Hi,

We are moving to Barcelona and will need to buy a new car when we arrive. Anyone with experience doing this? Is there financing available? If there is, how does the process work?

Thank you,
Jennifer

1 bank account in spain ,2 nie no need , 3 spanish address 4 bank histroy on you name

so think you out luck there , its going to be c.a.s.h. are 2nd car here ,
hope you can store you car if new in under ground are garage the car do get bumped around , youtube “parking in barcelona” a car trying to get out of a stall and hits the car in front and the back ...

Learned in France…
When street parking in France or Spain, if practicable, leave the handbrake off and the car in neutral…Shunt parking seems to be quite normal…

jurdyr - 01 February 2009 03:28 AM

1 bank account in spain ,2 nie no need , 3 spanish address 4 bank histroy on you name

so think you out luck there , its going to be c.a.s.h. are 2nd car here ,
hope you can store you car if new in under ground are garage the car do get bumped around , youtube “parking in barcelona” a car trying to get out of a stall and hits the car in front and the back ...

Thanks for the info. I should have mentioned that we will be there two months before we actually need the car. My husband will be working for a Spanish company also. So I hope that in two months we have opened a bank account, received NIE cards, have a Spanish address and bank history. I know things are slow w/bureacracy, but is it realistic to have this done within 2 months? Do they consider how long your bank history w/Spanish bank is established?

Thanks!
jennifer

NIE takes from 1 day to 6 weeks, depending on where you go for it.
Bank works within minutes, although they want your NIE number.
An address, well I supose you will live somewhere, so that’s done then.
Bank history, if your husband takes a copy of his contract with his employer, that should work.  You can also show them some bank documents from your account back home.
Best of luck with all this.

credit rating dose not happen over night in spain , can take any think from 1 year - 5 years , way thinks are going in the car industry , say you get go deal and ha many get yourself financing
hope you saw the parking via youtube

It might be easier to buy a second-hand car to begin with, but always shop around, as prices for used cars can be more expensive than in the UK.

If it’s definately a new car you need or want, then there are usually finance options available through most dealers, though it may be more difficult to get set up, even once you’ve got your NIE, bank account, address, etc… That said, the car industry throughout Europe is crying out for people to buy new vehicles, so it may be a good idea once you’re there to shope around a few dealers and see what deals and options they will offer you. Finance companies can and often will search for your credit history back in the UK, so as long as there’s no previous problems, you should be ok.

As for the delivery time on a new vehicle, this can vary widely. My parents had to wait for nearly 2 months for their new Nissan X-Trail from the main dealer in Granada. They were given the usual “15 days” by the salesman. As with any large purchases here though, you just need to be patient. Customer service generally isn’t of a similar standard or importance as in the UK or USA perhaps, though your consumer rights are pretty much the same.

Good luck

Heath

CALtoBCN - 01 February 2009 02:27 AM

moving to Barcelona and will need to buy a new car…

Do you know where you’re going to be living?  Parking in central Barcelona is difficult, insecure and expensive, while public transport is pretty good. If I was you I’d hire a car first for a bit, get to know the area and then see if you could do without.  They can be such a liability.