British Expats - Driving in spain

British Expats (https://britishexpats.com/forum/)

- Spain (https://britishexpats.com/forum/spain-75/)

- - Driving in spain (https://britishexpats.com/forum/spain-75/driving-spain-530973/)

Re: Driving in spain

Quote:

Originally Posted by Polly1 (Post 6242810)

Can I use my driving license or do I need to have that altered?

You can still use/keep your UK license, some people get it stamped in Spain but I believe you then have to go for semi regular health checks (basic as they are)

Re: Driving in spain

Quote:

Originally Posted by El Capitan (Post 6242545)

Just to point out that residence certificate or tarjeta de residencia, no longer exists for EU citizens, the only certificate you can now get is a NIE, which yes you will need for any taxable transaction such as registering a car in your name and of course you will need an address but not necessarily your own house (as you are just arriving).

The residency CARD dose not exist, but you do need a certificate now.

Re: Driving in spain

Quote:

Originally Posted by mikelincs (Post 6243249)

The residency CARD dose not exist, but you do need a certificate now.

I would just like to say a thank-you to you ALL for your most helpful advise and say I will speak again soon, got a meeting to attend to this evening and need to sign out now to go and get ready. Just wanted to say thank-you before I left. thumbsup:

Re: Driving in spain

Quote:

Originally Posted by zel (Post 6242486)

About 15 years ago the UK was the most expensive place in Europe to purchase a car from (RHD) but due to a lot of pressure from joe public the manufacturers and the government had to take note and our prices fell in line with the rest of Europe. So the 'RHD Tax' as some people called it is no more.

Present day market as Brits love everything to be new a shiny and the fact that we're a tiny island means the second hand values are quite dire.

Pre-owned LHD cars are more expensive to buy in any part of Europe compared to the RHD versions, that's unfortunately a fact as LHD has a much bigger market than RHD.

If you're German say for example it's perfectly normal for people from 5+ countries to express interest in your vehicle. When was the last time you got interest from Cypress or some other RHD country when you've tried to sell your RHD car in the UK?

Sure there are some complete idiots who are trying their arm and day light robbing people on eBay for LHD vehicles (some are a good 8,000 quid more than what you would pay in the country it came from) but there are genuine people out there and well you would expect to pay a small premium ontop of their purchase price as you have to remember it's expensive to bring a car across Europe and then register it on UK plates.

But generally even taken that into effect you can still make a substantial saving buying a LHD car in the UK or anywhere else in Europe compared to prices in Spain and Portugal, especially if you're buying something near new or big and lumpy/expensive.

We've had clients in the past that have bought a car(s) from us and move to Spain to have a call a few weeks later asking us for 2-4 more as they want to sell them out there.

Hope this has helped explain the situation concerning price comparisons and the reasoning about it.

Hi again Zel, just before I go and sign off....You mentioned above "we've had clients in the past"? What is it you do? Do you sell cars then? Are they LHD?

Re: Driving in spain

Quote:

Originally Posted by Polly1 (Post 6243439)

Hi again Zel, just before I go and sign off....You mentioned above "we've had clients in the past"? What is it you do? Do you sell cars then? Are they LHD?

Urm, this is sort of awkward :)

Yes I do but as per the forum rules I'm not allowed to advertise the company etc.

Re: Driving in spain

Quote:

Originally Posted by zel (Post 6243467)

Urm, this is sort of awkward :)

Yes I do but as per the forum rules I'm not allowed to advertise the company etc.

zel why don't you put a link i your sig mate?

Re: Driving in spain

Quote:

Originally Posted by rugbymatt (Post 6243574)

zel why don't you put a link i your sig mate?

thanks for all your replies, some really helpfull information here.

Re: Driving in spain

Quote:

Originally Posted by zel (Post 6243467)

Urm, this is sort of awkward :)

Yes I do but as per the forum rules I'm not allowed to advertise the company etc.

Its not kind of alkward ..... you were asked a direct question

Re: Driving in spain

ok so I failed my uk driving test today and only have 4 weeks left until I move over to spain, im trying to get a resit but Im not sure Im going to pass in time, so Im now considering plan B. Am I right in thinking that in order to ride a scooter you need to attend a motor school? does anyone know of one near Gib, la linea, Soto area, and how long it takes to get the permit, and also does anyone know roughly how much annual insurance would be (im 24). thanks in advance

Re: Driving in spain

Hi,

I bought a new car a month ago I needed,

My NIE (mines the new type on the green sheet)

My passport

My padron

And the stickers with the barcodes on? (no idea what they are called):o

Also had to have proof of insurance when I collected the car, that was easy I gave my insurance all the details about a week before (Direct Linea) then when I went to pick up the car, they just faxed it through

I did not need anything to show I owned my house, or that I rented

Garage was useless though, car was not ready, was not cleaned, they did not show me how everything worked, ok sounds stupid, but when its dark and you drive off, and realise its got no fuel in it,:mad: it would of been handy if they had shown me where the button is to unlock the petrol cap!
etc......... this is the 5th new car ive had (2 here- 3 in the UK) it was the worse service ive had

PS, if part exchanging an old Spanish car, they want all the old suma (road tax) bills, and for it to show its paid

Re: Driving in spain

I can see why the second hand car in Spain holds its value. I have a transit here that is red rotten with rust around the arches, door at the back etc.

Saw one in Spain last year, years and years older than mine and not a touch of rust on it!

Re: Driving in spain

Quote:

Originally Posted by bil (Post 6255038)

Depends where you are ..... near the coast with the salt in the air you'll still find the results of corrosion on cars

Re: Driving in spain

At least tho they aren't basted in salt water like they are in the UK.

I liked what the French do, or someone, can't remember which country for certain, but all the crap wine is used as antifreeze spray on the roads.

In the UK, the road verges are so salty that the halophyte (or is it halophillic?) plant Dutch Scurvy Grass has spread all over the country, with the seeds spread by lorries driving inland from the coast.

Re: Driving in spain

Bil, we have our roads salted quite often up here in the North. But cars do not rust and they also hold their value too. The value bit we do not understand as we have seen what we would call scrapers for a lot of money.

Re: Driving in spain

Scrapers as in dragging on the ground??

Down in Cadiz, we are unlikely to see any risk of frosty roads!!!