Month: May 2018

Why you shouldn’t bring your right-hand drive car to Spain

Why you should not bring your UK car to Spain

You have got a reliable car in the UK. You’ve had it several years and you have always serviced it. It has caused few problems, just new tyres after the usual usage and a change of wiper blades.

Now you are setting-off to start a new life in Spain. The car has been good to you. You have heard that second-hand cars are expensive in Spain (you are right!). You need something to bring the contents of your wardrobe, the kids’ bikes and the youngsters themselves right?

Well, you could use it to transport your family and a small amount of your possessions but you may also be paying a removal company, if you have plenty of things you want to bring with you from your old life.

There actually might be some initial practical reasons to bring it but long-term a UK car is likely to become a nuisance. If you need it to transfer everyone to Spain and the cost of the ferry and fuel makes more sense than plane tickets, then initially it could be practical. However, at your earliest opportunity take the thing back to the UK, if the cost of the ferry back again makes it worth it, and sell it.

Whilst it is true the price for secondhand Spanish cars, sporting both scratches and dents, are expensive compared to UK prices there are some very practical reasons to bite the bullet and buy a Spanish car. Even though the effort to wash them is too much for the some sellers.

Firstly, the price for UK cars in Spain is not good. The market is limited, you need to find someone who has decided that Spain isn’t for them and they want to return to the UK.

If you now reside in Spain, you have a limited time in which to transfer your car from foreign registration plates to Spanish plates. It is time consuming, expensive (taxes and fees) and many companies have been able to set up whole businesses just to deal with it all for you.

Secondly, when you give your partner a kiss, as you park at the side of the road, they have to take their life in their hands as they step into the middle of the road. A short trip to buy that freshly baked baguette or pan integral you so love, and could smell at 50 metres distance before arriving, suddenly becomes a lot more adventurous and potentially dangerous.

Thirdly, Although the road system has improved significantly since Spain joined the European Union and the motorways would probably be the envy of most drivers that travel up and down the UK (especially the M25) there are still plenty of examples of bad planning. If you live on the popular and busy coastal resorts on the Costa Blanca or Costa del Sol, rapid expansion and thirst for profit often overlooked the necessary thought for appropriate slip roads.

The result is many urbanisations and even towns have poor or dare I say it dangerous access to the main dual carriageways or motorways, often with little or no slip road. This means that trying to look left over your shoulder across a passenger seat, whilst wearing your seatbelt, at traffic hurtling at more than one hundred kilometres per hour becomes more than just a challenge. You might be sat stationery trying to judge when is a good moment to enter the flow from a speed of zero while other vehicles, including speeding forty-tonne trucks, whizz by.

Another thing to consider, are car parks. If you are going shopping or visiting your partner in hospital following an unpleasant shopping trip to buy a loaf of bread (see above) then you need to consider the inconvenience of car park ticket machines. You pull up snuggly next to the machine and you can see the flashing button that says “pulsar”. You can see it of course out of the passenger window. If you have someone with you it isn’t too much of a problem. Press the electric window button and ask them to press the ticket machine button and extract the ticket.

However, if you frequently travel on your own it means undoing your seatbelt, leaning across the passenger seat and stretching out of the passenger side window to remove the ticket. This of course has to repeated after paying for the time you have parked and leaving the car park.

People who live in Spain, generally, pay less attention to the condition of their car. You will see a lot of cars with dents and scratches, especially on each corner. Bumpers seem to be used by some road users as a parking aid rather than protection in case of a small error of judgement. You will definitely see some cars for sale that make you say involuntarily, “How much!”

However, you didn’t move to Spain because you thought your car would be in better condition than elsewhere, or cheaper. You probably moved to Spain for a lifestyle change. Well this is one of them!

One final but very important point. If you continue to keep a car on UK plates you are obliged to have an up-to-date MOT certificate and current road tax. Without them you may find you don’t have valid insurance. If you are now living in Spain, you should of course be in the process of transferring from UK plates to Spanish. If not, then you will need to take the vehicle back to the UK annually for an MOT (an ITV is not valid) and you will also need to produce some documentary proof of your insurance the get your UK road tax.

Unless you have a classic car, or one you just can’t bear to be without, then take your right-hand drive car back to the UK, sell it for a fair price and buy an expensive left-hand drive Spanish car which will eventually make your life that much easier you will begin to forget how costly it was.

UK car in Spain

New ITV Spain

This year the ITV has been updated.

With governments and people alike becoming more concerned with traffic pollution the new ITV in Spain means it is one of the first countries to adopt the new European regulations.

The emissions test is now more stringent and the new advances in technology will mean it is more difficult to fraudulently trick the tests, made famous by the Dieselgate scandal.

Within the new remit, the tests are able to evaluate the state of the ABS. ESP. airbags the odometer and other electrical systems.

