Member Since: 16 Jan 2018
Location: Gibraltar
Posts: 597
Moving to Gib
So,
My family and I are in the middle of moving to Gibraltar, and expecting to be out there for December.
Gives us a few issues to deal with, complicated by me just having had an operation that leaves me out of action for a few weeks!
One of the dilemmas has been what to do with cars, and after much agonising “we’ve” decided we need to sell our cars; this was an open, transparent and democratic process where my wife and I each have a vote, but in the event of a ‘tied vote’ she gets the deciding vote!
Anyway, decided it’s too difficult to have a RHD car there which means I have to give up my D3
She has, however, promised I can get a LHD one out there, as she loves the Disco as much as I do, but it’s actually proving quite difficult to arrange.
There’s a 4x4 club there that I’ve out feelers out to, but no response yet.
There’s an LR dealer there, but no disco’s
There are second hand car dealerships, but again, can’t see any disco’s
There’s a ‘Facebook’ page, but also ...... no disco’s
I’ve had a look in Spain, and there are a few but all low spec and over priced.
So, wondering if any here have similar experience they can give the benefit of their wisdom in this!
Any help appreciated.
Andy
10th Nov 2019 12:25 pm
kajtzu
Member Since: 11 Aug 2017
Location: Helsinki
Posts: 6566
For used vehicles Germany is the largest and one of the most efficient markets in EU - vehicles tend to be priced to sell. Check out AutoScout24 and mobile.de. Plenty of D3s and D4s around, mostly diesel but a few D3 V8s and D4 V8 and SCV6s, too.
10th Nov 2019 12:42 pm
albbu
Member Since: 11 Aug 2015
Location: southampton
Posts: 22
Certainly true about overpriced in spain, even old SIII bangers can go for €4000.
To get a feel for pricing go to Autoscout, Its not usually worth importing LHD from EU as
the registration process is expensive and you need to be resident in Spain (not Gib).
I imported a 2006 Freelander in 2016 and it cost over €1600 in tax, fees and MOT's.
No idea about Gib,even after BREXIT???
Regards
Alan2007 D3 HSE
2006 D3 SE LHD
2006 FreelanderTd4
2002Td5Disco2
1974 109" Daktari
1948 80"
LRSOC Member for years
Ouistreham to Gib is 1,200 miles or so & 2 or 3 days driving, admittedly I haven't done the full journey but have driven as far as Cádiz in an MGB.
NJSSAm I Gammon or Woke ? - I neither know nor care.
2016 Discovery 4 Landmark
2011 Mercedes Benz SL350 (R230)
1973 MG B GT V8 - 3.9L John Eales engine, 5 speed R380 gearbox, since 1975.
1959 MGA roadster - 1.9L Peter Burgess Engine - 5 speed gearbox
Past LRs - Multiple FFRs, Discos & a Series I - some petrol, some diesel,
none Electric or H2 fuel cell - yet.
There are 10 types of people in this world: Those who understand binary, and those who don’t.
10th Nov 2019 3:40 pm
DSL Keeper of the wheelie bin
Member Since: 11 May 2006
Location: Off again! :-)
Posts: 72774
Going slightly off topic but what are the queues for cars like now getting out of Gib? When we last went to Gib they were pretty awful as the Spanish border guards/customs were playing silly bees.
10th Nov 2019 4:00 pm
maxbasscat
Member Since: 03 Jan 2016
Location: Cambridgeshire
Posts: 1263
Some will remember I was in Gib for a while so can probably give you a few tips! I had an E280 out there for a while but decided I was too much of a liability so brought it home. Driving a RHD on holiday for two weeks or so is OK but if you are staying for any length of time go LHD.
I still have my D3 4.4 LHD that is for sale PM me if you are interested.
D3 2.7 Zermatt silver (not another one)
D3 4.4 V8 Zambezi silver
D3 4.4 V8 Adriatic Blue
D3 2.7 (gone) Tonga Green
D3 4.4 V8 LHD Tonga Green
FFRR TDV8
Defender 300
10th Nov 2019 4:30 pm
XDAndy
Member Since: 16 Jan 2018
Location: Gibraltar
Posts: 597
You can see our future home in that picture!
