syngrl: Thanks for the info. The Cedula and insurance sounds like a deal breaker. Is it really so that a girlfriend can't borrow her boyfriends car? The insurance here must be different. That is, you can't get daily insurance and you `3rd party` insurance isn't included on the equivalent to whatever that is here. Darn, maybe this is why I see so many cars driving without the number plates on... maybe.
Just mention of this is enough to put me off but I hope it doesn't put other off into looking into it more, perhaps with more trusted people.
Certainly though if I ever end up in a city (hopefully I'll settle down soon somewhere). I'll still want to park on the outskirts and cycle in to save money on that $15k garage. I will be looking into car alternatives where ever I end up as I've found owning a car to be quite a hassle for my unusual lifestyle of moving around a lot. I may end up with Zipcar in Spain, but if I can't I may have to come to an arrangement like this.
I've owned nice and not nice cars and I prefer not nice cars in some ways. The advantage of being able to drive at people and park where ever is not to be underestimated. I appreciate it's as much a status symbol here and that can be a problem though. I wouldn't want something without dented panels and I'd replace a ripped panel with plant of wood. But hey, that's me and that's completely not fitting with the surrounding culture so maybe I would change in time. Thus, the peer pressure tax. I was thinking more along the lines of throw a deal together with some people who are not so worried about pretty much everything across the board. But I guess if there's the Cedula to worry about none of this applies and the idea is dead in the water.
I know these kind of ideas are a bit hippy but really it's borne out of frustrations of having to buy everything again when emigrating... for example I had to buy some tools today when I know my next door neighbor no doubt has them. Need a drill? We buy one... they buy one, everyone has got one when we only needed one or 2 to go round everyone. It's ridiculous. And so with cars. I would really like to use a car to see places I can't normally but is it really worth it for a few months a year? I guess you just got to bite the bullet and put the work into buying and selling at good favorable prices like backpackers campervanning australia attempt to do.
As I say though, don't let it put you off. A car is up there with the DNI in a local's view of you. I know that's a bit sad but it's the way it is.
