[MrMckenna]

I understand that if your british car is not taxed here in spain it will be seized and you only have so long to get it back before they scrap it. I was just wondering if anybody knows if the guardia civil hold auctions at all for the abandoned british cars ?? Or does anybody know where these cars go at all ??

[Cazzy1]

Originally Posted by MrMckenna I understand that if your british car is not taxed here in spain it will be seized and you only have so long to get it back before they scrap it. I was just wondering if anybody knows if the guardia civil hold auctions at all for the abandoned british cars ?? Or does anybody know where these cars go at all ??

I don't know, I have a friend looking for a UK car at the moment for their return to the UK, they are looking for a bargain, legal or not!!

[amideislas]

The guardia used to seize cars whenever they "suspected" it might be illegal (read: good chance of getting some cash from a naive foreigner), but the practice ended when they seized a belgian-plated car belonging to a senior EU official who had driven down from Brussels, and was 100% legally on the road in Spain. He brought the matter back to Brussels and some serious politicing went on - I haven't heard of any more such random seizures for about 4 years now.

Also, it's now completely legal to keep foreign-plated (EU) cars in Spain, as long as you personally aren't here for more than 183 days per year.

I reckon they do still seize a few who are blatently caught doing something very illegal, but I doubt there are that many seized any more.

[jojojojojo]

Originally Posted by amideislas The guardia used to seize cars whenever they "suspected" it might be illegal, but the practice ended when they seized a belgian-plated car belonging to a senior EU official who had driven down from Brussels, and was 100% legally on the road in Spain. He brought the matter back to Brussels and some serious politicing went on - I haven't heard of any more such random seizures for about 4 years now. Also, it's now completely legal to keep foreign-plated (EU) cars in Spain, as long as you personally aren't here for more than 183 days per year. I reckon they do still seize a few who are blatently caught doing something very illegal, but I doubt there are that many seized any more.

One of the carparks at Malaga airport used to be full of abandoned brit plated cars

Jo xxx

[Abyss-Rover]

Originally Posted by amideislas The guardia used to seize cars whenever they "suspected" it might be illegal, but the practice ended when they seized a belgian-plated car belonging to a senior EU official who had driven down from Brussels, and was 100% legally on the road in Spain. He brought the matter back to Brussels and some serious politicing went on - I haven't heard of any more such random seizures for about 4 years now. Also, it's now completely legal to keep foreign-plated (EU) cars in Spain, as long as you personally aren't here for more than 183 days per year. I reckon they do still seize a few who are blatantly caught doing something very illegal, but I doubt there are that many seized any more.

I have known Brits to leave without paying their bills and their cars have been picked up, even though another Brit had a receipt for buying it. This car and many other vehicles end up in the local council compound (most councils have them).

Often airport car parks have foreign plated cars (in a seperate area) that have been parked there for a long period of time. I believe that like boats, they can not sell them on without the owners signature, so they sit there and rot.

If someone knows better, I stand corrected.

[mikelincs]

Originally Posted by amideislas Also, it's now completely legal to keep foreign-plated (EU) cars in Spain, as long as you personally aren't here for more than 183 days per year.

But they do have to be street legal in the country of registration, i.e. a UK car MUST have UK tax and MOT (if needed). As a UK MOT can only be done in the UK, then there is a time limit automatically.

[billgates]

Originally Posted by mikelincs But they do have to be street legal in the country of registration, i.e. a UK car MUST have UK tax and MOT (if needed). As a UK MOT can only be done in the UK, then there is a time limit automatically.

You will find that an MOT can very easily be acquired here in Spain (hem, hem), along with a current tax disc and any other necessary paperwork.

Not that I condone such behaviour. On the contrary, it's far simpler to just drive a legal Spanish car and be anonymous. To do otherwise means that you have to be lucky every time, and someday your luck will run out.

[amideislas]

Originally Posted by mikelincs But they do have to be street legal in the country of registration, i.e. a UK car MUST have UK tax and MOT (if needed). As a UK MOT can only be done in the UK, then there is a time limit automatically.

Yep, that's true -

But the guardia can no longer seize your car solely because it has GB or german or dutch plates. Those days are long gone. One example of something GOOD that came out of the EU.

