A Plan to Address the Matriculation Issue in Portugal

[rarrainbow]

Hello All!

We are currently in the UK, moving to the South Algarve in the next month (May 2012). We have decided to buy a car in the UK and drive it over as:

a) we have heard cars are 2.5x more expensive to buy in Portugal
b) we will know nobody upon arrival and will therefore have no trustworthy people to help us when buying a car (we are getting cheap banger and are not mechanics ourselves!!)
c) we have lots of stuff to bring over (surf boards, dive equipment etc) so even though flights are cheap, once extra baggage has been added, plus taxis etc when we get there, figured a car would be much easier and much more fun too!
d) being involved in the tourist industry my BF needs to be ready to go as soon as we get there, therefore not inclined to buy Portuguese car upon arrival as this will take time to sort out insurance, breakdown, even just finding the car....

We know that:

a) as long as the UK car is UK taxed and MOT'd, we can keep it legally for the first 183 days of entering Portugal
b) after then we need to matriculate
c) there are loads of posts on all forums about this and clearly it is a pain in the posterior and also pretty costly :-( (also I believe you have to have owned the car for 12 months prior to attempting matriculation... well we haven't even bought our car yet..... so can't matriculate anyway!)

However:

a) we need a car as BF is freelance photographer across the whole of the South
b) we are limited on funds!
c) we have found really good insurers to cover UK, Spain and Portugal

Surely:
- with the number of expats moving between the UK and Portugal, something can be set up between us to benefit all. I'm thinking drive a UK registered car over, have it legally no hassle for 6 months, then sell it to somebody who is going to the UK. Maybe part ex for their LHD car?

Pitfalls:
- not sure how many people leave Portugal to move back to the UK?

Overcome by:
- people will be visiting the UK and maybe the idea of a road trip would appeal... see some of Spain and France and even the UK along the way! Use the car to transport more than is allowable on cheap.com flights. Use it whilst in the UK. Then if coming back, sell it onto the next person who needs it!

Surely:
-there must be people needing RHD leaving Portugal who have a LHD car to get rid of??????

-doing part ex or a plain swap to avoid all the absolute red tape of getting the cars re-registered and all the costly checks involved

What do you all think please? As I said, as yet, we have no car but definitely need one... which is the best way to do this based on only wanting a cheap banger and having lots of stuff to bring over...

Any ideas or inspiration to address this situation that clearly a lot of people are suffering with would be great!

Thanks

[V8mate]

Sounds like you've created yourself a small business to set up

[rarrainbow]

yes potentially but need to see from forums if there ARE people needing UK registered cars leaving Portugal?

[B'stard Child]

I got to matriculation and then realised I needed to know what it means

Google hasn't proved to be that helpfull yet - I may be some time!!!

[TEKNOPUG]

Would it not be easier to buy a LHD car in the UK?

[Caulkhead]

TEKNOPUG said:

Would it not be easier to buy a LHD car in the UK?

I thought that too!

OP, here's a list of 108 left hand drive cars to choose from for sale in the UK and under £3000:

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/search/used/cars/postc...

[B'stard Child]

TEKNOPUG said:

Would it not be easier to buy a LHD car in the UK?

As I understand it from my limited digging - it would still need matriculation if not registered in portugal

Bloody loads of portugal registered cars round here - some have been here for several years and have yet to adopt UK plates - apparently if you take them out of the country within the 6 mths allowed to be on foreign plates the 6 mth time period starts again........ So a day trip ferry crossing to Calais - run up the coast to belgium for some tobacco and then back again means they continue to run foreign plates and are "untouchable" to the local BIB

[stropley]

My mother-in-law moved out in Feb and they drove their '03 Mondeo down 'cos they were taking their cats.

I think the general plan is to drive it back if they need to come back for some reason then give it to me to sell, or get somebody else to drive it home.

I'm sure if such a service existed they'd pay somebody to get it back here.

I've done the drive between UK and the Algarve 3 times now & like it a lot. If they get near the 183 days & the car is still in Portugal I might offer to bring it home for the price of a flight over, a piri-piri chicken dinner & fuel, tolls etc.

[river_rat]

You could just buy a car in the UK and continue to use it after the intial period. Maybe a touch risky, but loads of people do it.

My Dad has lived in Portugal for about 6 years and has always had a UK registered car.

[TomM]

He deep are you pockets?

My parents retired to Aljezur 4 years ago, and drove out there in my Dads ex company Omega. Getting it matriculated is a real pain, took an age and cost an absolute fortune. Thy just scrapped the car 3 weeks ago, as the car tax out there for foreign cars is extortionate (cars matriculated into Portugal) They bought a LHD Portugal registered Nissan X-Trail a few years back and it's a lot, lot cheaper to run.

Also, if you are going to keep the car out there then make sure you do get it matriculated - as the plod out there are very hot on it and stop ex-pats frequently to check.

My Mum was going to give the car to one of the other ex-pats to drive back to the UK for me to sell, and now wishes that she had - the money they spent on that old Omega was far, far more than it was worth.

Very handy for the trip out, but proceed with caution - it is expensive.

[willfinch36]

Where abouts are you moving to in the Algarve?