Another change is that should your vehicle fail it was mandatory to re-take the ITV test at the same testing station. Under the new rules, it is possible to take your vehicle to be re-tested at another test station. You will need to bear in mind that many ITV centres allow a re-test free of charge.

If your vehicle fails the ITV test it will now be obligatory to show where any repairs were undertaken when you submit your vehicle for a second scrutiny. The idea is to be able to show this type of information in the history of the vehicle, provide greater transparency and reduce the possibility of fraud.

From now on you can submit your vehicle for the ITV test one month before the actual expiry date but still benefit from the full renewal period. For example, if your vehicle needs an ITV every twelve months but you do the revision after eleven months because it is more convenient for you, the renewal will be on the anniversary of the old test and you won’t lose a month. The idea is to give motorists more flexibility.

ITV Spain

Roundabout in Spain

Car Insurnace Spain Roundabouts in Spain

Driving in Spain has its obvious differences to the UK, for example in Spain we drive on the right. There are a number of other differences and one of those is how to use a roundabout.

In order to avoid frustration and getting angry with all those natives that don’t know how to negotiate a roundabout, take a bit of time to read this short article. If you drive like I did when I first arrived in Spain, then you’ll find out it could actually be you that is in the wrong!

First a similarity. The traffic on the roundabout has right of way and you must wait for a clear space before entering it.

When you want to leave the roundabout you must make sure you are in the outside lane in plenty of time to make a safe exit. If not then you need to go round it again rather than cut across other traffic. Do not atempt to leave a roundabout from any other lane.

Please be aware that a vehicle may travel in the outside lane right round the roundabout before taking an exit whether it be the first, second, third or fourth exit. For drivers from the UK this may seem like a strange thing to do but it is quite correct in Spain. The inside lane on a roundabout is to pass traffic that might be blocking the outside lane due to the amount of traffic, or an obstruction in the road they are exiting into, for example.

Try and think about a roundabout as a one way street which follows a big curve and with several junctions. Therefore, if you want to turn right off this one-way street you would put your vehcile in the right-hand lane. Remember to use your indicators if you change lanes or intend to turn right off the roundabout. It is not necessary in Spain to indicate your continuation around the roundabout, as you are continuing on the main route albeit one with a long curve. So unless you are changing lanes or leaving the roundabout there is no need to indicate.

Of course, there can be other problems that make negotiating a roundabout more difficult. Near where I live the roundabout is a favourite place to abandon your car and buy cigarettes from the nearby Estanco. Another roundabout, also closeby, has a bus stop where parents park their cars to drop off their children meaning that the bus has to block the outside lane. However, these types of inconsiderate behaviour occur all over the place and in all countries. It just calls for you to drive carefully and slowly and be aware of what the norms are.

roundabout

What to do if you have an accident in Spain

If you are involved in an accident in Spain then it is best to know the procedures in order to avoid complicating or jeopardising any claim that you might have against another driver.

Firstly, if you are involved in an accident you must stop. Thinking, “oh well, it’s only a small scratch” and driving on could land you in trouble.

What to do if you have an accident in Spain

With your car insurance Spain policy you should have a form known as a ‘declaration amistosa de accidente de automóvil’.

This is a two part from where the drivers of the vehicles involved can complete their details and the circumstances of the accident. It is important to use a ball point pen and press hard so that the copy of the document can be read.

Being in Spain the form is usually printed in Spanish but below we have provided you with a copy in English. Obviously, if the other driver is Spanish and the accident occurs in Spain you can’t really insist they complete an English version, but it will help you understand what information to put where.

The ‘declaración amistosa’ should be signed by both parties and one copy given to each. However, if you are unsure what has been written or disagree with who is at fault then don’t sign it unless you are clear what it says and agree with it. Take a copy of the form and discuss it with your insurance broker or company.

The document is really important. Once signed you have basically agreed to what is on it. If later you want to add to the document or dispute it then it is very important not to alter your copy. You must add extra information on a separate sheet of paper. Remember the other party has a copy too, so yours must match theirs. If you alter it then you could cause yourself a lot of difficulties.

Call the police

You can call the police and they will make a report of the incident and clearly if someone has been injured you need to contact an ambulance.

If your vehicle is damaged you can contact your insurer’s breakdown service and get your vehicle towed to your destination, your home or a local garage depending on the policy you have.

If the other party is reluctant to complete a form or refuses to provide you with details of their insurance company note the car registration, the make, model and colour of the car. If no one is seriously injured and you are not in too much shock take a series of photos on your mobile phone showing the damage and vehicle positions.

If you or one of your passengers needs to attend hospital as a result of the accident, make sure you/they get a discharge certificate. If the police attend the incident try to ascertain whether it is Guardia Civil, or the Local Police and from which police station or town they are from so you can provide this information to your insurer.

