Towing a car using an A-frame from uk to san miguel

Illegal in Spain …!!!

Towing with an A frame has long been a grey area and a rich source of speculation and controversy.

In Spain and France for sure, and likely other countries in the EU (UK excepted), the core problem is that it's forbidden to tow other vehicle  but of course when you use an A frame that's exactly what you are doing.

Do people use them yes, and in large they seem to get away with it but that's far from it being legal so if you choose to use one then do so in the understanding that will be breaking the law.

No doubt: towing a vehicle is illegal in Spain, but towing a trailer (regardless of it's load) is not. Max. speed on all roads and motorways 80 km.

I would suggest that you have a look at the N332 site for anything to do with driving in Spain.   It is run in collaboration with officers of the Guardia Civil for English speaking people and has an English version of the Spanish equivalent of the Highway Code.

Most people have there vehicles shipped from uk to Spain door to door the cost is £650 I have used this service twice if you want a contact let me know.

You could always drive both down at the same time.

Thankyou for your reply,  we have decided to just bring the van and by a car in spain 

Hi, This is a topic that has been speculated on for a long timed is still being so. I am not sure if the people responding have actually done it ? I have for a few years so speak from actual experience. 

It is illegal to do this with a registered Spanish car, as the only people that can are a Grua (breakdown vehicle) However it is legal in the UK so provided you have relevant explanatory paperwork and the 'A' frame is independently braked (some of the old ones are not) it is not legal here but tolerated as it is legal the UK. We have been stopped twice by the police, once near Haro, and once near Valencia, both times the officers checked the system, paperwork and all of our documents and referred to 'Traffico' and both times came back with the explanation that it is not legal to fit and use in Spain but because it is legal in the UK we can continue without penalty. We have two other friends who have used their 'A' frame over the past 3 years with similar results. No problems. However -: 

Like everything in Spain this could change without notice and also be interpreted differently by different areas and officers. As it is illegal to fit and use in Spain on a Spanish registered vehicle it will always be a potential problem and is down to each individual to use or not. I hope this helps.

A car in spain will cost twice what it does in the UK..we also had that idea with our motorhome but found out really quickly how extortionate car prices where for what we would call an average £600 runaround in the UK..

I came across to Santander about 7 years ago with my motorhome and I was towing a Kia Picanto on an a frame, I got on the motorway and was stopped by the Guardia civil, who promptly ordered me to follow them to a little village where there was a cash machine and fined me 500€.

When I asked them how I was going to get to Alicante, they said they were giving me permission to drive there with the A frame, which of course is total bollocks and illegal to fine me then give me permission to commit an offence, however nearly 500 miles still to drive they’ve got you, they escorted me to the motorway and off I went, thinking how much is this going to cost, luckily I got to Alicante with no more fines.

On my way back I came through Andorra, a friend of mine drove my car there I paid for his flight back.

So if I was you I would pass unless you have two drivers.

Obviously I  have since found out it’s illegal to tow any vehicle unless it’s a caravan or on a trailor