We have a place in Lagos Lovely place.

[DanS]

Is it not the same as Spain and a quick trip to Gibraltar resets the 183 days? You can even get an MOT done there.

[rarrainbow]

Thanks for all your replies!!

I know there are LHD cars in the UK to buy, that's not the issue, we don't mind getting used to a RHD car over there. It's the fact that it needs to be Portuguese registered.

I guess if there were to be a Portuguese car for sale in the UK then that would fix it... buy it here, drive over, no need to register, BOOM!

Any takers? Does anybody know of a Portuguese car for sale???!!

I have heard mixed reviews about the local police checking: lots say no worries, you can totally get away with not matriculating after the 183 days are up. Thing is, how do you get it taxed if its not matriculated? Do you just not get it taxed or MOT'd year after year and hope to not get caught?

From what I understand, to get an MOT, or their equivalent, you need Portuguese road Tax... how can you get that if it's not been matriculated??

Lots of people say that they are really bothered and not to risk not doing it above board...

Lots say cross the boarder to reset the 183 day thing but lots say that if the local police see that's what you've done then they can still fine you...

IS IT REALISTIC TO EXPECT THAT WE COULD FIND AN EXPAT TO BUY IT OFF US IN PORTUGAL TO DRIVE BACK SO WE CAN THEN BUY THEIR PORTUGUESE CAR TO KEEP THERE???

;-)

[Balmoral]

There are tens of thousands of ex-pats all over Europe with their UK cars, and have been for decades. Nobody's checking, nobody cares. We had two UK vehicles in France for four years, we just kept them UK legal that's all.

Play by the rules by all means, but even if I lived next door to a Portuguese Police station or a Customs & Excise office, I wouldn't be worried about someone realising my UK car had been kicking around the neighbourhood for a very long time, even for a few years

[Uhura fighter]

willfinch36 said:

Where abouts are you moving to in the Algarve?

We have a place in Lagos Lovely place.

If you rent it, PM me the details please.

[rarrainbow]

OK, get your point thank you :-)

We will take our UK car, banger, keep it UK legal and risk it for a biscuit!

We will still keep an eye out for expats wanting to buy to return to the UK and also for cheap local cars to buy...

We are moving to Cotifo I think... about 7km north of Lagos in the mountains... We will set up there and once earning a good amount get our own place! Is your place away from the tourist crowds??

[vonhosen]

DanS said:

Is it not the same as Spain and a quick trip to Gibraltar resets the 183 days? You can even get an MOT done there.

That's not the case though is it ?

The reciprocal agreement is that in can be used for 6 months in a 12 month period by visitors, so leaving doesn't reset the clock (& the burden of proof is yours). Also if you become a resident of the country (no longer a visitor) you are required to register straight away, no 6 months grace.

[Balmoral]

VH is correct, leaving and returning does not reset the clock. But, the clock is never set in the 1st place, which is why it is largely ignored.

[aitch2]

I have been living in the Algarve for over 6 years now and run both Portuguese and UK plated cars. My advice is, there is a lot of scare mongering on the expat forums, ignore it.

Although you are only supposed to keep your foreign registered car here for max 183 days, you can get a local MOT, pay portuguese road tax and get insurance here. My paperwork has satisfied the authorities at several road side stops, and I have never been asked how long the car has been in the country.

The roads here are full of foreign registered cars, so its not like you stand out, but if you do get caught you have the choice of paying the matriculation costs or getting the car out of the country.

There are plenty of UK reg cars for sale here, but it is a very limited market. The locals will not touch anything RHD, and people returning to UK tend not to be interested because they do not have UK tax, mot etc.

If you are intending to stay in the Algarve and take out residencia in Portugal, it is worth bringing a decent LHD car from UK, as your matriculation is tax free on one vehicle as part of your residencia.

Anyway good luck with your move!

[rarrainbow]

aitch2 said:

I have been living in the Algarve for over 6 years now and run both Portuguese and UK plated cars. My advice is, there is a lot of scare mongering on the expat forums, ignore it.

Although you are only supposed to keep your foreign registered car here for max 183 days, you can get a local MOT, pay portuguese road tax and get insurance here. My paperwork has satisfied the authorities at several road side stops, and I have never been asked how long the car has been in the country.

The roads here are full of foreign registered cars, so its not like you stand out, but if you do get caught you have the choice of paying the matriculation costs or getting the car out of the country.

There are plenty of UK reg cars for sale here, but it is a very limited market. The locals will not touch anything RHD, and people returning to UK tend not to be interested because they do not have UK tax, mot etc.

If you are intending to stay in the Algarve and take out residencia in Portugal, it is worth bringing a decent LHD car from UK, as your matriculation is tax free on one vehicle as part of your residencia.

Anyway good luck with your move!

Thanks!

What papers do you have for your UK car then for when you get stopped? Do they not ask to see your passport for proof of entry? What happens when you first drive through the boarder? Do you need anything paperwork wise for your UK car then when first arriving? If we like it and our plan goes well, then we will stay as long as we are happy...do we NEED to get residencia?

Thanks for your frank advice, much appreciated :-)