Importing from the UK - definitive guide (Q&A)

Kace

bazz26 wrote: »

Don't waste the price of a call as they will tell you to use the vrt calculator or you will get the amount when you present the car for VRT inspection.

Correct. Don't bother. Use the VRT Calc on Motorcheck.ie and enter in your UK Car Reg. This will be good enough. I brought in a Quattro with Bose Nav etc. etc. and the VRT I paid turned out to be slightly less than the VRT site came up with in the end.

Heisenberg.

This post has been deleted.

sunnysoutheast

Kace wrote: »

Correct. Don't bother. Use the VRT Calc on Motorcheck.ie and enter in your UK Car Reg. This will be good enough. I brought in a Quattro with Bose Nav etc. etc. and the VRT I paid turned out to be slightly less than the VRT site came up with in the end.

Cheers all for the info.

Still undecided on whether to import or get an ie one on a PCP, 2.9% on A4s.

Dinarius

sunnysoutheast wrote: »

Cheers all for the info.

Still undecided on whether to import or get an ie one on a PCP, 2.9% on A4s.

What's PCP?

Thanks.

D.

sunnysoutheast

Dinarius wrote: »

What's PCP?

Thanks.

D.

Personal contract purchase. Basically a finance agreement where a proportion of the car purchase price is deferred, hence lower repayments than straight HP. Couple of threads on them in the main forum.

bazz26

sunnysoutheast wrote: »

Cheers all for the info.

Still undecided on whether to import or get an ie one on a PCP, 2.9% on A4s.

That's probably because there is a new A4 due towards the end of this year. Trying to shift existing models with attractive PCP rates.

marco_polo

Couldn't see anything over the last few month, but was wondering in light of recent UK car tax changes is there any way to fly in and drive out with 100% peace of mind that you won't get done for no tax halfway down the motorway.

dwainec

Can anyone tell me the best sites to use to look up uk cars?

bazz26

autotrader.co.uk
cargiant.co.uk
donedeal.co.uk

Atlantic Dawn

usedcarsni.com is good for stuff up north.

saffdon

Folks,
In a bit of bother I think and need advice
I'm from Northern Ireland and I've owned my car since 2010.
Its always been fully tax, registered, MOTed and insured to my address in the North.
I've been back and forth working the south since then.
I've decided to switch my car over.
When I asked revenue they said I dont qualify for the VRT exemption because I got a wage in the south about a month after a bought the car in 2010. They gave me the option of VRTing or exporting.
Leaving that argument aside.
If I go to pay the VRT - which at this stage I'm willing to do- What date do I then say I enter the State - will I honestly be setting myself for penalties dating back to 2010!?!?
Can I just state for the form the last time the car crossed the border?
The car is probably worth 3.5k. VRT calculator says the VRT would be 950 or there abouts.

Please help!

billy few mates

Why not just keep it registered to your address in the North and just continue going back and forth...?

saffdon

Customs had literally followed me to work.
Also gave me the option of VRT or export within 30 days.
They looked me up and stated that I had been back working for a while.
Then I took it up with revenue who gave me the info about the no exemption.
Its always been a very grey area with Northerners I know in South that wouldn't fully consider themselves settled permanently - insurance especially.

I'd prefer to get everything on the level at this stage.
I've no plans to go back long term.

Dinarius

I find this thread fascinating and I have a question....

Here are two dream cars, one in Dublin, one in UK.

http://www.spiritpremium.ie/Used-Cars/?car=125614201953731840&make=&model=&type=&year=&max=

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201505263783490/sort/default/transmission/automatic/usedcars/model/911_mk_997/maximum-age/up_to_8_years_old/maximum-mileage/up_to_70000_miles/onesearchad/used/make/porsche/page/1/channel/cars/postcode/w1a1aa/radius/1500?logcode=p

They are the same car, same year, except that the UK car is cheaper (and they can be bought for a lot less than that), is convertible and has lower mileage.

Basically, the UK car is the price of a decent Golf new here.

So, how would the tax be calculated on importing the UK car?

Many thanks.

D.

ps. I've seen the Dublin Porsche. It's like new.

aujopimur

Use Revenue/VRT online calculator.

