Are motorhomes purchased in Spain more expensive.

[Mr porky]

If we moved to Spain and wished to keep on motorhome exploring, should we take a uk motorhome lhd or sell up here and repurchase in spain.
I believe if you take a British registered vehicle you would have to get it matriculated (as it’s German built and already lhd I don’t see too many difficulties) but wouldn’t have to pay import duty as it’s part of your goods.
Is it worth the hassle or should we just purchase from a Spanish dealer.
This is just for the future not immediately.
Also we would probably go down to a smaller 3.5t 6m

 

[James-Alex]

Not something I’ve looked into but I’m sure I’ve seen a few times prices are not to good in Spain. Maybe corrected by someone who has more experience

 

[Lenny HB]

Spain has a 10% import tax on Motorhomes so unless built in Spain buying one there will be more expensive.

 

[Armytwowheels]

Hi Mr Porky
Busman has just matriculated his motorhome into Spain. Might be worth having a chat.

 

[Dazzlin]

Just look on milanuncios.com or other sales sites.
Quite a lot more expensive than uk prices, believe me, I have spent a lot of time looking.

Buying and then importing to Spain, by the time you have paid tax and import fees they will be similar in cost - but with the added fun of spanish paperwork....


We have said that once we take up residency we will buy a van in Spain

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[Busman]

Hi I think you’ll have to pay import duty we matriculated this year but could prove it was in the country before Jan1st so didn’t have to pay. Ours also is a LHD so was ok although still needed a CoC certificate of Conformity. Ended up costing us €2500 all in which is easily covered if I wished to sell, it would of been €4300 with tax. It was no hassle we just let Hispavan in Antas do ours. Any questions just ask

 

[Mr porky]

Hi I think you’ll have to pay import duty we matriculated this year but could prove it was in the country before Jan1st so didn’t have to pay. Ours also is a LHD so was ok although still needed a CoC certificate of Conformity. Ended up costing us €2500 all in which is easily covered if I wished to sell, it would of been €4300 with tax. It was no hassle we just let Hispavan in Antas do ours. Any questions just ask

Thank you. To be fair we wouldn’t take the morello as we would be changing to a smaller motorhome as we wouldn’t be full timing in it. However if we could make money by selling it in Spain after matriculation we would consider that.
if it just meant too much hassle we would just buy in Spain though.

 

[gus-lopez]

In all honesty I would sell yours & buy here, far easier. To my knowledge now UK is non-eu , even if taking residency, I doubt that it would be included with "goods & chattels" even if that is available to non-eu?
When uK was in eu, or as Busman said you have residencia & could prove that it was here before the cut off date then ,there would be no tax.

I've imported loads of stuff over the years for myself & others & on much of this tax had to be paid just the same as any business importing all types of vehicles from other states.
The tax is based on the government book value for the vehicle. The government issue a yearly list of all & every vehicle that is sold in spain+4x4's, boats, sail & motor, along with the % list for tax.
For most vehicles the tax reduces by 10% each year from new up to year 10 then remains at 10% of the new vale..So if you imported your vehicle & it was only 6 months old then they would want 4,1% of 100% the Spanish governments new price. So if it cost 100,000€ then it would be 4,100€ import tax.
If it was 4>5 years old then it would be 60% of 100k =60k x 4,1% =2,460€.
This is in addition to any modifications it might need ,lights ,etc, +forms, + road tax,+gestorias fee, etc.
You can do it yourself but it is a lot of running about & wouldn't be a lot cheaper than a gestoria wold charge.Additionally they can usually calculate & pay the import tax online whereas privately you have to run about from Trafico office ,to the tax office,to the internal bank,back to the tax office, back to trafico .
This for me all has to be done in Murcia city, 80kms away & after you have paid for your road tax at the tax office where you live.
& after you have taken it to an itv station for reregistration & itv(Mot)
This was hard work in normal times but if all went well ,possible to do in 3 days, inc itv. now with appointments being needed everywhere it will take far far longer.

As Busman said Leo at Hispavan is good. I've dealt with him years ago for a van purchase & found him straight as a die.

 

[gus-lopez]

However if we could make money by selling it in Spain after matriculation we would consider that.

But you would also have to pay tax on it as it is declarable. Also any goods & chattels held anywhere in the world which have a value in excess of 50k euros have to be declared eaach year on a "720" form.

 

[Mr porky]

In all honesty I would sell yours & buy here, far easier. To my knowledge now UK is non-eu , even if taking residency, I doubt that it would be included with "goods & chattels" even if that is available to non-eu?
When uK was in eu, or as Busman said you have residencia & could prove that it was here before the cut off date then ,there would be no tax.

I've imported loads of stuff over the years for myself & others & on much of this tax had to be paid just the same as any business importing all types of vehicles from other states.
The tax is based on the government book value for the vehicle. The government issue a yearly list of all & every vehicle that is sold in spain+4x4's, boats, sail & motor, along with the % list for tax.
For most vehicles the tax reduces by 10% each year from new up to year 10 then remains at 10% of the new vale..So if you imported your vehicle & it was only 6 months old then they would want 4,1% of 100% the Spanish governments new price. So if it cost 100,000€ then it would be 4,100€ import tax.
If it was 4>5 years old then it would be 60% of 100k =60k x 4,1% =2,460€.
This is in addition to any modifications it might need ,lights ,etc, +forms, + road tax,+gestorias fee, etc.
You can do it yourself but it is a lot of running about & wouldn't be a lot cheaper than a gestoria wold charge.Additionally they can usually calculate & pay the import tax online whereas privately you have to run about from Trafico office ,to the tax office,to the internal bank,back to the tax office, back to trafico .
This for me all has to be done in Murcia city, 80kms away & after you have paid for your road tax at the tax office where you live.
& after you have taken it to an itv station for reregistration & itv(Mot)
This was hard work in normal times but if all went well ,possible to do in 3 days, inc itv. now with appointments being needed everywhere it will take far far longer.

