Talk Quesada forum

probably been asked many times

Is it worth buying a car what costs are involved ?
Insurance
Mot ?
Breakdowns cost.
Road tax

Is there any hidden cost.
Your help most welcome

Nikon wrote:probably been asked many times

Is it worth buying a car what costs are involved ?
Insurance
Mot ?
Breakdowns cost.
Road tax

Is there any hidden cost.
Your help most welcome

I think it depends on whether you are Non Resident or Resident on whether it's worth it.

For a Non Resident there are more things to take into account such as will you be there for the ITV, will the car be out of the sun or well shaded while it's not being used (the sun can do lots of damage to cars and the tyres plus headlights, left unshaded in one place). Also the battery may need to be charged on a regular basis if car is unused.

Personally we didnt buy a car for the above reasons as it would be unused for 6 months or more and those other Non Res we spoke to, who did buy one, have said it's probably more trouble than its worth.

If you are resident most of this won't apply.

Thanks for the advice. So hiring is better we are non residents but have purchased but the hire cars are sometimes a problem Just one example is goldcar. I would prefer to hire if we must from a smaller one we used delpaso in Malaga they were not new and had many bumps an scratches but were a good price but cant find anything similar from Alicante if anyone knows of one similar please let me know would be most helpful

Hire cars are not a problem if you hire from the correct suppliers.

The problem is that SO many people seem to ignore the advice which is genuinely given.

There is plenty of information on this subject on the forum.

It totally depends on circumstances if you are coming over in August for instance 4 weeks hire could set you back £600 we were coming school holidays so it made it worth it for us but if you have greater flexibility maybe it is better to hire.

You could try Popular Car Hire, Sandra 646 445 720 good price no hidden extras will meet you at the airport. Cash or card but you need to book in advance as the only have about 20 cars.

I’m a non-resident who spends around a third of the year in Spain.
We have a car in Spain, when we’re not there it sits behind a high gate with a car cover on.
Being there for the ITV was more of an issue in the past than it is now. They’ve recently changed the rules so that it’s like the U.K. where you can take the car in one month before the due date and retain the same anniversary date. If you regularly visit at a certain time of year then it’s easy to have an ITV early so that it always expires at a time that suits you.

Second hand cars are more expensive than in the U.K., but running costs are lower. Road Tax and insurance are cheaper and main dealership service repair costs are tiny compared to the U.K.

We prefer the convenience of having our own car and not having the hassle of the hire care shenanigans that you inevitably get at some point if you hire on a regular basis.

If we spent less time in Spain the it probably wouldn’t be worth it.

Pete.

As with Pete above we stay a tad under half the year here (please note Mr taxman ) and we have now got our own vehicle after years of hiring.
We always used Firefly, good prices out of Peak season but "ouch" during peak . . always very good treatment and no problems tho, avoided Goldcar like the plague!!
Even though we never had any problems with Firefly, there was always that nagging in the back of our minds if you were going to be turned over, plus often longish queues on arrival.
We got a brand new car so no ITV issues for 4 years, 3 years "proper" warranty and no dodgy history. The Insurance is reasonable and includes breakdown cover and covers any driver so family are covered too, servicing around €100 per year at main dealers.
Its a moot point if its really any cheaper but for convenience and peace of mind I think its worth it.

I assume the ITV is the Mot of Spain ! I have looked at Eco parking which is €250 a year for parking I have just been offered car hire it’s around €240 for a week I am serious of buying a car and driving it over from thu uk I guess I will have to pay transfer fee and probably import duties I really need to do some serious work and sums on this the advice is very helpful and most welcome

ITV is MOT and don't forget you'll need to buy new LHD headlamps too if UK car to pass ITV . . . there are firms mentioned on here that do the necessary for you . ..