Irresponsible? Silly? Stupid?

Would you not consider downsizing at home so that you'd have a base to come back to if/when the weather gets bad and cabin fever sets in?

Travelling around in a motor home sounds great ... but long-term ... might be a step too far.

I'd also be afraid that you don't have enough money in the pot to sustain a reasonable time on the road financially.

What type of motor home are you thinking of buying? That choice in itself will throw up a lot of connotations.
 
I'm enjoying this thread and I wish Littlewillow all the best in retirement and subsequent travel. It all sounds great and of course we would all do it if we could (just thoughts). The reality is not as easy as first thought. For example (for the sake of discussion) Littlewillow heads to Spain (I am not too familiar with vehicle laws elsewhere).

1. The vehicle is allowed in Spain for only 29 days afterwhich it must be re-registered to have Spanish number plates. The vehicle will have to undergo the equivalent of our NCT but with much more strict demands e.g. all tyres must identical and of the same manufacturer. If everything is perfect on the campervan the re-registration cost will be around €1000.00.

2. From July to mid September (in Spain) the campervan will need almost continuing working air conditioning. (More cost). Try the south of Spain without airconditioning and believe me you won't ever have to go on a diet. Multiply this by the time you spend in southern France, Portugal etc.

3. You need the trust of an honest real estate agent to rent out your Irish home. You will be an absentee landlord and powerless when you go beyond Dún Laoghaire.

As it is, you're onto a winner. No great family demands. You're happy in your skin. The simple GAA rule for banisteoirí is not to change a winning team. It appears you have a winning team.

Hold on! Littlewillow appears to have a lot of sense. You can rent a good located two bedroom apartment in the south of Spain for around €800 per month in the off season (all utilities included). Does it make sense to buy a campervan?
 
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I think he should try it out. I go away to. Southern Portugal in the winter months, stay in apts but I see scores of MH all over the Algarve, many coming from Northern Europe.
 
PaddyBloggit said:
Would you not consider downsizing at home so that you'd have a base to come back to if/when the weather gets bad and cabin fever sets in?
Click to expand...
Yes PaddyBloggit we will have a base here.

Leper could you direct me to this rule as I haven't heard of it before?

To be clear the plan is to experience life on the road including the winter months. it's the finances I need to explore initially - things like ARF expected rate of return; 'safe' withdrawal rates while bridging the gap to state pension; etc. Cost of setting up ARF/annuity, etc.
 
Hi Littlewillow. It is known as the "29 day rule" and was enacted in Spain because of the amount of hit-and-runs by foreign registered cars (usually right-hand drive). The rule is there for at least three years.

For our holidays we used to use our 2nd car (Limerick registered) which we kept fulltime in Spain. It was just a case of of transferring insurance from our main car when we visited. We re-registered our car in Spain as we were obliged to do with Spanish registration plates. It cost us €800 at the time. The Spanish "NCT" was another matter and we were considered fair game to get screwed.

However, I'm not answering the question you asked so have a look at some caravanning or ex-pat websites (e.g. [broken link removed] or www.expatforum.com. You should have no difficulty in locating references.
 
I should have pointed out that you may be able to circumvent the regulations by driving into Gibraltar or France for at least a day before returning to Spain. I can't confirm this.
 
Leper said:
Hi Littlewillow. It is known as the "29 day rule" and was enacted in Spain because of the amount of hit-and-runs by foreign registered cars (usually right-hand drive). The rule is there for at least three years.
Click to expand...

I am not sure about this.

European Commission website says that you have six months to register your vehicle after taking up residence in Spain. Likewise, your third-party insurance is valid in the country where you are originally resident (Ireland) for all driving within the EU until the expiry of your policy.
 
Hi Littlewillow - I really enjoyed reading through this thread - You're impressive in your outlook and I completely agree with your sentiment.

You've the perfect mix of romance and spirit coupled with prudence and planning to make a success of this.

Perhaps in time your own blog of your adventures will serve others well - Do please return someday and post a link!

- As I see it your biggest risks are talking yourself out of this...…or allowing others to dissuade you.....
 
More on the Spanish regs here. The 30 day rule applies to those taking up residence in Spain. The limit for those not seeking to take up residence is 180 days, but only the owner is allowed to drive the vehicle.

The OP will need to investigate the insurance side thoroughly though, most camper van policies have limits on the number of days the vehicle is insured for abroad. NCT/DoE road worthiness certs will also need to be maintained.
 
Some of us are getting a little confused. Littlewillow is not taking up residence in Spain. If he remains in Spain beyond 182 days (in a rolling year) he will be liable for income tax and a plethora of other taxes + private health insurance + proof of pretty substantial income. I am certain that holiday makers can only have their own Irish registered car in Spain for no more than 29 days without being re-registered in Spain for Spanish number plates.

I am unable to find a website to confirm this (not unusual in Spain). However, I have found several websites that cite the six-months rule for people seeking a "residentia."
 
Leper said:
I am certain that holiday makers can only have their own Irish registered car in Spain for no more than 29 days without being re-registered in Spain for Spanish number plates.
Click to expand...

