k2397

We're planning to move out to Portugal soon and will need a car. One option is to buy a new one - nothing fancy, just a basic hatchback. I have read everywhere that cars are horribly expensive in Portugal.

So I went to Dacia's Portuguese website, dacia.pt, and priced up a basic petrol Sandero, adding the "Cool and Sound" pack to get aircon, and the price came out at around 10,000 Euros. The Suzuki Celerio GL is a similar price and possibly better equipped. So a bit more expensive than the UK, but not as bas as I had expected.

Have I missed anything? Are there any additional fees or taxes I would need to add to get a true "on the road" price? Apart from the obvious tax and insurance, of course, which shouldn't be too bad for a middle aged couple with a small car.

ah207

Just be aware that many of the lower/middle specification Dacia vehicles do not even come equipped with a radio, or a spare tyre!! If in addition you want air con too - the prices go up and are not that different from a similar spec´d Renault or Citroen.

Dacia does seem to score quite well on reliability though.

You will need to pay road tax annually (just like in the UK). All motorways have tolls. With a brand new car you most insurance companies will only do fully comprehensive.

When you visit the dealer in person (as I think you should) they'll explain if there are any other taxes or costs before handing over the keys. But if you see the car advertised with a price as "chave na mao" - literally "key in hand" - that basically means all the costs have been included in the price they are displaying.

Other things to remember: Unlike in the UK, you MUST carry your driver's license with you at all times. You MUST also carry the green "livrete" (ownership document) with you on every journey, plus insurance document, plus photocopy of your passport, or your residency certificate.

Your insurance covers breakdowns and tows - so there's no AA or RAC equivalent.

Mike

Does that include taxes?
Have a look at this doe second-hand values - Carros Dacia Sandero Diesel - Auto SAPO

Campanula

Is a photocopy of passport sufficient? Do you have to be resident to own a car

k2397

Thanks for the replies. I emailed Dacia and Suzuki asking them to give me a "chave na mao" price. Suzuki replied very quickly - A Celerio GL with metallic paint and reversing sensors would cost 11,132.50 Euros. The equivalent in the UK would cost £8611.60, which comes out close to 11,000 Euros. So really there is little difference between the two countries.

I think there is a greater difference for more expensive (larger engined/more polluting) cars which are more highly taxed in Portugal.

I too would like to know whether I can buy a car in Portugal before becoming officially resident. I have heard conflicting reports about this.

mfesharne

You don't need to be a resident to buy a car but you do need a fiscal number and to get a fiscal number you need a residential address...... This can be a temporary address but then if/when you buy a house you then need to change the address to your permanent one.

None of which is difficult. Getting the number & change of address each takes about 20 minutes & costs a few Euros.

AliceCaroline

You don't need a portuguese address to get a fiscal number. We had fiscal numbers issued and the bit of paper has our UK address on it.

mfesharne

I think you'll find that's a temporary number which is usually a bugger to get changed to a permanent one.

AliceCaroline

I've never heard of a temporary fiscal number before?
I shall look into it more.

From the AngloInfo site..
Applications for an NIF number can be made by tourists or residents at the local Tax Office (finanças), on presentation of a valid passport. The NIF will be issued at the initial application and a document with the number will be given to the applicant. The tax number will be used for all business transactions, buying and selling property and will appear on all tax returns.

mfesharne

I'm no expert but as I understand it the temporary number is issued to non residents and is very commonly issued to people who open a PT bank account from outside the country and is a nucking fightmare to get changed after they get their residencias...... certainly the fiscal offices in my area of Figueiro Dos vinhos, Pedrogao Grande & Castanhera Da Pera all require a Portuguese address before issuing a permanent number.

Might be different in other areas though.

AliceCaroline

I read the book by Louise and Ben Taylor where they were given a dodgy fiscal number when they opened a bank account from the UK.
But as I understand it this was done incorrectly.
We went into a tax office in Portugal in person to get our fiscal numbers.

mfesharne

Not dodgy...... just temporary & it pretty much always happens when you can't provide a Portuguese address but that's Portuguese bureaucracy for you.

As with most other bureaucratic processes here it changes from area to area & often from individual civil servant to another.

AliceCaroline

The only time I've heard of anyone having difficulty was in that specific book.
Hopefully the tax office we went to know what they are doing.

Anyone else on here been given a tax number prior to moving and then had to have a new number issued?

AllanB

One thing you should consider is the discounts you can get in the UK, go to one of the car supermarkets and you can get a big chunk off.

How long can you drive a UK registered car in Portugal?

mfesharne

Six months and it has to have UK MOT & insurance for all that time. Then in theory you either have to matriculate it here or remove it back to the UK for six months........ quite how they can enforce that last bit I have no idea.

If caught exceeding that, the GNR can and I believe sometimes do, confiscate the vehicle.