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

Stallingrad

gaillimh wrote: »

In the scenario where the particular model you bring in doesn't exist on the Revenue system, is there typically much of a delay to the Revenue contacting you with a price?

Happened to me once, took them about a week.

comerla

NCT number plates are rubbish. Myself and two other neighbours had our plates fall off (NCT's plates are stuck on using stickers). When I wrote to NCT to complain they told me to take it up with Audi. I almost went to small claims court over this I was so annoyed; looks to me like not fit for purpose.


You'd be much better off going to Motor Factors for your plates, with proper machine where the letters are embossed.

Pepp1989

comerla wrote:

NCT number plates are rubbish. Myself and two other neighbours had our plates fall off (NCT's plates are stuck on using stickers). When I wrote to NCT to complain they told me to take it up with Audi. I almost went to small claims court over this I was so annoyed; looks to me like not fit for purpose.

I just put two holes in the plates from NCT and screwed them in. The UK plates were already screwed in so it was an easy job.

ballybro

Do we know for sure if there will be extra charges on top of VRT on importing a used car from the UK after brexit.IE should one buy before 29th March if looking to import.

michellie

ballybro wrote: »

Do we know for sure if there will be extra charges on top of VRT on importing a used car from the UK after brexit.IE should one buy before 29th March if looking to import.

We do not.

Horse1920

If there is a hard brexit with no deal you will owe vat.

Horse1920

Hi Gallimh,

Im waiting over a week now - rang the center - they said some weeks its 2 days and others its the full 10 days

bonkers67

Will the Vrt people accept an old address as proof of identity and for the PPS number? I’m moving house this week and planning to go to the U.K. next week and get a car. I’ll just have my old address for bills etc.

Nemanrio

Hi lads,

I am looking at importing a Ford Focus, have never gone to the UK for a car, so I’m slightly apprehensive/uneducated & have a couple of questions. (Apologies in advance if they’ve been answered or are trivial)

1) Are the RAC the best for getting your car checked out beforehand?

2) How long does it take for them to carry it out? I assume I don’t book any
flights or ferry till successful completion of the RAC report?

3) Do I get a mechanic in Ireland to look at the RAC report as well?

4) What would be the best way to pay? If I was to pay with cash, would the
dealer be possibly up for bargaining? A straight Online banking transfer?

5) I have seen the car I wanted, do I ring the dealer; offer a deposit/try to
do the deal then subject to satisfactory RAC report or is there a better
way to go about it?

Any advice/ tips would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance lads.

wallpapers123

I'm looking at this used Ninja 300 here in Dublin at one of the dealers.. He says the bike has been imported from the UK, and has its VRT completed, but does not have Irish registration yet, and would be done in the new buyer's name. Shouldn't the vehicle be converted to irish Registration within 30 days once imported in the country, or is this a normal situation?

IrishGrimReaper

wallpapers123 wrote: »

I'm looking at this used Ninja 300 here in Dublin at one of the dealers.. He says the bike has been imported from the UK, and has its VRT completed, but does not have Irish registration yet, and would be done in the new buyer's name. Shouldn't the vehicle be converted to irish Registration within 30 days once imported in the country, or is this a normal situation?

I believe dealers don't have to VRT it until the actually sell it.

darragh o meara

wallpapers123 wrote: »

I'm looking at this used Ninja 300 here in Dublin at one of the dealers.. He says the bike has been imported from the UK, and has its VRT completed, but does not have Irish registration yet, and would be done in the new buyer's name. Shouldn't the vehicle be converted to irish Registration within 30 days once imported in the country, or is this a normal situation?

Some dealers have a facility with Revenue where they pre inspect the car, that way when they sell it they dont have to wait long to get the reg plate.

wassie

gaillimh wrote: »

You could always take the chance and not tax it if you wanted also.
That’s what I did two weeks ago and all was fine.

I chanced it at and departed at Holyhead and was fine.



Second time I bought from a dealer and they insisted on having it taxed (I argued for 2 hours!) before leaving the dealership. As luck would have it I got checked by the police whilst waiting in line for a 2am departure at Merseyside.


