Should we take big electric goods to spain??

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jukim
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Should we take big electric goods to spain??

Postby jukim » Sat Jan 31, 2009 11:52 am

Have had conflicting opinions on this question so some sensible advice needed please. We're not sure whether or not to take our electrical appliances from the UK to Spain mainly because most of ours are earthed whereas the Spanish system isn't and just uses the two-prong plug. We did buy travel adapters but on them they say that they're not to be used only "with non-earthed appliances up to 1800W 250V and 7.5amps". This would then apply to our tumble drier and freezer which we were planning on taking. Can someone please help :? :? :?

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Re: Should we take big electric goods to spain??

Postby El Cid » Sat Jan 31, 2009 12:47 pm

The Spanish system is earthed - it just that the earthed plugs only have two pins as the earth is through the side contacts.

Just change the plugs over to the normal Spanish mains earthed plugs.

Sid

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Re: Should we take big electric goods to spain??

Postby jukim » Sat Jan 31, 2009 1:12 pm

Thank you Sid, and someone else gave me a link to a diagram of how to change the plugs which is fantastic. I can rest easy now till we leave. :D

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Re: Should we take big electric goods to spain??

Postby Liz Fox » Sat Jan 31, 2009 1:14 pm

It's up to you, obviously. My humble opinion is - why pay to bring over second-hand white goods? If you can afford to, buy new here then you can call someone out to repair them if you have a problem.

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Re: Should we take big electric goods to spain??

Postby gerryh » Sat Jan 31, 2009 1:29 pm

El Cid wrote:The Spanish system is earthed - it just that the earthed plugs only have two pins as the earth is through the side contacts.

Just change the plugs over to the normal Spanish mains earthed plugs.

Sid
Sid is correct, but to further clarify, this type of plug is round.
There is also the flat ones which are 2 pins and not earthed that must only be used on double insulated appliances.


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Re: Should we take big electric goods to spain??

Postby Lavanda » Sat Jan 31, 2009 1:59 pm

'Should we take big electrical goods out to Spain?'

No, of course not. They are too expensive to ship and you can buy new, cheaper out here.

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Re: Should we take big electric goods to spain??

Postby Devils Advocate » Sat Jan 31, 2009 2:23 pm

I would have thought it depends on how many white goods you have and how much your shipping costs are.

It's OK saying "buy in Spain" but how do we know that these goods the poster has aren't top notch and newish expensive brand items that nobody in their right mind would scrap or give away.........I've seen the decent brand fridge freezers for example in Spain at circa 2000 euros that would be £700 in the UK, so a saving like that on one item vitually pays for transport.........only my opinion.

We had no choice for our holiday home but buying the white goods over there made me wince :lol: , rule of thumb I found was if it's cheap it's crap and if it's a decent brand it's far dearer than UK.

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Re: Should we take big electric goods to spain??

Postby ht006d5256 » Sat Jan 31, 2009 3:03 pm

Hi jikim while all the above posts are correct at this time (recession) the shops here in Alcala and Locubin are reducing prices by anything up to 50% just bought today a Zanussi fridge/freezer the big one 366euros with 3 year warranty so by shopping around I think you will now get some very good deals also if anything goes wrong with them you will have some recourse good luck on your move :D
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Re: Should we take big electric goods to spain??

Postby katy » Sat Jan 31, 2009 3:09 pm

Washers/driers, Fridge freezers, TV's are cheaper in the UK (fact) Probably everything else too. How viable it is to bring them over I don't know. Can always use the warranty here too.

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Re: Should we take big electric goods to spain??

Postby Bongtrees » Sat Jan 31, 2009 3:26 pm

I never understand why anyone would sell or more likely give away something that is in good condition and serviceable in order to buy overpriced out of date electrical appliances and/or furniture and beds in Spain, unless they were no good/rubbish in the first place.

We have a large chest freezer and a very large screen TV both bought in France in 1987, they have been moved around between 3 countries and are still in excellent condition and working order. We put the TV and other fragile stuff in the chest freezer when moving and put stuff in washing machine tumble dryer and fridge freezer so really costs hardly anything in transportation as are used to transport stuff that ordinarily would have to boxed or crated taking up the same amount of space.

