Back in October i got a Mazda CX5. We drove over to Spain in it in March and it worked perfectly. I wanted to take bikes, and debated a tow bar. However, was put off the fairly stupid prices people were asking to fit one, and went with a bike strap mount style.
I'm now weighing up plans for moving back over there in October when we'll have considerably more stuff.
Options are
1 - Buy a van - Hope to sell it over there. Various risks involved in this
2 - One Way Van Hire - Seems a great option. But only 2 suppliers, and both are booked to the end of September so far, so not much flexibility and we don't have a fixed date
3 - Pay a company to move stuff - Easiest option, but we need to go over with the dog (not sending him with anyone else), and high cost. Also it seems they have to pay customs on your stuff and it's debatable whether you can claim this back. Doing it yourself avoids this as we're relocating
Then i wondered about driving over with a trailer. I think it would be sufficient to take our stuff as we aren't taking furniture or anything. I thought about using our current car. However i'd have to pay ~£500 to add a towbar, and then i'm in Spain with a ~£11k car which could be difficult to move on as post Brexit you can't drive a UK car as a Spanish resident. I could register it in Spain, but there's additional costs involved. Still a possibility though.
The other option is to sell my car, and try and buy something for £3-4k that is fitted with a towbar already. Ideal solution would be something like a Volvo V70 estate/Skoda Octavia estate. This would potentially give a more efficient car for driving in Spain vs the 4.0 Jeep Wrangler that's waiting for me. It could also be worth registering it in Spain and accepting that cost. Downside being it's RHD but that's not too bad. Other downside is my wife hates estates in all forms so a tough sell.
That leaves me thinking about a hatchback. Something Golf like. It could work for my wife as she is reluctant to drive the Jeep and so would like something to use on a daily basis if needed. I assume i'd need a 2.0 Diesel though for towing duties and something like a 1.4 diesel would be fairly painful?
Trailer wise, i'm only really thinking a smallish one like this
Generally, i'd say i've just made this thread to throw out my thought process and for people to tell me if i'm being stupid/overlooking something.
I'm now weighing up plans for moving back over there in October when we'll have considerably more stuff.
Options are
1 - Buy a van - Hope to sell it over there. Various risks involved in this
2 - One Way Van Hire - Seems a great option. But only 2 suppliers, and both are booked to the end of September so far, so not much flexibility and we don't have a fixed date
3 - Pay a company to move stuff - Easiest option, but we need to go over with the dog (not sending him with anyone else), and high cost. Also it seems they have to pay customs on your stuff and it's debatable whether you can claim this back. Doing it yourself avoids this as we're relocating
Then i wondered about driving over with a trailer. I think it would be sufficient to take our stuff as we aren't taking furniture or anything. I thought about using our current car. However i'd have to pay ~£500 to add a towbar, and then i'm in Spain with a ~£11k car which could be difficult to move on as post Brexit you can't drive a UK car as a Spanish resident. I could register it in Spain, but there's additional costs involved. Still a possibility though.
The other option is to sell my car, and try and buy something for £3-4k that is fitted with a towbar already. Ideal solution would be something like a Volvo V70 estate/Skoda Octavia estate. This would potentially give a more efficient car for driving in Spain vs the 4.0 Jeep Wrangler that's waiting for me. It could also be worth registering it in Spain and accepting that cost. Downside being it's RHD but that's not too bad. Other downside is my wife hates estates in all forms so a tough sell.
That leaves me thinking about a hatchback. Something Golf like. It could work for my wife as she is reluctant to drive the Jeep and so would like something to use on a daily basis if needed. I assume i'd need a 2.0 Diesel though for towing duties and something like a 1.4 diesel would be fairly painful?
Trailer wise, i'm only really thinking a smallish one like this
Car Trailer 205 x 112cm Camping Box Small 6.8 x 3.8ft Top Cover 750kg Black | eBay UK
Gross Weight: 750kg. Internal width – 112cm / 3’8. Weight trailer: 130kg. Side height – 32cm / 1’1 + top cover 80cm / 2 ’7. - number plate holder. - jockey wheel. - front side is attached permanently.
www.ebay.co.uk
Generally, i'd say i've just made this thread to throw out my thought process and for people to tell me if i'm being stupid/overlooking something.
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