# looking to relocate to spain



## steveevans (Sep 23, 2014)

hi i'm i mechanic/mot tester here in the uk
i'm married with 4 children looking to relocate 
looking to move to jaeva area of spain was looking for jobs and can't seem to find any jobs online matching my trade. is there much call for for mechanic's and what is the spanish equivalent to an mot test ?

what is the average salary of a mechanic in spain ?

thanks steve


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

steveevans said:


> hi i'm i mechanic/mot tester here in the uk
> i'm married with 4 children looking to relocate
> looking to move to jaeva area of spain was looking for jobs and can't seem to find any jobs online matching my trade. is there much call for for mechanic's and what is the spanish equivalent to an mot test ?
> 
> ...


Its called an ITV in Spain and I dont know if its anything like the UK MoT - I dont think it is cos there are set centres where it can be done and car owners drive through the various tests (if memory serves). However, there is a serious unemployment problem in Spain. Your best bet would be to do some fact finding missions and have a good look around. I dont know the average salary, but generally pay is lower than it is in the UK, but so is the cost of living

Jo xxx


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

steveevans said:


> hi i'm i mechanic/mot tester here in the uk
> i'm married with 4 children looking to relocate
> looking to move to jaeva area of spain was looking for jobs and can't seem to find any jobs online matching my trade. is there much call for for mechanic's and what is the spanish equivalent to an mot test ?
> 
> ...


:welcome:

I live in Jávea, & as jojo says unemployment is dreadful here - not as bad in Jávea as in most of Spain, but you'd still be unlikely to find a job as a mechanic - or any job to be realistic - even jobs washing dishes are snapped up within hours

in the past few years we've seen a lot of 'mobile' mechanics come & go in this area - one in fact was apparently excellent - but even he didn't make enough money for just him & his girlfriend to live on & disappeared 

there are tons of workshops/garages - mostly one man bands - one guy I know has a workshop & a great reputation (not only with the Brits) & yet he has a sideline to keep the money coming in - his fiancee also has her own business, & they aren't exactly rolling in it (again, no kids) 

ITV stations are specifically for that - you'd need specific training to get work in one - & of course you'd need fluent Spanish.........

do you speak Spanish btw?


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## Leper (May 12, 2010)

Hi Steevans. If there is one thing Spain needs like it needs the return of Franco is another mechanic. Spain does not need Beauticians, Hairdressers, Fitness Advisors, Painters, Carpenters, Panel Beaters, Electricians, Plumbers either.

But, all is not lost. Learn perfect Spanish (I mean perfect Spanish not school Spanish). The economy has began to turn in Spain. This turn is small and the financial recovery will take some years; probably another five/six years. Even then the future is uncertain for Spain. But, if you have fluent Spanish you will be ready for the move.

In the meantime, enjoy Spain for the holidays and keep on eye on some of us truthtellers. Talk to people who have returned to the UK feeling dejected, spent, broke etc after a pretty gruelling time in red-tape ridden Spain.

While you are reading this you might think that we are trying to bust your dreams. Believe me, we are busting your dreams before they turn into your worst nightmares!


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## ABERAFON (Aug 15, 2014)

Hi Steveevans,

Not a good time to be moving to Spain if you need to find work as there is none. I don't live in Spain but have done and still go a lot and things are very bad for most who do live there who need to work for income. You will be up against it if you move and are not likely to find any work and with children you have added complications as they need security which you will not be able to give them in Spain. They will also have the problems of new schools etc. in a foreign country. On another school point if any of the children are about 8 or above they would really need to go to an International School and this involves big money. If you do go I suspect you will lose everything and eventually have to return to the UK because as it stands at present Spain is for those who have independent means and are not reliant on income from work. It is probably best to wait until the economy improves, if ever, or wait until the children have left home. Not a negative reply just realistic as Spain is nothing like the UK because the state will not help you at all and will not consider the fact that you have children as a reason for helping you out like they do in the UK where the benefits system is always there for people to fall back on and that includes the NHS.


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## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

Before you come up with the [not so] bright idea of being a mobile mechanic and doing the work in the road/on people's driveways - you should be aware that both are illegal.


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## steveevans (Sep 23, 2014)

hi everyone thinks for the input

think we will leave it for a few years, we are going on holiday there next week so will look around then but looks like we will be waiting till the economy recovers, as far as the mobile mechanic goes thats not something i would be doing as i dont really agree with that.

i was thinking of trying to get a job in a dealership but as everyone is saying there just isnt anything around at the moment so will will just enjoy our holidays there for now.

thanks everyone


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## Relyat (Sep 29, 2013)

baldilocks said:


> Before you come up with the [not so] bright idea of being a mobile mechanic and doing the work in the road/on people's driveways - you should be aware that both are illegal.


Does this include repairing one's own car one one's own property too?


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

Relyat said:


> Does this include repairing one's own car one one's own property too?


In theory yes, and in fact it's something I've rarely seen happening around here.
However, I have seen, and this is recently, mobile mechanic vans (2 different companies) and pretty snazzy looking, and on tv an ad for a company that comes and changes your wheels wherever you are, so...

