liljohn400

Hello All

We have recently moved to Spain, Valencia specifically, and brought my reasonably new car from the UK. Every way I look at it it seems to make more sense to keep the car and get the plates changed than drive it back to the UK sell it and then spend more money than I might get selling it to buy a similar car here.

I am looking for any recommendations of companies people have used that have managed the whole process, importation, changing the lights, ITV, new plates etc.

Has anyone used a company that does this that they were really happy with?

Thanks

spainrico

Never done it but I understand its quite expensive and there are time limits. And, of course, at the end of the process, you still have a RHD car and all the inconveniences.

missile

Driving is dangerous enough without adding to that risk by driving RHD car in Spain just to save a few euros. Some do, but I am not convinced that it saves a lot of cash. What do you estimate the value to buy, sell and your costs?

I suggest you check the local newspapers for company to re-register your car.

I found, I got a good deal selling my RHD car to a dealer and buying new in Spain.

Fred James

How long since you moved here as that is important if you want to avoid the registration tax. You have to start the process within 60 days of becoming resident.

I came across these people some time ago. I havent used them but the site seemed pretty good. http://www.replatematecostablanca.com/

Notdunroamin

There is also

Car Registrations Spain - Low Cost Vehicle Import from GB to Spain - Car Registrations Spain

and

http://www.spanish-number-plates.com/

Both will give you a quote for transferring.

If you've missed the window Fred mentions though better be sitting down, registration tax is based on a combination of the vehicles value (they have official tables based on second hand car values in Spain) and C02 emissions.
Add in the costs of changing the headlights (can be €1000 or more), the rear fog light, and the fees for whomever you use to do the deed, and for some cars you can be looking at a bill of several thousand Euro !

chrisjolly

To be quite honest my advice for what it is worth is to drive your reasonably new car back to the UK, sell it and fly back to Spain where you could buy one already on Spanish plates and LHD. It is far too dangerous especially in the winter months to drive a RHD. Good luck with whatever you decide.

snikpoh

... and reversing light (if only one)

Fred James

Also the latest LED headlights can be an expensive problem. They are acceptable for visits but may fail the import ITV. Replacements are very expensive

liljohn400

Hello all

Thank you everyone for your responses.

Just to let anyone who is interested know.

I ended up using, Car Registrations Spain - Low Cost Vehicle Import from GB to Spain - Car Registrations Spain

They were brilliant, really knowledgeable, helped with all aspects and not too expensive either.

I would definitely recommend them to anyone who is thinking about going through the importation process.

Thanks
John

Notdunroamin

And the cost was ?

It's a bit of a personal thing but it's too much of a blanket statement to say that RHD is inherently dangerous.

A competent and aware driver will adapt and be as safe as any other road user something I can personally relate to having, over the past dozen years, continously and seamlessly driven both RHD and LHD in Spain and France principally but also elsewhere in Europe, and entirely without incident which could be attributed to which side the steering wheel was on.

chrisjolly

Many urbanisations and even towns have dangerous access to the main dual carriageways or motorways, often with little or no slip road. This means that trying to look left over your shoulder across a passenger seat, whilst wearing your seatbelt, at traffic hurtling at more than one hundred kilometres per hour becomes more than just a challenge. You might be sat stationery trying to judge when is a good moment to enter the flow from a speed of zero while other vehicles, including speeding forty-tonne trucks, whizz by.

You also need to consider the inconvenience of car park ticket machines. You pull up snuggly next to the machine and you can see the flashing button that says “pulsar”. You can see it of course out of the passenger window. If you have someone with you it isn’t much of a problem but on your own means getting out to get the ticket.

Good luck and drive safely.

Fred James

liljohn400

Notdunroamin - the cost varies based on the tax and work that needs doing on the vehicle. Mine was about a grand including changing my fog light, aligning my headlights, the ITV import test, taxes, plates etc. A couple of other places I phoned charged more and included less. They did ask me to drive down to them, but it was definitely worth it.

In regards to the comments about RHD cars, yes the ticket barrier thing can be annoying, and I feel that the visibility thing on slip roads such as described is definitely an issue, but altogether I think if you are aware of these limitations and approach them carefully, then there they are not less safe necessarily.

Also in regards to all the comments about RHD vehicles it occurred to me that all countries that I know of, I'm sure someone can come up with an example of a country that doesn't, allow vehicles with steering wheels on the other side to legally drive in those countries. It may not be a good indicator and I'm sure many people will tell me why not, but Spain asks that my fog lights and headlights are adjusted, but is happy for my steering wheel to be on the other side. This suggests to me that National road traffic agencies think that the extra risk is minimal.

Fred James

There was a time when Spain would not allow RHD vehicles to be registered but that was over ridden by the EU. However you cannot register RHD vans and motor homes for reasons of visibility.

chrisjolly

In July and August this year 220 people died on the roads in Spain with LHD vehicles so not certain that National Road Traffic agencies worry about any risk. Be careful, especially when it rains.