I'm not sure if that's indeed correct for the general public, I know for a fact if a member of the public purchases a new vehicle (or a vehicle less than six months old and less than 6000 km) in Germany for use in the UK they have to pay the German VAT and once the UK VAT has been paid they then can reclaim the German VAT. Saying that I've heard people claiming they've bought a car net in Holland for export, but i've never had that confirmed.

I also know for a fact that unless you have a VAT qualifying company you can not purchase a vehicle within the European Union NET (ie no local tax added for export)

Hi Zel,

I have on three separate occasions purchased new cars in Holland without paying any taxes and registered them on a temporary export plates. Drove each one home registered them in Northampton paid taxes due Vat, first registration and excise and made big savings. Customs used to produce explanatory booklets on how to do this and I still have my last one from 2000. Only worth doing when the exchange rate is in your favour

Regards,

John.

PS if you trailer the car home you do not need the temporary export plates.

Like I said, I almost bought one VAT net, as a private individual and you can be sure that the first thing I asked them was whether I was eligible for prices net of VAT as a private individual and as a UK citizen and for export within the EU, specifically Spain. I spoke to them on several occasions and the only thing that stopped me going through with an order was the fact that the model I wanted would not be available until the summer. How they square their own paperwork is not of interest to me - only what affects me.

I would say Mitsubishi UK are a reputable main dealer and if they don't know what they are talking about or doing, when it comes to selling cars, then what hope do I have?

So maybe you'd like to reconsider your last statement?

It's also worth noting that list prices (net of VAT) for some types of vehicles are actually cheaper in the UK than in Spain, for the same and often better specifications.

Hey John & Kath!

Thanks for the infomation, it's always good to have something confirmed, I find it appauling that some EU countries will not allow you to purchase something net for import and some do! I hoped the EU was going to be all about a uniformed way of dealing with import/export, but alas not!

I know at least in Germany, France and Belgium they have tightened the purchasing of cars without vat for export up in the last year, normally as a company we just had to show them a headed note paper, give them your vat number and you walk away with a net sale vehicle, now you have to give much more infomation.

According to one dealer the reason why everything has been tightened up was that a lot of Italian and Spanish were buying cars using other peoples VAT numbers and not paying the vat when they sell the car!!

Learn something new everyday and thanks for the info once again!

Thanks for the info, it's good to know that our country at least makes it much easier to purchase something for export than a lot of the other original EU countries!

Hi anne c
You need a diesel because of air/con a lot cheaper to run. After reading the rest of this thread with the different views given,i would seriously give some thought to buying a BIKE.

I know this is an old thread, but I need more info please.
We have just bought a spanish registered car in the UK which we are taking to Spain end of Feb. Does any one know what (if any) the taxes will be? We have had so many different answers and are now
thanks

Have you got all the Spanish paperwork with it, if you have and it is all kosher then you should be alright.

definitely a diesel, much cheaper to run, and definitely a car with A/C or climate control, down here you will be using your a/c from about Feb to November. I've used my heater just on 4 days this winter, and those were days I was out BEFORE the sun got up. Tax is very cheap, probably between €40 and €100, MOT, over here ITV, starts when the car is 4 years old, and each ITV runs for 2 years,

Just make sure that there have been no alterations from the vehicles original spec, if there have, you will have to have them changed back.

would you be able to give me an idea of all the paperwork I should have got, just to make sure, the garage said it had FSH, but we only got copies of receipts, is this normal? We are still in touch with garage so can easily go back to them.
Thanks

Except if the car is 10 years old when it is annually.

You should have the original Spanish Log book, if not it will have to be re registered in full so the cost is likely to be the same as re registering a UK plated car. I asssume that by saying it is a Spanish registered car it still ahs the Spanish plates on it

As mike says you should have the log book etc and the change of ownership paperwork. If this has been done kosher then its ok but debts stay with the car until paid.
Some guy who lived near us bought a Spanish reg car in UK, brought it to Spain and used it for a while, moved back to England and sold the car and found out there was a debt of 3000€ on it that he had to pay to clear the paperwork.

So, How can you find out if a car has any debt`s on it when you but it ?