# Car Prices In Spain?



## Dolphin.

Ok had some good answers regarding car insurance but wondering what the score is when looking to buy a car? Can you get hold of nice ones without worrying if its 2 cars welded together lol? Can you get finance when you have not long been in spain? Is there like an Auto Trader type thing?

And has anyone at 24ish tried to get insured? Not long had my license you see...

Thankyou


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## gus-lopez

Dolphin. said:


> Ok had some good answers regarding car insurance but wondering what the score is when looking to buy a car? Can you get hold of nice ones without worrying if its 2 cars welded together lol? Can you get finance when you have not long been in spain? Is there like an Auto Trader type thing?
> 
> And has anyone at 24ish tried to get insured? Not long had my license you see...
> 
> Thankyou


Try these . On the 2nd one change the region to where you want. 
AutoScout24: Coches de ocasión, vehículos usados, coche segunda mano

coches - anuncios clasificados en Murcia - Segundamano.es

Prices are far higher than in the UK. Plus there's still ' clocking' here , like the 70's back in the UK. Most spanish dealers , I have found to be excellent. Don't be surprised if you something described as 'buen estado' that's got dents all over. The spaniards think that it's in good condition ! You could have a problem with the ins. as it's the vehicle that's insured & most companies state drivers over 25 or 30 years of age .


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## Dolphin.

gus-lopez said:


> Try these . On the 2nd one change the region to where you want.
> AutoScout24: Coches de ocasión, vehículos usados, coche segunda mano
> 
> coches - anuncios clasificados en Murcia - Segundamano.es
> 
> Prices are far higher than in the UK. Plus there's still ' clocking' here , like the 70's back in the UK. Most spanish dealers , I have found to be excellent. Don't be surprised if you something described as 'buen estado' that's got dents all over. The spaniards think that it's in good condition ! You could have a problem with the ins. as it's the vehicle that's insured & most companies state drivers over 25 or 30 years of age .


Why are prices higher? Can you not just buy a UK car and drive it over?

And how come its 25 to insure  im 24


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## lynn

Dolphin. said:


> Why are prices higher? Can you not just buy a UK car and drive it over?
> 
> And how come its 25 to insure  im 24


Linea Direct I believe insure for over 24. You can get insurance for under that age, but you will pay a lot more.


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## littleredrooster

Lefties have been a bit overpriced in the UK in recent times.
Where Spanish cars used to be much cheaper a few years ago,things have turned right around and UK prices are now amongst the cheapest in Europe for standard RHD cars.
I wouldn't recommend you bring a RHD for use in Spain however.
Most used Spanish cars take a bit of a beating both mechanically and bodywise,so not normally good value for money,however there are occasionally a few bargains from ppl.returning to the UK.


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## Stravinsky

Dolphin. said:


> Why are prices higher? Can you not just buy a UK car and drive it over?
> 
> And how come its 25 to insure  im 24


I was told (amusingly) it is because they dont rot so much over here as theres no salt on the road and not so much rain 

Conversely, you can park it in a parking spot and come back to find that someone has managed to scrape down the side of your car when missing their space, in supermarket car parks people open their car doors into your car (even when you are sitting in it) and in general spaniards seem to have no real respect for their cars.

When I came here I continued with my habit of buying a decent spotless car. I wont be doing that again when I eventually change it as it doesnt take long for them to end up with dents and scratches that you didnt cause yourself!


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## mrypg9

The value of any commodity reflects the price people are prepared to pay for it, nothing more and nothing less. There is no such thing as intrinsic value (as opposed to cost).
So if prices of LHD cars are now lower in the UK it's because there has been a fall in demand, presumably because fewer Brits are contemplating immigration to Spain.
We bought a Spanish plated vehicle from a reputable UK dealer simply for convenience. I know nothing about cars as far as mechanics etc. is involved and my Spanish wasn't up to holding my own with used car dealers. Transferring ownership was simple and swift.
I wouldn't bother bringing a RHD car over. There's a good reason why people in countries which drive on the right have LHD vehicles: safety.
You can insure your UK car here with or without MOT and Road Tax but you will be driving illegally once you become resident. Loads of people do it and get away with it for decades but it is still an infringement. You will also be moaned at by people who consider evading UK Road Tax as a crime on a par with paedophilia although many people cheerfully cheat on their income taxes, work 'on the black' and don't register on the padron. But that's different
We brought two UK plated cars here, one a LHD the other RHD. Both had full UK Road Tax and one had MOT (the other was new) but it wasn't worth keeping them as the tax involved in putting the new one on Spanish plates would have been astronomical (Merc CLK Cabrio bought during a temporary spell of insanity) and the hassle involved in getting the other older one on Spanish plates wasn't worth it.
The person who bought the car apparently intends to put it on Spanish plates but I notice it still has the UK originals. Not my problem now.
If you know what to look for when buying a used car I guess you'll have no problems wherever you buy. It may well be that the price of Spanish cars will fall to reflect reduced demand in a sluggish economy...who knows?


