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Buying a Car in Europe

Buying a car in Europe has many uses and can make travelling or living abroad much easier. However the process of buying a car in Europe can also be difficult and complicated if you don’t know what you are doing.

If you are visiting Europe then being able to drive can be a huge advantage. The great thing about driving on any holiday is that it gives you the freedom to go wherever you choose and this enables you to more fully explore the area. Rather than just visiting the part of Europe you’re in then, if you get car insurance in Europe you can go across country, or even travel through a few different countries. In these cases, normally you would rent a car, and so you won’t need insurance as this will come with the car.

However if you’re living in Europe for a long duration then you might find it cheaper buying a car in Europe than renting. This way you will also have more freedom in terms of what you can do with the car. Many car rental companies won’t allow you to take their cars across the border into other countries – so if you were planning on doing a European road trip, then buying a car in Europe might make more sense.

Choosing your car will largely depend on your budget and that might reflect how long you’re staying in Europe for and the purpose of your visit. If you are just travelling then you will likely be looking for a cheap deal. Fortunately buying a car in Europe presents you with many great European car models. These include Vauxhall, Volkswagen, Alfa Romeo and many more. It’s worth noting though when buying a car in Europe, that most European cars will use manual transmission, so if you don’t know how to drive stick you should ask your car dealer.

There are many places to get car insurance in Europe. For example in the UK the car insurance companies include: ‘Direct Line’, ‘Shela’s Wheels’, ‘MoreThan’, ‘Churchil’, ‘Zurich’, ‘Elephant’, ‘Tesco’ and others. Various other websites can help you to find the cheapest deals. Some examples of UK price comparison websites are ‘comparethemarket.com’, ‘gocompare.com’ and ‘confused.com’. Similarly there are some car insurance companies in Germany such as Huk24 and all the other countries around Europe. If you’re planning on travelling through different countries then you will need to be covered across a few. Some insurance companies will provide this – such as Direct Line, and it’s even possible in some cases to get covered by fully comprehensive deals with your current insurance company – but otherwise it will be your responsibility to set up insurance in each country.

Other transport and automobile laws in the UK and Europe can affect buying a car in Europe and can leave your insurance void if you don’t stay vigilante. For example in the UK and most other European countries all vehicles must have a regular MOT and failure to do so will mean that you are not covered for insurance.

Similarly you must check yourself that your car is legal to drive and this will depend on the laws in the area you’re visiting. For example in the UK it is illegal to drive without a wing mirror on the driver’s side, while even a flat tyre can land you in trouble. Again, even if you are renting it is your responsibility to check your vehicle before setting off. Research the country you’re travelling too then, and then thoroughly check your vehicle. You also need to think about where you’re parking your car and/or what kind of protection it has which will affect your fully comprehensive insurance if it leaves your car more open to damage. Check ahead with your hotel or residence to see if you can find off-road parking. Finally, he actual way in which you drive after buying a car in Europe will depend again on the region. While in England you drive on the for example, in other countries such as France you will drive on the right. Ensure you know all this before buying a car in Europe.