car purchase

I have found that buying a second hand car (LHD) in the UK is possibly one of the cheaper options, and drive to Spain, but this might not be for everyone.

Far easier to buy a car in Spain and there are many car sales and will depend upon your budget of course

Buying a car in UK and driving to spain has many issues

1. Any warranty would be difficult to use

2. Costs of ferry, fuel etc

3. Transfer of plates, import duty etc.

Do a search on line, local rags etc

As in UK there are good and bad 2nd hand car dealers and everyone will have a view. Use your instinct and take your time.

Some good sales in Playa Flamenca, San Miguel and Torrevieja

This message was last edited by Tadd1966 on 06/07/2015.

There is a great garage situated on the lemon tree road  at the El Raso estate roundabout .No I have no connection with them other than having a house in nearby Montesinos and have visited the garage a few times.Give them a look.

That's one of the many things that I've never done, looked for a used car in Spain, however other than for very small pitches I haven't seen any on the coast, probably too expensive. What you need is the help of either a Spaniard or someone who knows their way around, as in the UK I know dealers that I trust and those that I don't, however a stranger wouldn't know the difference. A full service history with receipts for everything goes a long way with me, I work on the premise that if it hasn't got any paperwork then it hasn't been cared for, even cars that have been serviced/repaired by their owners should have receipts for materials used.

Take care.  

The main car dealers have sections with used cars they have taken in part exchange. Some I've seen have some very good prices and all the proper paperwork.

As you are in Torrevieja, Goldcar sales (by the main Carrefour) do very good cars, mainly Ford, and give good customer service. We bought a Ford Focus from them several years and the FSH was included. They handled all the paperwork including the registration and even arranging for the SUMA direct debit which was included in the price. A years warranty is also included.

Some of the used car dealers have a bad reputation for clocking the kilometreage(such a word?) and even falsifying the year it was produced so make sure you check everything out.

As you are moving to Torrevieja soon best you be careful as to who you buy from, about this time last year 3 car sites / dealers were raided, all three a little way outside of the town, one was on the roundabout at St Luis opposite the car wash, another in front of the Punta Prima shopping centre, the third I cannot remember for where but pretty sure it was close to the other two, the police shut them down and taped of the sites. These  were all run by the same guys who ripped of buyers by doing, well you think of it they did it.

Just recently the one at St Luis is up and running again,  don't know about the others, maybe the same crew under new names, this happens, or different people, so ask around about these, I bet someone knows.

Another thing to watch out for which surprised me, last September I looked over a car for a friend and the amount of small faults and body damage with it amazed me no end as here in the UK we could never put a car up for sale like this one was, I pointed out all the faults, test drove it, it drove good, the dealer a young  Czech Republic Lady promised to repair all the faults and to her credit she did.

Worth noting because you might find the car you like, with plenty of small faults that you can see, and it puts you of the sale, but had they been done before and it looked good at point of sale...Get what I mean. 

Thanks for all your help, seems like its worth paying a bit more and going with a main dealer and checking all the paperwork rather than the smaller dealers 

I'll let you know how it goes 

Cheers 

sue