# Buying a car while visiting Spain



## andrewsgibson (Aug 16, 2014)

Hello everybody,

My wife and I are visiting Spain for three months with a view to seeing if we would like to make it a permanent move. Does anybody know if there is a way to buy and insure a second-hand car while we are there? I presume this will be cheaper than renting, although if anybody know of a way to rent a car relatively inexpensively for several months I would love to hear about it.

If all goes well we return to the UK at Christmas (before our 90 days is up) then return to Spain in the New Year. This is when we would like to start the process of applying for residency etc.

Advice appreciated.

Thanks,
Andrew


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## snikpoh (Nov 19, 2007)

To buy and operate a car in Spain, I think you need to be on the padron and therefore to be resident. Some will say this is not the case so who knows.

What I do know is that you will need somewhere to register the car. So, you will need a mail address at the very least. Road tax in Spain is a local tax so you pay it to your local town hall - this will mean that you need to either have a rental address or have bought a property (some use a PO box but I'm not sure how correct this is).


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

snikpoh said:


> To buy and operate a car in Spain, I think you need to be on the padron and therefore to be resident. Some will say this is not the case so who knows.
> 
> What I do know is that you will need somewhere to register the car. So, you will need a mail address at the very least. Road tax in Spain is a local tax so you pay it to your local town hall - this will mean that you need to either have a rental address or have bought a property (some use a PO box but I'm not sure how correct this is).


you absolutely don't have to be on the padrón - but you do need a NIE & an address

I'm not sure tráfico would accept a rental address for someone who isn't resident though - but they would accept the escritura of a property owned by a non-resident


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## snikpoh (Nov 19, 2007)

xabiachica said:


> you absolutely don't have to be on the padrón - but you do need a NIE & an address
> 
> I'm not sure tráfico would accept a rental address for someone who isn't resident though - but they would accept the escritura of a property owned by a non-resident


I certainly understand the rules but almost everyone I know who's bought a car in Spain have been asked for their padron. We even tried arguing against it and were willing to show our escitura (all 80 pages of it) but they would not accept it!


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

snikpoh said:


> I certainly understand the rules but almost everyone I know who's bought a car in Spain have been asked for their padron. We even tried arguing against it and were willing to show our escitura (all 80 pages of it) but they would not accept it!


at a dealer or at tráfico?


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## snikpoh (Nov 19, 2007)

xabiachica said:


> at a dealer or at tráfico?


At the dealer or gestor.

Thinking about it, it may simply be because it's easier to use an A4 sheet (padron) rather than to wade through a rental contract or through an escritura.


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## Simon22 (May 22, 2015)

snikpoh said:


> I certainly understand the rules but almost everyone I know who's bought a car in Spain have been asked for their padron. We even tried arguing against it and were willing to show our escitura (all 80 pages of it) but they would not accept it!


Yes two dealers we spoke to were willing to lose the sale if no padron was provided. We did get one and now have a car.


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

snikpoh said:


> At the dealer or gestor.
> 
> Thinking about it, it may simply be because it's easier to use an A4 sheet (padron) rather than to wade through a rental contract or through an escritura.


could be that - sounds logical

or maybe it's just that the padrón is the 'usual' form of proof of address for residents & Spanish citizens, & some dealers & gestores just can't see beyond that - & can't understand that a) someone who doesn't live here might wish to buy a car &/or b) that people who don't live here shouldn't be on the padrón.


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

Simon22 said:


> Yes two dealers we spoke to were willing to lose the sale if no padron was provided. We did get one and now have a car.


if you don't actually live here I strongly recommend that you take yourself off the padrón asap

it could cause you all sorts of hassle later should you move here


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## andrewsgibson (Aug 16, 2014)

Thanks everybody, very helpful.


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## SteveScot (Feb 11, 2013)

I have a car in Spain and I am not on the Padron, as I am non resident, so yes, it can be done. In fact there was no issue at the trafico office at all. I had a copia simpla of the escritura, my NIE document, and some identification.


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## snikpoh (Nov 19, 2007)

SteveScot said:


> I have a car in Spain and I am not on the Padron, as I am non resident, so yes, it can be done. In fact there was no issue at the trafico office at all. I had a copia simpla of the escritura, my NIE document, and some identification.


But, for the OP, if you don't have an escritura or rental contract, I guess it's NOT possible.


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## SteveScot (Feb 11, 2013)

Yes, I understand that part; I assume that the authorities want you to have some form of permanent address in Spain. I was just clarifying the position relating to the Padron, which if you are non-resident, then you shouldn't be on it.


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## Megsmum (Sep 9, 2012)

snikpoh said:


> I certainly understand the rules but almost everyone I know who's bought a car in Spain have been asked for their padron. We even tried arguing against it and were willing to show our escitura (all 80 pages of it) but they would not accept it!


Agree

We HAD to show Cert Padron and Residencia - Which is why forums are a great place to start, but research where your actually going to live is the best thing to do


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

cambio said:


> Agree
> 
> We HAD to show Cert Padron and Residencia - Which is why forums are a great place to start, but research where your actually going to live is the best thing to do


but of course since you live here, that isn't a problem 

according to the DGT, which makes the rules - all you need to transfer the ownership of a car is NIE & proof of ID & proof of address

https://sede.dgt.gob.es/Galerias/tr...ficacion-venta-vehiculo-INGLES-30-12-2014.pdf

it mentions 'registration certificate' - which on the Spanish version is actually your driving licence https://sede.dgt.gob.es/Galerias/tr...icacion-venta-vehiculo-ESPANOL-30-12-2014.pdf


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## eastie_lover (Dec 7, 2010)

andrewsgibson said:


> Hello everybody,
> 
> My wife and I are visiting Spain for three months with a view to seeing if we would like to make it a permanent move. Does anybody know if there is a way to buy and insure a second-hand car while we are there? I presume this will be cheaper than renting, although if anybody know of a way to rent a car relatively inexpensively for several months I would love to hear about it.
> 
> ...


To new honest if I were you I would either do a long term rental (friend of mine used to do that when he came here for a month at a time) or just take your British car with you. If you can't be bothered driving there are companies that will transport it for approx £500-1000 depending on where/when it's going. I can recommend a couple if you wish. 

I'd imagine its a hassle to buy a car, then have to sell it again 3 months later. You'll probably take at least a 20% hit when you sell it back to a dealer.


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## jonmlb748 (Oct 30, 2011)

You could probably rent for less than €1000 for three months fully comp as it will be off season .could be worth inquiring.cheap cars don't dally exist here unless they're complete heaps then insurance ,cost of name change etc


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## Lynn R (Feb 21, 2014)

jonmlb748 said:


> You could probably rent for less than €1000 for three months fully comp as it will be off season .could be worth inquiring.cheap cars don't dally exist here unless they're complete heaps then insurance ,cost of name change etc


A friend of ours has just rented one to pick up at Málaga airport for two weeks, which cost €102 in total. Seemed very cheap to me.


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## jonmlb748 (Oct 30, 2011)

I'm assuming they haven't picked it up yet as they will probably be be hit for insurance waiver at the airport or asked to leave a very large deposit even if they have their own insurance.


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## Lynn R (Feb 21, 2014)

jonmlb748 said:


> I'm assuming they haven't picked it up yet as they will probably be be hit for insurance waiver at the airport or asked to leave a very large deposit even if they have their own insurance.


As they use the same company each time they come to their holiday home here (6 times a year) I think they'll be aware of the conditions, and have never mentioned them being particularly onerous.


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## jonmlb748 (Oct 30, 2011)

bargain!


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