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Cheaper to buy LHD car in Spain or UK?

Cheaper to buy LHD car in Spain or UK?

Old Sep 12th 2007, 10:43 am
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Default Cheaper to buy LHD car in Spain or UK?

Hi all,

I'm moving to Spain (Cadiz) and have decided to buy a car (nothing fancy) and drive down with the car packed with stuff.

Would it be cheaper to buy a Left Hand Drive (LHD) car here in the UK and drive to Spain, or would it be cheaper to buy a LHD car in another country?

I would be really grateful if someone out there could give me some advice on this...

Barriguel
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Old Sep 12th 2007, 11:03 am
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Default Re: Cheaper to buy LHD car in Spain or UK?

If you haven't owned the car for 6 months then you will get charged import registration tax when you re register it to Spanish plates so you need to factor that in.

Second hand cars are more expensive over here for sure, but if you buy from a garage then at least you have some sort of come back if anything goes wrong, whereas its a long way to take a car back to the UK for a problem

I have a load of car links for garages in Spain but unfortunately I'm in the UK at mom .... if you can wait till the end of the month I can let you have them
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Old Sep 12th 2007, 11:38 am
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Default Re: Cheaper to buy LHD car in Spain or UK?

Thanks Mitzyboy, i'm not moving until next year so i can wait until the end of the month for Spanish garage links...

Just one thing, when you say that second hand cars are more expensive "over here" - do you mean Spain or the UK?

b
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Old Sep 12th 2007, 11:56 am
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Default Re: Cheaper to buy LHD car in Spain or UK?

Originally Posted by barriguel
Thanks Mitzyboy, i'm not moving until next year so i can wait until the end of the month for Spanish garage links...

Just one thing, when you say that second hand cars are more expensive "over here" - do you mean Spain or the UK?

b

In Spain they are more expensive in general, although you can find the odd bargain.
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Old Sep 12th 2007, 11:58 am
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Default Re: Cheaper to buy LHD car in Spain or UK?

Originally Posted by Mitzyboy
In Spain they are more expensive in general, although you can find the odd bargain.
But it works both ways, ie if you resell ;-))
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Old Sep 12th 2007, 12:04 pm
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Default Re: Cheaper to buy LHD car in Spain or UK?

thanks guys, very helpful
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Old Sep 12th 2007, 12:43 pm
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Default Re: Cheaper to buy LHD car in Spain or UK?

Originally Posted by barriguel
Hi all,

I'm moving to Spain (Cadiz) and have decided to buy a car (nothing fancy) and drive down with the car packed with stuff.

Would it be cheaper to buy a Left Hand Drive (LHD) car here in the UK and drive to Spain, or would it be cheaper to buy a LHD car in another country?

I would be really grateful if someone out there could give me some advice on this...

Barriguel
Hi Barriguel and welcome to the forum!

Always worth having a look at the Classifieds section of BE.

There is someone already advertising for a car swap here:

http://britishexpats.com/classifieds...uct=1264&cat=5
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Old Sep 12th 2007, 3:38 pm
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Default Re: Cheaper to buy LHD car in Spain or UK?

Great idea, thanks a lot!
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Old Sep 13th 2007, 6:17 am
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Default Re: Cheaper to buy LHD car in Spain or UK?

Originally Posted by barriguel
Hi all,

I'm moving to Spain (Cadiz) and have decided to buy a car (nothing fancy) and drive down with the car packed with stuff.

Would it be cheaper to buy a Left Hand Drive (LHD) car here in the UK and drive to Spain, or would it be cheaper to buy a LHD car in another country?

I would be really grateful if someone out there could give me some advice on this...

Barriguel
I suspect cheaper to buy here as you would have to add in the cost of re registration, between 500 and 1000 euros, and the import duty you would have to pay. Yes segundo mano cars are a bit more expensive here, but that's because they hold their value better, but I doubt that the difference is more than the cost of re-registration and import duty.
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Old Sep 13th 2007, 7:25 pm
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Default Re: Cheaper to buy LHD car in Spain or UK?

I brought my lhd in UK in Chesham which deals in LHD. I brought a toyota RAV for about 2.500 sterling, shipped it down for about 400 quid and then imported it in. Took 2 weeks for the paperwork etc, and then I used a insurance company here to get it insured. Before that I drove a rhd and shipped it back the last couple of years for tax and mot. It was my partners otherwise it would have be registered here. But it was the expensive alternative must say.
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Old Sep 13th 2007, 7:39 pm
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Default Re: Cheaper to buy LHD car in Spain or UK?

Originally Posted by Mercedes
I brought my lhd in UK in Chesham which deals in LHD. I brought a toyota RAV for about 2.500 sterling, shipped it down for about 400 quid and then imported it in. Took 2 weeks for the paperwork etc, and then I used a insurance company here to get it insured. Before that I drove a rhd and shipped it back the last couple of years for tax and mot. It was my partners otherwise it would have be registered here. But it was the expensive alternative must say.
what sort of costs etc were involved in importing a car to Spain?
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Old Sep 13th 2007, 7:58 pm
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Default Re: Cheaper to buy LHD car in Spain or UK?

Slightly off topic because it is RHD, but I just had a uk car matriculated (made Spanish) and it cost 2700€
Might be useful info for some.
Of course it depends on make, model and year.
This was an '04' 4x4.
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Old Sep 13th 2007, 8:10 pm
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Default Re: Cheaper to buy LHD car in Spain or UK?

That is very usefull info for me,was actually envisaging a lot more!
Was the insurance a lot more for imported rhd,as may just bring my own vehicle across instead of buying new
PS Welcome aboard amigo
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Old Sep 13th 2007, 8:19 pm
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Default Re: Cheaper to buy LHD car in Spain or UK?

Originally Posted by lcortez
That is very usefull info for me,was actually envisaging a lot more!
Was the insurance a lot more for imported rhd,as may just bring my own vehicle across instead of buying new
PS Welcome aboard amigo
Insurance was only 10€ more, BUT the pain is that unlike in the uk where it can be done over the phone with your new reg - instantly.
You have to cancel your existing policy, apply for a refund of any remaining balance and then start a new policy for the 'new' vehicle, because the old 'UK' car ceases to exist.
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Old Sep 13th 2007, 9:17 pm
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Default Re: Cheaper to buy LHD car in Spain or UK?

And a pain in the r`s at tolls and carparks etc.
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