Hi all, I will be buying a car when we eventually move over to Costa Blanca. The question is: Are the legally required accessories (Triangles, Spare bulbs, reflective jackets etc.) supplied with the vehicle as standard or do you have to buy them, probably at inflated prices, before you take the vehicle away.

I know I could buy these things elsewhere beforehand but I didn't want to lug these things about.

thanks.

They were included when I bought my last new car. Maybe not all makers do? If you buy second hand, probably not.

These items are VERY cheap to buy even from a dealer.

No, we didn't get anything like that when we purchased

You also need a spare pair of spectacles, if you use them to drive.
Two triangles (some say 1), reflective jackets for all the possible people in the car (4, for a 4 seater), and I had a packet of spare bulbs but some have said thats not necessary now ... good idea to have them though.

Keep all the car docs in the car also. Should be originals, but many keep copise

Same here

Triangles and jackets but not bulbs.

Bulbs are no longer required as on many cars they are impossible for the owner to change - such as the new very expensive LED headlights.

Spare wheels are now an extra charge option - you get a liquid repair kit and compressor instead.

Thanks very much for the info.

Will reflective waistcoats be ok as opposed to jackets as I have a couple of those already?

They are normally waistcoats. So long as they have the relevant EU mark they should be OK. You need to keep them inside the car so that you can put them on before you leave the car.

You do not need one for each passenger, just for the person leaving the car. Most people carry two.

As for documents you must carry your driving licence, ID which now means a passport and the car documents, ie the Ficha Technica and the matriculation data plus any ITV reports if applicable.

Insurance data is no longer required as there is a central database of all Spanish policies. Proof of payment of your local car tax is debatable as that is a local, not a state tax but to avoid problems, carry it. If you need the wear spectacles you must carry a spare pair. If you have a Spanish licence the fact that you need spectacles will be recorded on it after your first medical.

Authorised copies of documents will normally be accepted so long as they have been properly stamped as a genuine copy.

It's the original docs that concern me, all nicely positioned in the glove compartment to assist the car thief. As for specs, I wear pricey varifocals, but I suspect that a cheap pair of long distance ones would be OK as the spare pair, as for the rest, cheap and easy to acquire, and not worth arguing the toss about.

Mine were an old pair from about 10 years ago

I never carry any original documents.

I scan and print them on the PC and take them to our Ayuntamiento where they stamp them as authentic copies for €2. They stick the paper receipt onto them so that they cannot be copied.

I can get my passport, driving licence and foreigners registration certificate on one A4 page.

I keep one for each of us in each car as we are rarely far from our car if ID is needed.

As for spectacles, a normal distance pair would be acceptable. I doubt that the average Trafico officer could tell the difference and as long as your distance vision is catered for you should be OK.

For ID in supermarkets for credit card purchases, our very old, out of date, residencia cards are always accepted!

I've nothing to come, I set off in the car for the morning dog walk the other day and thought that something was wrong, it was I happened to be wearing my wife's reading glasses.

I carry certified photo copies of all the required documents and other items, just in case.

I would advise newcomers to try and watch a Guardia roadblock, many of the regular places have a suitable cafe nearby from which to observe proceedings.

You can see from the vehicles that are stopped and checked that the great majority of ordinary expats will never be troubled.

But if you drive an old banger and have dark skin, they will have you. And if it's a white van with yellow number plates, it doesn't matter what colour your skin is, they will have you.

we have been stopped a couple of times, but only once asked for docs. Most police dont want the hassle of trying to speak English and rarely pull RHD cars.

if you have any items missing from the emergency kit then things are available cheaply from a friendly local Chinese supermarket.

for safety reasons I carry 4 hi-vis waistcoats - just in case everyone in the car has to get out, but at around €2 each not alot invested.

Down my end the only question is " Do you have any tobacco "

I'm not sure if you are supposed to carry it or not.

Maybe they are really after a donation

What's the normal police position on folk driving around with bulbs out? My dashboard makes such a song and dance about it that I can't get to Halfords quickly enough for one of their resident contortionists to do the business, however I can't change them and have to get the car there.