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## Dolphin.

Cheers for the responses guys... Would initially be looking for a small cheap car but maybe when i have saved up something nice like a BMW thats sporty.. can you find this kind of car?


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## jojo

Dolphin. said:


> Cheers for the responses guys... Would initially be looking for a small cheap car but maybe when i have saved up something nice like a BMW thats sporty.. can you find this kind of car?


Yes, but dont! I had a BMW M3 in the UK. It was a constant worry that it may get scratched, dented etc..... Here I have a beaten up old citroen picasso! It was mint when I first got it, but the roads here are quite rough in the main and the other drivers arent so cautious when it comes to body/paint work. My little picasso is now full of scratches, dents, digs, the headlight is held in with sello tape.... Only once have I pranged it, the rest is from car parks, parking in narrow streets, rough roads.... If I had my posh car here, my nerves would be shot to pieces by now!!!! You want something thats hardy, tough and that you're not going to worry about.

Altho second hand cars tend to be more expensive here, the Spanish dont seem quite so "car conscious" as they are in the UK

Jo xxx


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## Guest

If you´ve got the room, money, can always park it in secure parking and only take it out on Sundays then having a sports car as a second car makes sense


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## mrypg9

I agree with Jo ...and Andy. We've had a BMW M3 Cabrio and a new Merc CLK AvantGarde Cabrio since coming here, both lovely sporty cars but totally impractical so we sold both. Now I've learnt to love our LandRover Discovery which I feared at first as my UK car was a sporty little MX5 and the Disco is like a truck. 
There seem to be a lot of well-kept good-looking older BMWs and Mercs round here so maybe you could pick one up at a reasonable price if that's what you really want.


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## Dolphin.

Yeah i suppose a little car would be better for practicality.. but good news that there are old BMW's knocking about and that... you know how it is when your 24 lol


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## Guest

Better for parking too, there´s a reason why there´s so many Smart cars here. Typical Spanish parking spaces and garages seem designed for bicycles not cars


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## jojo

ShinyAndy said:


> Better for parking too, there´s a reason why there´s so many Smart cars here. Typical Spanish parking spaces and garages seem designed for bicycles not cars


........ as are typical spanish streets! I've hit and lost many a wing mirror lol Oh, and dont forget the dreadful speed bumps AAAAGGGHHH, I've taken the engine cover thing off from under my car on those a few times too!!!

jo xxx


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## Guest

no comment


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## gus-lopez

Stravinsky said:


> I was told (amusingly) it is because they dont rot so much over here as theres no salt on the road and not so much rain
> 
> Conversely, you can park it in a parking spot and come back to find that someone has managed to scrape down the side of your car when missing their space, in supermarket car parks people open their car doors into your car (even when you are sitting in it) and in general spaniards seem to have no real respect for their cars.
> 
> When I came here I continued with my habit of buying a decent spotless car. I wont be doing that again when I eventually change it as it doesnt take long for them to end up with dents and scratches that you didnt cause yourself!


I changed my car last april & so far it 's been hit 6 times whilst parked . As Stravinsky has pointed out some of the things I have seen beggars belief , yet the spanish seem to think it's normal . Just a tip for anyone with an auto box, when you park it don't put it in 'park' always leave it in ' neutral'. That way when they are ramming it to get into the space that's too small they wont snap the mechanical lock on the auto box !

The reason that rhd vehicles drop in value compared to lhd is that they can't be sold anywhere in europe, no one wants them. Plus a lot are discounted to such a degree when new that their value compared to the 'new' price appears atrocious. They are only able to be sold in NZ, Australia, Africa , etc. Lhd's have always been more expensive in the UK , even back in the 70's. It always fascinated me that there where dealers in the Midlands, still in business to this day, that sold nothing but lhd cars. There used to be pages of them in the Exchange & mart.
I had 3 lhd cars in the UK , & one I bought in '74 was a Fiat 1500s, Osca Maserati convertible. ( Didn't realise it was an Osca 'till I wanted parts, should have done really when it had Maserati tridents on the wings ! ) Cost me 650 pounds & the ins. was 200 !!( I was only 22 but had a full ncb ) Wish I had it now , worth a fortune , come to think of it I wish I had all the money I've wasted on cars !!!


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## mrypg9

Dolphin. said:


> you know how it is when your 24 lol


Peering back through the mists of time...

