Vehicle parts

Flat battery-damn! This has happened to us all, along with shredded wipers, punctured tyres, burnt out bulbs et al: Many of us use a workshop to take care of our vehicles and reputable ones are a godsend, but there are some folks who like to take care of their own. In the UK we know where to get parts and what to ask for, but in Spain both of these things may be a challenge, so a little knowledge will come in handy

Where to go

The Spanish equivalent of Halfords is “Fer Vert” with many branches often inside of or next to larger supermarkets. Most Spaniards however choose to go to motor factors known as “tiendas de recambios”- parts shops. Suministros (supplies) may also appear in the title There are many of these with probably the biggest a network under the umbrella name “AD” whose corporate colours are red, white and blue

You will find the prices much higher than in the UK, much like the cost of vehicles, so having a buddy in the trade who is prepared to pass on his discount is useful, or order directly from the UK via a website

What to ask for?

Well a simple way around the situation is to take a photo of the part with your smart phone and show it to the shop. Always take in the ficha tecnica (ITV card) as this describes exactly the characteristics of your vehicle. If you need to replace your Spanish number plates (placas de matricular), these are obtained from the same shops or from main dealers (concesionarios). You must take with you the ITV card and log book (permiso de circulación) and you may be asked for I/D.

To help, here is a list of parts translated into Spanish. Remember that in Spanish as in English we have to say “the” in front of the word. It is not a crime to mix up your “el” and your “la” the Spanish are very forgiving-thankfully!

So keep this list handy and have go. A great thing about the Spanish is that they appreciate you trying and will never mock your attempts