Horlics

I've lived outside of the UK full-time for many years. As an example, in one place I've lived:

Residence involves a medical every 3 years, including HIV tests. And the paperwork takes 4 weeks to get done.

Driving license involves a visit in person to a customer support office (typical wait > 1 hour)

Car registration involves a visit in person and an inspection of the car (typical wait > 2 hours)

Compulsory ID card involves a visit in person (typical wait about an hour)

Speeding fines have to be paid in person (typical wait about an hour)

Poor construction standards means constant visits by workmen to fix things

Need I go on. Here is the news, Spain is not that bad.

Ex expats who found Spain frustrating should stay in Blighty.

la mancha

Slightly off topic, but running a business?

Porth

Dear Horlics I lived in France for more years than I care to remember. Seriously it is plain simple sailing compared to our time in Spain. Add to that manana pour la manana and it becomes at times so frustrating. At least in France one knows the system and it works. It is made up in Spain as it goes along.

Still we are subjecting ourselves to the last hurrah and will go back God willing in two years to France. Just because we can.

However we have had great fun and times in Spain but equally in France.

Mitzyboy

Yes ... you probably do need to go on ........

Forgive me for saying this, but thats a particularly ridiculous comment to make

Most of the things you mention above can be far more difficult and time consuming in Spain

Getting your residencia for instance .... One hour for your ID card in wherever it was you lived. Thats wonderful. It took me weeks! In some areas you have to stand in a line one day at at least 7 am to try to make an appointment for another day to lodge your application. Theres no guarantee that you'll get that appointment, as they only hand out so many a day, so you have to get there very very early and hope everyone else has as well. Otherwise you go back the next day for the same thing.

Of course Spanish contruction is excellent so no one has to worry about workmen turning up. Some have to worry about the demolition men turning up, as Spain changes their building rules retrospectively. Oh, and dont forget to get a licence from the town hall to paint your house or tile your bathroom.

Remember to keep your padron up to date as well, otherwise the official authorities wont accept it. That was every 3 months in our area.

Here's the news: We all have to have a balanced view of things and not be in denial

Things can be very frustrating in the UK as well ..... but that doesnt mean we should all move elsewhere

Maybe1day

I have bought 2 cars in Spain and sold 2. Both cars (in the last 2 years) I bought were through dealers, both times I have had to provide Passport, Original NIE and Certificate of Impadronamiento less than 3 months old. This was once in Malaga and once in Seville provinces. One car (Italian) I sold which I might add I paid 2800 euros to register here was sold privately, the cost for the transfer was 940 Euros which was borne by the buyer. The other car was given in P/E.
As for prices, it is well known that UK car prices are OTT. I watch Italian and Spanish TV and compare the prices of the cars, the 'From' prices are generally 2 to 3K Euros higher in Spain for cars under about 15K. Recently I saw that the Evoque was about 5K less in the UK than Spàin. The transfer costs here depend on the Gov quoted values for vehicles and engine size plus the agency fees. In Italy costs vary between 350Euros and 800Euros. In Germany there are various things to do but generally you will lose a morning at the local motorisation office and pay some monies to them for the new plates and taxes.
I don't believe anywhere compares to the UK with the cost of an envelope and a stamp.
Here, everywhere is different for everything,province to province, town hall to town hall. I get a hefty allowance on IBI and refuse/water (c.50%) while friends in the next town get 10% in the same situation.

amideislas

Anyone who's ever lived in Spain knows very well that the bureaucracy stereotype is just made-up nonsense. Model of efficiency it is.

Porth

Getting a car into the French system is a one off 146 euros or thereabouts. Vehicle tax the disc call it what you will happens just once!

Horlics

Well that does show a big difference between the two, you had to provide much more in the way of documentation than me. I suppose a non resident could always buy in the region next door and then use the car where they live. Pain in the arse though.

amideislas

Actually, you can do exactly that - plenty of cars registered in Barcelona or Madrid end up elsewhere, for example. Nothing unusual or illegal about that.

But the process is more or less the same everywhere - and equally bureaucratic, so I'm not sure what the point of it would be.

Horlics

Yep but check my earlier post. I bought a car with just an NIE, nothing else was required. In the Valencia region.

Mitzyboy

Ive done it various ways :-)

Bought my UK car to Spain and it cost nearly €1000 to re register & ITV it. Took around two weeks with the inspection and a lot of paperwork.

Took the same car back to the UK and it cost nothing to re register apart from the plates and new road tax, one visit to the local DVLA and it was done simply. To de register that same car in Spain to get the required documents took two visits to Trafico and (iirc) about €25. Second visit was because I hadn't provided a urine sample and blood group details. (it was actually ..... you guessed it ..... I hadnt realised I needed to provide my opadron to them to de register!)

Bought a spanish registered car in Calpe and the cost was €150 to re register the car (charged by the garage) to my name and it couldnt be registered in our name until we provided up to date padron, NIE & copy passports. If I didn't provide the padron, then the car couldn't be registered in my name. No choice. Had to do it.

amideislas

I'll agree that the difference between most countries is mainly some amount of bureaucracy & paperwork (it's not as though any of those mentioned here impose the absolute impossible) ...and of course varying degrees of payments to various agencies for their "cut" of the transaction.

But for you, it's apparently it's like this: "Here's my NIE number and some cash", and that's it? Car is yours - just drive away - nothing else?

Are you a politician, police chief, or council member or something? I mean, how is it that you seem to be the only person in Spain who can do that?

Well, lucky you. For the rest of us, you can expect some degree of bureaucracy and of course, nothing is "free".

Horlics

I know you think I make this up but honestly, I don't. I have no idea whether there is a difference in new vs old cars, and I have no idea why the other poster also registering a car in the Valencia region (Calpe) had to provide more.

All I can tell you is that I bought a new car from the Ford dealer in Javea. I gave them money, my NIE, and proof of address, that's all. I couldn't give them my padron because I don't have one.

Mitzyboy

Thats fair enough, we shouldnt knock it if you got away light :-). Like you, I can't see any reason for the difference but hwey ... thats Spain :-)

Just out of interest .... if you own a place did you ever consider getting a padron to help the town hall out?

Maybe1day

When I was sorting out out the car in Seville, (while living in Malaga) The copy of the padron was about 6 months old, but I had a new certificate from the town hall stating that I was the owner of my house with relevant details and that there were no debts on the property.
The Seville DGT still insisted on a valid padron certificate.
Another oddity when I got my Spanish licence was that I no longer needed glasses and I can even drive a big Harley now................ Whoopee !

I guess it depends on who is doing the stuff. Many years ago I took some quite costly equipment from the UK by car to Italy via France. I paid several hundred Francs customs duties on entering France. When I arrived at Ventimiglia theFfrench customs guy gave me the money back in 1 Franc pieces saying take it or leave it. After this I went to the Italian customs guys and they told me to get lost and have a nice trip.