# Tips on Buying a New Car



## chris&vicky (Feb 6, 2013)

I am looking to buy a new car and would really appreciate any tips about the process, amount of discount you may, or may not, be able to negotiate, places to get best rates for insurance, good places to buy, well anything really. In the Alhaurin, Coin, Costa del Sol area. Many thanks.


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## snikpoh (Nov 19, 2007)

chris&vicky said:


> I am looking to buy a new car and would really appreciate any tips about the process, amount of discount you may, or may not, be able to negotiate, places to get best rates for insurance, good places to buy, well anything really. In the Alhaurin, Coin, Costa del Sol area. Many thanks.



When I was looking to buy a new car, NOT ONE of the dealers I went to (Audi, VW, Ford, Toyota) were interested in offering a discount even for cash. I know they make money on finance deals but they simply weren't interested.

When I asked about a specific model (Audi A6) and it's availability or delivery time, they never even bothered to get back to me.


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## chris&vicky (Feb 6, 2013)

snikpoh said:


> When I was looking to buy a new car, NOT ONE of the dealers I went to (Audi, VW, Ford, Toyota) were interested in offering a discount even for cash. I know they make money on finance deals but they simply weren't interested.
> 
> When I asked about a specific model (Audi A6) and it's availability or delivery time, they never even bothered to get back to me.


Um maybe I will buy a push bike then


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## snikpoh (Nov 19, 2007)

chris&vicky said:


> Um maybe I will buy a push bike then


Or buy second-hand like we ended up doing. With the number of scrapes 'n' scratches we've got from supermarkets etc., I'm glad we didn't buy new.


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## chris&vicky (Feb 6, 2013)

snikpoh said:


> Or buy second-hand like we ended up doing. With the number of scrapes 'n' scratches we've got from supermarkets etc., I'm glad we didn't buy new.


I would like to buy a second hand car, but I have heard so many horror stories about buying one it put me off, and I did read in this forum somewhere somebody saying it is much better to buy a new car than a used one. 

As you say in Spain it appears that nobody cares about bumps and scratches, unlike the UK where if somebody buys a new car they have a heart attack when they get their first little scratch.

If I knew of a trusted place to buy a used car, and how to avoid all the problems, I would buy used. You have got me thinking now, need to do a bit of research.


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## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

chris&vicky said:


> I would like to buy a second hand car, but I have heard so many horror stories about buying one it put me off, and I did read in this forum somewhere somebody saying it is much better to buy a new car than a used one.
> 
> As you say in Spain it appears that nobody cares about bumps and scratches, unlike the UK where if somebody buys a new car they have a heart attack when they get their first little scratch.
> 
> If I knew of a trusted place to buy a used car, and how to avoid all the problems, I would buy used. You have got me thinking now, need to do a bit of research.


We are on our second used car. We have had absolutely no problems.

Our first we bought in Alcalá la Real - just went to a s/h dealer with no prior advice to go to that particular one. It turned out that the boss had seen us in the paseo so we were, therefore, treated as part of the village 'family'. That was 5 years ago. We traded up (to a few years newer) this year but went to the Citroen main dealer where we got a better deal than the 'family' guy was offering us. This car, we hadn't planned on but we'd popped in for a small adjustment on the Berlingo and I wanted to use the aseo and there in the showroom was a Partner at a reasonable price. They were prepared to give us a better p/x deal so we bought! 

I'd consider/buy used from a main dealer if I were you.


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## Pazcat (Mar 24, 2010)

We want to buy a used car but it's one of those things to be careful with, so many lots around that just run out of a small portable cabin if in fact anyone is there in the first place with the cars sitting around just gathering dust. They may be alright but it doesn't inspire confidence.
I feel it would be better to go to one of the bigger dealers on the strips where all the car lots are.

There is a yard not far away that restores 2CVs and Mahas, besides the probable running problems of these would there be any issues in having such an old car on the road?
I'd like to say they wouldn't be able to sell them if you couldn't run it but then again nothing would surprise me.


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## crookesey (May 22, 2008)

There's a used car dealership on the main coast road between La Cala and Calahonda, it's on the southbound side and was called Auto 2002 when I last drove past it. I think that it's actually located in an area called Torrenueve, they appeared to stock quality cars.