Here's one here
Cambio de Neumáticos a domicilio en España. Talleres de ruedas | i-Neumaticos

and another
RPB neumaticos

And they cover the whole of Spain, so looks like our info is out of date.


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## Williams2 (Sep 15, 2013)

steveevans said:


> hi i'm i mechanic/mot tester here in the uk
> i'm married with 4 children looking to relocate
> looking to move to jaeva area of spain was looking for jobs and can't seem to find any jobs online matching my trade. is there much call for for mechanic's and what is the spanish equivalent to an mot test ?
> 
> ...


You might have more joy - setting up business over here as a mechanic in one
the big British Expat communities. You wouldn't believe the number of Brits who
would drive for miles - to find an english speaking mechanic they can relate to.
In order to get there car serviced or a problem fixed and don't want to go
through all the hassle of trying to explain there mechanical problems or
concerns in Spanish.

Of course it's a niche market - I know but could be a possibility for you ?
From what I've seen of the mechanics on my side of Spain. Many seem to
have set up business on their own ( or as a group of mechanics ) and rent
a garage under a row of apartments.


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## Pazcat (Mar 24, 2010)

Pesky Wesky said:


> In theory yes, and in fact it's something I've rarely seen happening around here.
> However, I have seen, and this is recently, mobile mechanic vans (2 different companies) and pretty snazzy looking, and on tv an ad for a company that comes and changes your wheels wherever you are, so...
> 
> Here's one here
> ...


Wish I knew about them a couple of months ago when we had two punctured tyres.


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## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

Williams2 said:


> You might have more joy - setting up business over here as a mechanic in one
> the big British Expat communities. You wouldn't believe the number of Brits who
> would drive for miles - to find an english speaking mechanic they can relate to.
> In order to get there car serviced or a problem fixed and don't want to go
> ...


Don't you think the market for British mechanics might be just a little saturated?
This guy has four dependent children and a wife....
How much work do you think there is to be shared out in these 'big British expat communities'?

I would personally choose a Spanish business any day. I regret the fact that the only LR dealer in these parts is British although he has been established here for ages and has more of a Spanish than British clientele.

Rumour has it that some British people become, by some strange alchemy, mechanics when they land at a Spanish airport....


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## Williams2 (Sep 15, 2013)

mrypg9 said:


> Don't you think the market for British mechanics might be just a little saturated?
> This guy has four dependent children and a wife....
> How much work do you think there is to be shared out in these 'big British expat communities'?
> 
> ...


Just an idea - don't shoot the messenger. Although I do know a number of people
( in the trade ) who specialise in high performance cars, classic car restorations
and Aston Martin glee club, etc, etc and do quite well out of it !!
Yes - I've seen Classic Cars in Spain. A Niche market as I said.


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

Williams2 said:


> Just an idea - don't shoot the messenger. Although I do know a number of people
> ( in the trade ) who specialise in high performance cars, classic car restorations
> and Aston Martin glee club, etc, etc and do quite well out of it !!
> Yes - I've seen Classic Cars in Spain. A Niche market as I said.


Maybe, but this poster has a wife and four children to support, so he's going to be looking for a good and reliable income, which a niche market may not provide

Jo xxx


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

Just to avoid confusion, all the businesses I posted about are Spanish run and not aimed at the immigrant population of English speakers, nor are they based in the South of Spain


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## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

Williams2 said:


> Just an idea - don't shoot the messenger. Although I do know a number of people
> ( in the trade ) who specialise in high performance cars, classic car restorations
> and Aston Martin glee club, etc, etc and do quite well out of it !!
> Yes - I've seen Classic Cars in Spain. A Niche market as I said.


Fair enough but the guy needs to earn a good, secure living, something far too many Spaniards are having difficulty in achieving.
Working on classic cars is indeed a specialist niche and not something every mechanic is able to do. A lot of mechanics these days are really fitters anyway, not mechanics...(I know, we employed both kinds).

As for Astons etc....most Aston owners would take their treasured vehicles to specialist Aston dealers even if they have attained 'classic' status (I know, my son has a Vantage Volante which is not new but not yet classic). I would have thought that was true of all 'prestige' cars.

So all in all, not much of a market for that either.

I think the Brit immigrant market can be overestimated. A lot of us use Spanish whenever we can and apart from the fact that a lot of Brits have gone back to the UK, I doubt there's a lot of money floating about in those communities which are made up mainly of oldies (like me) although I'm not living in a 'community'.


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## Madliz (Feb 4, 2011)

Pesky Wesky said:


> In theory yes, and in fact it's something I've rarely seen happening around here.
> However, I have seen, and this is recently, mobile mechanic vans (2 different companies) and pretty snazzy looking, and on tv an ad for a company that comes and changes your wheels wherever you are, so...
> 
> Here's one here
> ...


I've used i-neumaticos twice and can thoroughly recommend them. The tyre prices were competitive, they come to change the tyre(s) in your own drive or road, check the other tyre pressures including spare and take away the old one(s).


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