I suspect I'm going to get a lot of "how could you be so stupid" in response to this, but here goes!







We live part time in Spain. In mid-October last year we bought a 2nd hand car from a local dealership. It's a big dealership, seems fairly busy and with a regular turnover of cars, and has its own repair garage. We gave the car a good going over, the price was OK, but not so cheap as to cause concern (we ARE actually pretty cautious people!) and the price included a new ITV, transfer tax etc., and all paperwork done by them. From our research we understand that's quite standard when buying from a dealer. The car was French plated but they said they would deal with that too. We pointed out a few minor items needing attention and they made out a "repair order" of which we have a copy. We had our own car out there at the time so weren't in a particular hurry for it.



HOWEVER, when we came back to UK at the end of November we were still waiting for the ITV, the Spanish plates, and the "transfer" paperwork! It was just excuse after excuse. We were finally asked to take it in for its ITV the week before we left, saying it would take a day, but we eventually came home having to leave it there until we go back in a few weeks' time. We know they took it for its ITV because they showed us the failure notice! It failed on faulty dashboard light, which was actually on the repair order. It was still on French plates so I don't know how they took it for an ITV anyway, but perhaps that's another matter?










After half a dozen emails, all we've had from them is that it will be "ready on our return". But we were hoping to go back on the plane this time instead of taking our own car over again.




We are VERY worried in case we get there and it's still not done: we live in the campo and can't do without a car, plus we want to insure it before we leave here. I don't know how long these things take - nor the order of doing things, ie Spanish plates, ownership transfer. Any observations very welcome. Thanks.

The ITV people will not have a problem with doing it on a French car, they will even do it on a UK plated car, however unless the car is on Spanish plates then the ITV is likely to be useless for any legal purposes.

From what I read online (various sources) re registering a foreign plated vehicle in Spain having an ITV is one of the first things before actually getting the Spanish registration ?

Hola

Did they measure the car during the ITV? If they did then it is the correct ITV for changing the number plates to Spanish

Davexf

Yes, but the ITV for re-registration is completely different to the 'normal' ITV.

Thanks. The fact that the ITV comes first is something of a comfort anyway. Davefx - didn't notice anything about measuring the car for the ITV. We just looked at the reasons for failure.


To add to my post - the car had a towbar and side steps (it's an offroader) when we bought it, but they took them off for the ITV because, they said, they "weren't original", and said they would re-fit them after. We do understand ficha tecnica issues. We told them we wanted them both ON the ITV/ficha tecnica and we know it's possible.


I know Spain is exactly noted for its snap-to-it efficiency, but wondered if we should be particularly concerned about the time this is taking? Anyone have any idea how long all this should reasonably take ? We are in Castellon, Cd Valencia, btw.


Thanks again.

Hola,

If they didn't measure the car then it wasn't a rematriculation ITV - and if the car is not EXACTLY as the original manufacturers specification, then it will fail. Even dealer added things like towbars can make it fail.

However, the mechanics that do the ITV are human and can miss things on the day

Davexf

My Second hand car does not need an ITV yet but from a VW main dealer my documents took just over a month to get to me if that helps.
My previous purchase took a week + postage so 10 days.

That's very helpful lyric050203. That gives me something to throw at them. So thanks !

When mine went for Matric First thing is ITV, in my case on UK plates. Mine went with a certificate Conformity which I got in the UK from the manufacturer

The ITV was one day off road, then the car went again about 3 weeks later when the Docs and plates were issued

Mine was done over Xmas New Year, it took longer because of this

I recently have a UK registered motorcycle transferred to Spanish plates and the ITV was the last item they did, the paperwork was all done and ready along with the Spanish plate for me to fit, so it was ITVed with the UK plate on it.

Thanks very much for all of this, it's exactly the info we needed.