Rent or buy a car

[phototext]

I’m fed up of the scam and hassle of car rental. We come over in the winter, now for 3 trips of 28 days thanks to Brexit so low cost rental makes total sense. But now it’s expensive. I know I can use my own insurance but Goldcar and other hassles lead me to using the premium service at Interrent, great but now they are Goldcar! Anyway I’m content to pay €20 per day for all in but the prices have gone crazy.

So how much to keep a car in Spain. A 5 year old Panda would do. I’m thinking €250 for insurance (I’m pushing 70 so my sports car costs under £200 in the UK) then Tax, getting the ITV, some maintenance. Is €800pa realistic? I’d just forget about deprication. Then I’ll have to get Taxis from the train at Fuenginola to Mijas.

Am I daft? Should I just pay up for rental?

[Pamela1]

I don't think you are daft, we could have bought a car after all the car rentals we have had and if you can be bothered arranging insurance and dealing with repairs etc then over time the car will have paid for itself.I do think carhire prices will eventually come down as the pandemic moves on and more people start to travel again.Many of the carhire companies will start to build up their stock again so maybe if you give it a year you could start to see more affordable prices..

[Trooperman]

We have British neighbours with a (holiday) home here in Spain. They have elected to have a Spanish registered Corsa, kept at one of the many garage parking complexes at Malaga airport where it is maintained, stored and made ready for them when they fly in. I assume they've done their sums and worked in the convenience factor.

[Enrique]

Hi phototest,

Spanish_lad should be able to give your some figures on the following.............

" kept at one of the many garage parking complexes at Malaga airport where it is maintained, stored and made ready for them when they fly in."

[Flashman]

this is very pertinent to my thinking at the moment, i'd be very interested in your experiences and costs

are there any reliable car supermarket style outlets for second hand cars in Andalucia?

[El Cid]

Secondhand cars in Spain have always been expensive compared to the UK but due to long delivery times due to the microchip shortage prices have gone through the roof both in the UK and Spain. My 4.5 year old SUV Is now selling for 70% of its new cost.

Sid

[Wicksey]

Have you got somewhere safe to keep it at your property here? Friends have had a car for years but do have a garage at their house. Neighbours have a car but keep it at a long term parking company at the airport but I think they pay about 700€ for that alone. If it is to be kept at your property then it may be useful for a neighbour or friend to have a key as we have to recharge our friend's car before they come out and we also take it for its ITV each year too. Getting from the airport is something to consider but you sound a lot nearer than we are. A taxi to our house will be 70€+.

Car hire has certainly gone up this year. I was pretty shocked when looking to book our car for the Canaries to find it has gone up by 3 - 4 times more than usual. Even last October it was normal prices, but not this year.

Second hand cars are expensive here. My Panda was 2.5 years old when bought from a car hire company 3 years back for under 7k€. They are now charging 9550€ for a similar age and mileage car as mine was.

[phototext]

For some reason I get more wound up about car hire than any of the other hassles of travel. I had decided just to pay up for the premium services to calm me down. At €20 a day that's OK even for a 20 or 30 day trip although in the past Auto europe and my own insurance has made €5 per day deals. If we visit for say 83 days a year (7 left for emergency) €1660 is going to be less than owning a car. At the moment most of the premium services are more like €35. Helle Hollis want €1000+ for 20 days on standard tariff! There will be deals to be found though.

Garaging at the airport would be good but all in with deprication would probably budget at €2500 or more. I take the point that even "bangers" are expensive in Spain and likely to cause more hassles. I could have bought a new Panda for €9900 in 2018 but I didn't, more like €13000 now.

Our 2nd car in the UK is hardly used in Covid times but I don't want to export it. We usually do a spring trip by car and ferry which is great but the UK bit from North Scotland is a drag. Spanish roads are wonderful.

Hey ho. My head says rent but I still fancy buying.

[olive]

There is a business garaging and recharging, clean before arrival for someone! Maybe Spanish lad?

[Pamela1]

You mentioned Fuengirola to Mijas so i assume you mean taking the train from the airport to Fuengirola which for me would be a doddle, then a short taxi journey just up the road to Mijas. Unless you like to get out and about while you are there then the cheaper option would definitely be train and taxis.

[peteroldracer]

There is a business garaging and recharging, clean before arrival for someone! Maybe Spanish lad?

There are several firms doing this up our way: car at Alicante or Murcia (similar to Malaga & Seville) for a year c.€350. If you want option of arriving at either airport they will bring the car to where you want it for around extra €100. Car wash, battery charge before you need it, ITV or service as required for extra cost.
I note OP mentions depreciation - the reverse is more likely as things stand, cars are appreciating!

[daveboy]

I have always preferred to own a car. We took our uk registered car back last year and rented this year. I paid 1200€ rental and on 3 smaller trips over never bothered with a car so expensive for me to rent, my rental costs would have been 2000€. I will buy again but I have a garage and when I leave i always disconnect the battery. I use the train from the airport then a 1€ bus ride so for me its a doddle. Maybe a bit of a pain if your not on a good transport link.

[vinuela vinny]

There is a business garaging and recharging, clean before arrival for someone! Maybe Spanish lad?

There are several firms doing this up our way: car at Alicante or Murcia (similar to Malaga & Seville) for a year c.€350. If you want option of arriving at either airport they will bring the car to where you want it for around extra €100. Car wash, battery charge before you need it, ITV or service as required for extra cost.
I note OP mentions depreciation - the reverse is more likely as things stand, cars are appreciating!

Interesting, but the cheapest 'annual' parking that we can find near Sevilla airport is €640, with one provider quoting €750. We have calculated that paying the going rate each time would cost us around €600, so not much of a saving for us. Does anyone know of a cheaper offer, please?

[spanish_lad]

Thanks for the mention everyone. In malaga, the cheapest I know of is 525 / year. That's outdoor with mini-bus, and car wash each time you arrive.

Olive, I don't think my boss would be happy if I did that.. haha

Maintenance, 24h battery charging and itv's is all an extra fee. If its parked outside, use a solar drip charger?

[daveboy]

€525 to sit out all year in the blazing sun. I would be looking for an indoor parking as the damage the sun does to a car is more than the extra you would pay for indoor.

[spanish_lad]

I totally agree, but alot of people with 'cheaper' cars don't mind.

In fact some people don't care at all, the mixture of people that park at the airport is amazing, even after 10 years 'in the industry'... some things would amaze.. we have a 2021 audi q8 on an outdoor contract, and a 2020 911... both €scary big numbers cars when they were new.