Do any livaboards keep a car in Greece?

[Tanqueray]

I haven't been to the Preveza area for over 20 years so well out of date but I do know that our 12 year old will get 'cabin fever' after not too long holed up onboard so I'm thinking of either driving down and 'depositing' the car down there for a year or so or perhaps buying one locally then selling it on.

Any thoughts, anyone doing it?

thanks in advance.

Steve

 

[Csail]

I would buy one out there or borrow or hire.

 

[Tanqueray]

That's the point Andy - it's for a year! Hiring or borrowing for a year is not viable.

 

[Csail]

That's the point Andy - it's for a year! Hiring or borrowing for a year is not viable.

Only an idea, thats what friends do in Spain, annual lease.

 

[charles_reed]

I'd suggest you work out the cost - include mileage both ways as well as ferry fares - of taking your car out there and compare it with long-term leasing.

If you have plenty of capital available buying a new car and then re-selling might be an alternative but I doubt it will prove very safe as Greeks are pulling in their horns even more than the Brits.

Having a "spare" car at home in England, I've actually done the sums and ended up sticking to coaches and a bike.

 

[westernman]

Aren't there issues of keeping a UK registered car in a foreign country for more than 6 months?

I would have thought that it would have to be re-registered, and I would expect that to be a bureaucratic and taxing (as in lots of taxes to pay) nightmare.

 

[ccscott49]

You can only have a foriegn car in Greece for six months, then it must leave and NEVER come back. That's the law, but of course you can be as legal as you wish.
Buying a car in Greece is difficult as you need a resideency number and address to register it at, if you have friends there living, it may be possible. The costs, as has been mentioned are high to bring a car here, with ferries etc. Long term lease could be cheaper all round, especially in this day and age, no car rental companies did very well here on Corfu!

 

[Tanqueray]

I appreciate the replies folks, thank you.

The costs are pretty well known to us as we take the same vehicle to Austria for the skiing each year and have once taken it as far as Croatia.
It is basically £99 each way on Eurotunnel plus fuel at 50 mpg and a bit of Peage - with two of us onboard it works out roughly the same as flights by the time airport parking and whatever is costed in - with three or four onboard it actually works out slightly cheaper than flying.

We have had the car from new in 2004 but it has now done 180,000 miles (it's a 2.0 litre VW touran) so whilst it has been utterly reliable (still on the same exhaust & battery after that mileage!) it now has very little value because of the miles - just a thought to park it down near the boat as run-around / picking friends up from the airport etc. and then use it for skiing trips etc. Cavernous interior and 7 seats so it actually transports boat gear and crew better than our Disco

Just pondering as I tend to do with winter approaching.......

 

[westernman]

You can only have a foriegn car in Greece for six months, then it must leave and NEVER come back. That's the law, but of course you can be as legal as you wish.
Buying a car in Greece is difficult as you need a resideency number and address to register it at, if you have friends there living, it may be possible. The costs, as has been mentioned are high to bring a car here, with ferries etc. Long term lease could be cheaper all round, especially in this day and age, no car rental companies did very well here on Corfu!

Are you sure you need a residency number?

I have bought cars in various foreign countries (but not Greece), and no form of residency of any kind was ever required. They will want an address to put on the car documents - but I would have thought that the marina's address would do fine.

 

[ccscott49]

Are you sure you need a residency number?

I have bought cars in various foreign countries (but not Greece), and no form of residency of any kind was ever required. They will want an address to put on the car documents - but I would have thought that the marina's address would do fine.

Yes, I am sure you need a residency number in Greece, you dont need one to buy a house?? But a car you do.
In Spain you need an address and it cannot be the marina, it needs to be bricks and mortar type even if its rented and you need proof. At least to be legal you do.
In Holland you also need an address and registration, to own a car.
In Germany you need exacxtly the same as Holland.
In France, Portugal, Italy I dont know. Never owned a car there, but the other countries I have. Including Greece.

 

[westernman]

Yes, I am sure you need a residency number in Greece, you dont need one to buy a house?? But a car you do.
In Spain you need an address and it cannot be the marina, it needs to be bricks and mortar type even if its rented and you need proof. At least to be legal you do.
In Holland you also need an address and registration, to own a car.
In Germany you need exacxtly the same as Holland.
In France, Portugal, Italy I dont know. Never owned a car there, but the other countries I have. Including Greece.

When I bought my cars in Germany no residency was required. All that was required was the piece of paper you get when you register your address with the local authority (Einwohnermeldeamt). In France, a telephone (even mobile) or electricity bill is required.

 

[daveyw]

To be honest I would seriously consider hiring as and when you needed it. Get to know the local car hire guy and I'm sure the price would be very reasonable. I've hired a car for daytime use 8am to 8pm for only E20. Ok, it wasn't new and was probably the car hire owners personal car( and providing nothing untoward happened the paperwork was probable torn up afterwards and the cash probably went in his pocket!) but a lot less hassle then sorting out your own car with all the extra expense and worry

 

[Philthy]

We have had the car from new in 2004 but it has now done 180,000 miles (it's a 2.0 litre VW touran) so whilst it has been utterly reliable (still on the same exhaust & battery after that mileage!) it now has very little value because of the miles

I have friends who used to rent out rooms in Parikia. They drove their own car down, and had no problems staying slightly longer than the 6 months stipulated, but then you pays yer money, you takes yer choice. I seem to remember that the vehicle registration number was written into their passport, so who knows, maybe a passport renewal would be cheaper if this was still the case?
As an aside, you'd be very surprised how much VW tourans are going for, they seem to have a cult following, and fetch silly money?