Sod off!!!!!!:


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## Eamon

ShinyAndy said:


> If you´ve got the room, money, can always park it in secure parking and only take it out on Sundays then having a sports car as a second car makes sense


I found the 2nd hand car market here a bit of a lottery. There are websites (that have already been mentioned), and there you will find what seem to be incredibly cheap cars....I replied to many via the email function and got loads of replies with the same MO....they claim that the car is either in England, France or Germany, and they will send it to you.....ALL scams. I ended up going to a local 2nd hand car dealer...got 1yr guarantee on Engine and gear box, and a nice ride to boot. I prefer to drive a comfortable car that offers some form of protection, than a tin can.


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## mrypg9

Eamon said:


> I found the 2nd hand car market here a bit of a lottery. There are websites (that have already been mentioned), and there you will find what seem to be incredibly cheap cars....I replied to many via the email function and got loads of replies with the same MO....they claim that the car is either in England, France or Germany, and they will send it to you.....ALL scams. I ended up going to a local 2nd hand car dealer...got 1yr guarantee on Engine and gear box, and a nice ride to boot. I prefer to drive a comfortable car that offers some form of protection, than a tin can.



Did you try The LHD Place in Basingstoke? They certainly don't participate in scams, they are highly reputable. The cars can be inspected in their quite large showrooms and they are all serviced before sale.
Our LandRover was delivered to us in Prague at our request but if we'd wanted, my son could have driven over to Basingstoke to inspect it first. Our Mercedes was indeed in Germany....at the Mercedes main dealer in Nuremberg from where it was delivered to us in Prague, again at our request. Neither of us could be a***d to go around Europe fetching cars and the delivery charge was very reasonable.
Many LHD dealers source cars from Belgium which I gather is some kind of hub for used cars. But it doesn't mean that they are all operating scams. Some do, I'm sure, but it's not fair to tar them all with the same brush.
Our LR belonged to an English woman who relocated from Mallorca to the UK and drove it back. It was in excellent condition with very low mileage and we've had no problems whatsoever with it in the three years we've had it. We drove it from Prague to where we live with our dog in the back on his bed with his toys - loads of room.
There is a distinction between used car dealers as there is in the motor trade in general - some rogues but the majority honest with excellent reputations and keen to keep it that way.


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## Dolphin.

^ Thanks for the info.. judging by this there will be no way i'll be driving something sporty for the next few years?


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## jojo

Dolphin. said:


> ^ Thanks for the info.. judging by this there will be no way i'll be driving something sporty for the next few years?



Dont worry about it!! In Spain cars are mostly for getting from A to B! Sporty stuff really doesnt feel the same here

jo xxx


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## mrypg9

jojo said:


> Dont worry about it!! In Spain cars are mostly for getting from A to B! Sporty stuff really doesnt feel the same here
> 
> jo xxx



Oh I dunno.....When I was driving the Merc (shiny metallic black, cappucino leather interior) with the top down I felt twenty years younger.
I probably looked like the madame of a bordello tho'......


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## Pesky Wesky

Stravinsky said:


> I was told (amusingly) it is because they dont rot so much over here as theres no salt on the road and not so much rain
> 
> Conversely, you can park it in a parking spot and come back to find that someone has managed to scrape down the side of your car when missing their space, in supermarket car parks people open their car doors into your car (even when you are sitting in it) and in general spaniards seem to have no real respect for their cars.
> 
> When I came here I continued with my habit of buying a decent spotless car. I wont be doing that again when I eventually change it as it doesnt take long for them to end up with dents and scratches that you didnt cause yourself!


Our Seat Ibiza is full of dents and scratches which have been done by OH, myself and others on a fairly equal basis. The car is 10? 12?? years old and there is only one area of rust around the key hole (this was caused by someone trying to break into the car). Where I lived in the UK the whole car would have rusted into oblivion by now, but the Madrid climate is sooo dry that it's just not an issue. 
There are 16 houses in my street with about 21 cars with Spanish owners. Only one of them has a scrape down the side besides ours. Ours is by far the worst off Perhaps south of Madrid the high percentage of foreign drivers on the costas cause problems??


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## Eamon

Pesky Wesky said:


> Our Seat Ibiza is full of dents and scratches which have been done by OH, myself and others on a fairly equal basis. The car is 10? 12?? years old and there is only one area of rust around the key hole (this was caused by someone trying to break into the car). Where I lived in the UK the whole car would have rusted into oblivion by now, but the Madrid climate is sooo dry that it's just not an issue.
> There are 16 houses in my street with about 21 cars with Spanish owners. Only one of them has a scrape down the side besides ours. Ours is by far the worst off Perhaps south of Madrid the high percentage of foreign drivers on the costas cause problems??


 you might be right / wrong


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