Keeping a car in spain - Page 4

Hi it is a fairly costly process but in the long term it all balances out. Second hand cars in Spain  tend to be  more expensive than UK, and often have higher mileage. The only issue with ours is it’s a right hand drive, but we feel comfortable with that as we are two people. 

PedroB...sorry just misunderstood what you said.

From my experience - I've driven a RHD car in Spain for the past 4 years without any issue (well apart from someone driving into the back of my car). I used Spanish Number Plates, excellent service. Not sure that it is worth bringing over and registering a UK car now in Spain, you can get a quote from Leigh at SNP and compare against a local purchase.

 Insurance is higher than the UK but as mentioned in a previous post it covers the car rather than the driver so you can let others over 25  drive your car, if you want. All insurers seem to have a breakdown service which will collect you if the car breaks down and take it either to your home or a garage. In my experience they do not do roadside repairs as would say the AA, RAC etc.

 Road tax was £30 in the UK 50euro in Spain (Seat Altea 1.6 diesel), so similar. ITV road test every two years for cars between 4 and 10 years old, then every year from year 11 onwards. 

 You can park a UK registered car with the various airport parking companies but they will require it is insured in Spain to do airport pickup/drop offs. If not insured in Spain they will pick you up at the airport and take you to their parking site. You can insure a UK plated car in Spain, I did mine through Abbeygate, there are others. I have used Planeparking for the past 5 years without any issues.

Aitch.

Hi Aitch

I drove my cherished RHD Merc down when I moved over in 2016. Like you I don't have any issues with RH driving here. You have to be a little cautious at some right hand turns, and if overtaking (which I rarely do, what's the point!!)

I'm curious about what you say about airport parking companies happy to park RHD vehicles. Think someone else also mentioned that. I'm guessing 'they would say that' as it's not their responsibility to ensure the car has an MOT. If a non resident was stopped or in an accident and asked to provide the paperwork the driver couldn't provide proof of a valid MOT and would presumably be sanctioned according to the prevailing fines, tow away etc etc? But in this case the Parking company would also be driving a non compliant car, probably a risk they're happy to take given the short distances involved.

Maybe I've missed something.

Cheers, Steve

Hi Steve,

       good point on the MOT, and for that matter the road tax now that we do not get a disc to display.

 I brought the car I have kept here over in 2017 with the intention of keeping i here but did not put onto UK plates until 2018. When I rang Planeparking to enquire about parking options they told me about their rules regarding insurance but I do not recall them asking about the MOT. I put the car onto Spanish insurance and happily parked it with PP.  All transactions were done online as is the norm now, no-one asked me for any docs.

  The car was MOT'd and taxed until the end of October 2018, I would think Abbeygate could easily check this and possibly  the parking companies - https://www.gov.uk/check-mot-status

Rgds,

Aitch.

Cheers. My post wasn't aimed at your circumstances. 

I was really questioning the proposal about bringing a UK reg vehicle to Spain, keeping it at airport parking on UK plates, using it for holiday visits and doing this as a long term strategy. 

Steve

Sorry, misunderstood. Keeping a UK car is Spain for up to 12 months would have been a possible strategy. driving or taking a ferry back once a year to get a MOT and flying back between times. I did look at the economics of doing that but decided on balance it was easier to just keep a car here, though not sure it was cheaper than hiring. 

Now, as it is only possible to keep a UK car in Spain for 6 months, it is simply working out the annual cost of hiring versus the costs on having your own car over here. 

Aitch.