JBanyoles

Hi everyone!

I was just wondering if anybody has imported a UK car to spain after living here for a while, im just asking as ive decided to buy a mini cooper, after living here for 2 years and owning a spanish car.
there is large price difference between the UK and here(3000 euros against 8000) for mini´s so it might be well worth it.

If anybodys done it or knows about sited explaining how to do it let me know!

Thanks in advance!

Jack

Mitzyboy

Jack, there is a thread on here every week to do with this subject. I would use search and also look in the free beer thread sticky at the top.

In short, it is quite possible, although of course you will be sitting on the wrong side. If you don't own the car in the UK for 6 months prior to moving here then you will have to pay import registration tax when changing it to the Spanish plates (which you will have to do as soon as you import it).

You could look on the German autoscout pages and get one in Germany and import it

http://www.autoscout24.de/

zel

Hi there.

I would take the previous advice with caution as there is no 'one size fits all' ruling when it comes to importing cars into the EU, there are many different variables.

Assuming (as per your prices) you're talking about the original Mini and not the BMW one, and the method used to import it (ie personal import or import)

As the original Mini was produced way before the type approval scheme you may find it hard, impossible or expensive to register, especially if it's RHD.

Also as you can not bring it in under a personal import (i.e. your property when you first move) so you will have to obey by type approval schemes and/or whatever scheme is active for classic cars.

My main concern is there has been a new (2 odd years old) EU law that is being adopted by various EU countries that basically puts a usage on 'classic' cars. I.e. you can only use them a certain KM a year. This is due to emissions and safety.

As this is your hard earned cash I would never assume it will be an easy task and perhaps look out for a classic car owners club and seek advice or find a gestor that is completely confident about cars built before the type approval scheme was set.

I know I'm playing devils advocate here, but you wouldn't believe the mess we've had to try and get people out of when they've been given the wrong advice by people who in all good faith have given the wrong advice. The latest was a guy in Barcelona who purchased a SLR import from the US to discover the Spanish flatly refused to register it. You guessed it, he was told 'on the net by some bloke' that it was an easy process!

Mitzyboy

Although I always bow to your extensive knowledge, it was a general question and got a general answer, as you are quite right ....neither of us know the posters circumstances.

Just out of interest, what is classed as a classic car?

rugbymatt

Hi zel, just as a question really I was wondering would it be too much of a hassle if I brought a NON Spanish registered LHD car over, I only ask because one of the cars I am interested in is very hard to find for the right money in Spain.

zel

In the general sense of course a LHD car is easier to import than a RHD car into Spain, at the very least you wouldn't have to have the work carried out on it (ie headlights,etc)

But really need more details :

1> How old is the vehicle?
2> Which country will it come from?
3> Which country was it first registered in?
4> Your residency status, ie past the 'free import tax' time frame?
5> If new will it be a tax free export?

Probably forgot something, but that's enough to start with!

Mitzyboy

There seem to be a lot of classic car clubs in Spain, and a mini cooper car club also
Might be a useful link

http://www.clubminicooper.com/iniing.htm

zel

I think you know me well enough to know I'm not knocking your advice.

I just think it's very important that people are warned that it's not a one size fits all process. As lets face it wasting what can be a lot of money is a bitter pill to swallow.

Classed as a classic? how longs a piece of string really? I know cars built in the 80s and early 90s which are in the classic car mags.

I was using the term 'classic' on the basis of it being old enough not to you use the type approval scheme we all know and hate nower days.

Though the new EU laws that they seem to adopt every day can work to ones advantage, we made a fair bit out of exporting old RHD Rollers from Germany when they adopted the EU law concerning limited usage

Oh btw, I clarified the specifics of trailer registration on that 'other' forum for ya.

Mitzyboy

Thanks mate I'll have a look

So ..... can we assume that if there are RHD Coopers over here (which there are) that it will be acceptable, or is that still a dangerous thing?

zel

Well there is two possibles really.

For one I would make an account and make sure someone has done it recently.

Also as mentioned above it's a different circumstance if people have bought the vehicles in as their personal import (ie when they moved and brought over all their property) as this does (or is meant to) bypass things like EU type approval as you found out with your 'grey' import.

rugbymatt

Well basically I want to drive a car over next year to use in Spain for a year or so. My problem is that I need to make a few internal alterations for the dog etc, so it will be easier with all my tools here.

The car I have in mind is a 95/96 Isuzu, Trooper, they are much cheaper here than in Spain. It is originally French but registered in the UK, and if I buy it then its going to be well before the 6 month rule as its about 10 months till we are out.

I have a week I think to make a decision, if I miss it no problem but I need to know if its worth a punt, as its in an auction next week.

zel

Right,

In theory it should be ok.

To be absolutely safe you should find out of a document called a C.O.C (Certificate of Conformity) is in the document pack, it would be needed for the UK registration and is not retained by the DVLA.

If it's not in the document pack a quick call to the manufacturer with the VIN # and they should be able to tell you if it's ok.

As it's a LHD car I would lay money on it having this document or one available.

This document is not 100% needed, as you would have owned it for longer than six months, but it makes the registration process easier as it proves all the EU type approvals.

Also worth noting that it will probably have RHD headlights in, so budget for a LHD set too.

rugbymatt

The guy at the auction house says it has all the paperwork from France AND the Uk registration process, but not sure what that means to be honest.

Yeah the lights were something that worried me, Isuzu parts are bloody expensive, just pain £120 for a new wing mirror!

That helps, now I have to hope that no one else wants an Isuzu LWB LHD!!

Oh and work out what the paperwork will be to register it in Spain, wouldn't mind doing that before we leave, don't happen to know if that's possible in any way?

zel

You will basically need the UK V5 in your name (as evidence of the time you've owned it) and the C.O.C. Also keep the original receipt if they want more evidence of ownership. Make them put the UK reg & vin # on the receipt for you.

The build date of your vehicle is on the cusp of the C.O.C scheme starting, so if one is not available you will need a commission letter from the manufacturer.

Budget for about 50-100 quid for either the C.O.C or the commission letter.

Of course the more paperwork you have is more power to your elbow (ie original French reg docs it)

Casa Santo Estevo

Sorry we can't give specific advice on importing a RHD car form the U.K. However there are several things we would like to add to this thread.
Our car is an Austin Westminster, A U.K. built car, but LHD and imported from The Netherlands. It is, as far as we know the only one in Spain, but if you have all the correct information about the car the actual paperwork is easy to process. We have posted about this on other threads.
The Mini (classic) was actually built here in Spain for a while, along with the 1100/1300. However the project was a failure! As a side note we actually saw a 1100 today. Most Minis are now imported from Italy as they are LHD and are usually have a better specification than other European versions.
Here is a link on one of Ian’s favourite web sites.
http://www.austin-rover.co.uk/index.htm?spaindexf.htm