Cars...buy or take with you?

[sambacasual]

can anyone tell me,from experience,the pros and cons of both buying a car in greece and driving one from the UK?

[sambacasual]

Sorry should of said hi aswell,so hi!

Thanks in advance

[Wils & Nance]

Hi I know this post is a few months old, but, if you take your own car that is fine, the big but is, if you have a bump or your car is old and needing to be scrapped, you can't.........you have to pay to get it back to the uk !
They will not crush or scrap a uk registered car "FACT" !
I have worked in various parts of Greece and I know this to be true of any of the Islands. And there is no way you will be bump free, it's totally wacky races everywhere you go !

[paulmallatratt]

Originally Posted by sambacasual

can anyone tell me,from experience,the pros and cons of both buying a car in greece and driving one from the UK?

Hi Guys

I am new to the forum and spotted your question, so sorry if i am too late but! by all means take a car to Greece if you dont intend to leave it there for more than 6 months, because thats all the Law allows for here. There have been several instances of English cars that have been in Zakynthos for some years having been stopped by Police and as the cars cannot be insured Taxed or MOT'd then they have been seized and taken off the road and their owners fined or charged storage fees. Be warned the Greeks are taking these things a little more seriously these days. You can legally import your car to Greece but you must visit the Greek Embassy in Londan first and fill in the papers before you leave UK. Buying a car in Greece is quite easy but you should be aware that second hand cars do not depreciate to the same extent in Greece as they do in England so new cars are probably the preferred option.

Best Wishes
Paul M

[Stravinsky]

Originally Posted by paulmallatratt

Hi Guys

I am new to the forum and spotted your question, so sorry if i am too late but! by all means take a car to Greece if you dont intend to leave it there for more than 6 months, because thats all the Law allows for here. There have been several instances of English cars that have been in Zakynthos for some years having been stopped by Police and as the cars cannot be insured Taxed or MOT'd then they have been seized and taken off the road and their owners fined or charged storage fees. Be warned the Greeks are taking these things a little more seriously these days. You can legally import your car to Greece but you must visit the Greek Embassy in Londan first and fill in the papers before you leave UK. Buying a car in Greece is quite easy but you should be aware that second hand cars do not depreciate to the same extent in Greece as they do in England so new cars are probably the preferred option.

Best Wishes
Paul M

Cant you matriculate it on to Greek plates? Thats what you do to a car in Spain, and then it meets all local requirements with local insurance and road test

[paulmallatratt]

Originally Posted by Stravinsky

Cant you matriculate it on to Greek plates? Thats what you do to a car in Spain, and then it meets all local requirements with local insurance and road test

Hi there - yes its possible - thats what i meant by visiting the Greek Embassy before you leave UK with your car, I understand that you must have owned the vehicle for more than 6 months have all the paperwork and then obtain papers from the embassy too. When you get to Greece you should visit the Customs authorities and they will advise you on the cost of transfering your car to Greek plates, however if the vehicle is more than five years old - there could be an extra cost as Greece is trying to resolve its pollutions problems and so a car that it over 5 years old is not considered to be environmentally friendly and attracts extra taxes as a consequence. Before anyone asks, there are no published figures for the amount of duty charged for importing used cars to Greece so i cannot tell you what the costs would be but maybe its just easier to buy a Greek one, that was my option and to date i dont regret it.

[Toto]

You may find the info below useful. I'm going through the same process myself so wish me luck!

DUTY AND TAXATION EXEMPTION FOR PERSONS GOING TO GREECE FOR PERMANENT SETTLEMENT

Greek and foreign nationals who are permanent residents abroad may be issued with a certificate of transfer of normal residence provided that they have been residing permanently in the United Kingdom for at least the last three years before they transfer their normal residence to Greece.

In the event that the above persons are in Greece for any reason and they later express their wish to transfer their normal residence to Greece, they may be issued with a certificate of transfer of normal residence not later than 24 months after the date of their arrival in Greece.

In order to take advantage of duty and taxation exemptions Nationals of European Union member states MUST produce to the Greek Customs authorities at Customs clearance their five years residence permit for a national of a European Union member state issued by the Aliens Department or the local police in Greece.

In order to be issued with the certificate to which they are entitled allowing them to clear their vehicle, mobile home or motorcycle (over 250cc) the above persons must produce to the Consulate General of Greece the following:

a) any passports they may have (Greek or Foreign) covering the previous four years. If married, spouses passports are required for the same period.

b) vehicle registration document. They must have been keeper, owner and user in the United Kingdom of the specific vehicle, mobile home or motor cycle for more than six months prior to their entry to Greece. ALL UNITED KINGDOM TAXES must have been paid in total and a full driving license for at least the same period (i.e. over six months). The entitlement is one car per family.

c) P60 Forms or Tax Assessment Forms for the last three years and the last P45.

d) Council Tax for the last two years or if in rented accommodation a rent agreement contract.

e) If a new boat over 7.5 metres long is imported to Greece it must be declared to the Customs authorities and V.A.T. must be paid there.

f) Personal effects brought into Greece are not subject to Customs clearance.

g) Families may import only one vehicle, mobile home or bicycle.

Vehicles remain under the legal status of temporary importation for a period of six continuous months. If after six months vehicles are not re-exported they must be taken off the road that is, number plates must be handed in to the appropriate Customs office for at least six months but not more than twelve months.

Vehicles which have been taken off the road, the following year cannot be driven if the person with the right to drive has been out of Greece for less than 185 days.