# Buying a Car / Driving in Spain



## elwaster (Sep 21, 2010)

So I have just moved here.

Still have my British ID card, and British passport. 
But I also have my NIE - Social Security etc.. and I am legally working here. 

Do I need anything else to get a car? I have heard horror stories of people having their car taken away from not having their spain address on their ID card? Or will my NIE be enough and I just don't use my UK ID card?

Any advice is appreciated.

cheers.


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

elwaster said:


> So I have just moved here.
> 
> Still have my British ID card, and British passport.
> But I also have my NIE - Social Security etc.. and I am legally working here.
> ...


Hi & welcome


I'm no expert on the car side of things - but if you do a search of the forum it's a topic that seems to be discussed frequently


I have to say that I've only ever heard of cars being towed away if they are here on UK plates owned by a resident of Spain, rather than there being a problem with ID cards or any other ID


any of us who have lived here any length of time don't have UK ID cards in any case - they certainly weren't available when we left the UK!


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## xicoalc (Apr 20, 2010)

elwaster said:


> So I have just moved here.
> 
> Still have my British ID card, and British passport.
> But I also have my NIE - Social Security etc.. and I am legally working here.
> ...


Hi Elwaster

Can I calrify, are you wanting to buy a Spanish car? If so then you are fine. Just like the previous post, I don't have a UK ID card but all you need is your passport, drivers licence (UK or Spanish), NIE etc. You wont get towed away for that!

The police do regularly do stop and checks, I have been reliably informed that these days they can radio through to check all is in order, BUT its always best to impress the friendly green uniformed gun carrying cops, so always keep in your car with you when you drive:

Insurance Certificate & Receipt for payment
SUMA (road tax) receipt
ITV certidicate (if applicable)
Log Book
Drivers Licence
Kitchen Sink 
If you are working here I presume you are resident - i keep a certified copy of my green residency paper and padron certificate in the car also (in fact I keep them in my wallet)

You will be fine!

The only other piece of advice, if you are buying a car (particularly privately) in spain it may be well worth paying a few euros for the services of the Gestor to complete the transfer for you. The reason being that a) they can check the car is legally the sellers to sell, and b) they can check for outstanding debs, fines etc. If you buy a car in spain and theres a parking fine unpaid then the fine becomes yours so sometimes its well worth getting the transfer done properly by a pro!

The other good idea I guess is to transfer your UK driving licence for a Spanish one because this will then show your spanish address PLUS your NIE etc. This is the one bit of spanish paperwork I have not yet tackled. Keep meaning to get a spanish friend to come to Alicante with me! Must do!!!


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## gus-lopez (Jan 4, 2010)

steve_in_spain said:


> Hi Elwaster
> 
> Can I calrify, are you wanting to buy a Spanish car? If so then you are fine. Just like the previous post, I don't have a UK ID card but all you need is your passport, drivers licence (UK or Spanish), NIE etc. You wont get towed away for that!
> 
> ...


Steve , unless you want to do it yourself most gestorias only charge 40/50 €'s to change a licence that it's hardly worth the fuel & time to go yourself !


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## xicoalc (Apr 20, 2010)

gus-lopez said:


> Steve , unless you want to do it yourself most gestorias only charge 40/50 €'s to change a licence that it's hardly worth the fuel & time to go yourself !


oooh well in that case you are right... by the time you pay tolls and fuel for the trips there it isnt worth it! I will make some phone calls! Gracias!!!


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## Pip84 (Apr 1, 2010)

Hi 

When I left the UK at the end of 06 I left my lovely black Audi A4 which I still miss to this day... ... sad maybe, but you'll get my point in a second... ... we decided to get a brand new Audi A3 when we got here and it took forever to get it, mainly because we didn't know what we were doing. In actual fact if you have a shed load of patience, your NIE and passport, you'll be fine, but DO use a Gestor.

Anyway, to the point, if you think you're gonna buy a lovely nice car and it'll stay that way, you're sadly mistaken. I know this is a generalisation but what I have found so far in the last 4 years is that people over here (of all nationalities) don't give a monkey's whatsit about other people's cars and ours is scratched and bumped in so many places. Don't stress about it, cos it's gonna happen!

Second hand cars keep their value more over here, wich of course means it's more expensive for you getting into the car market even if second hand, but personally I would think twice about buying new again.

On a linked note, when you buy your car you'll need car insurance same as in the UK. I strongly recommend that you quiz your insurer on how the insurance works over here and then decide if you want fully comp or third party. Although I have no first hand experience of this I have a very close friend who has. He won his case in court and still to this day many years on has not received his money from either his nor the other person's insurance company. You may think 'what's the point of having the insurance then?' It may be another good reason to buy a second hand car of less value - may make the decision on fully comp v third party a bit easier.

BUT fuel is cheaper here yee haa!! LOL


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

Pip84 said:


> Hi
> 
> When I left the UK at the end of 06 I left my lovely black Audi A4 which I still miss to this day... ... sad maybe, but you'll get my point in a second... ... we decided to get a brand new Audi A3 when we got here and it took forever to get it, mainly because we didn't know what we were doing. In actual fact if you have a shed load of patience, your NIE and passport, you'll be fine, but DO use a Gestor.
> 
> ...



I'm not so sure that fuel is much cheaper anymore. Diesel is a bit, but petrol is about the same now! I noticed that this morning petrol here 1.19€ - 1.16pounds in the UK. However, you're right about not spending money on a decent car here. The roads, those dreadful speedbumps, the dust, spanish driver make it too much stress to try and keep a car nice, clean and shiny!!!


Jo xxx


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## gus-lopez (Jan 4, 2010)

jojo said:


> I'm not so sure that fuel is much cheaper anymore. Diesel is a bit, but petrol is about the same now! I noticed that this morning petrol here 1.19€ - 1.16pounds in the UK. However, you're right about not spending money on a decent car here. The roads, those dreadful speedbumps, the dust, spanish driver make it too much stress to try and keep a car nice, clean and shiny!!!
> 
> 
> Jo xxx


Here they don't let you on the till where you work do they ?  There's something wrong with your figures ; 1,19€'s a litre @ 1,16.8€'s to the pound = 94 pence.  Now I've done it wrong it's 1,018 pounds.


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

gus-lopez said:


> Here they don't let you on the till where you work do they ?  There's something wrong with your figures ; 1,19€'s a litre @ 1,16.8€'s to the pound = 94 pence.  Now I've done it wrong it's 1,018 pounds.


I'm losing the plot , and to their peril, yes they let me on the till at work LOL My source from the UK has gone back there this evening. But I think what he said was that in the UK its 1.23 there! So yes, I was talking b*****x!!!! lol

Jo xxx


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## xicoalc (Apr 20, 2010)

I use LOTS of fuel and discovered the carrefour club card. You get 8% of the fuel back in points to spend in the store. I am due my next "cheque" of nearly 100 euros! 8% makes a huge difference to the cost of fuel, they may be a cent more than other local garages but their club card means I get at least one weeks shopping free every 3 months!

sorry, totally irrelevant to the subject but thougth id mention it while you were all on the subject of fuel.... right back to the vino!!


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