ninakula

Sorry to burst your bubble but a 1995 Frontera is statistically safer than ANY Ford Galaxy. If I was to hit another vehicle, the Frontera is built to withstand it far better than the Galaxy. If I was in bad weather conditions on a mountain road that became impassable, a 4x4 is far better equipped to deal with it. All highly improbable you think but unfortunately **** happens - and if I needed to pass a slow moving tractor trailer on a narrow road - I wouldn't want to do it in a RHD - been there and it wasn't pleasant.

As for breakdowns - that can happen to any car, new or old, and if you get insurance with breakdown cover then should you be unfortunate at least you will get help.

Either way - a RHD will cost you more in insurance over here - will not be saleable - is not as safe (anyway you choose to look at it) but IS totally your choice so I was not intending to offend - I was just trying to help a little.

When in Rome......

It applies to Portugal as well

gedscottish

I dont want sound like an arsehole here but...im going to have too What made me look at this was I always assumed 4x4's were crap in front end accidents..

If you want statistics here are some from Euro NCAP themselves.....

1999 Ford Galaxy 3 STAR RATING
2006 Ford Galaxy 5 Star RATING (thats the top score)

2002 Frontera 3 STAR RATING

The AA on the Frontera....The Frontera is now an old model that has not been able to cope with the Euro NCAP frontal test, although as could be expected, due to its height, it did well in the side impact test. The body shell was unstable and there was an additional hazard to the driver due to the vertical movement of the steering wheel. There was a high probability of injury to the driver's chest, feet and lower right leg. The protection from the child restraints was questionable. Pedestrian protection has not been designed into this vehicle.

So were you guessing or you just had unrelaible statistics?!

ninakula

No I wasn't guessing - I have seen the results in the US of crash tests in the Ford Galaxy. You are right of course (or at least the AA is) - the Frontera does not have airbags so the impact from a steering wheel will probably be severe. However, we could discuss airbags - like the child in the US who was decapitated by one because he was sitting at the wrong height (and not because he was too short) but it is all subjective and God save us all from having to find out how safe our vehicles really are.

However, the fact still remains - this country uses LHD vehicles and RHD are simply not sensible over here and with new laws coming into effect make even less sense - but hey - spend 10,000 euros (at least) in import tax on a vehicle worth 10k that will then be worth nothing as it will still be RHD but now reg in PT - makes perfect sense to me - I mean why would you spend an extra 7k to get a LHD PT reg Galaxy that will retain a good % of its value over the next few years... hmmm spend 20k - maybe get 5k back in 2 years if you are lucky, or spend 27k and get 20k back in 2 years....

malcandsue

Hi Tony
I have a xvs 1100 (drag star)
I started the matriculation last march and it is still not done.
I will have to take the bike of the road soon as all the documents will be
not as legal as one would like. Fingers crossed that it will be done next week.
The guy I have employed to do the paperwork always say's next week, he has been saying that since last July 2008. IT WILL BE WORTH IT as riding over here is a joy (as long as 'they' {the car drivers}don't kill you).
It will probably cost in the region of 600€.

Hi There
I found this on the net if you under stand it you are a genious

Importation of motor vehicles into Portugal


Every effort is made to ensure that the information given herein is accurate, but no legal responsibility is accepted for any errors, omissions or misleading statements in that information caused by negligence or otherwise. Temporary Admission of Motor Vehicles
An EU-registered motor vehicle (including light goods vehicles, trailers, caravans, motor-homes and motorcycles) may be kept in Portugal for a continuous period of up to 180 days in any one calendar year, provided the following conditions are met:

The vehicle is registered in the name of a person who is not resident in Portugal;
The vehicle is brought into Portugal by its registered owner or keeper;
The vehicle is for private use only;
The vehicle is only driven by its registered owners or keepers provided they are neither established, resident nor employed in Portugal, and
The vehicle's owner or keeper is in possession of the vehicle registration documents for production when necessary to the competent authority.