Can you find any evidence to support this?

The EU website I pointed to says that even after you have registered to live (which the OP will not even do) you have six months to register the car. How is the OP supposed the register a vehicle without a Spanish residence?

The same website says that for insurance your third-party policy is valid throughout the EU until its expiry, which could be up to a year.
 
NoRegretsCoyote said:
The same website says that for insurance your third-party policy is valid throughout
Click to expand...
Your motor policy probably has a clause that overrides that.

E.g Aviva:
Using your car abroad
We will automatically extend your policy
to include the terms of endorsement
PC69, providing full policy cover within
the EU, for 31 days in any ‘period of
insurance’, for your car.
The following cover does not apply
when you are using your car abroad.
• Driving other cars under
Section 2 D (page 17)
• Section 6 – Breakdown Rescue.
If you need a Green Card, we will give
you one free of charge. Please contact us
at least one week before your journey.
 
Leper said:
I am certain that holiday makers can only have their own Irish registered car in Spain for no more than 29 days without being re-registered in Spain for Spanish number plates.
Click to expand...

The 6 month (183 days really) rule is standard across the EU, countries can set individual limits on how quickly the car must be registered after arrival for those taking up residence in their country, but they can't reduce the 183 limit for non-resident EU citizens driving their own cars.
 
RedOnion said:
Your motor policy probably has a clause that overrides that.
Click to expand...

Probably for damage to your own car.

For third-party cover (aka civil liability) EU law is pretty clear :

 
I know from my last two trips to Spain in my car I had no issue re reregistering my car to Spanish plates
one was for three months and the other four and a half, having said that I wasn't stopped by the police so maybe I just got away with it
I'm planning to go later this year for six maybe seven months and have no intention of changing the plates as I don't reckon it to be a major issue
Though I will say that my experience with the Spanish police seems to be that they are very strict when it comes to the rules of the road
I got pulled over in Spain last time for wearing headphones and for not cycling in the hard shoulder or at least that's what I think he pulled me over for as I didn't really understand what he was shouting at me, I've also heard of cyclists been fined for speeding and not carrying identity cards

I have briefly talked to my car insurance provider Aviva about traveling in Europe for six plus months at renewal and they indicated that it shouldn't be a problem, up to three months is free of charge you just have to notify them of the countries you intend traveling to.
More then three months will incur a charge and will depend on if they want to extend the cover for you
 

Nice one MangoJoe,

Sometimes you've just got to do it! A few weekends ago, I spent €700 on a seminar on re-incarnation. Normally, I'd baulk a little at such expenditure but then I reminded myself that you only live once.
 
I am pleased to say that I got that wrong. You can drive your Irish registered vehicle in Spain for six months and there is no issue with having to apply for Spanish number plates. (For the record, I put up a query on another forum and it was answered).

Apologies, for sending anybody in the wrong direction.

Lep
 
- Make sure you get the EU health card
- As regards heat, stay away from hot countries in the summer
- I imagine there are English blogs about doing this venture
- If you stay out of Ireland long enough you'll pay less tax
- Leave mid year as that's half way thru a tax year
- make sure you know the residency rules along the way and how it might impact you. Like Leper about the one month rule in Spain, just pop into portugal for 24 hours if that restarts the clock
- know which Aire's/rest areas are safe, I remember one near Marseille where we pulled into with the children and WE got weird looks from the Prostitutes, same thing happened to us on the border between Czech republic and German (without children that time). But this was not an Aire but a border town which we didn't realise that all the German men go there as it's cheaper
- If you're desparate to cool down, go to a supermarket or hotel. They normally are air conditioned. And you can sip a coffee in France etc for a whole morning.
- In Italy coffee standing up is cheaper
- In northern Spain they give you so much food with anything you drink that you don't need dinner !
- Stock up in the cheaper countries like the Dutch do when going camping in France
- Don't drive in the middle of the road in France like the Belgians do
- Don't park in supermarkets like I saw an Irish traveller family do a couple of years ago
- Check the parking rules each place, never mind country you are in. Where I live there are different rules on roads within 1 minute of our residence !
- Some places have markets so parking rules would be different on those days - as an example. And I know in Italy Sunday is treated as a normal day as far as I can tell
- We've travelled all over Europe by car. It's generally safe. But you can never be too careful. You don't want someone from the East hightailing it back there with your home on his back !
- Don't assume the lovely Irish you meet are nice. They might not be. More often than not they will be. If you put an Irish flag on the back you never know how that might be helpful to you. I spot an Irish number plate the odd time. I helped a woman in a car broken down with kids once who had just moved abroad and she had a near mental breakdown in the car ahead of me. I brought her son to a birthday party that very same day and I'd never met her before ! She stayed with her vehicle and other child !!
- Lastly, you're dead right to do this, please let us know each day/weekly how you are getting on.

And if you make it near me, I'll bring you home for dinner free gratis. I'm sure Leper will do the same in Spain. Then there's Jim in Switzerland etc etc.
 
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