Hello Everyone,

My husband & I have recently moved to Torre del Mar, Malaga. (After several months aggro & delay!) It’s really great to be here, we have successfully obtained our NIE numbers and Residencia’s of which we are very proud. We do not yet speak Spanish and plan to work on that soon, but didn’t use a Gestore yet either.
Our immediate problem is our dear UK RHD car - no-one seems to want to buy it/take it in part ex although only 2 years old. Please can anyone recommend (if allowed) any garages in the near vicinity that will take UK plated cars in part ex for a Spanish plated, LHD car?
Also - does anyone know of any free Spanish lessons please?

Thank you,

Carol.  :roll:

Hi Carol… Welcome to forum and indeed welcome to Spain!!!

With UK Reg cars, they are very hard to sell here in Spain… As Spanish garages do not know what to do them or Just do not want them… You may also of noticed in Malaga there are plenty UK reg cars and some of those people have the same problem as you on how to get rid of it…

A lot of expats go back to UK and try and strike a deal for a price of the car and return to Spain by plane….
Or they try and sell it on Auto Trader or other car magazines….

So unfortunately there is not much more advise than that…. Just remember to make sure it?s taxed and insured as Traffic Cops are extremely vigilant on foreign cars… If they see it has not got mot tax or insurance they crush it…

Good luck what ever you do and please feel free to post if you need any information etc on Spain we will try our best to help.

Mac

Hi Carol and Welcome to the boards…

The problem you are facing with the UK reg car is one that is faced by many people out here and accounts for the vast number of Brit reg cars to be seen around the CDS and other Brit enclaves. Most of these cars are totally illegal, having no valid UK Tax or MOT.

A Spanish MOT (ITV) when an MOT fall due is completely worthless on a Brit reg car, so don’t even consider going that route!

There are three viable alternatives

1) return the car to the UK and sell it there.

2) try and sell it over here via the classified ads in the English newspapers such as http://www.surinenglish.com/ or http://www.theolivepress.es/

3) try and re-register it onto Spanish plates, bearing in mind that this will involve a certain amount of engineering expense including changing the headlight assemblies and if the car has only one rear fog light, changing it from the right hand side of the vehicle to the left. Depending on the manufacturer the headlight change alone can be a major deciding factor (Citroen XM headlights at ?425 each).
(Beam deflectors/adaptors are not acceptable for ITV purposes…)

All of the DVLA paperwork must be in order and the vehicle reported as ‘Permanently Exported’

The simplest way to go about re-registering would be to engage the services of an abogado or gestor. I know the Olive Press regularly has advertisements from English speaking lawyers…

Frankly the best move would be to try to get the car back to England and sell it there but in these recessional times that might not really be an option…I had to sell my Xantia which I had left in the UK for scrap value even though had I been using it as a part ex I could have got at least ?2500 for it.

Food for thought…and I hope some of this helps…

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Hi There,

Many thanks Foxbat & MAC31, all input gratefully received, yes it is depressing to consider ‘giving away’ such a hard earned item, perhaps we should’ve researched more before leaving, although the car was our removal method too, so that really saved us money there.
We have had a quote from a Gestor today and for the sum of 1300e we can import ourselves legally. (It’s only a small car with low emissions) My hubby used to work in insurance, so we are legal to date and will do all in our power to remain that way. However, even if we import the car, it still remains a RHD and loses value some when down the road again, so we will probably pursue the selling aspect for now and only import as a last resort. (The car’s probably missing the rain by now anyway!)

Thanks again for your advices.

Carol 😊

Carol no problems good luck! let us know how you get on!

Regards

Hi Carol,
No problem!
Good Luck!
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Monty - 14 July 2009 08:17 PM

We have had a quote from a Gestor today and for the sum of 1300e we can import ourselves legally.😊

WOW.

Try shopping around as thats high, I`m sure you told him you don`t speak any Spanish an increased the price.

Try lookin for an English lawyer based in Spain, there are some in Southern Spain.

Beware helpful Expats, some will con you.

Keep an eye out for the free newspaper called the SUR in english, produced on a Thursday and found in most newspaper shops, usually found on the floor out of the way.

