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

promethius

Great guide, have read through most of it, scanned some it's very long, i think i got it pretty well down but when paying the deposit to the dealer by credit card what is typically an acceptable ammount percentage wise ?
This is what i'm looking at and would be doing a HP check and tell the guy the deposit is subject to nothing new showing up in the AA insection.
I also want to find out if the timing belt has been done, if not it's not worth it in my opinion.

http://search.autotrader.co.uk/es-uk/www/cars/VOLKSWAGEN+PASSAT/Ne-2-4-5-6-7-8-27-44-49-53-61-64-67-103-133-146,N-20-42-50-55-62-111-4294967158-4294967159/advert.action?R=200809304732328&distance=&postcode=&channel=CARS&make=VOLKSWAGEN&model=PASSAT&min_pr=&max_pr=6000&max_mileage=80000

I'm sorry i couldn't make the link any smaller :-)

Thanks a lot

mkem

As private buyer, does it still cost only 50 euros for the VRT on an imported van and does it matter what size of van you import - such as a Citroen Belingo ?

dobsdave

Buying a car for my son next month, to get him started in driving.
Thinking of a 98/99 micra.
Average price over here is 3.5k
In the UK average :1KStg=1350 euro+400 vrt approx.total 1750 euro

Okay, so add maybe 1000 euro for travel/accomodation and AA checks etc.

So that gives me a better spec'd car, a weekend away in the UK and saving few hundred euro also.

Am I missing something obvious?

Thanks

Gandalf23

This is an excellent thread.

To the mods ... any chance of making this a sticky?

jamieh

Hi lads,

Just looking at 6 series BM's on Autotrader.

Using this car as an example:

http://search.autotrader.co.uk/es-uk/www/cars/BMW+6+SERIES/Ne-2-4-5-6-7-8-27-44-49-53-61-64-67-103-133-146,N-50-114-141-4294963955-4294967202/advert.action?R=200813306598541&distance=121&postcode=SW19+3RQ&channel=CARS&make=BMW&model=6+SERIES&min_pr=&max_pr=&max_mileage=

Costs £46,850 ....€58,906

According to the VRT online calculator, VRT will cost €33,641

Which brings the total to €92,547

Would the VAT be calculated based on the total cost, or the cost of the car before VRT?

Esel

jamieh wrote: »

Would the VAT be calculated based on the total cost, or the cost of the car before VRT?

What VAT?

Wossack

esel wrote: »

What VAT?

Irish VAT @ 21%...

jamieh wrote:

.

the VAT is due on the VRT inclusive price unfortunately

jamieh

Feckin VAT!! If I had to pay VAT it'd nearly work out more expensive to get the car over there.

Is getting a car with over 6,000km on the clock the only way to avoid VAT?

Wossack

over 6000km, and 6 months old afaik yes


(Ive heard a 10 year old car, with <6000km would still be liable for VRT)

GavMan

So when u import a car from the UK, you have to pay VRT and VAT? Feck sake...

Wossack

GavMan wrote: »

So when u import a car from the UK, you have to pay VRT and VAT? Feck sake...

whats real nice about it is how the VRT is worked out... the OMSP value is what the car if originally bought in ireland would be worth (afaik) - ie a car that has already had VRT paid on it. This OMSP is what is used to calculate the VRT (a +% of the OMSP)

so your VRT is calculated on a car that has already had VRT added to it, at which point, theres a 21% increase on it again from VAT

triple taxation! :eek:



(note this is the old, pre-emissions based VRT)

Guy:Incognito

GavMan wrote: »

So when u import a car from the UK, you have to pay VRT and VAT? Feck sake...

Only if its new or almost new (younger than 6 months under 6,000 km's)

Meathlass

Can anyone see a flaw in this idea:

I give money to my dad (who has lived in UK for years) to buy a car over there in his name. He keeps it there 6 months, then brings it over here. He has all the proof required that he has been living and working in UK for last 6 months. He retired last month, so when bringing it over here he could just say he was moving over here and living with me. Revenue website says he needs to prove he's moving here by supplying evidence of following

1) Acquisition of property (rent agreement, mortgage, etc) - well he can say he's staying with me so wouldn't have that.
2) Proof of employment - he's retired so no need for this.
3) Transactions carried out in day-to-day living - should be easy enough.

