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Buying a car privately

Posted: Sun Feb 7, 2021 8:25pm
7 replies123 views2 members subscribed
RPWhitelock

Posts: 34

1 helpful points

Location: Relleu

Joined: 5 Oct 2017

Hi - any guidance from anyone who has been through the process of buying a car from a private seller would be appreciated.  Is it something I can sort or would it be easier to use a gestor?  If the latter any recommendations and likely charge?  Thanks

Dazz

Posted: Mon Feb 8, 2021 1:19am

Dazz

Helpful member

Posts: 590

320 helpful points

Joined: 10 Sep 2018

Posted: Mon Feb 8, 2021 1:19am

I've bought and sold a few cars/motorbikes here and using a Gestoria is definitely the easiest way, most of the Spanish people I know use a gestoria as it saves a lot of messing around, they just factor it into the price of the car. 

Sorry I can't recommend a gestoria in your area, a google search will bring the best results. 

The charges vary from between different car makes/models, engine size etc, it's a "how long is a piece of string" question, I've paid between €200 & €500 for transfers. 

Kelvin1960

Posted: Mon Feb 8, 2021 1:33am

Kelvin1960

Super helpful member

Posts: 1486

1769 helpful points

Joined: 5 Mar 2017

Posted: Mon Feb 8, 2021 1:33am

A good gestor will provide you with a sale and purchase contract in Spanish & English. You and your private seller complete it and sign it.

The contract holds the seller responsible for any undiscovered debt on the car (from prior to the date of contract) .... outstanding finance, parking fines, etc. Any debts stay with the car, so a signed contract gives you a chance of legal remedy if anything big comes up.

You need a gestor to process the "change of ownership". This incurs a tax, and the gestor needs to get paid as well.

The change of ownership documentation can take a few weeks to arrive by post (possibly longer given the current Covid problems), so you will need a "justification" document to show to any interested police officer - to explain why you are driving a car that (according to his computer) belongs to someone else.

RPWhitelock

Posted: Sun Feb 21, 2021 9:08pm

RPWhitelock

Original Poster

Posts: 34

1 helpful points

Location: Relleu

Joined: 5 Oct 2017

Posted: Sun Feb 21, 2021 9:08pm

Dazz wrote on Mon Feb 8, 2021 1:19am:

I've bought and sold a few cars/motorbikes here and using a Gestoria is definitely the easiest way, most of the Spanish people I know use a gestoria as it saves a lot of messing around, they just factor it into the price of the car. 

Sorry I can't recommend a gestoria in your area, a google search will bring the best results. ...

...

The charges vary from between different car makes/models, engine size etc, it's a "how long is a piece of string" question, I've paid between €200 & €500 for transfers. 

Hi - I have seen a car - private sale but the seller says the car is in his name but he didn't do the transfer yet as he decided to sell the car and the last owner is a good friend of his.  Would a gestor check this is legitimate?

Thanks

Rob

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RPWhitelock

Posted: Sun Feb 21, 2021 9:08pm

RPWhitelock

Original Poster

Posts: 34

1 helpful points

Location: Relleu

Joined: 5 Oct 2017

Posted: Sun Feb 21, 2021 9:08pm

Kelvin1960 wrote on Mon Feb 8, 2021 1:33am:

A good gestor will provide you with a sale and purchase contract in Spanish & English. You and your private seller complete it and sign it.

The contract holds the seller responsible for any undiscovered debt on the car (from prior to the date of contract) .... outstanding finance, parking fines, etc. Any debts stay with the car, so a signed contract gives you a chance of legal remedy if anything big comes up....

...

You need a gestor to process the "change of ownership". This incurs a tax, and the gestor needs to get paid as well.

The change of ownership documentation can take a few weeks to arrive by post (possibly longer given the current Covid problems), so you will need a "justification" document to show to any interested police officer - to explain why you are driving a car that (according to his computer) belongs to someone else.

Hi - I have seen a car - private sale but the seller says the car is in his name but he didn't do the transfer yet as he decided to sell the car and the last owner is a good friend of his.  Would a gestor check this is legitimate?

Thanks

Rob


Dazz

Posted: Sun Feb 21, 2021 10:12pm

Dazz

Helpful member

Posts: 590

320 helpful points

Joined: 10 Sep 2018

Posted: Sun Feb 21, 2021 10:12pm

I don't understand that to be honest, it can't be in his name if he hasn't transferred it yet. It's quite common for friends/family to sell cars to each other and not do the transfer, it saves the transfer fee and as it's the car that's insured here, not the owner, the insurance is still in force and the buyer doesn't have to insure the car.

Ask if the registered owner can accompany you to the gestoria, they will need his documents anyway.

Kelvin1960

Posted: Sun Feb 21, 2021 10:36pm

Kelvin1960

Super helpful member

Posts: 1486

1769 helpful points

Joined: 5 Mar 2017

Posted: Sun Feb 21, 2021 10:36pm

Dazz wrote on Sun Feb 21, 2021 10:12pm:

I don't understand that to be honest, it can't be in his name if he hasn't transferred it yet. It's quite common for friends/family to sell cars to each other and not do the transfer, it saves the transfer fee and as it's the car that's insured here, not the owner, the insurance is still in force...

... and the buyer doesn't have to insure the car.

Ask if the registered owner can accompany you to the gestoria, they will need his documents anyway.

Good point.

You need copies of the registered owners ID, as well as the car's documentation 

- the regsitration document (the Permiso de Circulacion, which will be re-issued in your name)

- the matriculado/inspecciomes tecnicas record

I bought a car (via an intermediary) from a German lady. I had copies of her passport, Residencia and padron, and a contract of sale signed by her, to which my name was added as the buyer.

RPWhitelock

Posted: Mon Feb 22, 2021 8:55pm

RPWhitelock

Original Poster

Posts: 34

1 helpful points

Location: Relleu

Joined: 5 Oct 2017

Posted: Mon Feb 22, 2021 8:55pm

Kelvin1960 wrote on Sun Feb 21, 2021 10:36pm:

Good point.

You need copies of the registered owners ID, as well as the car's documentation 

- the regsitration document (the Permiso de Circulacion, which will be re-issued in your name)

- the matriculado/inspecciomes tecnicas record

I bought a car (via an intermediary) from a German lady. I had copies of her passport, Residencia and padron, and a contract of sale signed by her, to which my name was added as the buyer.

Thank you for the very useful information.

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