# Transporting car to spain



## Miss_Marbella (Jul 10, 2017)

I am planning on bringing my mini cooper to spain with me soon as someone told me its the easiest way, instead of having to sell it and buy a new one over there. Something to do with needing documentation? However im wondering if this is the best idea? As the cost of transporting it will be around £600 and ive heard many people with uk plates get stopped by police for spot checks all the time and i dont want all that hassle. What is the deal with registering the car in spain? Is it an expensive/ lengthy process? And does anyone know of a transporting company which will shift it for less than 600?


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## Overandout (Nov 10, 2012)

600 quid from UK to Spain sounds cheap to me.

I got quoted that for a part load of 5 boxes and a bicycle a coupe of months back, so I doubt you will find cheaper. It would cost you more to drive here yourself!


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## Miss_Marbella (Jul 10, 2017)

Its not cheap!! Some people pay that for entire house removals!!


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

Changing the plates isn't necessarily a lengthy process, but yes it can be costly. And you have a very short time in which to do it now. 

If you're balking at the transport costs, taking into account the rematriculation costs, you're probably better off selling & buying a Spanish plated car when you get here.


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## Lynn R (Feb 21, 2014)

Miss_Marbella said:


> Its not cheap!! Some people pay that for entire house removals!!


We paid over 1200 pounds almost 11 years ago to have our personal effects (no furniture included) moved to Spain, just to put the figure of 600 pounds to ship your car into perspective.


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## Miss_Marbella (Jul 10, 2017)

You got ripped off LYNN R by the sounds of it!!


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## Miss_Marbella (Jul 10, 2017)

Rematriculation? Sorry but what is this?


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## Lynn R (Feb 21, 2014)

Miss_Marbella said:


> You got ripped off LYNN R by the sounds of it!!


Not according to the quote received by Overandout more recently, we didn't. 

Our belongings amounted to 63 boxes and we obtained quite a number of quotes for comparison purposes.

I'm sure we'd all be interested to see a quote for an entire removal of house contents from the UK to Spain for 600 pounds, if you can find one.


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## Overandout (Nov 10, 2012)

Miss_Marbella said:


> Its not cheap!! Some people pay that for entire house removals!!


OK, good luck with doing it on the cheap!


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## danboy20 (Jul 10, 2017)

If you are planning on staying in Spain, I would just sell the car in the UK, and buy over here....You will find it annoying getting out of the car to take parking tickets from the machine, and when getting onto a motorway here, you need all the visibility you can get!! Being on the wrong side becomes annoying after a while. Plus, the car won´t be worth much over here, should you decide to sell it. 

You need to legally re-register the car if you are living here over 3 months, and that can cost anything up to 1000€ depending on the emissions of the car, and if you have to change the lights to point to the other side. 

I re-registered my car, because at the time, cars were so much cheaper in the UK than Spain, but I´m not sure it´s worth it anymore.


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## Overandout (Nov 10, 2012)

danboy20 said:


> If you are planning on staying in Spain, I would just sell the car in the UK, and buy over here....You will find it annoying getting out of the car to take parking tickets from the machine, and when getting onto a motorway here, you need all the visibility you can get!! Being on the wrong side becomes annoying after a while. Plus, the car won´t be worth much over here, should you decide to sell it.
> 
> You need to legally re-register the car if you are living here over 3 months, and that can cost anything up to 1000€ depending on the emissions of the car, and if you have to change the lights to point to the other side.
> 
> I re-registered my car, because at the time, cars were so much cheaper in the UK than Spain, but I´m not sure it´s worth it anymore.


If the OP considers that 600€ is an expensive quote to bring the car to Spain, and that Estate Agents are all too expensive to deal with, she will not like the prices of used cars in Spain! New cars may have evened out a bit, but used vehicles are still significantly more expensive in Spain than in the UK.


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## Overandout (Nov 10, 2012)

A 2014 (guessing the year obvioulsy) Mini Cooper in the UK seems to be available for around 8-9k GBP, whereas the same spec car in Spain are up for around 14-15k€.
At current exchange rates that makes it close to 50% more expensive in Spain, so ignoring the practicalities / dangers of RHD in Spain, economically it probably is worth it, even if it costs 600 quid to get it here and 1000€ to adapt it and re-register it.


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## Miss_Marbella (Jul 10, 2017)

Wow now im confused. You and danboy 20 both say completely different things??