Permanent Importation of Motor Vehicles
For those who intend to set-up residence in Portugal, it is possible to import a motor vehicle tax-free, provided:

The vehicle is for private use only;
The registered owner of the vehicle is transferring his residence from another EU member state where he has been resident for at least 185 days;
The vehicle was purchased fully tax-paid in its registered owner's former country of residence; and
The vehicle has been used by its registered owner in his former country of residence for at least six months.

Importation Procedure
In order to import a vehicle, you should submit an application within a maximum of 12 months of arrival, to the customs office with jurisdiction over your area of residence. These are as follows:
For those resident in the districts of Leiria, Lisbon, Portalegre and Santarem:
Alfândega de Lisboa
Jardim do Tabaco
Avenida Infante D Henriques
1100-280 Lisboa
Tel.: 21 881 4100
Fax: 21 886 8898
For those resident in the districts of Braga, Bragança, Guarda, Porto, Viana do Castelo and Vila Real:
Alfândega do Freixieiro
Estrada Nacional 107
Perafita
4405 Matosinhos
Tel.: 22 999 9680/9690
Fax: 22 996 0725
For those resident in the districts of Aveiro, Coimbra, Castelo Branco, Guarda and Viseu:
Alfândega de Aveiro
Edifício TIRTIFE, Lugar de Moinhos
3801-301 Aveiro
Tel.: 23 442 3350
Fax: 23 438 1062

For those resident in the districts of Beja, Evora and Setubal:

Alfândega de Setubal
Avenida Jaime Rebelo
2904-536 Setubal
Tel.: 26 552 2165
Fax: 26 523 4156
For those resident in the Algarve:
Alfândega de Faro
Avenida 5 de Outubro, 82-A
8000-076 Faro
Tel.: 28 989 8550
Fax: 28 989 8559
For those resident in Madeira:
Alfândega do Funchal
Avenida do Mar e das Comunidades Madeirenses, 24
9000-054 Funchal
Tel.: 29 122 0137
Fax: 29 123 0156
For those resident in the Azores:
Alfândega de Ponta Delgada
Praça Vasco da Gama
9500-350 Ponta Delgada
Tel.: 29 628 5251
Fax: 29 628 4469
The application should be submitted, together with:

The vehicle's logbook;
A certificate of compliance or Form 1402 issued by the Direcção-Geral de Viação (Portuguese DVLA) confirming that the vehicle has undergone an inspection;
Your driver's licence;
Evidence that you have applied for a residence permit;
Your taxpayer's identification card, together with 3-years' original tax returns or a declaration from the tax office in your area of residence attesting to the amount of income earned in Portugal over the previous three years;
A certificate of cancellation of residence issued by the competent authority in your former country of residence. (If, as in Britain, there is no such authority, the Consulate will issue a certificate on production of evidence that an application has been made for a residence permit).
The authorities may ask for further documentation, as necessary, so it is advisable to contact them in the first instance for an application form, a list of the supporting documents required and the applicable fees.
Once your application has been formally submitted, the customs authorities may issue a limited-validity authorisation (guia de circulação) which will enable you to use your vehicle while the application is under consideration.

A motor vehicle that has been imported in this way may not be sold, loaned, pledged or hired for a period of 12 months following importation. In addition, it may only be driven by its registered owners or keepers and their immediate family. Only one vehicle may be imported tax-free per person once every five years.
Motor Vehicle Documentation
All vehicles in Portugal are required to have:

Titulo de Registo de Propriedade (Ownership Registration Document), issued by the Conservatória do Registo Automóvel (Vehicle Registration Office);
Livrete (Vehicle Registration Document), issued by the Direcção-Geral de Viação (Portuguese Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency);
Road Tax. This is purchased annually during the month of June from local tax offices and selected newsagents. The cost varies depending on the age and cubic capacity of the vehicle. As in Britain, the tax stamp must be displayed in the upper right hand corner of the vehicle's windscreen, and
Insurance. All vehicles must have at least third party insurance cover. The insurance company will provide an insurance stamp for display in the lower right-hand corner of the vehicle's windscreen, at the time the policy is issued.
These documents, as well as the driver's ID and licence, should be carried at all times for production to the authorities on request.
MOT Testing and Certificates
As in Britain, MOT testing is compulsory in Portugal for all vehicles over four years old (Motorcycles are not included yet, but in 2009 new laws will require motorcycles to be inspected aswell). Cars aged 4-7 years must be tested every two years and thereafter every year. The test (Inspecção Periódica Obrigatória - IPO - IPO) must be carried out at an approved garage. The garage is required to request the vehicle's ownership document (Titulo de Registo de Propriedade), its logbook (Livrete) and the owner's taxpayer's identification card before carrying out the test.
A stamp confirming that the vehicle has undergone (and passed) the test will subsequently be issued. This should be displayed below the insurance stamp, in the lower right-hand corner of the vehicle's windscreen.

