Grateful for any help on Spanish car purchase in UK-Urgent

[Devils Advocate]

Would be very, very grateful if someone could give me a definitive answer to this guys.

Just been offered a car through the trade. I have said I'm willing to underwrite it for the dealer assuming everything is as described.
I have no problem with the car itself it's just the usual legal stuff and what I should be asking for.

The details are it's a vehicle bought in Spain by UK couple who have moved back to UK and are p/xing it against a RHD, it's on Spanish plates obviously.
The car is under 2 years old so I'm not worrying about ITV and the usual things, vendor says local tax is paid for the next year.
However, what paperwork do I need for a successful transfer to my name when I take it over?
Is there a log-book that does this job and is that all I need. I have the green Technical thingy of my car already over there,is this all I'd need on new one to be safe?
Also how do you HPI this vehicle and if there was finance owing on it I assume I'd get nabbed when I took car over?.

Think I've covered most things but please tell me warts all if you can think of anything else I'm missing.
Finally, would I be covered for new vehicle on my existing Spanish policy for current Spanish car or would it be simple enough to swap the policy into new cars reg paying any differences, and what is involved in putting my name on logbook if deal comes off?

Have to say Yay or Nay on this one shortly so all replies welcomed.

Many thanks,
DA

[Bongtrees]

DA I think that this problem has been mentioned before either here or on another forum and I think that the situation will be very difficult as the vehicle is registered in Spain with them as the legal owner and they have to be party to the changeover/sale.

The cost of changing owners on a 2 year old car are quite high in Spain.

Never forget that they could have done a flit owing money for taxes for instance and the car gets embargoed before their house, or they could have bought it on finance, the permutations are endless.

I am also not sure but I think that it is the car that is insured not the person in Spain so you would have to inform your Spanish insurers.

[Devils Advocate]

Thanks for quick reply Bongtrees. I'm a bit concerned that other debts could jeopardise my legal ownership of vehicle though.....if I've understood you correctly.
With the fact of the couple being in England now there's no way I'd ever get them to a gestors office over there.............with the food for thought that you've given me (and I don't doubt any of it as I just don't know myself) it's looking like it's nigh on impossible to buy a Spanish plated car in the UK

Surely there's a way around this.
Any other comments more than welcomed as I've got to dive in here one way or another

Many thanks for that though, appreciated.
DA

[Devils Advocate]

Just to add bongtrees, I thought it was the car that's insured too as it is here in the UK.
DA

[gerryh]

If I was in this situation I would take a copy of the Tarjeta Inpección Técnica de Vehículus, the green thingy, and a copy of the Permiso de Circulación, the other green thingy, to a gestor who specialises in car transfers.
Get them to give an quote for the car transfer and get them to check that there isn't any embargos or outstanding fines, fees etc on the vehicle. You will have to pay for this to be done.
If all clear, and the price is right, then buy the car.
In Spain it is the car that is insured not the driver. So you either need 2 insurances or swop the one from your existing car to your new car.

Cheers
Gerry

[Jennifer]

Hi DA,
Following on from gerryh's post you will need the vendors NIE number .
It would be good to use a Gestor that knows you as well ,so that things can be "fixed" without the vendor being present.

J

[malagaman2005]

AFAIK the vendor doesn't have to be present at the transfer, if done through a gestor all you will need is a copy of registered keepers NIE and passport.

[gerryh]

The vendor, that is the present owner as shown on the Permiso de Circulación, doesn't need to be present.
You will need his NIE number, a photocopy of his resendencia is OK.

Cheers
Gerry

[Bongtrees]

I am sure that Sid, Beach or Hilly posted a link to a table of charges.

Might be worth looking on my threads as think I started it as was considering selling one of our cars and the total of all fees and gestors charges was nearly a grand.

[Devils Advocate]

Many thanks to all who've replied. The NIE number and the other info. on the cars paperwork is invaluable.
I shall now pursue this deal and if I can get the details on all of the above shall send them to my gestor to make sure all is ok.
I will indeed swap the insurance from current car to this one.........I take it I'd still be allowed then to drive it across legally.

I think the info. you've provided me will be enough to do my checks now with a bit of luck........if vendor objects he can keep it.

Thank you one more,
DA

[Devils Advocate]

Just to clarify a point please if poss., assuming I find out all the relevent details I need today to do a hassle free purchase.

A figure of 1000 euros was mentioned earlier on thread to swap ownership of vehicle ......how does that work out?
I've brought 3 UK cars over and matriculated them so far and the full change over including taxes and associated fees has only been that much on each one, admitedly those cars were all 5 years old at the time and this vehicle is just under 2 years old but none the less I can't fathom how a figure of 1000 can be suggested to swap an already proper Spanish car into another name.
If anyone has genuinely done this I'd love to know the facts and how these costs arise as it seems way over the top and maybe a reason the Spanish do keep their cars forever.

Thanks for everything so far.

DA

[El Cid]

Transfer tax on a car sale is 4% of current value.

For a car just under two years old the value would be 84% of the original cost.

Sid

[Devils Advocate]

Sid, you've nailed it for me there, many thanks for that.
That's the ruling so It's up to me I guess. It's flippin' draconion though to put an 84% value on a 2 year old car though when some makes can drop 50% in that period.
It is becoming clear though as I alluded to before that I guess that's one of the reasons why people just dont change their cars as often as in the UK where a swap costs nothing.

Great info. once more and much appreciated Sid.

DA

[Devils Advocate]

Sid, just done the maths and to be honest it's not as bad as your figures first suggested to me.
£504 would be the tax burden on this car so not as bad as it seemed.
Out of interest what would it drop to if car were to be just over 2 years old as I assume I could just garage it here if it's only a month or so away and then do the switch over.

Thanks

DA

[El Cid]

Over 2 but under 3 years is 67%.

These are the figures in the Hacienda book but a good gestor can usually negotiate a better deal.

The depreciation rates are here http://tinyurl.com/6g5lrp and the list of car values is here http://tinyurl.com/3dqnen

Another useful links is to Trafico - this gives details of what documentation is needed http://tinyurl.com/6d7qah

Sid

[Devils Advocate]

Invaluable info. and just when needed.
Very grateful.
DA

[Bongtrees]

Its not just the transfer tax that has to be paid, the gestor has to be paid also. I also thought there was something else to pay but now cannot find the paper with all the costs written on.

So for clarity is there anything else to pay apart from the 4% and the gestor?

[costakid]

Is it not correct that if you import your vehicle at the same time as you take out residencia it becomes part of your chattels and is therefore tax free.

[gerryh]

I don't think he is importing the car.
It is Spanish registered, but is in the UK at the moment.

Cheers
Gerry

[El Cid]

So for clarity is there anything else to pay apart from the 4% and the gestor?

Yes, a tasa of €44.20 - as explained on the Trafico link I gave.

Sid