Next time I import I will definitely be taxing for peace of mind. As has been previously mentioned, you have to pay a minimum of 6 months upfront, then can claim back the remaining 5 months, meaning the cost is 1 month. Took about 6 weeks to get the cheque back - note its a sterling cheque also so if you are going to deposit into an Irish bank a/c you will take a small hit as the bank takes their cut.

ballybro

Just wondering about using the revolute card to purchase a car in the uk.Whats the max amount that anyone had been able to do in one transaction at a card machine in a dealers and not a revolute wired transfer to the dealers account.Looking for a guaranteed same day option.

wassie

My first purchase was a simple chip and pin payment with a Bank of Ireland debit card. BoI advised me before hand there was no limit when you use your Visa Debit card at a point of sale in a shop or online- you can use up to your available funds. The major drawback obviously was being hit the currency conversion fee (2% IIRC) and a currency exchange rate lower than the md-market rate.

Since then I've wised up and opened up a current account with a northern bank (easy done for people in RoI - some bank will even let you open one without being present in person) and use Transferwise to exchange EUR from my RoI bank to GBP in my NI bank.

The advantage of this is that it allows you to access either the Faster Payments or CHAPS payments systems which are processed same day (just be aware on what service the bank can offer before opening an account).

wallpapers123

darragh o meara wrote: »

Some dealers have a facility with Revenue where they pre inspect the car, that way when they sell it they dont have to wait long to get the reg plate.

So there won't be any legal complications if I go ahead with the purchase?

darragh o meara

wallpapers123 wrote: »

So there won't be any legal complications if I go ahead with the purchase?

If that’s how they’re operating then there shouldn’t be a problem.

Scoondal

In the case of a no deal Brexit on 29 March, will I have to pay VAT and customs duty ?

elperello

Scoondal wrote: »

In the case of a no deal Brexit on 29 March, will I have to pay VAT and customs duty ?

Probably, but nobody knows for sure.

travist

I am thinking of putting a non-refundable £500 deposit before mid-week to secure a car I've seen just online..Any tips regards scheduling Dekra or alternative checks?

jpbdrogheda

travist wrote: »

I am thinking of putting a non-refundable £500 deposit before mid-week to secure a car I've seen just online..Any tips regards scheduling Dekra or alternative checks?

I used Dekra for a car in the UK a week ago and found it very good. Once the inspection was completed I received an email advising me so and giving me the contact number of the engineer who carried out the inspection. I called him and he gave a verbal opinion of the car and answered any questions or worries I had. Later on that evening I received an email with the full completed docs. The inspection was very detailed and even a couple of minor issues were noticed and reported on. I would have no problem in recommending Dekra although it was the first time arranging such an inspection so cant compare it to AA or RAC. My understanding is the Dekra carry out inspections for the AA anyway but might take a day longer.

If you have any questions on the process just hit me up.

travist

thanks jpbdrogheda ..

bazz26

travist wrote: »

thanks jpbdrogheda ..

I'd make it a condition of putting down a deposit of that size that it be returned if the car fails the independent inspection or the dealer doesn't remedy anything the inspection calls out as needing fixing.

Get that in writing at the time of putting the deposit down. If the car is genuine with no major issues then the dealer should be confident enough to agree to that condition unless they have something to fear or hide.

travist

thanks Bazz, good idea..yeah, it's not ideal to put down a nonrefundable deposit, going just on photos and a 'walkaround' they said they'd do.. As a trader, they have lots of good reviews on autotrader, but I'm not sure how authentic they may be. No bad reviews thou.

bazz26

The whole idea of a non refundable deposit is for the dealer to protect themselves from somebody just changing their mind for no valid reason or weed out the messors who had no intention of buying anyway. However if you agree a price and are happy to buy the car pending an inspection then I see no reason why a dealer should not refund the deposit if the car fails the inspection for something serious or they are not willing to rectify minor things found by the inspection.

Squidgy Black

What's the reasoning behind not buying private from the UK? I've been looking at petrol golfs up North and just curious as to why it's suggested to rule private sellers out?

masit

Squidgy Black wrote: »

What's the reasoning behind not buying private from the UK? I've been looking at petrol golfs up North and just curious as to why it's suggested to rule private sellers out?

I won't rule out buying private. Just get an inspection done. Have been thinking about it myself.

ButtersSuki

Probably been asked a thousand times recently so apologies in advance if so....but what are people's general thoughts on buying in NI/UK post Brexit - I'm thinking June-ish.

ewj1978

No body knows. If its a no deal then what tax/vrt etc will be calculated. If theres a deal then it "should" be the same as now.

Nemanrio

How long average does a dekra/RAC/AA check take?