[bobd22]

I'm confused now I thought that was what these 2 threads were about?

http://britishexpats.com/forum/showthread.php?t=755495

http://britishexpats.com/forum/showt...es#post9971327

[mikelincs]

Originally Posted by bobd22 I'm confused now I thought that was what these 2 threads were about? http://britishexpats.com/forum/showthread.php?t=755495 http://britishexpats.com/forum/showt...es#post9971327

And there will be lots more threads on the same, or very similar subject, which will all cover the same ground. It was ever so.

[Razorbill]

The idea that the Guardia seizes cars dates back to the days of being able to buy them tax free. When the plates/tax expired the Guardia would put them on a low loader then and there leaving you to walk home. They could be got back when the paperwork was in order to register them in Spain i.e. the tax paid. I don't believe there is any campaign to seize British cars not displaying a tax disc.

[amideislas]

Originally Posted by Razorbill The idea that the Guardia seizes cars dates back to the days of being able to buy them tax free. When the plates/tax expired the Guardia would put them on a low loader then and there leaving you to walk home. They could be got back when the paperwork was in order to register them in Spain i.e. the tax paid. I don't believe there is any campaign to seize British cars not displaying a tax disc.

Perhaps, but it used to be a bit of a "sport" for them here.
They had police controls set up at busy roundabounts, pulling over all foreign-plated cars, demanding hard proof that the car was completely legal - e.g., for your holiday.

If you couldn't produce paperwork "on the spot" proving the car only recently arrived and was perfectly legal, they just load it up and take it away, handing you a paper telling you a time and date to show up at the customs office to prove your car is legal. You have to bring any paperwork which supports your claim that the car is legal. This can be a ferry ticket, repair bill from your home country dated within the past 90 days, fuel reciepts from another country, hotel bills, anything.. and while you're being interrogated, they do an extensive background check on you through your home country's consulate, interpol, etc.

If you prove you're legal and there's no warrants for your arrest, you only pay €250 for the towing and you get your car back - and it's your problem to find the transport to the holding area, 30Km from the customs office. If not, they keep the car. Simples.

But that was stopped about 4 years ago after Brussels busted them.

[MrMckenna]

im just looking to aquire british cars that aint wanted here anymore to break down and sell as spares to be honest and i was just wondering what was the best way to go about it i have actually heard it pays to go to the airport and just take the abandoned ones on a tow truck but thats a bit of a risky business and would rather just get them cheap and legally

[fionamw]

Originally Posted by mikelincs But they do have to be street legal in the country of registration, i.e. a UK car MUST have UK tax and MOT (if needed). As a UK MOT can only be done in the UK, then there is a time limit automatically.

The bit I don't know is that in the UK, you have a certain period to get to an MOT appointment (and an appointment must exist) because, for example, your car may have failed its test and be going back for a re-test; just one example. May be that you're putting it back on the road, not SORN just been left for a few weeks or whatever. In that situation, I've always thought it was legal (seems accepted practice) to drive without a current MOT for that one trip so if you - to use an extreme example - made an appointment in Dover for an MOT and set off from Malaga, driving straight through, why wouldn't you be legal?

btw I have a legal, anonymous, Spanish reg car but these discussions come up so often, as has been said, and I've always pondered about the point I'm raising

[bobd22]

Originally Posted by fionamw The bit I don't know is that in the UK, you have a certain period to get to an MOT appointment (and an appointment must exist) because, for example, your car may have failed its test and be going back for a re-test; just one example. May be that you're putting it back on the road, not SORN just been left for a few weeks or whatever. In that situation, I've always thought it was legal (seems accepted practice) to drive without a current MOT for that one trip so if you - to use an extreme example - made an appointment in Dover for an MOT and set off from Malaga, driving straight through, why wouldn't you be legal? btw I have a legal, anonymous, Spanish reg car but these discussions come up so often, as has been said, and I've always pondered about the point I'm raising

Fiona it would be legal in the UK if your vehicle did not have current tax and MOT to use the vehicle on the road to drive to MOT test Station in order that the vehicle can be MOT'd and tax obtained. It would however be expected that you would attend a nearby local test station and as you say you must have the test pre booked also you must drive directly to the test station. You would be testing the law for instance if your appointment was say 2pm and you were stopped driving to the said appointment at say 10am. You would also be testing the law if you drove 300 miles passing numerous test stations to obtain the test it should be if not the nearest at least local. If it were me that stopped someone saying they were going from say Newcastle to Dover for an MOT in these circumstances I would be letting the Magistrate decide I'm afraid.