Managed UK to Spain Car Registration
 

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

Re: Managed UK to Spain Car Registration
 

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.

Re: Managed UK to Spain Car Registration
 

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.

Re: Managed UK to Spain Car Registration
 

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/

Re: Managed UK to Spain Car Registration
 

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 !

Re: Managed UK to Spain Car Registration
 

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.

Re: Managed UK to Spain Car Registration
 

... and reversing light (if only one)

Re: Managed UK to Spain Car Registration
 

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

Re: Managed UK to Spain Car Registration
 

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

Re: Managed UK to Spain Car Registration
 

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.

Re: Managed UK to Spain Car Registration
 

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.

Re: Managed UK to Spain Car Registration
 

Re: Managed UK to Spain Car Registration
 

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.

Re: Managed UK to Spain Car Registration
 

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.

Re: Managed UK to Spain Car Registration
 

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.

Re: Managed UK to Spain Car Registration
 

Hola
You say your headlights were "adjusted". Unless you have four headlights (two dedicated dipped and two dedicated full beam) I am surprised as I know from experience that normally you are forced to change the headlights as they dip the wrong way and the light pattern on the road is wrong. My experience is around 400 cars rematriculated in the Cádiz area around the property boom time.

Davexf

Re: Managed UK to Spain Car Registration
 

Re: Managed UK to Spain Car Registration
 

Hola
I have met many people who have said similar; they all failed the ITV rematriculation test. The gizmo you talk about is for holiday visit use only instead of putting those black sticky tape pieces on your headlights as a courtesy to other cars.

When re-matriculating you are stating that you will use the car permanently in the new country which is why they force the change of headlight. Our average car cost between 200€ and 500€ for a pattern part as opposed to manufacturers.

I restate; look at the pattern of the light on the road ahead and you will normally see a "loop" up which lights the pavement ahead further than the white line in the middle of the road.
Davexf

Re: Managed UK to Spain Car Registration
 

I drive a 2018 Transit Connect van and it can be changed over within the lamp unit. There is no pattern on the lens, its all done on the reflector unit attached to the bulb. (so this should be a feature on most 2018 onwards Ford cars)

The quoted text comes from my local garage, i was talking to them the other day as I'm driving to France on a job early next year

Most UK cars with projector headlights can be switched from right hand drive, over to left hand drive.
Some vehicles might not need adjusting at all. Some OEM (Factory Fitted) Xenon headlights are completely flat and will not cause any hazard to oncoming traffic no matter what country you are in.
You would have to check your vehicle hand book to confirm this or contact your dealership directly.

Re: Managed UK to Spain Car Registration
 

Dxf - sorry fella, the 2002 Jaguar that I did has the same switch on the dashboard, rhd/lhd - the lenses are clear, its all done inside where the reflector is.

saves a packet on the total cost if you are lucky enough to have the doodah.

only 1000€ all in, including their fee? thats very cheap! the Jaguar was nearly that, and that was 15 years old at the time. Perhaps the process has changed since I last did it.