Owning a uk car in Spain

That could open up a real can of worms. I'm assuming that your insurance are happy with your residency situation and that you still have your UK licence.

Strictly speaking the car should be registered in the country where the owner is resident. However, if the car is street legal in the UK then it can be driven in Europe. The problem may arise if you are stopped and asked to produce your passport as proof of identity. The traffic police may also require proof that you're a tourist, not resident, and the quickest way is to check the stamps on your passport. You could avoid showing your TIE card at the Schengen border and insist that your UK passport is stamped as a possible way to circumvent the problem, you might get away with it.

Do remember to carry all the stuff required when driving in Europe, original V5, 2 emergency flags, green card, UK sticker etc.....

EDIT......Is there any reason why you would own a UK car while resident in Spain? Surely it would make more sense to own a Spanish registered car and occasionally drive to the UK

If you are Spanish resident then you cannot drive a UK regged car, you also of course need to hold a Spanish licence or at least be registered with DGT for an exchange or be in your first 6 months of residency.

I'm reading that the car basically lives in UK and extrapolate from that that it's on UK insurance which, as a non UK resident, you are not entitled to hold.

I dont think hoping to "get away with it" is an advisable strategy!

I drove a couple of years with foreign license plates in Span but would not recommend this. Police can now check online your condition, and if you are a registered resident, your vehicle will most probably put under custody pending legalization. If you can obtain a COC from the manufacturer, getting Spanish plates is quite easy. If not, it might not be worthwhile due to heavy costs.

How can you be a Spanish resident if you only visit a couple of times a year? As you have gained a TIE you are only allowed a maximum of 12 months outside of Spain in the first 5 years and a maximum of 182 or 3 (?) days in any one year otherwise you will lose your residency.
Sorry if I have misunderstood.

Of course you can drive a UK registered car with a Spanish licence. How do you think Spanish drivers hire cars in the UK? 

It's similar to UK residents buying Spanish cars for use when they holiday in Spain.

I did wonder about this but assumed the O/P spent most of his time in Spain and kept a car in the UK at his holiday home.

I agree, better to matriculate the car onto Spanish plates if it is being driven in Spain by a Spanish resident. 

The lack of COC will add approx' 150 euros to the bill as it will need to be examined by an engineer.

A Spanish resident can drive a UK reg car in the UK but not in Spain. A UK resident can drive a Spanish reg car in Spain but not in the UK. This is my understanding so I am happy for someone to provide a link to show me where I am going wrong.

Yes, that's the way I see it.