# Help please, info on car.



## Jaxx (Apr 21, 2010)

We are moving to Southern Spain from the UK and wonder if it will be better to buy a left hand drive car here and bring it over or buy in Spain. Pros and cons please,many thanks


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

There are loads of threads full of heated discussion about this. Search the forum for Left hand drive, car from England and similar.
My point of view is why would anybody want to drive a RHD in a LHD country? They make different cars for a reason and the reason is 'cos it's dangerous to do it the other way round. Apart from that it's expensive and time consuming at a time when you want to be spending money and time on getting used to your new home.


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

Pesky Wesky said:


> There are loads of threads full of heated discussion about this. Search the forum for Left hand drive, car from England and similar.
> My point of view is why would anybody want to drive a RHD in a LHD country? They make different cars for a reason and the reason is 'cos it's dangerous to do it the other way round. Apart from that it's expensive and time consuming at a time when you want to be spending money and time on getting used to your new home.


 
Sorry, sorry, sorry.
Have just read your post again. Please ignore everything I said 'cos it's got nothing to do with your question. I must remember to not write anything down before checking that I am fully awake


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

Pesky Wesky said:


> Sorry, sorry, sorry.
> Have just read your post again. Please ignore everything I said 'cos it's got nothing to do with your question. I must remember to not write anything down before checking that I am fully awake


:ranger:

actually I reckon your advice will work anyway - importing a LHD has been discussed on here, I'm sure


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

Altho cars are generally more expensive here in Spain, the cost of matriculating a car registered in the UK would probably make it far more expensive doing it that way, not to mention stressful to say the least!!!.

As you can see from Pesky Weskys "auto-pilot" response, the car issue comes up such a lot. It might be worth trying the search facility on here and tapping in "Matriculation costs" or similar and see what "pings" up - it could keep you amused for hours!!!!

Jo xxxx


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## Seb* (Mar 22, 2009)

It's pretty simple: buy a car here. Yes used cars are more expensive in spain, but buying a LHD car in the UK has several disadvantages:

1.) If the car is on non-spanish plates you have to matriculate it here and this is quite expensive, plus insurance might be an issue for the way down.

2.) If you should be lucky to get one that's already registered on spanish plates, you have to make sure that all the paperwork is correct to be able to re-register it in spain (ITV, permiso de circulatión, last tax recite etc.), plus if there are any debts on this car and you arrive with it in spain you are liable for it.


Here are a lot of used car dealers, if you are going to live near one of the expat areas they all speak english and do all the registration and insurance work for you. Yes they are a bit more expensive, but if you are new to the country and/or the language it helps a lot. Most of them offer a part exchange for your RHD car, but be aware that they usually don't pay much for your UK car (fresh M.O.T. and tax disc is an advantage there). If your current car is worth a lot it might be an idea to sell it in the UK and buy a cheaper one just for the travel, or fly down and rent a car until you bought one. Dealers offer anything from a 20 year old banger for 500 EUR to top of the range cars. Cars in spain lose less value over the years and spaniards tend to drive their cars until they fall apart.


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## Jaxx (Apr 21, 2010)

Seb* said:


> It's pretty simple: buy a car here. Yes used cars are more expensive in spain, but buying a LHD car in the UK has several disadvantages:
> 
> 1.) If the car is on non-spanish plates you have to matriculate it here and this is quite expensive, plus insurance might be an issue for the way down.
> 
> ...


Thanks for the very interesting info, much appreciated, will probably sell my husbands newish car here and travel over in my older car and buy over in Spain then, thanks again


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## Guest (Apr 30, 2010)

Trouble is, for anything even vaguely exciting the cost of cars here is significantly more expensive than buying something, shipping it over and getting it matriculated. My next car will not come from Spain that's for sure!


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## Seb* (Mar 22, 2009)

ShinyAndy said:


> Trouble is, for anything even vaguely exciting the cost of cars here is significantly more expensive than buying something, shipping it over and getting it matriculated. My next car will not come from Spain that's for sure!


It depends hugely on what car we're talking about. If you are talking about a new 30,000+ EUR car, then I agree you might find a cheaper deal in another country, that - even after several thousand euro for import and matriculation - leaves you with a "profit". For smaller and used cars I really don´t see a big margin to be gained, not even talking about the hassle a matriculation of a foreign car brings along.