The_Conductor

saffdon wrote: »

Folks,
In a bit of bother I think and need advice
I'm from Northern Ireland and I've owned my car since 2010.
Its always been fully tax, registered, MOTed and insured to my address in the North.
I've been back and forth working the south since then.
I've decided to switch my car over.
When I asked revenue they said I dont qualify for the VRT exemption because I got a wage in the south about a month after a bought the car in 2010. They gave me the option of VRTing or exporting.
Leaving that argument aside.
If I go to pay the VRT - which at this stage I'm willing to do- What date do I then say I enter the State - will I honestly be setting myself for penalties dating back to 2010!?!?
Can I just state for the form the last time the car crossed the border?
The car is probably worth 3.5k. VRT calculator says the VRT would be 950 or there abouts.

Please help!

VRT would be due from the date you purchased the car- and almost certainly not on its current value.

There isn't any shortcut here- obviously they have investigated you and come to their own conclusion.

The salient point that you're only doing what people in the border areas have done forever- is not going to cut any ice.

Contact Revenue- find out exactly what they are proposing. Don't dispute it- you've been caught out- if you do, you're as likely to end up in court as anywhere else. Pay whatever they request. Sell the car. Put it behind you- and don't pull this stunt again.

Unrealistic

The_Conductor wrote: »

VRT would be due from the date you purchased the car- and almost certainly not on its current value.

There isn't any shortcut here- obviously they have investigated you and come to their own conclusion.

The salient point that you're only doing what people in the border areas have done forever- is not going to cut any ice.

Contact Revenue- find out exactly what they are proposing. Don't dispute it- you've been caught out- if you do, you're as likely to end up in court as anywhere else. Pay whatever they request. Sell the car. Put it behind you- and don't pull this stunt again.

Why exactly would it be based on the date of purchase of the car? Surely there are scenarios where an exemption cannot be claimed on the basis of changing residence but there can be a difference between the date of purchase and the date of importation. For example a student who spends three years in a college in the UK is not entitled to an exemption if bringing a car back at the end of three years but there could be up to three years difference between the date of purchase and the date of importation.

In the saffdon's case I presume he moved since he bought the car and is now living in the south and that is why Customs took the position they did. If that is the case then surely he should use the date he actually took up residence in the south as the date of importation. If he can document residence in the north prior to that then surely that should be sufficient.

saffdon

I'm not trying to cut around the VRT - when using the calculator as of today its €935.
To keep everything above board, I'll pay it.

I've seen other post saying that the penalties are 0.02% of the VRT for every day that the car is deemed over run. (No idea how reliable this is).

The ludicrous scenario would be from the date I received a wage in 2010 until now - which last night when I took a look was €36k!
Surely not for logical reasons.
Plus Period of 2 years were my residence in the UK cannot be argued - but even if i take that out - say €15k - equally ludicrous.

Its it reasonable to say I should state the date I was in touch with Revue/customs - pay the VRT and it be done with?

Unrealistic

saffdon wrote: »

I'm not trying to cut around the VRT - when using the calculator as of today its €935.
To keep everything above board, I'll pay it.

I've seen other post saying that the penalties are 0.02% of the VRT for every day that the car is deemed over run. (No idea how reliable this is).

The ludicrous scenario would be from the date I received a wage in 2010 until now - which last night when I took a look was €36k!
Surely not for logical reasons.
Plus Period of 2 years were my residence in the UK cannot be argued - but even if i take that out - say €15k - equally ludicrous.

Its it reasonable to say I should state the date I was in touch with Revue/customs - pay the VRT and it be done with?

When you go get assessed for VRT you will be asked for documentary proof of when the car was imported. A ferry ticket is the norm for a car that has travelled from the UK or an invoice if from the north. If you're going to make the case for a different date then you'll need to be able to document it. Maybe if you have a current lease agreement for an address in the south and you can show a utility bill from the north for the previous month to make the case that the start date of the lease agreement is when you took up residence here?

Explosive_Cornflake

saffdon wrote: »

I'm not trying to cut around the VRT - when using the calculator as of today its €935.
To keep everything above board, I'll pay it.

I've seen other post saying that the penalties are 0.02% of the VRT for every day that the car is deemed over run. (No idea how reliable this is).

