My question is, is a solicitor needed to buy a second hand car in a private purchase?

A friend of mine that visits 3 or 4 times a year for a month at a time decided to purchase the car from a person they knew in a private sale and keep it at the airport rather than use hire cars.

They own an apartment here and have their NIE numbers and pardons but not tax resident. The owner of the car put them in touch with his lawyer to complete the purchase who charged €400 to do this.

Could the necessary transfer of ownership been done via Traffico with help from Spanish speaking person or by using a gestor?

They don't have solicitors in Spain.

They are either lawyers (abogados) or Gestors. Gestors charge a fraction of what a lawyer will charge and are excellent at basic bureaucratic procedures like transferring a car.

You say the lawyer charged €400 but of course, don't forget that there is a tax on transferring a car to a new owner. I forget what the current rate is but it probably over 3%, which can be very significant.

Hola

Whilst 400€ seems a lot, the tax is on the age of the car and then there is another 90€? for Trafico to complete the documentation.

So Not a massive rip-off at first sight if the car is not ancient

Davexf

Thanks Fred, solicitors? slip of the tongue, should know that after 10 years here, old habits die hard.

However, from what you say, there is a need for a lawyer or gestor to act for the buyer rather than doing it throught Traffico.

I didn't know about the tax however but the cost of the car was €2600

Sorry Dxf, didn't see your post before answering Fred. I believe the car is 9 years old, so what the tax would be I have no idea. It was just that to me €400 seemed a lot.

Hola

No prob - but you need to know the actual vehicle model / engine before the official figure can be found. There was talk about emissions but I don´t know if that ever came into the statutes.

From memory the Junta have a book similar to the Hacienda with all makes / models od cars and the tax is worked out from that

But I have no idea of other autonomous authorities

Davexf

Thanks Guys for your thoughts. I guess it's water under the bridge now as the deed has been done. It's just the thought that the charge seemed excessive but not knowing what was included in the €400 it's difficult to be sure of that.

I don't think they have implemented that yet. The car value table shows the CO2 emission figures, but they only seem to use that for the matriculation tax.

It's the same with road tax, they are still using fiscal horsepower to determine the tax.

No doubt it will get changed one day!

We bought privately last year, got a Spanish equivalent to HPI check, went with previous owner to Almeria traffic all straightforward, paid the tax due, went to the other office paid 55€ for transfer of ownership, didn't take long and we know it was all done and dusted as it were, walked away with the log book in our name (well OH)

Hola

That´s interesting, here in Cadiz Trafico won´t process the transfer until the Junta de Andalucía tax is paid

Davexf

we had to pay the tax in one building the went to change ownership