Witnesses

If there are witnesses then get their names and contact numbers, although if the police are involved they will hopefully deal with this.

If as a result of the accident you feel it is justified to seek a claim for injuries suffered as a result of the accident, then either a court appointed doctor or a specialist private doctor can prepare a valuation report.

Please keep all receipts related to treatment as a result of any accident then these could possibly be included along with a claim for loss of earnings. Loss of earnings is calculated on the basis of the number of says you are forced to spend off work, with a calculation made based on your usual earnings.

In Spain it might be that after an accident, where you weren’t at fault, the other parties insurance company offers to carry out your treatment for injuries you suffered. The insurance company of the other party may send their appointee to assess your injuries and offer a programme of treatment. However, remember who they work for. Get independent advice on the treatment you need and the time you need to recover.

If you have any doubt, then talk to your insurance company or your insurance broker to ensure your best interests are being looked after.

Car Accident Car Insurance Claim

Emmissions for motorcycles

The DGT (Directorate General de Trafico) has finished an exercise to grade the emissions of motorcycles, sidecars and quads. The majority (55%) will now fall into four distinct categories.

Zero emissions. This relates to battery operated vehicles or hybrid vehicles with an autonomy of more than 40 kilometres.

ECO. This category has been established for non-pluggable hybrid vehicles and for those that can be connected but have an autonomic range of less than 40 kilometres.

C. Vehicles that satisfy the homologation requirements for Euro stage 3* or Euro stage 4*.

B. A vehicle that meets the homologation requirements for Euro stage 2*.

With vehicles catgorised in this way municipal authorities will be able to adjust vehicle taxes to discriminate against those that pollute the most, for example.

It could also be possible for Cities such as Madrid and Barcelona, where pollution is a big problem, to only allow certain category of vehicles to enter the city centre.

It is totally voluntary but once you establish whether your vehicle fits one of these categories you can obtain a sticker which you can put on your bike. The stickers cost five euros from the post office.

The other 45% of similar vehicles are outside any of the four categories mentioned above.

*Euro stage 3/4/2 are regulated emissions standards introduced by the European Union at varies times. They are designed to reduce pollution.

(source: dgt.es, transportpolicy.net)

motorbike pollution

Cheap petrol in Spain

Apart from the three largest chains of petrol stations, Repsol, Cepsa and BP there are other outlets including an increasing number of small chains or independent service stations, where you can fill up.

The larger businesses will offer you a whole range of things on top of petrol. There is usually a café, you can buy your gas bottles and frequently there is an overpriced shop too. However, if what you are looking for is fuel for your vehicle and you don’t fancy waiting for the shop assistant to finish making an expresso coffee for one customer, before serving the guy who is waiting to change his empty gas bottle for a full one then one of the more basic service stations might be the answer. They are often cheaper too, a lot cheaper.

They have recently been springing up all over. They don’t usually have shops, they don’t sell gas, nor charcoal. No one tries to sell you what is supposed to be the best olive oil in Spain when you are trying to pay, most don’t have a jet wash and similarly, a lot don’t have any staff. You can pay by credit card or cash.

If you visit one of these service stations without any staff and pay by cash you won’t get any change. However, if you pay by credit card and ask for thirty euros but can only put in 25 euros before your tank is full, then the card is only charged 25 euros.

There are two of these types of petrol station side-by-side where I live. One actually has two people working most of the day whilst the other is totally self-service. You can imagine which one is doing more business, because until we get used to the machines it’s nice to have some help. There are no other products to buy to distract the attendants. The prices are around 6 cents a litre cheaper than the larger chains and I have seen the difference at more than that.

I do wonder how these smaller petrol stations are able to sell fuel at far lower prices without the add-ons that go with a cafe or shop but they manage it. I don’t know, but it seems to me that the big guns must be making a huge profit if others can come in and undercut by so much, without any of the additional income from purchases that people might make at a large chain service station.

Furthermore, you can also try this web link to find what the prices are in your area of Spain.

Below is a guide on how to find cheap petrol in your area.

Once you are on the website you will see a screen like this.

Car Insurance Spain petrol prices

Car Insurance Spain petrol On the left hand side you have a menu.

The first option should be left as “Estaciones de serv…”.

In the second option down you select the “provincia” where you live.

You can then narrow the search down by selecting your “localidad” or town. The “Tipo de carburante” is the fuel you want.

Then venta should be set to “venta al publico” which means it is sold to the general public.

Below the option Rótulo you will see appear EES más económicas.

If you tick this box it will firstly select the cheapest petrol stations for your fuel type.

Under “Búsqueda avanzada” you can even enter your post code to further narrow the search.

Petrol prices