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

MBIreland

Does that include paying the VRT? I've got the money ready, just need to make sure I get everything done correctly.

Thanks

bazz26

VRT payment is part of the registration process, they won't issue an Irish registration number until that is paid.

NCT test is a separate booking but you cannot book it until its on Irish plates either.

Bargain_Hound

Hopefully purchasing a new car this week in the UK. It was first registered March 7th 2008. It is a 1.9tdi and has a co2 rating of 138g/km. does this qualify for co2 tax (280 per annum) vs cc based equivalent.

This would be a great bonus if that was the case.

MBIreland

It doesn't look like the car will qualify for the CO2 tax as it came into force from 1st July 2008

https://www.motortax.ie/OMT/menu.do?page=motortaxrates

On a positive note your car will undoubtedly be cheaper in the UK, although that tax is a killer

alias no.9

Bargain_Hound wrote: »

Hopefully purchasing a new car this week in the UK. It was first registered March 7th 2008. It is a 1.9tdi and has a co2 rating of 138g/km. does this qualify for co2 tax (280 per annum) vs cc based equivalent.

This would be a great bonus if that was the case.

All 2008 cars could opt into the CO2 retrospectively. All imports after July 1st 2008 should be CO2 but I've got a 2008 car in the drive that was imported in 2012 which is cc based, go figure. You're entitled to the CO2 rates, push the matter.

bazz26

It will go on the co2 tax system. 1st July 2008 rule only applied to non imports and briefly imports.

Bargain_Hound

Great. I'll go ahead with the purchase - over 50% saving in annual tax vs its CC equivalent

stevegrace

Hi, buying my first car up the north( a small garage)can anyone recommend a good company to inspect the jeep I'm getting and from what I've read all I need from them is the full V5C and a sale or receipt any help is appreciated.Thanks.

Marcusm

Esel wrote: »

1. Dealer cannot now tax the car for you. Any current tax expires at change of owner. Onus is on new owner to have tax on the car. Recent change in the law.

That change was a couple of years ago; the tax is refunded when taken into the trade but the dealer absolutely can arrange to tax it for the buyer so that it drives off the forecourt with tax. 6 months tax is the minimum not 12.

Bargain_Hound

Is there no possibility of a months tax in the UK? Seems a big waste having to purchase 6 months to only export the car the same day.

Esel

Bargain_Hound wrote: »

Is there no possibility of a months tax in the UK? Seems a big waste having to purchase 6 months to only export the car the same day.

Afaik you can get a refund of 5 months tax.

Edit: Afaik

bazz26

Don't you have to be a UK resident to get a refund or are they refunding non residents too?

mgbgt1978

...taken from the DVLA site;

Taxing on behalf of a new keeper

Motor traders are asked to ensure that if they tax a vehicle on behalf of a new keeper, the V5C/2 should be used at the point when sale is agreed. Details of the new keeper should be completed on the V5C and sent to DVLA. The V5C/2 should be passed to the new keeper.


You would have to convince the Dealer not to send away the V5C but instead hand it over to you.
And then there is the issue that any Tax Refund due is only payable to the registered owner (who would have to be a UK resident, to have the V5 in his name). There is the possibility of the Dealer looking for a refund. But if you're back here, and he's over there, this might not happen....

Green farmer

[quote="bazz26;99913001
.
A main dealer will offer you more in the way of the buyer experience, they will prepare the car properly for resale, tidy up any bodywork blemishes, valet it, service it and give a warranty. All this still costs a dealer money so is just included in the selling price.
.[/quote]



What way does a uk or NI dealer warranty work, once you bring it back here.? If something went wrong a few months later with new plates on here. Do Irish garages cover uk cars under manufacturer warranties, when they didn't come through Irish distributors ?

bazz26

Green farmer wrote: »

What way does a uk or NI dealer warranty work, once you bring it back here.? If something went wrong a few months later with new plates on here. Do Irish garages cover uk cars under manufacturer warranties, when they didn't come through Irish distributors ?

Depends on the manufacturer, dealer network and specific warranty, some warranties are transferable while others are not. I've had a BMW dealer do warranty work here on a UK imported BMW no problem, while I had to bring a imported VW to a VW dealer in the North to cover warranty work as Irish VW dealers wouldn't recognize the warranty.

fits

Thinking of going over the week after next. Not sure where yet as we will decide closer to the time but will probably aim for a main dealer approved used car.

Question, how do you get the car back to the ferry? Is there a problem switching Irish insurance to an English reg? How do you manage with the tax?

bazz26

Your existing insurer will transfer the policy over to the UK reg until you get it home and on Irish plates.

UK motor tax has been discussed a page or two back on this thread.

fits

bazz26 wrote: »

UK motor tax has been discussed a page or two back on this thread.

I saw that, but didn't get a definitive answer. I.e you cant tax without uk address, and dealer cant tax for you. Ergo people drive without tax?

bazz26

mgbgt1978 wrote: »

...taken from the DVLA site;

Taxing on behalf of a new keeper

Motor traders are asked to ensure that if they tax a vehicle on behalf of a new keeper, the V5C/2 should be used at the point when sale is agreed. Details of the new keeper should be completed on the V5C and sent to DVLA. The V5C/2 should be passed to the new keeper.


