NickReve

Hi all
I'm considering to buy a second hand car in Spain not older than let's say 12 years. I need some advices. How much it costs to register, insurance, etc. Which insurance companies are good and reliable and how much would it cost? I appreciate all the help I can get. Thank you in advance though.

mikelincs

The registration should be done by the dealer, and I would suggest using a dealer with a showroom etc. Buying one from the papers, or one you see advertised on the roadside isn't a great idea. If you should buy one where the previous owner has failed to pay car tax, or has unpaid fines etc, then once you have bought it those pass on to you as the owner of the vehicle, and you woud be liable and have to pay them. A dealer would have checked all that for you.
I bought two cars while there, one a second hand one and the other new, both from dealers. As to costs, well it does depend on size of car, age etc. In surance will depend on whether you are getting fully comp or not and whether you have a NCB from the UK that the insurers will accept.

missile

Get an insurance quote on line. As in the UK cost will depend on your age, experience, driving record and the vehicle you intend to insure. A Ferrari F40 will be more than a Fiat 500.

jimenato

I bought and sold many cars while in Spain both privately and through dealers.

Although buying from a dealer should protect you legally, you should also be OK if you buy privately if you transfer the car via a gestor de automoviles - a kind of paralegal who does the paperwork for a fee.

There is a Gestoria in all towns and most villages.

They will check that there are no outstanding fines/tax etc on the car. The fee (not sure how much it is) is payable by the purchaser but you can sometimes come to an arrangement to halve it with the seller.

BTW where I was (Andalucia) second hand cars are expensive compared to the UK and it's difficult to find good ones at a good price.

NickReve

Thank you all for your replies! Some more questions: how much is the ITV? Any suggestions with the insurance companies? BTW registration fee, I didn't get any replies on that. Cheers!

mikelincs

Becuase I bought from dealers, then they did all the registration as part of the purchase price.

jimenato

This suggests that the transfer tax is 4% of the value of the vehicle. I believe that the value is taken from a table - not what you pay for the car.

I insured though IBEX and Abbeygate. I think insurance costs are generally slightly higher than in the UK.

Here are the ITV prices for Andalucia - I guess they might vary by Autonomous Community.

NickReve

Thank you all for the replies. These are very helpful.

Regarding the unpaid fine and ITV etc, what you guys mean that if I buy from a dealer with a showroom so everything is going to be fine? Because dealers can trick you as well I have heard.

mikelincs

a reputable one won't.

Maybe1day

The vehicle debt/fines check costs 25 -30 Euros from most Gestors.
As for Gurantees from dealers, I bought an 8 yr old Beamer they put the guarantee out with an
external insurance co. Read the small print carefully, it appears that the vehicle must be dealer maintained and (as in my case) if over 8 years old or more the policy is limited to a max of 3000 Euros. A BMW transfer box change Works out at 4500 Euros and a turbo something of the same order. I can't wait to get shot of it, I'm always listening to any noises it makes. It is compounded by the fact that I have always had petrol cars and this is a diésel, It is a nightmare when you used to be worried about pinking and piston slap etc.

SportyPorty

Hi Nick. I went through the process a fortnight ago. Like you, I had reservations about the tax etc.. I eventually bought from a dealer (Garage 44 , Mallorca) who took care of everything except insurance. I arranged this through www.abbeygatesecure.com who are an English company specialising in Spanish motor insurance needs. I sorted out all of the details before leaving the UK (my driving licence, insurance history NCD etc..) then gave them a quick call when I found the right car. I paid over the phone with my CC, and had the documents returned within the hour via e-mail. I paid €350 for fully comp, any driver, breakdown cover* for a 10yr old Toyota Corolla Verso, my age 48, full NCD which they recognised. So not overly cheap, but I'm happy to pay for the convenience. Remember that in Spain, you need to keep all of the documents in the vehicle and your licence with you.

Hope that helps..

*Breakdown cover on my policy is not like the UK, you arrange the recovery yourself, then claim the costs back.

mikelincs

With many of the Spanish insurance companies breakdon cover is automatically covered in your insurance, and to aactivate it you just ring the insurance cover and they gat someone out to you, it gets sorted, and you don't have to pay anything, handy if you are out with other people, and in their car, and they manage to lock the keys inside, happened to us and the people were out withing 30 mins and we were back in the car. Best place for this to happen is in the car park of a hotel, then you can get a drink while waiting.

NickReve

How about Spanish Insurance companies, which one you recommend?

missile

Linea Directa. https://www.lineadirecta.com/LDAWeb/home/HomeLDA.faces
Their policies includes free breakdown. I believe this is a requirement for all Spanish insurance policies.

Fred James

Linea Directa also have a superb record on paying out claims.