# Buy LH car in Spain or UK?



## mazlester (Oct 30, 2010)

Hi All,

If this has been covered already then can you point me to the right forum please? We are moving out to Spain next year and are looking at the options of buying a car. 

Option 1 - buy a LHD car here in UK then register it in Spain
or
Option 2 - Buy a car in Spain.

What is the cheapest and least hassle way of buying one?

Thanks in advance

Maria


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## Stravinsky (Aug 12, 2007)

mazlester said:


> Hi All,
> 
> If this has been covered already then can you point me to the right forum please? We are moving out to Spain next year and are looking at the options of buying a car.
> 
> ...


Hi Maria .... I can assure you, you will get differing answers on this, and yes it has been covered before

Second hand cars are relatively expensive in Spain, so having said that you would think the cheapest way is to buy would be in the UK. However the LHD car sales people in the UK seem to have cottoned on to that, and adjust prices a little!

If you buy a LHD car in the UK then you have to own it for 6 months prior to importing it, so that it is classed as personal effects. In that way you avoid the import registration fees (otherwise known as import tax). However, you still have to matriculate it onto Spanish plates when you get here, and depending on car and where you are settling, that can cost between €600 - €1000. 

If you buy an already Spanish registered vehicle LHD in the UK then you need to do some checks to ensure there are no taxes or anything outstanding in Spain, or that it was properly exported in the first place.

So you need to do some reseach really to see what the cheapest and best option is for you. There are Spanish car sales companies on the internet so you can see what kind of price you will be expected to pay. To be honest, better to buy from a car sales company than an individual on your first attempt in Spain, unless of course you employ a gestoria to make sure all is done properly


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## mazlester (Oct 30, 2010)

Stravinsky said:


> Hi Maria .... I can assure you, you will get differing answers on this, and yes it has been covered before
> 
> Second hand cars are relatively expensive in Spain, so having said that you would think the cheapest way is to buy would be in the UK. However the LHD car sales people in the UK seem to have cottoned on to that, and adjust prices a little!
> 
> ...


Hi Stravinsky,

You're right it is complicated!!!!! We've got some internet research to do then, it'll keep me busy!

Thanks

Maria


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## Stravinsky (Aug 12, 2007)

mazlester said:


> Hi Stravinsky,
> 
> You're right it is complicated!!!!! We've got some internet research to do then, it'll keep me busy!
> 
> ...


This might help
http://www.globalcarcentre.com/


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## MacRov (Oct 26, 2010)

I'm not sure if I can give the company name but I was talking to a guy who sorts it all out for you, getting the ITV and everything else arranged for a decent fee. He was even looking into getting LHD lights for my RHD car. 
Sure I just found him using google


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## Stravinsky (Aug 12, 2007)

Its certainly a lot easier using someone like that. Just depends where you are really, theres loads of Gestors around


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## mazlester (Oct 30, 2010)

MacRov said:


> I'm not sure if I can give the company name but I was talking to a guy who sorts it all out for you, getting the ITV and everything else arranged for a decent fee. He was even looking into getting LHD lights for my RHD car.
> Sure I just found him using google


Oh I'll give Google a shot then hopefully find someone nearby!

tks


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## mazlester (Oct 30, 2010)

Stravinsky said:


> This might help
> http://www.globalcarcentre.com/


Thanks I'll take a look at the site!

Maria


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## gus-lopez (Jan 4, 2010)

MacRov said:


> I'm not sure if I can give the company name but I was talking to a guy who sorts it all out for you, getting the ITV and everything else arranged for a decent fee. He was even looking into getting LHD lights for my RHD car.
> Sure I just found him using google


It's worth checking that your car actually needs new headlights ,as many vehicles these days don't & only require adjustment.


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## MacRov (Oct 26, 2010)

gus-lopez said:


> It's worth checking that your car actually needs new headlights ,as many vehicles these days don't & only require adjustment.


From what I've read about newer cars hedalights being able to be adjusted to change from rhd to lhd etc is that it doesn't actually pass an ITV etc, it's only usually for say a uk car going on hols to france etc so that it doesn't dazzle on-coming drivers but for importing a car it has to meet the country's own standard.
Of course this all depends on your tester I,imagine much like MOT's in the uk it's a bit open to interpretation or the mood of the tester :-s


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## Stravinsky (Aug 12, 2007)

MacRov said:


> From what I've read about newer cars hedalights being able to be adjusted to change from rhd to lhd etc is that it doesn't actually pass an ITV etc, it's only usually for say a uk car going on hols to france etc so that it doesn't dazzle on-coming drivers but for importing a car it has to meet the country's own standard.
> Of course this all depends on your tester I,imagine much like MOT's in the uk it's a bit open to interpretation or the mood of the tester :-s


I bought a Japanese grey import to Spain and kept it here for 4 years with UK headlights (no such thing as LHD headlights for it) and it passed every ITV test and matriculation.


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## MacRov (Oct 26, 2010)

Stravinsky said:


> I bought a Japanese grey import to Spain and kept it here for 4 years with UK headlights (no such thing as LHD headlights for it) and it passed every ITV test and matriculation.


Cool, surprised with that to be honest as it's the reflector and glass that usually gicve the light it's beam spread so having this as set for a rhd model shouldn't pass any kind of test for driving on the other side. Depends on the car I suppose and how the beam pattern is initially for its original setup.
Might try n get away with not changing the lights on my HRV then as a LHD set will set me back over £700.


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## gus-lopez (Jan 4, 2010)

At the ITv station here they are red hot on headlights , driving lights ,etc. They have to be correctly set , no converters allowed, & correct light output. In addition long range driving lights ( spotlights ) can fall foul of spanish regs. even if they're factory fitted. A LR discovery with factory fitted LR driving lights, won't pass a meticulous spanish tester as the combined light output is in excess of the maximum 75 candlepower allowed under the regs. The headlight test machine not only checks the beam pattern but also the light output.My old tourneo failed on the same thing , 'excessive lighting', which is deemed the same as no brakes !!! & if you can't get them off their & then it means you cannot legally drive it on the road !


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## Stravinsky (Aug 12, 2007)

MacRov said:


> Cool, surprised with that to be honest as it's the reflector and glass that usually gicve the light it's beam spread so having this as set for a rhd model shouldn't pass any kind of test for driving on the other side. Depends on the car I suppose and how the beam pattern is initially for its original setup.
> Might try n get away with not changing the lights on my HRV then as a LHD set will set me back over £700.


My car headlights dont have any "ridges" or deflectors, they are just plain. They were adjusted and there were one or two eyebrows raised, but always passed. It also has grovved and drilled disks, which were not standard and it seems the Spanish dont like, but they always passed


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