You may find this handy in your area.

http://thesentinellamalaga.com/

At least you moved to a great part of Malaga, far better area than the West side of the city.

Hi Carol, if the car is only 2 years old it doesn’t need an ITV until 4 years old. As long as it’s insured its fine to drive here.

I drive a right handed vehicle and my wife a left handed one and it really is no problem. Yes, there are a few issue when you are in the tolls and all but bar that its fine. 

If you try and sell it you will loose a lot of money and there is really no need. More important a good car.
The cars here are very overpriced so i’d advise to keep it. Plus if you return back to the UK, as most are at the moment you won’t have lost anything.

People move over with good intentions but when he holiday finishes and reality bites - different story! - Personally we love it, been here for 5 years.

if you do want to sell it there is a good site you can advertise for free on covering the whole of spain called http://www.buysell-local.com

If you want more info on re-registration or buying a spanish vehicle have a look here. http://www.stop24.es

This is a new website which basically can check if there is no debt on the vehicle before you buy it. If you didn’t know any vehicle you buy on spanish plates leaves you liable to any unpaid debt, fines, tax, finance on it.. much like the hpi check you can do in spain.

So buy a bad car, even from a dealer you get a huge headache..

Anyway good luck, hope this helps a little

gringogaz;

Sorry but I need to take issue with your statement

Hi Carol, if the car is only 2 years old it doesn?t need an ITV until 4 years old. As long as it?s insured its fine to drive here.

If the car is in the country for more than 183 days it must be re-registered onto Spanish plates…

Also, as stated a Spanish ITV ain’t worth the paper its written on for an English reg vehicle...you may find an ITV Centre prepared to issue one but in the event of an accident, if you cannot provide documentary evidence of English Road Tax and a valid MOT your insurance will be null and void and you will become liable for any claims for damage etc.

The only time you will need one is when you try to re-register it and then regardless of the age of the car it is a pre-requisite.

fb

`Okey dokey..
If you live here you also know how grey this area can be.

Any Spanish vehicle only requires an ITV after 4 years. An English vehicle after 3 years old. Until that time NO MOT-ITV IS REQUIRED and the vehicle can be insured. The insurance co. will cover you and pay out if need be. 

Yes you are correct re the 183 days, or if you apply for residency sooner than the 183 days.. But lets talk reality..

Even if you have put your English car on SORN, in the UK so you pay no tax there. And insure it in Spain the insurance will pay out as long as either you have (after the 3 years) a voluntary ITV, or can prove with your log book the vehicle has been well maintained. Fact!

The voluntary ITV is prof the car is road worthy.

People drive English cars here and do so for years without being stopped. The Guardia will stop you and warn you. After that they will impound the car. But prior to that you can start the process of and register the car. You will obtain a Justificante to show you have it in process so then it covers you whilst in process.

A voluntary ITV wouldn’t protect you if you ignor the warnings as the Gurdia are after you paying your road tax here. So as part of the registration process it has to be checked, ITV’d and tax paid on the tax value of the car. Not purchase cost.

Given this is my experience and I checked this with my insurance company they have and do insure UK vehicles and take car of any problems the driver has, and to date in the past 5 years as long as you have as stated above the insurance company themselves have paid out everytime.

So i get back to my original point..  drive the car for another 12 mths until its 3 years old, then do a voluntary ITV, so it validates your insurance. And if you get stopped start the paperwork then.. i bet you’ll get at least 2 3 years out of it until anybody stops you.

If you want to be 100% sure check with your insurance agent first.
Bye for now!

You could argue the grey area`s of Spanish laws until the next millenium, and still not get it correct.

Spain makes it hard for a reason, try takin someone to court.

Best solution is to cover all bases, even if its expensive and obvious, its easier than arguing with a Traffico officer at the side of the road.

All road issue are not followed in Spain, there more concerned with fines.

The Internet is full of incorrect info, due to language and regional differences.

Just search for license rules, nearly every piece of info contradicts the info and a lot of sites rely on translation tools.

Even if your in the right and your punished, most lawyers, the honest ones will tell you it can be time consuming and costly to turn a decision around.

gringogaz Hi; think we might have to agree to disagree on some of the points you raise!