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## 95995 (May 16, 2010)

Miss_Marbella said:


> Wow now im confused. You and danboy 20 both say completely different things??


Hi Miss Marbella. This is a forum, members don't always have the same views - in fact they often disagree. You won't necessarily get definitive answers here - by and large people will comment on the basis of their own experience or preference, but useful links are also often posted.


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## Overandout (Nov 10, 2012)

Miss_Marbella said:


> Wow now im confused. You and danboy 20 both say completely different things??


You being whom? You have not quoted anyone.

If you were referring to me, I was giving you my opinion based on what we know about you and your situation.

Me, personally, I would never entertain using a RHD car in Spain on a long term basis, I would pay what it costs to be as safe and practical as possible, even if it is more than I would have paid in the UK, but the choice is yours. 
My info seems to back up your original post (that buying in Spain would cost more than brining your car over), but as you don't seem to like the opinions given by experienced people on here much anyway, I suggest that you just do what you like!


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## Miss_Marbella (Jul 10, 2017)

Everhopeful
Yes i have noticed!!!


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## danboy20 (Jul 10, 2017)

If there is a huge difference in value between your Mini in the UK, and replacing the car in Spain & then it might be worth importing your car - which you need to do by law if you live here. It should cost no more than 1000€. You might have to change the headlight direction, and other lights. 

But as I and OVERANDOUT have said, the safety and practicalities of using a RHD car in Spain should definitely be considered. You have to consider getting out of the car every time you want to get an automatic parking / toll road ticket, and reduced visibility - which becomes a real issue in the summer with heavy traffic on these dangerous roads. 

Also, should you wish to sell the car here, you won´t get a lot for it. And not many people will buy it in the Uk with a Spanish registration.

If you can afford it, sell the car in the UK, and buy in Spain. The plus point, is that it will hold it´s value well in Spain. So swings and roundabouts.


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## Miss_Marbella (Jul 10, 2017)

Danboy20
How long will i be able to drive it over there on european insurance cover without registering it for?
Also dont i need to have a work contract before i can register it? As technically i think not having one yet makes me non-resident??


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

Miss_Marbella said:


> Danboy20
> How long will i be able to drive it over there on european insurance cover without registering it for?
> Also dont i need to have a work contract before i can register it? As technically i think not having one yet makes me non-resident??


You don't need a work contract to register a car.

You need a NIE number.

You are resident as far as the govt is concerned when you've been here 90 days, registered or not.


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## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

Miss_Marbella said:


> Danboy20
> How long will i be able to drive it over there on european insurance cover without registering it for?
> Also dont i need to have a work contract before i can register it? As technically i think not having one yet makes me non-resident??


Are you aware of what is needed before you can register as resident in Spain? There are certain income level requirements you must meet and you must also have current comprehensive private medical insurance until you get a proper legal work contract.
You also need to wise up on rules for importing a foreign plated vehicle.

When I left the UK permanently almost twelve years ago I sold my UK cars and bought in Prague where I was living. When I moved to Spain nine years go I sold my Czech plated cars and bought a Spanish plated LHD LandRover from a reputable UK LHD dealer. I'm still driving that car plus a Freelander bought here in Spain.
I had a UK plated BMW I owned brought to Spain from the UK by my son but sold it after a short time as it would have been too expensive to transfer it to Spanish plates and as has been said RHD cars aren't good here.
If I'd bought the LR in Spain I'd have paid about a third more than I did in the UK.

So my advice would be sell your Mini in the UK and buy a good LHD car, preferably a Spanish plated one.

You obviously haven't had much experience of removal companies, reputable ones anyway. Twelve years ago I paid almost £5k to move all my goods, furniture, books, clothes, etc. to Prague from the UK. Nine years ago I paid almost 6k euros to have the same stuff brought from Prague to Malaga Province. Most people in their lifetime accumulate many things, some fairly valuable, to them at least, others with sentimental value. Not everyone can shove their stuff in the back of a white van. I could have done when I was starting out in life but not now.

Nearly all the posters on this Forum are resident in Spain, some have been for decades. Some work, others are retired. Most of us speak Spanish, some fluently. Most know well how things work here and their advice can be very useful to newbies like yourself.
I think you should give serious consideration to the posts on topics you initiate.
Oh, and never take advice from Brits in bars or friends who don't live in Spain and speak no Spanish. Your friend you mention in your first post obviously didn't know what s/he was talking about.


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