Thread: Calling all car buying experts

I know nothing about car maintenance apart from how to check the oil & water. I can usually tell when something is not right mechanically but not know exactly what.
So when we move to Spain what do we do about buying a car?
Here in UK I have several mechanic friends who would assist me in buying and maintaining my car.
New or 2nd hand?
2nd hand are more expensive than UK and I would have to get a fairly new car from a dealer to have any sort of warranty or guarantee of getting a sound vehicle.
New car prices are pretty comparable to UK and at least you know the car's history from the off.
I am interested in a Fiesta sized 5 door diesel at least 1.4. Would there be a long wait to get a new one?

For 2nd hand cars from dealerships is the price usually negotiable? What hidden extras might there be to the price quoted on the windscreen? ie costs for the paperwork, tax etc? How long before I can drive it away?

How can we tell how old the car is ?

We will have to hire a car when we arrive until we get our own wheels so the time factor is quite relevant.

I have bought two second hand cars in Spain..I bought them both from friends, so have no knowledge of dealerships. The date that the car was first registered is shown on the vehicle registration document..Dont buy a car which is parked up amongst others on the street, waste land or parking area with for sale and the price on the windscreen..Many stolen cars are sold that way. Very often, expensive cars with prices that seem too good to be true, normally are. I would suggest buying from a dealership, or where the sellers name is on the documents. I believe you will need to get a NIE number to register a car. Some dealers can arrange that, or maybe Eljefe can give more advice on that.
CD

Hiya, It is difficult from reg numbers to tell age of a spanish car, but the year is always on the papers. Buying a new fiesta as long as you wernt fussed with the color, I reckon 2 to 3 days to get a new one on the road. My wife went to buy a new Burgundy Toyota but came home with a black one just coz it was in stock.
All second hand cars are negotiable. They should come with the taxes up to date. Tax on a fiesta for the year is 65 euros. Two days of paperwork and you will have a tempory "circulacion" certificate to drive on , originals come later. Cost of paperwork aprox 200 to 300 euro.
If you are in UK get a UK reg left hooker to drive over in, thats good here for 6 months. Google LHD.

The guarantee from the dealer would not cover much as it was in our experience. We bought 2nd hand car and received 1 year guarantee on the engine. Everything else went wrong but the engine You have to check whether the owner of the car had any unpaid "multas". Just last week I had a case where someone had 12 outstanding fines from the police for wrong parking and speeding. Luckily this lady was not planning to sell her car, just wanted to get a Spanish residence, so needed to sort out her status in Spain.