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## lynn (Sep 25, 2008)

I made a trip over a few weeks before we moved, bought a second hand car through a dealer and it was ready for me to collect the day after we flew in. They can issue you with temporary papers until your residencia certificate and padron have been done. I used Linea Direct to set up the insurance before we arrived, and they also accepted our no claims from our previous UK insurance company. Very very simple and actually whilst the cost of cars is a bit more expensive, we saved a fortune not having to rent a car in the meantime.


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## RagsToRich (Feb 9, 2010)

From what I read the opinion on this does vary and it is not cut and dry at all.

In this thread http://www.expatforum.com/expats/sp...s-living-spain/2818-taking-own-car-spain.html you can read about someone who successfully matriculated their car and the costs did not seem that extravagant. Also the post is great because the guy details his entire process (his ONLY TWO POSTS ON THIS FORUM!!!  )

I have a 2002 Ford Feista and I'm still torn on what to do. I have my heart set on driving to Spain because it'll represent the adventure to come, the beginning of a new chapter, etc etc.

However I haven't decided if I'll matriculate it, or sell it to a returning Expat (alledgedly there is a market for that).

Also I'm having to give it a full Service in July - if the cost of that spirals upwards then I will most likely ditch the idea and it'll be a plane to Spain instead (very unfortunate to miss on the road trip).


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## Guest (Apr 30, 2010)

RHD over here is a complete pain in the backside. I'd only ever look at importing something LHD


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## RagsToRich (Feb 9, 2010)

ShinyAndy said:


> RHD over here is a complete pain in the backside. I'd only ever look at importing something LHD


Here's another option which I'm definately going to look into.

Selling my car here and buying a Spanish plated LHD car here before going!

This is a very interesting option - looking at autotrader there's definately a market of Spanish regged cars...


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## fourgotospain (May 4, 2009)

We have a big old people carrier - bought in the UK 9 yrs ago, worth virtually nothing there, but 1000's of euros to buy here. It's our only vehicle and we fill it up with kids, wood, shopping, visitors etc. We would find it very hard to manage with a much smaller (and affordable) car here and the matriculation costs are still far far less than buying an equivalent size here. Bear in mind BTW that if you intend to use the vehicle for business then you need a 'utility' class - they are the only fully tax deductable vehicle.


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## gus-lopez (Jan 4, 2010)

RagsToRich said:


> Here's another option which I'm definately going to look into.
> 
> Selling my car here and buying a Spanish plated LHD car here before going!
> 
> This is a very interesting option - looking at autotrader there's definately a market of Spanish regged cars...


At the end of 2008 & up to March 2009 I trawled the internet all over europe looking for a new car. Yes there are plenty of lhd dealers in the Uk but I found that their prices were very similar to buying here . If it was already on Spanish plates you still have the cost of transferring it into your name when you get here. If it's on French plates be very wary as their is a scam where finance has been taken out in France on vehicles which are then sold abroad & when you go to re- register them here the French notify the new owner that they owe 000's in finance. Even the used car dealers have been caught with this & steer clear of buying from anyone they dont know !
You can find lhd's ,privately in the UK, still on Spanish plates but a lot of these still want Spanish prices & then you have re-reg. costs here.
Germany, cheap prices good quality but sold without number plates ! If you are buying here then you must insure it here in Spain on the 'bastidor' ( chassis no. ) when you buy the car in Germany you then go with the dealer to the reg. office, with your Spanish ins; where they'll issue you with export number plates allowing you to drive the car back to Spain.Then you matriculate it here. 

Dutch, Belgian. Cheapest in Europe , I found, but if you dont know their tax laws regarding what it was registered as in its original country you can find that you have a car that is useless to you. I.E. A lot of 4x4's, mpv's, car derived vans that I looked at had no rear seats when shown in photos on the net. Upon investigation, due to the very high new vehicle taxes in these countries, many are registered as vans. I.e. they have only the drivers & passenger seats & are reg. from new as vans attracting a far lower new vehicle tax. If you buy one of these , unknowingly, it will be re-registered by the Spanish , EXACTLY the same. As a van. You wont be able to put the seats back in, ok if you only want two seats & a big load space but costly if you thought you were buying a cheap car !
The Spanish re-reg. exactly what is on the original docs. I once nearly got caught with a German van that had been used to carry glass externally, it was only my brother , who speaks German, asking me why the German docs. said it could only carry 410kg inside ( instead of 2000kgs! ) & it had to be loaded on the right only , otherwise I'd have been stuck. 
Yes there are some bargains about but you need to be careful.


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