Malc

Supremegermalene

Sorry I wasn't offended in any way, just was stating my own opinion.

The whole reason we have a Galaxy is so that no kids have to ride up in front, all my kids are under 8yrs old so it's illegal for them to sit up front anyway. With regard to mountain roads and tractors, well we are going to be living in the Algarve and I have no need to travel inland, maybe to Aljezur but that's it.

Tractors and sh*t happening, yes I know about both of those my brother in law was killed on the EN-125 and also my husbands cousin was killed on the EN-125 going head first into a combine harvester. Was nasty.

We have also lost 3 other friends in accidents on the same road, all the more reason for me to want the kids in a newer car with lots of airbags.

I never had the intention of selling the car in PT, we were going to just run it into the ground, use it as a spare whatever. If the import tax was waived I think it would be a good move so we at least have to try. If we can't import it then I'll take it back to the UK and get my parents to sell it. Even if we have to pay the tax I've already paid the £10k for the car over a year ago so I'd only have to find the other 10k. To buy another Galaxy there I'd need to find 23k which I don't have. Depressingly I have just checked out it's value and in just a year it's dropped to £7,500 (trade!). That's only 8,333 euros.

I understand you feel RHD cars are dangerous there but its the driver, not the car. I have no intention of overtaking anything and know plenty of people that drive RHD cars there with no issues. If it had been a mini I'd be worried.

G

Schnappy Dog

Will jump in here with my gripe, now that I've spotted this thread.

We bought a 03 vehicle with us when we moved, which we had owned for 2 years before we came here. Of course all the usual tax had been paid and we were importing within the EU.

We started the matriculation process with a company via our Lawyer within 12 months of being here (some say matriculate within 6 months, others 12, what is the story!).

Our Matriculation went through in record time, despite the disorganisation and did anyone else have to have their vehicle weighed????

But now we have to pay €2000 import tax - why? We have given it back to our Lawyer to check out and are now coming into our 3rd month waiting for an answer.

Of course once you have gone through the process you are on the tax man's radar - so while we wait, we risk the chance that the police won't stop us and realise we have a €2000 unpaid bill against the vehicle.

Our options - take it back to the UK and sell it (tried that before this process) stay out of the Police's way!!!!!

The other thing I have heard is that despite being against EU Policy, they stand to make more money imposing import tax and paying the EU fine, than not doing it!!!!!!

SD

Supremegermalene

I have noticed a common thread, those who have had issues matriculating have used agents to do so. The people I know who have managed it without paying tax have dealt with it themselves. Is it just me picking up on this or is it fact?

Schnappy Dog

Hmmm too late for me but may help someone else then!

So we now have the €2000, plus €500 to the company for processing it (is this cheap?) and of course our Lawyer will want something out of this of course.

There's a lot to be said for getting off your backside and trying to do it yourself perhaps!

SD

gedscottish

[QUOTE=Schnappy Dog;7277658]

So we now have the €2000, plus €500 to the company for processing it (is this cheap?) nd of course our Lawyer will want something out of this of course.

QUOTE]

Agents fee's are normally between 250 & 500 euros

RocksAndBikes

Brilliant - thank you - can anyone else confirm this yet??? we have until June to organise ourselves and get sorted.. the idea being we will fly there... take a place to live and settle the cat in.... then fly to the uk and pick up the bikes... ride them back....

Thanks, Tony.

Supremegermalene

I have to say €2000 is not bad, I wish my worst case scenario was that...however if I had paid €500 to avoid it I think I'd be a little peed off.

G