How to buy a used car in Spain

Although the majority of Spanish cities have top notch transport systems, with extensive road and rail networks (including the AVE, the world’s second longest high-speed rail network) and inner-city metro systems, there nearly always comes a time in our lives when we weigh up the option of buying our own car. After all, it gives us the independence and the complete freedom to up and leave and embark on an impromptu road trip whenever we want. Sounds like a dream, right? The only spanner in the works is the high cost. However, with the rise of new car prices and a few crises thrown in for good measure, more and more people are going down the second hand route. In fact, nowadays in Spain, two used cars are sold for every shiny new one. If you’re not sure how to buy a used car in Spain and need some tips to get you started, you’ve come to the right place.

Do your homework

Before starting your search for your new set of wheels, make sure you know exactly what you’re looking for. What will you be using it for? How many seats does it need to have? What’s the cut-off point in terms of the number of kilometres it has racked up? Does it need to have a large boot? These are just some of the standard questions you should be asking yourself before you get down to business. After all, research is key, especially if you don’t already have a lot of knowledge of cars. Plus, the more information you obtain, the harder it will be to pull the wool over your eyes when it comes to handing the money over.

Choices, choices…

In many cases you will be able to find the same car for sale from both private individuals and professional dealers, usually with the exception that professional sellers tend to stock newer cars or at least cars in better condition. This is mainly because they will offer a warranty and are looking to earn a higher profit margin.

For the same vehicle, in more or less the same condition, a private seller can offer a slightly better price than a car dealer. In exchange, however, the professional seller offers the expertise of a specialist and therefore the peace of mind that comes along with it, including the mandatory one-year guarantee that private sellers are not required to provide. If you decide to buy from a private individual, bear in mind that it will be a civil contract between the buyer and seller and that legal recourse, in the event an issue arises, can be limited. That said, the buyer can file a claim for any hidden defects, but only within the first six months following the sale and pending an expert report that confirms that the defects existed prior to the sale.
So, once again, do your research and weigh up both options before taking the plunge.

Get your inspector hat on

Once you’ve found a car that sparks an interest, it’s time to check it out. If you go down the used car route, don’t forget that lots of sellers can often be deceitful by hiding any defects, so get your best inspector hat on and examine every last detail of the car. What do you need to look for?

Exterior
First things first, the state of the paintwork will be a good indication of the type of use the car has had and where it has been parked, but there are lots of other aspects you should pay attention to. We’ve also added some Spanish terms so you can brush up your language skills along the way, although if you’re not yet confident with your level of Spanish but want to ask the seller lots of questions and, of course, understand what he or say replies, why not bring a native Spanish friend along to help with the translation?

• Headlights (Faros): Working well? If one is brighter than the other, this could be an indication that it was replaced, potentially following an accident.
• Bodywork (Carrocería): Check for any dents or scratches, both up close and from afar, as well as from different angles. Check for different shades of paint, which could well indicate that it has had to be repainted.
• Doors (Puertas): Make sure they close properly. Otherwise, this may be an indication that the car has suffered damage. Check the hinges (bisagras) for any recent soldering work.
• Boot/trunk (Maletero): Revise this area carefully, as any subsequent repairs could be costly. Tip: lift the carpet to check if the car has been repainted.
• Check other parts including window wipers (parabrisas), tyres (ruedas), coupling ball (bola de remolque) for general signs of wear. Tip: if the car has uncertified parts that are not listed in the technical sheet (ficha técnica), check with a vehicle inspection test centre if they would pass. Find out more about the vehicle inspection test - the Spanish equivalent of the British MOT - here.

Interior

• Pay special attention to several interior parts of the vehicle for indications of wear: steering wheel (volante), gearstick (palanca de cambio), pedals (pedales) as well control buttons including for window wipers and indicators (intermitentes).
• Check the seats and look for any stains or burn marks, and revise the floor carpet (moqueta) well.

Another key factor to take into account is the environmental category the car has been assigned, especially if you live in large cities such as Madrid or Barcelona where low emission zones have been established, as older diesel models may be prohibited from driving in these areas.

Documentation in order?

When buying a second hand car it’s always crucial to check the paperwork. For around 8 euros you can request an extended vehicle report from the Dirección General de Tráfico to make sure the car is free of liens, as the new owner (you) would be responsible for settling them. This report will also specify whether or not the car has been imported as well as how many previous owners it has had.

You can also ask the current owner to provide the full car service book (libro de revisiones) with the corresponding invoices to check how well the car has been looked after.

Another important piece of documentation that you should check is the vehicle inspection report. Pay close attention to the mileage specified in each test to verify whether there was a drop in usage any particular year.

Try before you buy

Although inspecting the car is crucial in the process, you will only truly get a feel of how it works and its state of repair by giving it a test run. Take a route that crosses both the city and the motorway (just like what you would do when you test drive a new car), so that you can check the condition of the engine, gears, brakes, the usual. Look out for unusual sounds and don't let the accompanying salesperson play the radio or open the windows during the test drive. Unfortunately, this could be a sly ploy to block out any telling noises.

Put pen to paper

So, you’ve finally found a car that ticks all the boxes. Yay! It’s now time to put pen to paper and take your new wheels home. After signing the purchase/sale contract, all that’s left to do is to transfer ownership of the vehicle. Don’t worry, in the grand scheme of things considering the bureaucracy in Spain, it’s relatively simple. All you need to provide is the contract, the vehicle registration certificate, the MOT card and proof of payment of the last registration tax, as well as the ID cards of the buyer and seller. If you fancy handling this process by yourself, you’ll need to head to the provincial office of the DGT after paying the corresponding fee at the tax office. Otherwise, you can make the arrangements through a private administrative office (gestoría).

As an expat in Spain, especially if you’re new to the country, it’s pretty common to be completely in the dark about how to buy a used car in Spain, but the truth of the matter is that the process is pretty much the same as in most other countries. It’s important to take your time and do plenty of research before putting pen to paper. You can never obtain too much information, especially when buying off an unknown private individual. We hope your search goes well and that you find your perfect set of wheels in no time.