The ludicrous scenario would be from the date I received a wage in 2010 until now - which last night when I took a look was €36k!
Surely not for logical reasons.
Plus Period of 2 years were my residence in the UK cannot be argued - but even if i take that out - say €15k - equally ludicrous.

Its it reasonable to say I should state the date I was in touch with Revue/customs - pay the VRT and it be done with?

Would really be easier to sell the car in he North and buy another car.

saffdon

Yea- that's an option but to be honest - there's not much want for the car in the North - it would be hard enough to sell at any kind of worthwhile price.

It pretty much balances out to VRT it and then sell down here on down the road. And would be less hassle than selling the car up home and buying again down here. IF...its just the VRT that I have to pay.

Thanks for all the help so far btw.

Fear of penalties is still with me tho

The_Conductor

Ring Revenue and talk to them. They're human too- more often than not they'll come up some sort of a mutually agreeable solution.

saffdon

"evidence of vehicle storage outside the State where the invoice is dated more than 30 days earlier than the date the vehicle is presented for registration"

Would tax and insurance to my address in the North been sufficient, along with say bank statements - sky bill etc?

dvmanley

I have spent all morning being thrown around from billy to jack by the revenue, and ill i need to know is the answer to one simple quistion....

It would seem the only way to drive one of those lovely 4x4s is to be self employed eg= commercial tax and vat back on the 5 seat utilitys.

So being that i am self employed, im about to take the plunge and buy a 5 seat utilty (n1 goods)

My quistion is, before I purchase a jeep here, if I purchase a jeep in the uk that qualifies for the n1 goods vehicle retirements, am i going to be stung with passenger vrt, eg 30 odd % or will i pay the commercial rate of vrt eg 13%

If anyone knows where im at in terms of the vrt, your help would be much appreciated haha!

cantdecide

Any thoughts on private sales in GB? I'm looking into picking up a speccie Fiat Bravo. Not looking for a show car but trying to get something to keep for a few years. The budget isn't huge to be fair so I'm trying to determine whether it's possible without blowing the budget on internal travel, accommodation and endless hpi checks

Any major do's or don't do's these days?

Is it a bad idea to buy up North or in Scotland because of the salt? That's what I've heard people say.

bazz26

I don't seen any real difference between buying privately over here and over there. The same rules apply as in zero comeback, a mechanic to check it out and do proper background checks on the car.

The only extra inconvenience I can see is that a private seller will probably not accept a draft like a dealer would. I'm sure some folks here have done it in the past so could outline the finer print.

flanzer

A lad in work swears by buying private in the UK. Tells the seller that he can't bullsh1t because he's getting a DEKRA report. Brings some cash and gets the rest wired on the day.

Has bought his last 3 cars privately and reckons he's saved further 1000s

cantdecide

flanzer wrote: »

A lad in work swears by buying private in the UK. Tells the seller that he can't bullsh1t because he's getting a DEKRA report. Brings some cash and gets the rest wired on the day.

Has bought his last 3 cars privately and reckons he's saved further 1000s

Interesting. I don't know anything about a DEKRA report apart from some googling. It looks like it would cost £154 for the kind of car I'm looking at. Is it worth it? Does your workmate actually get the report or is it just a threat to get them sweating? Is it something that can be achieved on short notice?

flanzer

cantdecide wrote: »

Interesting. I don't know anything about a DEKRA report apart from some googling. It looks like it would cost £154 for the kind of car I'm looking at. Is it worth it? Does your workmate actually get the report or is it just a threat to get them sweating? Is it something that can be achieved on short notice?

I think a 1 or 2 days notice will do it. I believe DEKRA actually do the RAC inspection. The report gets emailed with all the detail. He always gets one. Not worth the risk

Harcrid

I have also bought privately in the UK multiple times. I didn't see the point in paying a premium for a dealer car when I would not have been able to enjoy the benefits of it such as warranty as it would have been of no use to me in Ireland.

Car inspection is essential and I would do it no matter if I was buying private or through a dealer. I have used Dekra and AA in the past and they are pretty much the same. In both cases I got to speak directly to the guy who tested the car and was able to go down through the emailed report while speaking over the phone. You can't beat that kind of peace of mind when travelling over to buy a car.