Is it worth the hassle of taking my car to Spain?

Sep 20, 2006 · mom-a-gain · 10 replies · 9903 views

Read-only legacy forum thread. Sign-in, registration, and replies are retired.

Well, as the title says, is it worth the hassle?

We are planning to relocate to the Costa Del Sol with our 2 children, I do love my car but will it be a pain over there to have a right hand drive (hope I got that the right way round!) i.e a British car!!!

I heard that I can take it for 6 months as a tourist and then can employ a 'Gestor' (are they easy to find?) to help with the paper work of registering it in Spain. I also heard that I must have my NIE card (again, hope I got that right!) and in turn my residence card. Am I on the right track?

Is it a horrendous process? Has anyone done it? Any advice?

Many Thanks

Sep 20, 2006 · ROBI

Ref the car - short answer NO! if you are serious about living in Spain full time my advice is get a Spanish registered car - also budget permitting try and buy NEW - it will last you for years, you should get minimum 3 years guarantee and its much less risk than second hand. Regarding NIE and residencia - much discussed on this site! NO (again!) it is not a hassle if you go prepared with all of the correct papers, photos etc. Suggest you take a translator unless you have done your Spanish homework! good luck.

Sep 20, 2006 · Expatriator

Yeah, exactly. I agree with the above.

But about the gestor, NO (;)) they aren't difficult to find. But it sounds like you won't need one anyway if you follow ROBI's advice.

Sep 25, 2006 · Mandy

Hi all

re: the car. My husband has talked about getting a left hand drive vehicle over here in the UK and taking it to Spain. The main reason is because we have a huge dog to bring and would prefer him to be with us. Do you advise buying Spanish because of the hassle of registering, or because of warranties etc?

Thanks.
Mandy

Sep 25, 2006 · Megan

We're looking at the same thing: bringing our car from the U.S. to Malaga. But only for a year. Does any of the advice above change if you only bring a car over for a year?
Thanks in advance,
-Megan

Sep 26, 2006 · Vaughan

Hi,

New at this forum lark.... so please be gentle with me.

I'm moving to Spain (Albanchez, Nr Albox) with "Err in doors" in March next year and have pondered over the issue of the car for some time. The choices as I see it are: Buy Tax Free new and export to Spain, Buy new there or Buy 2nd hand there..... Naturally all that depends on budgets etc.

I would welcome any and all advice on the best way forward, and the best places to look if anyone has good advice.

Many thanks

Sep 27, 2006 · jools

I brought my car from the UK, and changed it onto Spanish matriculation, which cost me about 600 euros through a Gestor.

Now i want to change my car, but nobody wants to buy it, not the English, and Spanish new car companies will hardly give you any trade in value, because they cant sell it on.....................remember our steering wheel is on the "wrong side".

I obviously cant take it back to the UK, unless i change it back onto UK plates...........so basically it is useless, but still worth about 4500 euros to me.

In hindsight, no i wouldn't have brought here and changed the registration.

Hope that helps.

Oct 31, 2006 · nimbus595

By a LHD in Germany, much cheaper than Spain, I have bought 6 cars that way look on www.mobile.de

Nov 1, 2010 · tony111

Have a look www.lefthanddriveleeds.co.uk and then consider if you will buy in Germany

Nov 18, 2010 · Madrid Mobility

Nom a gain

If you register the car within 2 months since you get your town hall registration in Spain you will have a tax exemption (providing you have all the other documents required), if you wait 6 months it will be more expensive.

Megan,

The cost of shipping the car plus the taxes, plus shipping it back after one year will discourage you to bring the car.

Vaughan,

One of the documents they are going to ask you for when you register the car here is the purchase invoice, if you buy it tax free then you may have to pay the VAT here.

Regards