Moving to arboleas

Apparently it goes on the cost NEW of the vehicle. But there's the Matriculation Charge, the ITV charge, the charge to correct all the 'faults' on your vehicle (tyres, headlights, etc, etc) & of course the Company fee if you use one such as The Garage in Arboleas.

Our friend had his, less than impeccable and aging, Ford People Carrier Matriculated at/by The Garage and it was circa 2000€. Then there was a further 200€ to CAT SERVICES for plates, paperwork, etc although they/he still needed to do quite a bit himself. Then, at the end, you still have a RHD vehicle which we believe is dangerous.

Best Wishes,

Bob and Sandra

Mojacar Playa and Puerto Lumbreras

Ok thanks I'll forget RHD can you recommend a good place to buy a LHD vehicle not new but maybe quite decent ?

Our same.friends.have now been joined by aging parents and.mother-in-law obtained a real.bargain at Costa Coches on the Antas/El Real Poligono/ Trading Estate just off the autovia. You see the motorhomes of Hispavan. It.was a Kia.

There are also.other car sales.there as.there are in Albox..At least with a dealer.you get a warranty of sorts and all the Security checks have been done. Ownership,.police fines,HP, etc.

Privately it really is buyer beware. An acquaintance thought he wss.getting.a.bargain.on.a BMW at 2000€. The legal fees were almost as.much and 12 months on the repair costs??????

My wife had really bad service from the Japanese dealer ship in Albox.

Best Wishes,

Bob and Sandra

Ok Bob thank you very useful info when we finally get here which is now looking like beginning of April we will source a good dealer I don' trust private it' too risky.

I can also recommend Harry Zarb at Gomez Ford in Huércal-Overa - helluva nice guy, very thorough and won’t rip you off

Saludos, Darío

We went through the process much as Bob described for matriculation as we love our car and didn't want to lose it. We did have to have the towbar removed as anything attached to the car that wasn't installed by the manufacturer will not be approved. The taxes involved depend on the energy efficiency of your vehicle, we had to pay something substantial for our diesel 4x4 but our friends who have a hybrid paid very little. I disagree with Bob about the dangers of RHD, I was worried beforehand but we didn't have trouble adjusting...

Re dealers if you did decide to buy LHD, we like Domingo Carillo of Carillo motors near Longo in Albox, he speaks pretty good English too

RHD owners/drivers been here since March 2017, had no trouble whatsoever driving partners RHD vehicle, sorry Bob, a car isnt the problem, it's the driver !, you'lll no sooner have a problem especially driving a RHD vehicle here, it's the maniacs who go way over the limits that are the problem, theres no more of a problem rhd vs lhd if there isnt the rear visibilty and awareness.

Went through the matriculation system, used CAT Services for help, used The Garage at Albox/Arboleas to do the ITV checks, they replaced headlamps, Honda genuines at approx €495 each !!, first thing to get checked, some cars have switchable headlamps, eg theres some kind of adaptability to turn the beam from left beam to right beam, partners Honda Insight Hybrid isnt switchable, The Garage, Natalie and all the guys there are the best. As are the folks at CAT Services, great fish n chips a bit further up the same street lol.

Two tyres and did the rear brakes, took the car to Lorca ITV, we got the correct paperwork and got car taxed at Zurgena town hall, everything road legal, car is a hybrid, tax €30 !!, under ten years old so ITV good for two years. Older than 10 and the ITV sticker you get is only good for one year. Altogether probable cost in the region of €2000 !

Most everything hinges on vehicle age, cost new, present estimated cost, pollution factors, the Spanish love Hybrids as much as they love beaurocracy and stamping everything.

By all means try and find a LHD vehicle, google LHD vehicles in the UK, you might find Spanish registered vehicles, I think theres a dealer in France with a few but you'll still need to get it checked and possibly ITV'D, you'll find quite a few dealers who'll take youre RHD car, But finding a Spanish dealer who will p/x your RHD for a LHD vehicle might cause you more grief than it's worth.

Try and find a hybrid on cost grounds, there isnt the hoohaa here regarding diesel as there is in the UK, petrol is roughly the same cost as in the UK, diesel is cheaper, look into getting a car fitted with LPG, there arent that number of lpg stations here as in the UK but at an average .60 cents per litre lpg is a heck of a lot cheaper.

There are Toyota hybrid Alphards, (7-8 seaters) on Ebay from around €9000 that are advertised as being capable of doing 50 mpg, I'd love one. You can even get them fitted with disabled seats that hydraulically swing out and down out of the vehicle as well as other Alphards fitted with Business class seats !!

Bottom line is what you can afford, as above the Ford dealer in Huercal Overa sell a lot of mini suv, you'll see loads of Dacia Dusters, near neighbours both just swapped Chevy and Nissan cars for Dacias. But if you wanna bring your own and run it till its not economic do that, as new drivers you'll just have to be that bit more aware, SPANISH DRIVERS DONT LIKE USING INDICATORS !!, ESPECIALLY ON ROUNDABOUTS,  AUDI DRIVERS AND MERCEDES LIKE TO THINK THEY OWN THE ROADS, MUCH LIKE BMW DRIVERS USED TO lol, you'd be advised to get those small supplementary mirrors that give you that extra bit of visibility, show you more of whats coming up behind you.

Be aware, be very aware, be safe, max motorway speeds are 120kph, roads are great, in towns like Huercal Overa you'll get sick of the numbers of sleeping policemen, dont, just dont turn off a main road and cross a solid white line !!, do that to save time and if there's a Policia Local or Guardi Civil plain clothes motor close by its an on the spot €200 fine, €100 if paid within a set period.

Scooter riders abound but usually one up and the passengers if there is one dont carry hammers etc !  lol, push bike riders abound at weekends, cant miss em cos they stand out in all their TDF gear like a sore thumb, oh and possibly last but not least, right now there's hundreds , hundreds of motorhomes, all sizes but it seems size does matter with motorhomes !! Lol.

Use common sense with everything and you'll be fine.

Guys,

Enough already!!!!!

a) I'm older,

b) always was a rubbish driver &

c)'had a uniformed (Army) chauffeur for several years before coming out here.

Sandra still has to remind me which side to drive on here in Spain and conversely when in Australia.

Still, the grenade.launchers.do help!!!!!!!

Bye for now,

Bob and Sandra