evamar

okay... just checking all possibilities...

Do you know of any second hand car dealer that buys/sells cars to ex pats and returnees? Thinking about buying a LHD and use our RHD part-exchange.

HBG

Such exchanges are done regularly, but the value of RHD British registered cars in Spain drops dramatically even though the demands for them remains high.

The biggest British car dealer in the Alicante province advertises over several pages of the Costa Blanca News on a weekly basis, and has premises in the major towns between Denia and Torrevieja.

Please don't take this as a personal recommendation from me, I couldn't do that, but it will give you some idea of the prices you can expect.

anonimouse

Plenty malaga way on the coast look up Sur in English online, plenty advertising in there.

Rosemary

Much lower numbers of Brits in the Valencia area so not sure whether there are dealers who buy RHD cars in part exchange. Whitelinen or Paintermujer may know.

Rosemary

missile

I bought a LHD from a dealer in the UK. There are several who specialise in this market and most will take your RHD as part exchange.

I was very pleased, but hesitate to make a recommendation for that dealer on the basis of only one purchase. Google is your friend.

whitelinen

Sorry cant help as only buy new cars however FWIW I would sell a RHD in the UK and buy LHD car there also from a recognised LHD dealer but make sure all paperwork is correct or could end up with backlog of fines if Spanish reg.

However, much depends on budget, if low keep the RHD and change plates.

evamar

Thanks for all your replies. We need to bring a car to Spain in order to bring our cats, otherwise we would simply sell our car before coming and buy another one in Spain. The fact that we need to bring a car complicates everything, but no way I'm leaving my cats behind.

Not sure about keeping our RHD car if we are to live in Spain though, I think we'd rather sell it and get a LHD.

I will have a look for LHD cars in the UK, but I understand that we should own it for a year before moving in order to avoid tax? Or is it 6 months?

My idea was to sell our UK registered RHD car in Spain to a dealer before we have to register it and buy a LHD car Spanish registered from him. He doesn't have to be in Valencia as we would go with our old car and come back with the new one, obviously contacting him beforehand to check availability and price for our car.

Basically we want to avoid taxes and red tape as much as possible.

missile

You can trade your UK reg RHD car for UK reg LHD car before you leave. You would then re register to spannish plates. That would be cheaper than buying in spain.

You could sell your UK reg car. Hire a car / van hire to transport your pets. Buy a car in Spain.

Most dealers in spain would take your UK reg as part exchange.

When I looked at it I thought it was not worth the hassle exporting tax free from UK. I was also concerned about potential warranty issues. If you want to check it out, there is a lot of info on the web.

I found simplest option was to bring over my UK car. Bought a new spanish car and sold UK reg car to a dealer. Very easy

gardner8

http://www.autosdirect.es/

I know they do this because the car I bought from them was taken from a couple returning to the UK in exchange for a RHD.

missile

Where about in spain? I am sure one of us will know a good local dealer.

pwwm

We got rid of our RHD before moving over and bought LHD from dealer in UK, we then changed to Spanish plates on arrival, was easy peasy and di it myself, without Spanish, phew did have to do homework and the Gestoria that finished the job printed out how to do for me.

stuart from barnsley

Spain have cats as well!!!

jdr

Even cars.

Jondad

Anyone ever thought that as so many reportedly heading back to UK permanently a straight swap could be beneficial for both parties. Car left on each side of ferry route. One member from each group gives decision on exchange therebye cutting out the dealer who are taking there share of trade.

Jondad

Joddle

Wonderfull idea - why not set up a thread for this?