Any Spanish vehicle only requires an ITV after 4 years. An English vehicle after 3 years old. Until that time NO MOT-ITV IS REQUIRED and the vehicle can be insured. The insurance co. will cover you and pay out if need be. 
Yes you are correct re the 183 days, or if you apply for residency sooner than the 183 days..

No disagreement there in fact its pretty much what I said in the first place!

Even if you have put your English car on SORN, in the UK so you pay no tax there.

This is specifically not allowed by DVLA. A SORN certificate can only be granted to a vehicle which is physically located in the UK…I know because I had a broken down UK registered Yank Tank Motorhome located here in Spain with no chance of repairing it.
It was parked on a private Camping site near Granada. so being broken down and incapable of being driven and being off road literally a SORN was the logical answer.However when I enquired of DVLA about the issue of a SORN, they replied saying that a SORN was not valid because the vehicle was not physically within the UK. They then forwarded my query to their Continuous Registration Department who stuck me with a fine (?80) for non payment of UK Road Tax…a fine that they later doubled to ?160 when I had the audacity to query it further…

a voluntary ITV, or can prove with your log book the vehicle has been well maintained. Fact!
The voluntary ITV is prof the car is road worthy.

Not fact at all! If its Brit reg, the headlights are pointing in the wrong direction on dip and a single rear fog lamp is on the wrong side of the car! So insofar as the Spanish traffic laws are concerned it is not roadworthy…and it will fail an ITV test on those points alone voluntary or otherwise. You will be issued with a non-compliance certificate and the registration will be forwared to the Trafficos if you fail to comply within 14 days…

UK and European Law is very specific; if a car is removed from its country of origin it MUST have valid documentation from the country of origin and that documentation must remain current for the duration of the period that the vehicle is away from its country of origin.

People drive English cars here and do so for years without being stopped.

And thats the problem…For the last thirty years or so Brits have been getting away with it…no UK tax no UK MOT no insurance

Little wonder then that in the Brit enclaves along the CDS and the CB the trafficos are clamping down on it. In this time of financial crisis the Spanish Government is handing out as many fines as possible on the slightest pretext and I really dont blame them…

I for one wouldn’t want to be involved in a collision with on of these drivers when they trot out their voluntary ITV and their insurance supported by this document, because I know that I would wind up having to pay for my own repairs and try to recover these costs by sueing the other driver when his insurance company decides that his insurance is null and void because of failure to comply with European Law…

If you want to be 100% sure check with your insurance agent first.

Yeah sure; he’s going to tell you exactly what you need to hear in order to sell you insurance so he can get his commision…
Especially if he’s a Brit…

Like you automatically trust Brit Estate agents…Brit Builders etc,. etc,.

Its all a bit like Jaws really… far too many Sharks…

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Thank you all for your replies. Sorry if I caused any aggro.
We are aware of the 6 month rule for re-registering the car, we have been told by several people..‘Oh don’t worry about that I’ve been here 87 years and never been stopped…’ etc etc.
We however, are guaranteed to be stopped, fined/impounded day one after 6 months I would bet my life on it. Therefore to prevent any sleepless nights (wanted to leave them behind in the UK) we will endeavour to change the car, sell ours and buy a Spanish one sooner rather than later.
We appreciate the tip about the HPI equivalent check, were aware, but thanks again. It pays to be as careful as possible with car dealers, UK or otherwise.

Keep the lines of communication open - this is a great Forum.

Carol 😊

Hi Carol…

No Problems thats what we are here for 😊

I hope your move is going smooooooothly…...

Any questions Just Ask !

hi,
i maybe able to help.
As i have a uk based bussiness selling import car maybe i will be able to help to sell your car with a small set price and arrange for it to be take back to the u.k at cost.
maybe this will help you abit
thanks
adam
http://www.carswizard.webeden.co.uk
.(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)

giz - 19 July 2009 06:25 PM

hi,
i maybe able to help.
As i have a uk based bussiness selling import car maybe i will be able to help to sell your car with a small set price and arrange for it to be take back to the u.k at cost.
maybe this will help you abit
thanks
adam
http://www.carswizard.webeden.co.uk
.(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)

Please be very careful when you consider Companies that have there contact email addresses as “HOTMAIL”

Regards Mac.