for the information. I've found the Empadronamiento section on the Torre Pacheco town hall website. If I need to renew the NIE Certificate does anyone know if I can go to the Police in Roldán? 

Jim