You would have to convince the Dealer not to send away the V5C but instead hand it over to you.
And then there is the issue that any Tax Refund due is only payable to the registered owner (who would have to be a UK resident, to have the V5 in his name). There is the possibility of the Dealer looking for a refund. But if you're back here, and he's over there, this might not happen....

From this it seems that the dealer can tax it on your behalf but not straight forward for a non UK resident.

traco

Looking at importing again from the UK but cars not listed on VRT site.

There is no Porsche listed at all neither is a Honda S2000? I did get a statistical code for the S2000 from one that was VRT'd a while back but the site won't accept that now.

Considering an S2000 or Boxster around 03 ish but don't want to get screwed with a figure when I show up and spend months trying to get money back from them. Could be tricky on these models as the price varies a lot on them.

Any ideas?

bazz26

If it's not on their database then the only way to get a figure is by turning up for the appointment with the car and them taking the car's details and sending off a request for Revenue to come back with a figure.

I cannot imagine there are too many of these cars being imported so unless you know someone else who did it recently then I cannot see any other way of getting a figure off them. They don't do adhoc inquiries and will insist inspecting the car before requesting a figure from Revenue.

traco

bazz26 wrote: »

If it's not on their database then the only way to get a figure is by turning up for the appointment with the car and them taking the car's details and sending off a request for Revenue to come back with a figure.

I cannot imagine there are too many of these cars being imported so unless you know someone else who did it recently then I cannot see any other way of getting a figure off them. They don't do adhoc inquiries and will insist inspecting the car before requesting a figure from Revenue.

Cheers Bazz, it's no wonder you see threads about people not paying VRT on performance cars when the system won't even let you have a figure on what the projected tax would be. Reckon I'll keep looking locally as with insurance premiums now these aren't moving that fast so might get lucky.

bazz26

Given that Co2 emissions are high on those sort of cars I'd imagine they will go on the top rate of motor tax unless they are pre 2008. One of the main reasons those type of cars don't sell here anymore.

traco

Probably 05 06 07, that would get me into an early S2000 AP2 or 987 S both of which are scarce here from the looking I've been doing so the Uk would offer a better selection.

Not sure I would spend 08 money but if I did I thought it was possible to opt for which tax system you wanted the car to be on but I could be dreaming.

b.gud

traco wrote: »

Probably 05 06 07, that would get me into an early S2000 AP2 or 987 S both of which are scarce here from the looking I've been doing so the Uk would offer a better selection.

Not sure I would spend 08 money but if I did I thought it was possible to opt for which tax system you wanted the car to be on but I could be dreaming.

If the car was registered in the UK between the 1st of January 2008 and the last day of June 2008 then when you go to vrt it you will be taxed at whichever rate, engine size or emissions, is lower.
Technically u don't get to choose which one u get, not that it would be a difficult choice

Bambaata

Im very close to closing out on a Peugeot that's coming as Peugeot approved from Peugeot dealer. They offer 12 month warranty and state it does indeed transfer to Ireland. Is there anything i could request of them to prove this?

They are also saying that due to them being a main dealer they have to perform HPI checks themselves and have sent me MOT (well in date) and service log book (done every year - 12-16k miles but due again inside the next 4k miles). Ive also got front page pof V5C stating "Peugeot COntract Hire" as registered owner.

Will be arranging AA or RAC this week to confirm and hoping to go over next weekend all going to plan. Am just curious on the warranty transferring and proof of this as i am paying a slight premium compared to non-main dealer prices. It was a company car previously, anything to beware of with this? I understand ex taxi's, rentals etc are a no no but not finding as much info on company cars

Bargain_Hound

Bargain_Hound wrote: »

Is there no possibility of a months tax in the UK? Seems a big waste having to purchase 6 months to only export the car the same day.

To follow up on this - I made it back this morning with no tax through the UK via. Liverpool (220mile journey). Glad I didn't buy the 6 months now, although I don't know if it was technically possibly to even tax it.

b.gud

Looking to get a car in the UK in the next few months, any good sites other than autotrader to look at?

Thanks

mcminolta

Don't know if this helps me or anyone else but I rang Swansea this morning about road tax after buying a car for export directly to Ireland.

Anyway the person in the Road tax office reckons that legally I should tax the vehicle online using the "I have the V5C/2 new keeper supplement (green slip)" for 6 months and pick the direct debit option which will give me a week or two to cancel the DD once I'm out of the UK.

I stated I only had an address in Ireland and he seemed to think this would not be an issue. I do have a UK bank account though so this "might” actually work for me although I wouldn't fancy my chances of setting this up using an irish bank account.

That’s the plan – I’ll see what happens although I suspect it isn’t going to be that easy!

dinky earnshaw

I'm looking to buy a Kia up north. There's a few available still within the 7 year warranty some from main dealers. Do you think I should still get an RAC check or would I being wasting money needlessly?