# Suma



## xicoalc (Apr 20, 2010)

A bit of useless information, but I learned something today that shocked me a little. As you will know.. its SUMA time for cars and as I moved I didn´t receive the bill... I went to my local SUMA office today to ask for a reprint so I could pay, and I explained that I have just moved from another area.

The SUMA in my previous area was 34€ for my car for the year and just 5€ for my moto. She looked the rates up for where I now live and the total came to over 150€  I didnt realise that the amount of SUMA you pay depends on the area you live and the rates set by your local Ajuntamiento.

Anyway... the every so nice lady told me to say nothing and pay it as if I lived at my old address before changing then I wont pay the higher rate this year. She actually advised that I dont change the registration of the car to the new address ever, then I never pay! She said that it is important to register the car to new address so police can contact if needed but she told me if I set up a DD with the bank, any fines (hopefully not likely) can be taken automatically and the police wont be bothered.

I wont take her advice in full, I will change car address but it was nice of her to allow me to pay 2011 at the old rates... but shocking how it can vary so much! So in total I paid 40 euros for my car and bike... 

What do you all pay in your areas?


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## littleredrooster (Aug 3, 2008)

steve_in_spain said:


> A bit of useless information, but I learned something today that shocked me a little. As you will know.. its SUMA time for cars and as I moved I didn´t receive the bill... I went to my local SUMA office today to ask for a reprint so I could pay, and I explained that I have just moved from another area.
> 
> The SUMA in my previous area was 34€ for my car for the year and just 5€ for my moto. She looked the rates up for where I now live and the total came to over 150€  I didnt realise that the amount of SUMA you pay depends on the area you live and the rates set by your local Ajuntamiento.
> 
> ...


Though there is a difference between areas the prices are based on engine size.
Have you not upgraded your car from last year to this, because there is a huge difference in prices in different power bands ?
For instance by going from a 1600cc to a 1900cc the price can multiply by as much as three times in some places.


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## xicoalc (Apr 20, 2010)

littleredrooster said:


> Though there is a difference between areas the prices are based on engine size.
> Have you not upgraded your car from last year to this, because there is a huge difference in prices in different power bands ?


Nope.. same car...The bill for Finestrat was 45 euros, and they tole me over 100 euros more here. Same car, everything the same... just the area changed.. thank god I got the helpful lady!


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

I think SUMA isn't called SUMA here. I think it's the Impuesto Vehículos Tracción Mecánica. Could it be?
I don't know how much we pay 'cos that's Not My Department, but I know that when we lived in Madrid OH didn't pay it 'cos he thought the roads and parking were "Una Mierda" and he wasn't going to pay for a service that he didn't receive.
Now we are more conservative and we pay.


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## xicoalc (Apr 20, 2010)

Pesky Wesky said:


> I think SUMA isn't called SUMA here. I think it's the Impuesto Vehículos Tracción Mecánica. Could it be?
> I don't know how much we pay 'cos that's Not My Department, but I know that when we lived in Madrid OH didn't pay it 'cos he thought the roads and parking were "Una Mierda" and he wasn't going to pay for a service that he didn't receive.
> Now we are more conservative and we pay.


Yeah its the same thing... I think SUMA are the collecting agency and probably do vary from region to region.

What happened when you didn´t pay? Its a totally different culture... in the UK they try to get you to pay as much as possible, and if you dont pay then they take the car and fine you no end... here they try to help you pay less, and the attitude of my OH was "dont worry if its late, nobody cares, this is Spain"

Love it!


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## 90199 (Mar 21, 2010)

Not SUMA here either, ours is also Impuesto Vehículos Tracción Mecánica and it cost €50.74 for a 1500c.c,

Hepa


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

steve_in_spain said:


> What happened when you didn´t pay? I
> 
> Love it!


