What's more profitable: buying a car in Spain or transporting yours from Russia?

The first thing you need to find out is whether you are eligible for preferential customs clearance of your vehicle.

Here's a quick checklist:

— received your first Spanish residency (e.g., a temporary residence permit)
— you've owned the car for at least six months
— you've been registered in your home country for at least one year
— your car has been registered in your country of residence for at least one year

If you pass the inspection, the customs clearance process itself will cost approximately €2,000-€2,500. The price of the car doesn't affect the cost.

Here's what's included:

MOT inspection — €150-€200
Vehicle registration — €150
Vehicle registration — €135
Application for new license plates — €96
Plate replacement — €35
State duty — €450-€500
Transport tax — €100

Customs brokerage services start at €900.

If you don't qualify for preferential customs clearance, the customs clearance cost will be approximately 40% of the vehicle's value in Spain.

For example, if your car is valued at €40,000 in Spain, it will ultimately be worth €56,000.

If you have an American car, expect problems. In short, you'll encounter issues with red turn signals, missing rear fog lights, and, most importantly, the VIN number on the body or frame. We'll discuss the complexities of re-registering American cars in more detail—we know how to handle them.

Tuning is also frowned upon in Spain. Passing the strict vehicle inspection with custom headlights, extra bumpers, and other modifications is unlikely. If your car is "different from everyone else," it's best to consult with us in advance to ensure you can re-register it.

The main "problems" of cars from the USA: red turn signals, lack of fog lights and running lights, lack of a VIN number on the frame.

There are many options:

— transport it yourself
— hire a carrier
— use a car transporter or tow truck

The price will vary from 1,000 euros to 3,500-6,000 euros, depending on the brand.

We have experience transporting and registering cars when the car was in St. Petersburg and its owner was in Georgia. They met in Spain. The car had local license plates and was transferred remotely.

By conservative estimates, if you qualify for preferential registration, transport the car yourself, and it fully complies with Spanish technical regulations, you can get by for €3,000-€4,000.

So, add this amount to the price of your car in Russia to get the full price in Spain.

Next, find a similar model in the EU and compare. For example, a 2018 Volvo XC40 with full registration in Spain costs from €30,000. A similar car in Russia costs around €40,000.

It seems like the choice is obvious. Why transport your car when it's cheaper to buy a new one in the EU?

Transportation is justified if the car is rare, well-loved, in excellent condition, and you've simply become accustomed to it. In this case, money isn't the main factor.