Was that photo taken before the Sunborn was installed at Ocean Village?
Pm sent!
10th Nov 2019 8:43 pm
maxbasscat
Member Since: 03 Jan 2016
Location: Cambridgeshire
Posts: 1263
^^ April 2016 Sunborn has been “anchored “ since 2007 I think?D3 2.7 Zermatt silver (not another one)
D3 4.4 V8 Zambezi silver
D3 4.4 V8 Adriatic Blue
D3 2.7 (gone) Tonga Green
D3 4.4 V8 LHD Tonga Green
FFRR TDV8
Defender 300
10th Nov 2019 11:00 pm
2mucky
Member Since: 23 Aug 2019
Location: waikato
Posts: 24
I lived just outside Gib and worked there for a while a few years back. Neat place to be.
You will need to learn the lingo - Gibberish is an actual thing. Sort of a Spanish / English mash up lol.
Def get yourself a LHD but really think about how small Gib is. Parking spots are TINY.
Insurance can be funny for non Gib number plate cars too so be careful - how long will you be there for?
I had a classic Range Rover for a while on a Gib number plate, a Honda CBR600 for commuting in and out.
(The border is a nightmare) and an old Peugeot 405 on GB plates that I drove down in (LHD). Plus a Golf TDi wagon on Spanish plates lol.
Cheers, Matt
11th Nov 2019 5:20 am
XDAndy
Member Since: 16 Jan 2018
Location: Gibraltar
Posts: 597
Plan is to be there a few years, but you can never know I guess.
Think there’s going to be a lot that we need to learn, and quickly.
As for driving around Gib, spent a weekend rattling around in a freelander2, but there is a definite desire to be heading into the mountains on the other side of the border, and with 3 adults and 3 kids need something that will take them all.
Good to know about the insurance side of things.
Is there any advantage taking a (UK) plate car over any other European plate car that anyone is aware of?
11th Nov 2019 9:51 am
maxbasscat
Member Since: 03 Jan 2016
Location: Cambridgeshire
Posts: 1263
Janito and not worth it unless you are really dedicated. Spanish and English perfectly acceptableD3 2.7 Zermatt silver (not another one)
D3 4.4 V8 Zambezi silver
D3 4.4 V8 Adriatic Blue
D3 2.7 (gone) Tonga Green
D3 4.4 V8 LHD Tonga Green
FFRR TDV8
Defender 300
11th Nov 2019 10:34 am
maxbasscat
Member Since: 03 Jan 2016
Location: Cambridgeshire
Posts: 1263
On UK plate it depends where you live and work. If you go to the local urbanisations you will see many GB plates, there is a ruse to avoid Spanish duties. No road tax in Gib and remember streets narrow with Gibraltareans “parking by feel”
Insurance is odd I used a Brit run brokerage in Spain with a Gib based insurance company. Don’t even bother asking a UK multicar provider. Direct Line is available in Spain as Linea Directa, it depends where you live and work, so many people who hire a car at Gibraltar Airport get a Spanish mainland insurance cover that does not cover them for use in Gib, if you don’t ask you don’t get being the standard.
Very obvious what this site is used for, my experience is that there are very few hold ups most delays are caused by airport incoming / outbound flights and even that will decrease when the airport relief road tunnel opens, most locals manage their crossings via this site D3 2.7 Zermatt silver (not another one)
D3 4.4 V8 Zambezi silver
D3 4.4 V8 Adriatic Blue
D3 2.7 (gone) Tonga Green
D3 4.4 V8 LHD Tonga Green
FFRR TDV8
Defender 300
11th Nov 2019 11:08 am
Seatown
Member Since: 04 Nov 2019
Location: Scotland
Posts: 5
Hi Andy
I've just come back full time to the UK having been working in Gib for the past 4 years. I also have a brother who's been living and working out there since 2012.