What happened? Nada de nada I think. We'd just moved and I suppose we didn't change the address on the car documents or smth like that. I don't know if you'd get away with it nowadays though. I must admit I kind of agreed with him about not paying. We had to pay to get residents parking, but the parking they gave us was in another street, not particularly near us. I wouldn't have minded if it had been clear from the beginning that same street parking might not be available. And it's true that the roads were in a bad state at that time


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## xicoalc (Apr 20, 2010)

Pesky Wesky said:


> What happened? Nada de nada I think. We'd just moved and I suppose we didn't change the address on the car documents or smth like that. I don't know if you'd get away with it nowadays though. I must admit I kind of agreed with him about not paying. We had to pay to get residents parking, but the parking they gave us was in another street, not particularly near us. I wouldn't have minded if it had been clear from the beginning that same street parking might not be available. And it's true that the roads were in a bad state at that time


well yes, now I know that you pay to your local ajuntamiento to cover road maintanence in your area I totally agree with the principle!


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

PS You used to be able to argue that you didn't pay the bill for XYZ because you didn't receive it. Quite plausible because the postal service was very bad. Nowadays I'm not sure if the post has improved, but it's usually your responsibility to chase them up (instead of the other way round) and so you have to find the way to pay by asking for another bill, re registering, informing of a change of address etc


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## jimenato (Nov 21, 2009)

What happens if you don't pay? They catch you when you sell the car - it's part of what the Gestor does on transferring the vehicle. You pay any tax owing on the vehicle, plus interest and the same for any other vehicles you owe for as well.


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## gus-lopez (Jan 4, 2010)

Here in Lorca it's quite high . My previous vehicle a tourneo connect , 1800cc diesel was around 80 €, my Carnival 2900cc is 165 €, peugeot 406 1900cc diesel is 144€. Vw LT28 diesel furgoneta, 2400cc is 68€. Friends who came this morning said there new 1600cc diesel was 60 odd euros.
It's all based on horsepower, 'caballos', but it's not the actual hp of the vehicle but some archaic system like the uk used to have 60 years ago. Once you get above 16 'caballos' the price rises steeply. Even her if you go down the road to Águilas or Mazarron the cost is far less ! It's even cheaper in Andalucia.
Ps The above figures are those for the 'voluntary ' period ( March & April ) with a 10 % reduction. If you pay in May it's dearer!!


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

jimenato said:


> What happens if you don't pay? They catch you when you sell the car - it's part of what the Gestor does on transferring the vehicle. You pay any tax owing on the vehicle, plus interest and the same for any other vehicles you owe for as well.


Ours went to the great car park in the sky.


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## JoCatalunya (Mar 16, 2011)

steve_in_spain said:


> A bit of useless information, but I learned something today that shocked me a little. As you will know.. its SUMA time for cars and as I moved I didn´t receive the bill... I went to my local SUMA office today to ask for a reprint so I could pay, and I explained that I have just moved from another area.
> 
> The SUMA in my previous area was 34€ for my car for the year and just 5€ for my moto. She looked the rates up for where I now live and the total came to over 150€  I didnt realise that the amount of SUMA you pay depends on the area you live and the rates set by your local Ajuntamiento.
> 
> ...


My car costs me 75 euros, which I reckon is daylight robbery.


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## JoCatalunya (Mar 16, 2011)

BASE collect all taxes in this region, a bigger bunch of morons you could ever wish to meet to boot.


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## xicoalc (Apr 20, 2010)

JoCatalunya said:


> BASE collect all taxes in this region, a bigger bunch of morons you could ever wish to meet to boot.


I have to say the SUMA people are very nice and helpful 

Seems people really do pay varying amounts... i cant get my head round it compared to the old UK system BUT in general we all pay far less so I guess its a good thing! Just seems crazy that I can pay 100 euros less if I live 30 minutes up the road, still in the same province!


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## JoCatalunya (Mar 16, 2011)

steve_in_spain said:


> I have to say the SUMA people are very nice and helpful
> 
> Seems people really do pay varying amounts... i cant get my head round it compared to the old UK system BUT in general we all pay far less so I guess its a good thing! Just seems crazy that I can pay 100 euros less if I live 30 minutes up the road, still in the same province!


You know I said it is 75 euros, wrong, went to the bank this morning  the bill was 107 euros.


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## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

JoCatalunya said:


> You know I said it is 75 euros, wrong, went to the bank this morning  the bill was 107 euros.


Bill for my LandRover Discovery is 99 euros which I consider a snip.
The UK Road Tax would be much higher.


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