Becoming an Expat in Spain: Volume 3

Buying or hiring a car in Spain

Many areas of Spain are excellently covered by public transport and if you are travelling long distances then the train network is excellent and very well priced.

However, for many, a car will be considered essential, and as such, you will have 2 options.

Initially, you may wish to rent a car and I would strongly advise that you seek out local recommendations on Facebook and in online forums from folk in your area as prices vary tremendously and headline fees are on many occasions way different from that which you actually end up paying.

Don’t necessarily go with the biggest or the cheapest either as neither of these are necessarily good indicators of service levels and personal recommendations are by far the best measure of authenticity and reliability in my opinion.

Your UK driving licence can be used if you are not a resident of Spain.

If you become a resident of Spain, then firstly you will need to exchange your UK driving licence for a Spanish one and then your thoughts will potentially turn to purchasing a car.

The first thing that you will notice is the massive difference in the price of 2nd hand cars in Spain as compared to that in the UK so be prepared for a shock, they are a lot more expensive than you will be used to.

As above I would always look at recommendations from local people first, that said however, there are some bargains to be had from folk selling their cars after they have decided to give up driving for whatever reason. In this instance it may be well worthwhile, to contact a local mechanic if there is one that speaks good English if needed, to see if he would accompany you to view any potential 2nd hand car purchase that you may be considering. 

You should be aware that in Spain, you can file a claim within 6 months of purchasing a 2nd hand vehicle for any hidden defects that materialise afterwards, but you will need a report from a professional mechanic to state that in their opinion said defects existed prior to the sale.

Checking paperwork is essential and for about 8€ you can get an extended vehicle report from the Direccion General de Trafico (DGT) and this is sensible because as the new owner, any debts on the car or outstanding fines would become your responsibility when the car became yours.

You would also want to see the full car service history with associated invoices if possible, and this is called the libro de revisiones

When you buy the vehicle, you will definitely need the contract, receipt or invoice (factura) because you will need that to register the vehicle in your name.

You will also need the vehicle registration certificate, the MOT (IVA) card and proof of payment of the last tax registration and you will also require the ID/TIE cards of the buyer and the seller.

You could handle all this yourself and deal directly with the provincial office of the DGT or (as I would recommend) seek out the services of a recommended Gestoria who effectively becomes your advocate/representative in matters such as these, their fee would be well worth paying in my opinion and will teach you the process so that next time, you can do it yourself.

Happy motoring.

Paul Blackmoore