After almost two years of using a small car that we bought in Porto in the summer of 2023, we decided it was time for a change.
Since buying a house in Ourense, we have been making frequent trips between Porto and Galicia, and the truth is that such a small car was no longer the safest option for making such long journeys almost every weekend. So, we started looking for a bigger and, above all, safer car.
What was clear to us from the outset was that we were not going to buy another car in Portugal. We had learned our lesson.
The bad experience of buying a car in Porto
In the summer of 2023, we had a rather traumatic experience buying our first car in Portugal. First, we were scammed by Rocha Automóveis (I have several posts recounting everything in detail, in case you want to take a look).
After that, we ended up buying it at Martin Cars, where at least the service was good and they didn’t scam us, but the prices were extremely high. Much more expensive than in Spain. Used cars in Portugal are totally overpriced, and the market is full of illegal practices.
Many dealerships require you to waive the mandatory legal warranty or, if you want it, they raise the price by 2,000 or 3,000 euros. Some don’t even do a real mechanical inspection, even though they put a sticker on the car saying that it has passed such an inspection.
Reviews on Google Maps of many dealerships, such as Rocha Automóveis, confirm that this is a common practice.
So, this time, for our second purchase, we were clear: we would buy it in Spain, where, although bad things can also happen, the laws are much more respected.
Buying in Spain: Grupo Hermindo, Ponteareas branch
We started looking at used cars in Spain, searching for models and sizes that interested us. We ended up at the Hermindo group, specifically at their Ponteareas branch, where we saw a Citroën C3 Aircross that we liked.
We paid the reservation fee—€500—and were told that it would be ready in 15 days, with a complete mechanical inspection and all internal and external damage repaired.
Incidentally, in Portugal they had made us pay a 1,000 deposit for a 4,000 euros car; in Spain it was only 500 euros for a car worth almost 20,000. The difference speaks for itself.
Obviously, we were afraid. The experience with Rocha Automóveis had been so disastrous that we thought: what if we go after 15 days and the car isn’t ready? What if they didn’t clean it or fix it? Because in Porto, they weren’t even able to clean the car before delivering it.
But no. In this case, the surprise was positive. Everything went well.
The salesperson’s service was excellent from the start. Always attentive, always available, always responding (nothing like what we experienced in Porto, where they basically ignored us after charging us for the reservation).
When we went to pick up the car, we found that everything was in order. It was clean, sanitized, with all scratches and damage repaired. They replaced a window that had a small chip, all four tires were new, and they also repaired what was necessary inside.
In addition, although it was not mandatory, they took it for an MOT before handing it over to us, so that it would be in perfect condition. The car still had a year to go before it was due for an MOT, but they did it anyway.
We took an Uber from Porto to Ponteareas and drove back in our new car. To date, we have not had any problems.
One more thing: the warranty
Another thing worth comparing is the warranty that the company sells you. In Portugal, they offered us a one-year “full warranty” for €1,100.
In Spain, they offered us a three-year full warranty for €1,200. The difference is impressive.
The negative (because nothing is ever perfect)
The only negative thing I must point out is an error in the personal details: they got Diego’s email address wrong and also his name when changing the ownership. Something as basic as copying a name from an ID card, and they got it wrong.
It didn’t spoil the experience, but that’s why instead of giving them 5 stars on Google, I’ll give them 4.
The final documentation also took a very long time to arrive, probably because they made another mistake with the details, but overall everything has been clear and much more professional than our experience in Porto.
If you’re thinking of buying a used car and can choose between Portugal and Spain, don’t hesitate. The prices, legal compliance, customer service, and warranties in Spain are far superior. Although no one can guarantee that you won’t have a problem, the difference in security and professionalism is enormous.
Here are the articles about buying a used car in Porto in summer 2023:
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