i´m sorry to use your experiences as a "springboard" for my reply as it were, but:
Lion wrote:Paid £800 for a Ford Transit
why? was it gold plated? thats well over the money anyways. you should of got a years tax and MOT on that for that price.
Lion wrote:(H reg)
thats too old for a start. think of re-sale value.
Lion wrote:two weeks before the move
should of had it at least a month to sort out any problems you might of had.
Lion wrote:but then part exchanged it against current Spanish vehicle but only got 600 Euros
never part exchange a UK plated vehicle for a spanish one you´ll get buttons for it. UK plated vehicles are worth scrap in spain, as are any foreign plated vehicles unless they are taxed and mot´d for a year and in GOOD condition.
Lion wrote:paid over the odds for current vehicile
what was it and how much was it ? the spanish book price is MUCH higher than the uk one due to condition.
i know its easy to look back in hindsight, but i am using this to show other people, NOT to have a "pop" at you lion, ok ?
i´d recomend buying at latest an N or M reg van, for under 500 quid, taxed and mot´d for a year, in good condition. and sell it privatly. you´ll never get the money back on a foreign vehicle unless you plan on driving it back full with someone elses load. the better plan would be to hire one (you would be un-insured, euro travel is prohibited), or to borrow one from a friend? or get a friend to drive it back after a weeks holiday ? (handy with the extra pair of hands to move furniture)
personally i´d buy a cheap transit off of ebay, i say transit because they are the "old faithful", parts are cheaper and readily avaliable. there was a box´ed luton type transit van, m-reg, in blue, for 265 quid, needing a bit of welding. that sort of thing would be ideal, its the sort of thing someone is looking for to come back in. walk into any english bar and s*ds law they´ll know someone looking to go back to the uk and wanting a van.
i think everyone has different ideas on the "easy" way to do the move, the only way to do it really is to try it out and do it yourself
good luck !
Alhaurin el Grande since 99, working at the airport since 2011.