Buying a car privately

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. 

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

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

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.

Thank you for the very useful information.