UK guys, please help!!

Paco Anton · Paco Anton's Garage

I am going to see a Porsche 968 for the wife here in Madrid but it is registered in the UK (it is left hand drive).

Can you tell me what would be the required documents to transfer it to my name in the UK? Also, what does it need to be "up to date" (MoT documents)?

Thanks,

Milu · 09-16-2003, 12:09 PM

Basically a UK address to register the car at, a current MOT and insurance.
Insurance would be the hardest to arrange for a non resident, not of course that I would suggest you lie to the insurance company about not being a UK resident. Typically with comprehensive cover insurance companies insist they are informed whenever the car is out of the UK for any lenght of time (30 days or 3 months depending on the company).
It may be a lot easier to register the car in Spain if that is feasable, althought there are advantages in driving with a foreign registered car sometimes.

Paco Anton · Paco Anton's Garage

Thanks Milu,

The point is that the car is registered in the UK and I want to transfer it to my name IN Spain (I have not been too clear in my question, sorry).

What I would like to know is what kind of paperwork should I expect from the other party in order to complete the sale.

deanrichard · 09-17-2003, 12:32 AM

Why do you want to register the car in your name in the UK?
To register the car in spain you only need the sale invoice or some kind of document to justify the purchase. That's how I did it 10 years ago to bring over an MGB. Be sure the person you are buying the car from is the legal owner, as in the UK the documents only reflect the "keeper", maybe not the owner. If the seller can show you plenty of documentation (original purchase invoice, insurance etc.) then it should be OK.
Paco, Beware!!!!!, A spanish resident cannot drive a UK registered car in Spain, otherwise you run the risk of having the car impounded by the Guardia Civil.

Dean - Bilbao

Paco Anton · Paco Anton's Garage

I guess I need to go back to English class.

I want to buy a UK registered car which is currently located in Spain and register it in Spain. The questions are what documents do I need.

Dean,

From your answer I take I only need the sales contract. Did you need to take the Spanish ITV (MoT) test afterwards?

deanrichard · 09-17-2003, 04:31 AM

On order to get the car registered in Spain, one of the requirements is that the car is checked to make sure it meets its original specification, this is done at a testing station. Porsche or the Ministerio de Industria should be able to give you the exact details for the model in question. Bewarned, any major variation like oversize tyres, ride height outside specification, US lighting (sidelights/wrong colour), catalyzer missing, body extensions, could cause you problems. My advice is to use a gestoria, they know all the problems involved and shouldn't charge a lot.

Milu · 09-17-2003, 09:41 AM

Transferring title in the uk is very easy.
At the bottom of the registration document (log book) there is a tear off slip. I don't have mine at hand but I think the current owner completes one part and you the other. Just follow the simple instructions, complete and post to DVLC Swansea. The new registration document is then posted to you.

I would suggest that the first step would be to contact your own transport bureaucrats and establish what paperwork THEY need. I suspect you would also need a valid bill of sale, MOT certificates and possibly tax discs. You may also need to pay tax on the used value of the car before it can be formally imported and registered - this may be a good negotiating point when buying.

If Spanish bureaucracy is like Italian I would concur with using an experienced specialist (the gestoria?) as Dean said.

Paco Anton · Paco Anton's Garage

Thanks guys,

If I finally do buy the car I will come back with more questions.

pikey7 · 09-21-2003, 01:47 PM

Don't forget insurance! You will need to call a UK insurance agent (have a search on google.co.uk) and sort out a temporary policy. Once you've bought the car, signed the V5 registration (I think there is a box to tick for 'bought for export', and sent that to the DVLA, and you have your insurance, you're good to go. It should usually have the MOT sorted, you may have to do something about the tax disc (road tax rubbish in the UK). you can only get them in 6 month periods, but you can return it and get cash back for each full month that you have left unused. Then again, you may be lucky that it has a small amount left on the current one!

Of course, then you have the hassle in Spain.

As for checking it out, I think that the PCGB would do a car check for a fee which *may* be cheaper than flying in youself only to find a lemon.

Are you buying it privately in the UK, or through a dealer? There are rules about paying the VAT, that mean if the car is over a certain age, then you can claim it back, but only a dealer will help you do that. If you look at dvla.gov.uk then you can find most of the rules there.

Good luck!