 

[westernman]

I have friends who used to rent out rooms in Parikia. They drove their own car down, and had no problems staying slightly longer than the 6 months stipulated, but then you pays yer money, you takes yer choice. I seem to remember that the vehicle registration number was written into their passport, so who knows, maybe a passport renewal would be cheaper if this was still the case?
As an aside, you'd be very surprised how much VW tourans are going for, they seem to have a cult following, and fetch silly money?

I remember this as well. The car registration is written next to the stamp in the passport. In my case along with the comment that it was with a windsurfer. I presume if you leave the country without the car/windsurfer, then there is trouble.

Registering cars from one country in another is a bit tricky - and in some cases there are expensive taxes to pay - in others the taxes are very reasonable (e.g. in France). Also insurance can be tricky. In general you are not insured if you stay over 6 months and getting local insurance without a local registration plate can be hard (but not impossible - a friend of mine managed to insure his California plated Corvette in France).

 

[Cariadco]

Car buying...

Yes, I am sure you need a residency number in Greece, you dont need one to buy a house?? But a car you do.
In Spain you need an address and it cannot be the marina, it needs to be bricks and mortar type even if its rented and you need proof. At least to be legal you do.
In Holland you also need an address and registration, to own a car.
In Germany you need exacxtly the same as Holland.
In France, Portugal, Italy I dont know. Never owned a car there, but the other countries I have. Including Greece.

I can asure you that you that Colin's spot on, not only do you need a residency (number) but also a Tax number, (I also had to provide a PO Box number) to buy a car, here in Greece.
I know 'cos sat on my drive is sat my shiny new Nissan.

 

[Philthy]

I remember this as well. The car registration is written next to the stamp in the passport. In my case along with the comment that it was with a windsurfer. I presume if you leave the country without the car/windsurfer, then there is trouble.

This is of course assuming the passport gets stamped, or even looked at by the very thorough Greek officials

Personally I'd risk it, but each to their own.
How much would a fine be if discovered anyway? My experience while living in Greece, was "don't worry". The only thing I would be making sure of, is that my insurance company knew.
One possible solution, ask a local if you can "borrow" their car when necessary. Money is tight out there, and this may be very welcome? Difficult to pre-plan though.

 

[grumpygit]

You can only have a foriegn car in Greece for six months, then it must leave and NEVER come back. That's the law, but of course you can be as legal as you wish.
Buying a car in Greece is difficult as you need a resideency number and address to register it at, if you have friends there living, it may be possible. The costs, as has been mentioned are high to bring a car here, with ferries etc. Long term lease could be cheaper all round, especially in this day and age, no car rental companies did very well here on Corfu!

Yes for the above + tax number . . . but I'm not sure about the ....it NEVER comes back. that's the law . . . . . .
Does this mean foreign haulage, frieght, annual travellers etc. can only use a their vehicles for 6 mths and then have to replace them to get back into Greece?????

I'f you are returning to the UK of where ever within the six months keep proof of travel, i.e. ferry tickets etc, this should surfice I beleive.

Remember here in Greece that rules, regulations and laws can change at the drop of a hat! It all depends who the official is and how they're interpreting these also.

Then as said, stay under the radar which will certainly work until something goes wrong I suppose.

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[Oliveoyl]

The 6 month rule

Yes for the above + tax number . . . but I'm not sure about the ....it NEVER comes back. that's the law . . . . . .
Does this mean foreign haulage, frieght, annual travellers etc. can only use a their vehicles for 6 mths and then have to replace them to get back into Greece?????

I'f you are returning to the UK of where ever within the six months keep proof of travel, i.e. ferry tickets etc, this should surfice I beleive.

Remember here in Greece that rules, regulations and laws can change at the drop of a hat! It all depends who the official is and how they're interpreting these also.

Then as said, stay under the radar which will certainly work until something goes wrong I suppose.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

I believe the 6 month rule is an EU directive. Member states cannot restrict people's mobility with the EU, but if anyone spends 6 months (in a rolling 12 month period) in a member state, he can become taxable in that country (and his car also). Application of said law seems to vary between member states, but the Netherlands have recently become twitchy about BE consultants working on long term projects in the Neths

 

[duncan99210]

The rules in Greece are as outlined above by various posts. However, the reality is that you are not 'booked' into Greece by the passport or customs on entry: we travelled down by car from Bari this winter and niether the Italian or Greek officials bothered to check our passports or car documents in any way at all. I think that provided you remain 'below the radar' no one will take much notice of you or your car.
That said, if something does go wrong and you come to the notice of the local plod, (accident, speeding?) I'd be prepared to have them sieze your car because it has not been registered with them after being in the country for 6 months. The local customs pound has a number of quite nice vehicles that have been there for some time with overseas registrations of one type of another. So, if you're prepared to run the risk of losing your wheels, then just bring the car out and use it for the year you're going to be here for.......

 

[Tanqueray]

The rules in Greece are as outlined above by various posts. However, the reality is that you are not 'booked' into Greece by the passport or customs on entry: we travelled down by car from Bari this winter and niether the Italian or Greek officials bothered to check our passports or car documents in any way at all. I think that provided you remain 'below the radar' no one will take much notice of you or your car.
That said, if something does go wrong and you come to the notice of the local plod, (accident, speeding?) I'd be prepared to have them sieze your car because it has not been registered with them after being in the country for 6 months. The local customs pound has a number of quite nice vehicles that have been there for some time with overseas registrations of one type of another. So, if you're prepared to run the risk of losing your wheels, then just bring the car out and use it for the year you're going to be here for.......

Exactly, I can always pop it out of the country every now and then for skiing or shopping in Instanbul whatever.