Red Tape, taped up

It has taken a while, but we finally have Spanish number plates for both cars! The story is a long one, with frustrations over time and money spent on rip-off merchants, who ought to be (insert suitable verb here).

It is the only thing that we were financially ripped-off with, so we have done better than some people.

Still, we finally found a genuine person who did the job, for a honest amount of money. Ed's was still a fiasco, as the Spanish won't import any right-hand-drive commercial vehicles. Somehow,we have managed to get it through. Subsequently, we have done the same, with much greater ease, for my car. Being left-hand-drive, we knew it shouldn't have been a problem anyway.

Even without the rip-off conmen, it has cost a lot of money, but at least we will now be able to drive around without any fear of punishment from the Gardia Civil. Apparently, if they stop you, they will give you 10 days to get it sorted, otherwise they will impound your car. (This is usually after 1 stop and a warning.) I have no idea how that is meant to work, because the process is so drawn out.

First, get a report from a technician. Then get some special paperwork from Trafico. Next, get a proper legal MOT (HOW MUCH did that cost???!!!!). Strangely, the MOT has to be held in their office for 10 days. At this point, your local council will come up with a (random) amount of import tax to pay. Then, take the MOT document to Trafico, and get issued with a number. Now, you have hit a sticky part... technically, your car is now on the new number, but you haven't actually got it yet, and therefore can't change the insurance. Still, I guess the chances of being in an accident in that short period is fairly unlikely. Next, the numberplate has to be made up. Then, change the insurance over to the new number. Of course, you then have to attach the new plates. Phew. I'm glad we paid someone to do the dirty work for us. Money well spent - once we'd found the right person.

For anyone wanting to import a car, I would seriously advise them to consider buying one here. It may seem to be more expensive, but in the long run, it probably isn't.

Well done Mum, who spotted that my letters (sort of) spell HUGS. I like that.