Having seen first hand the cavalier attitude to selling faulty goods including finding goods on sale that have been recalled as being faulty and dangerous in other countries I would never buy anything here unless absolutely necessary.
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Re: Should we take big electric goods to spain??

Postby Paula » Sat Jan 31, 2009 4:08 pm

White goods etc are extremely expensive out here. If you do see a relative bargain it will be some make that you have never heard of.
We have a good coffee maker in UK, but as we usually drink coffee at cafes here, hadn't bought the same. Decided this week I want the same coffee maker. Went into El Corte and it is 399 euro, :shock: looked online and it's £235 in UK. And the girl wasn't even wearing a mask!!
How do they come to these prices, did they work them out when it was over 1.50 to £1 and add a bit?
Bring your stuff with you, you won't even find many bargains during a recession here :roll:

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Re: Should we take big electric goods to spain??

Postby El Cid » Sat Jan 31, 2009 4:55 pm

Paula, the price issue is aggravated by the sudden change in the exchange rate. The prices you mention are, as you say, about what you would expect with a 1.5 exchange rate.

With the fall in the value of the GBP at the moment it appears that prices are high in Spain compared to the UK if you use a 1.10 conversion.

The reality is that the prices of all imported goods in the UK are going to have to go up considerably in the months ahead and then the price comparisons will be less favourable to the UK.

If someone is going to buy in the UK now is certainly the right time to do it!

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Re: Should we take big electric goods to spain??

Postby jo-ann » Sat Jan 31, 2009 4:59 pm

We brought washing machine and tumble dryer with us 5 years ago and they are both working fine, so definitely saved us some money

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Re: Should we take big electric goods to spain??

Postby wagon ropes » Sat Jan 31, 2009 5:37 pm

We brought over a washing machine and a fridge/freezer. The washing machine is still fine after 8 years but the fridge/freezer never coped with the lower voltage here. It ran continuously for a couple of years, costing us a fortune, and then gave up the ghost. We replaced it with one with a dual compressor and it is great. I would recommend you do that.
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Re: Should we take big electric goods to spain??

Postby Wicksey » Sat Jan 31, 2009 6:04 pm

Bongtrees wrote:I never understand why anyone would sell or more likely give away something that is in good condition and serviceable in order to buy overpriced out of date electrical appliances and/or furniture and beds in Spain, unless they were no good/rubbish in the first place.
I'm with you on this matter and have also packed up all our furniture for moves between 3 countries. I much prefer my belongings that I am used to and feel at home with and also cannot be bothered to have to traipse around all the shops comparing prices/models/makes then having all the hassel of ordering it, getting it delivered etc which seems to take an age. Although our moves haven't been particuarly cheap, compared to replacing all the big items of furniture it is more economic. The only thing we didn't move here from the UK was our fridge/freezer, but our existing one stood up to being moved from here to France and back again OK.

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Re: Should we take big electric goods to spain??

Postby Lavanda » Sat Jan 31, 2009 6:15 pm

We sold on all our large electrical items when we sold our house in the U.K. as part of the deal. We moved our 2000 book library instead. To us, that was not replaceable in Spain and much more important than a washing machine. I bought one of those in Leroy Merlin seven years ago for €159 when the exchange rate was about 1.58 euros per pound, and it's still doing the wash four times a week. Just lucky, I guess. :D

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Re: Should we take big electric goods to spain??

Postby jukim » Sat Jan 31, 2009 8:38 pm

Thanks everybody ... our stuff isn't special and were just thinking of the little freezer and tumble drier merely because they're quite new! At least I know now about the plug situation so feeling better. Three weeks to go ... yippeeeeeeeeeeeee :D :D :D

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Re: Should we take big electric goods to spain??

Postby Chrissie » Sat Jan 31, 2009 9:16 pm

Best of luck with the move jukim. :D Which area are you moving to?
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Re: Should we take big electric goods to spain??

Postby frog » Sun Feb 01, 2009 3:05 am

wow,someone moving here...
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Re: Should we take big electric goods to spain??

Postby Dixie » Sun Feb 01, 2009 10:06 am

Good luck with the move Jukim, hope it goes as smoothly as ours did :) I have friends moving out here on the 18th Feb, they also are bringing quite a few electrical items with them, mainly as they're newly weds and got lots of lovely pressies :lol:
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