As Busman said Leo at Hispavan is good. I've dealt with him years ago for a van purchase & found him straight as a die.

Thank you. That was a very informative post. Am I correct in assuming you would sell the morello here but then buy here a 3.5t pvc then matriculate in Spain Or sell here then buy in Spain.
May I ask as you do seem to be knowledgeable what is a popular brand in Spain for pvc motorhomes.

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[gus-lopez]

Thank you. That was a very informative post. Am I correct in assuming you would sell the morello here but then buy here a 3.5t pvc then matriculate in Spain Or sell here then buy in Spain.
May I ask as you do seem to be knowledgeable what is a popular brand in Spain for pvc motorhomes.

Yes ,I'd sell in the Uk & buy here in spain. Not really sure about pvc's. only really starting to become popular in the last couple of years . bobandjanie have one but I think they imported theirs from Germany as they were residents & did it a while ago.They might be able to give you a better idea re; pvc's

 

[Mr porky]

Yes ,I'd sell in the Uk & buy here in spain. Not really sure about pvc's. only really starting to become popular in the last couple of years . bobandjanie have one but I think they imported theirs from Germany as they were residents & did it a while ago.They might be able to give you a better idea re; pvc's

Thank you.
This is just the early stage but it’s nice to get my head round what would have to happen.

 

[jumar]

Thank you.
This is just the early stage but it’s nice to get my head round what would have to happen.

Totally agree with what Gus has said, regarding PVC vans, here in Galicia right now there are many, the Spanish over the years have taken to motorhoming in a big way...most makes are available originating from EU manufacturers...there are dealerships in all the major cities.
I totally agree with sell in the UK and buy fresh here in Spain, that's when you get around to it...we have lived in Spain many years and use our motorhome during the summer months....the network of motorhome camperstops has increased along with the popularity of motorhoming....

 

[EuroTrotters]

I exported my car to Spain. We are not resident, but as the car was in Spain already and had been ITV’d in December,2020 the agent I used managed to avoid import tax.

It was worth me getting this done as it’s a low mileage car that has been in our family since new. The cost in total for me to provide the free of charge COC (Certificate of conformity) in German was €670. The only problem was getting Audi to send a COC on watermarked paper during early lockdowns.

I could have paid €100 for someone to drive it to Murcia where at the time, a COC could be overlooked.

For me to buy a similar Audi in Spain would have cost 3 times as much as what ours stood us at with the import costs.

Back to your motorhome. If it’s something very unique, you have spent a lot of time modifying, it may be worth you taking it to spain. If not, best to sell and find something in Spain.

If we still had our LHD la Strada, I would definitely be taking to Spain. I paid £60,000 new for what it today’s money would cost £100,000+ with mods.

Like I said, weigh up the pros, cons and costa !

 

[bobandjanie]

Hi, we messaged our gestor that did ours, we asked the question based on the value as a guideline of €150.000 and this was her reply.

It can still be done, but it is not easy to do and if they have ever had a Padron at any time previously then they have to pay..Customs tax is 21 and 10% plus Customs fees..tbh mega risky and expensive if the application fails....the risk is probably around 50K..sorry Bev

If you did go ahead it would probably be the only one in Spain.

We decided with our last van to fetch it back and sell, but it was RHD and made a good price, had it have been LHD we would have kept it.

We originally planned to get a new van, but after looking at various dealers in Spain, even though they had them on the forecourt they were demonstrators and you had to order them, that was going to take too long because being residents its illegal having a UK registered vehicle, so we got a flight to Germany bought a 11 month old panelvan conversion and drove it home, forget what the cost was but motorhomes in Spain are more expensive. Bob.

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[jumar]

Lots of formalities to be considered before being a Spanish resident....but using an agent, this can be overcome....one thing you cannot ask an agent to do is Pass your driving test for you in order to obtain your Spanish license, and what class of vehicle you intend driving might need more than one test....I believe the exchange facility has or might be finishing soon....there was an extended period...just something else to research...

 

[gus-lopez]

Lots of formalities to be considered before being a Spanish resident....but using an agent, this can be overcome....one thing you cannot ask an agent to do is Pass your driving test for you in order to obtain your Spanish license, and what class of vehicle you intend driving might need more than one test....I believe the exchange facility has or might be finishing soon....there was an extended period...just something else to research...

yes that is very true for anyone now thinking of taking residency. +the pass rate of spanish driving tests is only5% first time as it is a"closed shop" so in there interests for you not to pass too quickly additionally you need a medical when learning that only has a 90 day validity. Then you need another et al.

If you fail then there is a mandatory amount of lessons before you can take another test. The more you fail the greater the amount of lessons between tests
Even when you do pass you if wanting to drive over 3,5T then it is another test + medical etc.

** We have a lady here who had a Jersey issued licence which wasn't exchangeable even when the UK was in the EU. She had lived on the I-O-W for 25 years & didn't realise she should have changed it after 12 months living in the UK
Even though she could drive on her UK licence temporarily she still had to take lessons,multiple medicals, & 3 tests to actually passas it is completely different from the UK. & she had to do all this at age 69!