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## VFR (Dec 23, 2009)

It is worth bearing in mind that *if* you buy from a dealer VAT is charged on the sale, yes even secondhand vehicles. This is around 20% at the moment.
Private sale attracts no VAT. 


Paz you ask about owning a 2CV, yes I know that it invokes images of pottering around Aix en Provance (sic) and taking a nice lunch at some village inn etc etc, but ............
Do you really want to own a garden shed on wheels?
Have trouble overtaking most of those cyclists.?
Something that is even more basic than a Morris minor & the crash protection of a cardboard box. ?

Its the weather and it heats things up, so a nice cup of Green Tea with lemon will help a treat.


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## Pazcat (Mar 24, 2010)

> Do you really want to own a garden shed on wheels?


That's a fantastic question, but yes. 
The wife is attracted to one for pretty much all those reasons, plus it might be something to do with her being French too.
Still she wants something little and doesn't go very vast and these guys seem to do a good job.
We are not at the stage of buying yet, just coming up with ideas for now. 

We also need to upgrade the family car to something bigger but I don't see the need in buying new.


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## VFR (Dec 23, 2009)

Pazcat said:


> That's a fantastic question, but yes.
> The wife is attracted to one for pretty much all those reasons, plus it might be something to do with her being French too.
> Still she wants something little and doesn't go very vast and these guys seem to do a good job.
> We are not at the stage of buying yet, just coming up with ideas for now.
> ...


Well in that case Paz buy what you desire & lets not forget you will be joining an exclusive club. 

Oh if she is happy, then you will be happy.


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## snikpoh (Nov 19, 2007)

playamonte said:


> It is worth bearing in mind that *if* you buy from a dealer VAT is charged on the sale, yes even secondhand vehicles. This is around 20% at the moment.
> Private sale attracts no VAT.


Really?

When I bought our latest car it was from a large(ish) dealer - we did NOT pay VAT!

It may well have been hidden in the cost of the car but shouldn't I have been given a VAT receipt?


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## chris&vicky (Feb 6, 2013)

snikpoh said:


> Really?
> 
> When I bought our latest car it was from a large(ish) dealer - we did NOT pay VAT!
> 
> It may well have been hidden in the cost of the car but shouldn't I have been given a VAT receipt?


I pinched this from Anles in another thread ... "If you buy a second hand car, you only pay IVA on it if you buy it from a business. If you buy it privately you pay ITP. You can only deduct the IVA on the car if you own a business or are self employed and in this case you must be able to prove the car is used only for business purposes. If you use the car for business purposes and for private purposes, only the part corresponding to business use is deductible."

I have no idea what ITP or IVA are or what the difference in rates are. Is it one or the other, or do you pay both taxes if buying from a business?


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## agua642 (May 24, 2009)

On buying a 2nd hand car from a private person on doing paper transfer I had to pay to hacienda prior 4% tax


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## gus-lopez (Jan 4, 2010)

snikpoh said:


> Really?
> 
> When I bought our latest car it was from a large(ish) dealer - we did NOT pay VAT!
> 
> It may well have been hidden in the cost of the car but shouldn't I have been given a VAT receipt?


You always pay vat wherever you buy in the EU. To a private buyer it does not have to be broken down & the total price + any extras is shown as the total. 
If buying through a business , or as an employee sale, then the price will be for the vehicle only + extras+ warranty + all sorts of other bits = total , then + vat.
You'd be amazed at how low some of the prices of the vehicles are when done this way.


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## gus-lopez (Jan 4, 2010)

chris&vicky said:


> I pinched this from Anles in another thread ... "If you buy a second hand car, you only pay IVA on it if you buy it from a business. If you buy it privately you pay ITP. You can only deduct the IVA on the car if you own a business or are self employed and in this case you must be able to prove the car is used only for business purposes. If you use the car for business purposes and for private purposes, only the part corresponding to business use is deductible."
> 
> I have no idea what ITP or IVA are or what the difference in rates are. Is it one or the other, or do you pay both taxes if buying from a business?


the transfer tax is paid when vehicles are sold whether privately or from a garage, new or used. vat is paid when a vehicle is purchased new & is reclaimable by business users. It is also charged when a business sells on a vehicle second-hand. Transfer tax would also still have to be paid for the changeover to the government. 4% under 2L & 8% over2Litres.


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