Car - to buy or not to buy?

 With the possible closure of San Javier airport next year, I have been looking at buying a car for airport runs from Alicante/Corvera airports. Taxis are looking at 150 euros each way and round trips from other people are about the same, but many dont want the hassle of driving so much. With 10 trips or more per year it is quite expensive. 

There are a few companies that will store the car and deliver/collect it from the airports for about 350 euros per year. I estimate including fuel the total running costs will be approx 1000 euros per year. This does allow flying from different airports and getting cheapest flights.

Car hire varies from 100 euros to over 200 euros per week (including fuel) depending on the time of year. I would normally hire a tiny car 2/3 times per year so we can explore further, do shopping etc.

What plans are others making to get around next year?

I have been looking at new and second hand car prices and the obstacles of dealing with main franchises and my lack of Spanish. Expat dealers appear to be more expensive. I think Justin once said he would not buy a new car again but I cant remember the reasons why. What are others thoughts on this?

Thanks.

If you buy a second hand left hooker in the UK make sure to check if it has been reported at exported - for if it has you will have to register it as imported again in Spain if you take it back there.

If you buy a car and keep it at one of the storage places available - keep a written note of the mileage AND the state of the fuel tank when you last left it. These stored cars are a fantastic supply of registered, taxed and mot'd cars for add-hoc taxi use by anyone with a mind to - and while cars are expensive and in short supply - they are highly attractive.

Whe you buy - make sure yyou both visit a Notary and cconclude the sale - or have a Notary come oversee it - some might say this iss excessive - but there are so many pitfalls (I've ben caught) you need to make sure you are dealt with fairly.

 We bought a new Kia in February from the Cartagena dealer for similar reasons. It turned out cheaper (by 2K)  than the equivalent car in the UK. Seven years warranty and low Suma tax due to emissions. Dealer very pleasant and supplied handbook in English too. He handled all the paperwork and hassle. No MOT required for 4 years. Some dealers get a hang up when you say you are non-resident, especially second hand dealers.

Juan

I would favour a new car over a second-hand one.  We would never buy second-hand again in Spain, after a nightmare experience with a Fiat Uno (which I describe in my blog - in a post I'll make in a couple of weeks' time).  Our new Suzuki on the other hand was fantastic and lasted us five years before we sold it on.  As the issue is a financial one, on balance, I'd favour a cheap new car over a second-hand one, because at least it should get from A to B.

 150 Euros one way from Covera airport souds extorsionist, unlessw, of course, it is to a destination outside of the Murcia province or Alicante south. We normally bapy between 50 and 70 Euros from Alicante airport to Pilar de la Horadada.

 Very Interesting, what are the annual costs for keeping a car in Spain, aside from purchase price, depreciation, fuel etc.  i.e. road tax, insurance (ball park figure).

 Road tax for small new car 60 Euros. Insurance about 300 Euros including breakdown and legal. Parking at Alicante/San Javier around 400 for the year with any concierge service. MOT after 4 years.

Juan

http://www.justlanded.com/english/Spain/Articles/Travel-Leisure/Road-tax-in-Spain

Minimum and maximum limits are established by law, but within these, tax levels are set by individual municipalities and vary from town to town depending on their size; rates are higher in municipalities with over 100,000 inhabitants, which may double the minimum tax rate. Among the cheapest cities are Madrid (surprisingly), Valencia and Zaragoza, and among the most expensive are Barcelona (around 20 per cent higher than Madrid), Bilbao and Córdoba.

 A friend landed in February and took a taxi  from Alicante airport to Los Alcazares, 150 euros. He tends to come out for 8 weeks at a time so one option is one-way rentals at the start and end of the 8 weeks. I thought 150 was a bit steep but several other expats said that was the normal price(perhaps it is an expat price not Spanish price.) Corvera to Los Alcazares is looking at 30-40 minutes depending on which route taken, taxie fares estimated at least half that from Alicante. Does any one have a taxi fare price?

I had a work colleague who married a Spaniard about 25 years ago and settled in UK, he still has relatives in Spain. Both took early retirement to move back to Spain few years ago. He did not let on he was Spanish and was shocked at how they were treated and the dual pricing that was so evident.

I am thinking about a new car but from a cheaper manufacturer, use and mileage does not warrant a BMW/Audi or even a SEAT. Seven year warranty and low running costs are very attractive. The main dealers will be geared towards Spanish buyers, do any of them advertise 'we speak English' ?

Are the main dealers more trustworthy than second-hand dealers or should a notary still be used to conclude the sale?

Thanks agian for the advice.

 I can't see how taxi prices vary from nationality to nationality as the prices are displayed on the taxi stand at Alicante airport. There aren't, as far as I know, one board which says Prices for Spanish and one that says Prices for Foreigners.  

However, the sign does say that booking in advance will attract a discount.  Booking online, however, still shows the price at just a little less than €150 each way so I would guess that is the actual price (and, no, I can't see a separate box asking you for your nationality).

Buying a car is fine in Spain.  We bought a 3 year old Ford Focus and the cost was a little less than an equivalent one in UK.  It's the very old ones that tend to be relatively expensive.  New cars are about the same as UK.  Locost parking at Alicante airport is around €300 a year which includes 15 transfers a year.  The mileage (kilometreage?) never varied when we used them.  There is also Plane Parking and several others which do the same thing for similar prices.  

 Thanks Juan,

It sounds like the better option is to buy a car if going out to Spain several times a year or for several weeks at a time?

We are hoping to buy in Torrenueva (near la Cala de Mijas) very shortly, I would leave the car parked up outside the apartment and get the train from Malaga to Fuengirola and then a service bus from Fuengirola to Torrenueva, or a taxi from Fuengirola is about €20.

We like to travel around and explore the area, drive out somewhere for lunch, supermarket runs etc. we currently have 3 or 4 weeks in Spain and spend about £400 on car hire, we hope to be able to spend more time in Spain when we have our own place.

Kelju

I was just checking my paperwork

My 'Road Tax'  for a 1.6 Toyota was 44.65€ this year.

For a 600cc M/C it was 39.69€