Mikellama

I read on another forum recently that you cannot re-register a RHD van in Spain as it is classed as a commercial vehicle.

If the vehicle has a EU CofC from the manufacturer and LHD Headlamps are fitted surely this would mean it can be re-registered or am I missing something here?

I am going to be looking for a long wheelbase, high roof van for transporting llamas around and after doing a lot of online research the comparisons are quite startling in that I can find a new van in the UK for €25,000 compared to the same vehicle in Spain at €32,000!!! So obviously my preference is to buy from the UK and save a bundle even after all the other expenses are taken into account.

Before anyone highlights the problems of driving a RHD vehicle in a LHD country, we live in France and have been driving a RHD vehicle here for the last 3 years (fully French registered) with no problems whatsoever…I am never in a rush so do not need to overtake unless I have a passenger that can see the road ahead is clear.

Regards,

MikeL

jdr

You won`t save a bundle if the guardia confiscate it and cube it.
Right hand drive commercial vehicles cannot be re-registered in Spain.
As you will be a Spanish resident your UK vehicles will need to be matriculated to Spanish plates, and as this is not possible then it will be in the country illegally and could possibly be crushed.

pwwm

As usual jdr is spot, dont think it matters if lhd or rhd, if it is a commercial vehicle, the rules still apply.

Mikellama

Hi jdr,

Thanks for the information. I am not disputing peoples local knowledge but is there a legal reference that I can take a look at which actualy states this is the law in Spain?

Pwwm,

Surely that cannt be the same for an imported LHD commerical vehicle. there can be absolutly no reason, safety or otherwise to prevent the re-registration of a LHD commerical vehicle. We are talking a sprinter van and not an HGV

Not trying to be a smart arse but just trying to see if I can save a lot of money and still do thing legaly. Obviously if there is a written law that states this is the case then I will try and find a LHD vehicle from Germany, Belgium or France (Unless Pwwm is actualy correct on LHD imports as well).

We were told exactly the same thing when we first moved to France only to find that we could actualy register a RHD commercial vehicle (and it was very easy to do so) providing that it had a valid EU CoC and LHD Headlights fitted. We have been driving it legaly here on French plates and with french Insurance now for over 3 years. But Spain could be different and this is why I would like to see a reference somewhere.

Rgds, Mike L

Mitzyboy

But you asked about a RHD commercial vehicle. Afaik, there is no restriction on matriculating a LHD commercial vehicle purchased in the UK.

valenciatim

This has been discussed on here before, but unfortunately I cannot find the relevant post.
The way I understand it is that a RHD commercial vehicle cannot be matriculated/ registered here is because it will not pass the Spanish ITV test (mot equivalent) because of visibility issues which occur at junctions. It doesn't even make a difference if the vehicle has side widows in the rear, or even if it's a pickup, as the vehicle was designed to carry loads through which you would not be able to see, so turning right out of any junction becomes a problem.
I will continue to search for the relevant law, but I know that even vehicles such as Mitsubishi L200's and Toyota pick ups cannot be registered if RHD as they are classed as commercials. The same is true of motorhomes.
Your best bet is to buy one in Germany, although that also has issues with regards to transfer plates and insurance!
Regards
Tim

COWBOY_BUILDER

I bought a LWB Semi High Transit last Oct for 25,000€ ,the same van in the UK was £26,000 so it makes sense to buy in Spain , if you need to in the future you can have it re-registerd in the UK without any problems.

zel

I have no url to show you the Spanish law but I can say as worldwide importer/exporter of vehicles, including commercial. I can confirm you will have absolutely no chance at registering a RHD commercial vehicle in Spain.

We've had quite a few clients who have discovered to late they can not do it and had to drive it back to the UK to sell and got us to source them a LHD one to take out with them so they're not without a vehicle as most of their jobs rely on them being on the road.

So yes, I wouldn't even bother taking one over.

If you can be bothered do a search on here there has been various people over the years looking for advice as they can't register them in Spain.

Whoever told you about not being able to do it in France needs shooting as France is one of the easiest countries in the EU to register vehicles in!

Mikellama

Hi Zel,

Thank you for the information. I will start to research LHD Commerical vehicles.

By the way, I have conducted extensive searches of this and many other Spanish related forums but am surprised that not one single person can actually point me to the relevant point of law (happy forthis to be in Spanish) which states you cannot re-register a RHD commercial vehicle in Spain, which is what I am really looking for.

As for France being one of the easiest countries in which to re-register a vehicle, I am afraid that you are slightly wrong in your assessment. If you take a really long look at the following forum (http://www.totalfrance.com/france/fo...forum.php?f=29) you will see that in many cases it can be very difficult and sometimes almost impossible to re-register many types of vehicle here, but much seems to depend on which side of the bed the person sitting behind the desk on the day.

Rgds, Mike L

Mikellama

Zel,

Also forgot to ask if you have a web site can you PM me the site details. I will be looking for two vehicles; a Renalult Trafic 9 seater (for personal use) and a LWB Sprinter (other other make) with high roof (for llama transportation).

Rgds, Mike L

Fred James

I doubt that there is a law that says you cannot register a RHD commercial vehicle specifically.

There is a law which says that a vehicle must have all round visibility for the driver and it is this point that causes the ITV failure. It is this ITV failure which prevents registration.

As for the relevant law, it is probably covered by Real Decreto 2822/1998 Articulo 11 which states:-

1. Deben estar construidos y mantenidos de forma
que el campo de visión del conductor hacia delante,
hacia la derecha y hacia la izquierda le permita una visibilidad
diáfana sobre toda la vía por la que circule.

At the end of the day, it is the guy at the ITV test centre who decides if the vehicle meets these requiremnts.

Hope this helps to clarify the situation.

zel

Trust me mate, France and the UK are probably the easiest countries within the EU to register vehicles in!

But I guess I'm looking at it from a professional point of view, if you have no idea what you're doing and most expats don't and why should they? it can be a little confusing at times.

It should only get a bit confusing if a COC is not available for the car (ie it's too old for the scheme or a non-eu import!

Doesn't help when everyone changes the rules/laws monthly!

Beachcomber

There was a period of about a year in the late 1980s/early1990s when absolutely no right hand drive vehicle could be imported into Spain. There was no specific law banning this just a directive to ITV test centres not to pass any vehicle for the homogolation test to import it.

This was not retroactive and, anyway, it was soon dropped.

zel

Unfortunately we've scaled down operations and are only dealing with supplying the trade at the moment as I'm in the process of sorting everything out for my own move to Spain

I'll PM you the details of someone who will be able to help!

Casa Santo Estevo

Mike
Importing any vehicle here is difficult. We imported a 40 plus year old classic car. Because the law is not simple and because the officials are not always either/both knowledgeable or helpful you could find problems. That is why we suggested that you sell the motor home in France too.
There have been several threads recently about the ITV test. One was about a importing a trailer. That also shows how difficult it is to import things.
To import any thing that travels on the road you have to appreciate the amount of paperwork needed is horrendous.
If you come to Galicia, by all means contact us. We will only be too happy to point you to the offices you need to contact for the Province of Lugo.

BTW there are plenty of places to purchase vehicles and trailers here in Galicia too!


As a side note we asked a vet we know if he knew anything about Llamas. The good news is he did. He said that they there are a lot in South America! And that in Galicia he has never seen any outside a Zoo. As you will know the digestive system is similar to cow’s, which means you should have no problem finding a vet if the needs arise.