You're right about Disco's being hard to find out there and in Gib and Spain it's amazing how expensive second hand cars are.
The comment above about locals "park by feel" is spot on and given how little care is taken with cars and parking dings, I would be reluctant to have a new or nearly new car out there. If you have accommodation with private parking that would help but even a simple trip to Morrisons car park can be perilous to your doors!
Moped/Scooter riders are a particular hazard, most are either Kamikaze pilots, or think they're the next Marc Marquez (but in flip flops!).
If I had a Disco etc here in the UK I would be tempted to take it out with me as RHD is far far less of a problem than ordinary cars given the high driving position. My brother has a Gib reg RHD Disco 2 that was formerly a UK car and it's no problem at all to drive on the "wrong" side of the road. If you're going to become a Gib resident it is pretty straightforward to import your car from the UK, the only real cost is the duty on the value of the car at time of import. The "value" is very much open to discussion and of course if it needs some "maintenance or repairs" then this helps reduce the value upon which you pay duty. My brother brought in a UK reg Honda Fireblade and the import guys were very helpful when it came to valuing his bike and the process is pretty straight forward - pay duty, get MOT'd, get insured, new reg. I think you have about 3 months to get it re-reg if you bring it over with you. Also there are dealers who can help you with the process if you don't want to do it yourself. Importing can be a lot less money than buying a car out there.
One word of warning if you do have a UK reg car is not to take too long in importing it if you are going to reside in Gib. Often folks just carry driving around in their UK reg car, but you'll probably find that if you go to Spain on a weekend (as many do - Gib can be pretty claustrophobic) and then come back across the frontier on a Sunday evening, HM Customs may well challenge you in a UK car as it's fairly obvious that you live in Gib if coming over at that time. If you have a UK reg car and use it to travel in each day from Spain then not a Gib problem but then a whole other ball game from the Spanish perspective.
For car insurance in Gib, IBEX in Irish Town are pretty decent brokers, but much like the UK you do need to add EU cover if you want to take your car into Spain from Gib.
Then there are all the other things to sort like driving licences, etc. The Spanish Guardia can get a bit funny if you're driving a Gib reg car on a UK licence.
If you're keeping a UK address it does give you some breathing space on making arrangements.
Hope this helps and if you do decide to take your Disco with you and need some contacts etc for the process do let me know.
Good luck and hope it all goes well for you and your family.
KevVisiting from RRSport forum
2010 RRS TDV8
12th Nov 2019 7:48 pm
XDAndy
Member Since: 16 Jan 2018
Location: Gibraltar
Posts: 597
Hi Seatown,
And happy first forum post! Guessing this is here on the disco site rather than the RRSsite?
Thanks for the advice this all really good info.
SWIMBO really not happy with idea of (UK) car in gib, but it’s more to do with driving in Spain than driving in gib.
What surprises me more about the second hand market is that when we’ve been there, the number of gib reg d3s and d4s were significant, not counting the range rovers and FLs, so where do they all go???
Checked Capurro and Facebook, and there’s nothing!
Guess I’ll find out soon enough, though
13th Nov 2019 1:59 am
Seatown
Member Since: 04 Nov 2019
Location: Scotland
Posts: 5
Andy, Thanks. Yes I've just joined the disco site as there's lots of great technical info that is relevant to and helps with my RRS. So far I've just been soaking it all up!
I think that Land Rover owners tend to keep hold of them for a long time, and with low mileages being clocked up as Gib is so small and no salted winter roads means that they last pretty well too. What does come up for sale probably doesn't hang around for long and often goes via word of mouth so never gets advertised.
It's sad to mention but there's been a lot of B**x*t related change happening in Gib with many gaming and insurance firms shifting operations out of Gibraltar to places like Malta so you might find that more vehicles pop up on the market as people relocate elsewhere.
There is a Land Rover dealer in nearby Los Barrios, Spain but then you're looking at an import again.Visiting from RRSport forum
2010 RRS TDV8
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