When he brings it over I can get insured on it, then 12 months later transfer ownership in to my name! There's probably something i'm not thinking of though Anyone think of anything?

The_Conductor

Meathlass wrote:

When he brings it over I can get insured on it, then 12 months later transfer ownership in to my name! There's probably something i'm not thinking of though Anyone think of anything?

Getting stopped by the Gardai driving on a UK plate, asked do you own the car- when you reply in the negative, being asked to show your own drivers licence on the spot and then possibly being asked to get the owner to report to a Garda station within 3 days, with insurance documentation showing that you are covered to drive the car.

You can never be 100% certain that you wouldn't get caught- are you in a position to pay the VRT (and VAT if applicable) on the spot if you had to? If not, don't do it.

daRobot

Wossack wrote: »

Irish VAT @ 21%...



the VAT is due on the VRT inclusive price unfortunately

No it's not.

Vat is due on the purchase price and Vrt is paid after that .

Meathlass

smccarrick wrote: »

Getting stopped by the Gardai driving on a UK plate,

I wouldn't be driving on a UK plate. He would buy the car in UK, keep it there for 6 months, then bring over here and register it right away. Has evidence to prove he's been working and living in UK for the 6 months so is exempt from VRT, no?

BnA

Meathlass wrote: »

Can anyone see a flaw in this idea:

I give money to my dad (who has lived in UK for years) to buy a car over there in his name. He keeps it there 6 months, then brings it over here. He has all the proof required that he has been living and working in UK for last 6 months. He retired last month, so when bringing it over here he could just say he was moving over here and living with me. Revenue website says he needs to prove he's moving here by supplying evidence of following

1) Acquisition of property (rent agreement, mortgage, etc) - well he can say he's staying with me so wouldn't have that.
2) Proof of employment - he's retired so no need for this.
3) Transactions carried out in day-to-day living - should be easy enough.

When he brings it over I can get insured on it, then 12 months later transfer ownership in to my name! There's probably something i'm not thinking of though Anyone think of anything?

You would have a good chance of getting away with it. But it would be a bit hairy.

We done it a few years ago. My brother (who lives in the UK) was selling his car. It was worth buggerall in the UK and my father needed a car so he decided to bring it home. He managed to "prove" that he was living over here now because at the time, although he was working in the UK, he was contracted through an Irish company. So he could show wages from an Irish Company getting paid into his Irish Bank A\c

They asked an awful lot of questions in the VRT office (in Ennis) and even called them back in a second or third time. In the end, yer man pretty much said to my father, I know you're fiddling this, we're going to let it through, but I don't want to see you back here in 12 months with another one.

Mind you, that was 6 or 7 years ago. From my own dealings with them since, they have got a lot stricter.

jamieh

daRobot wrote: »

No it's not.

Vat is due on the purchase price and Vrt is paid after that .

Really! That'd make a serious difference in price.

Do you know how I'd find out for sure?

daRobot

jamieh wrote: »

Really! That'd make a serious difference in price.

Do you know how I'd find out for sure?

It's for sure jamie, I rang the VRO office to double check.

BnA

I have a quick question on VAT I'd apreciate if someone could answer for me.

I am aware of the 6 month 6k miles rule. i.e. If you import an new car (or any car less than 6 months old or with less than 6k miles) you have to pay VAT @21%;.

However, do you also have to pay VAT on the car in the UK. i.e. If I go into a showroom in the UK in the morning and buy a brand new car, it will have VAT included in the price. Can I get that VAT back because I will be paying my VAT in Ireland or Do I pay VAT in the UK and then pay 21% VAT again here in Ireland ?

The_Conductor

BnA wrote: »

I have a quick question on VAT I'd apreciate if someone could answer for me.

I am aware of the 6 month 6k miles rule. i.e. If you import an new car (or any car less than 6 months old or with less than 6k miles) you have to pay VAT @21%.

However, do you also have to pay VAT on the car in the UK. i.e. If I go into a showroom in the UK in the morning and buy a brand new car, it will have VAT included in the price. Can I get that VAT back because I will be paying my VAT in Ireland or Do I pay VAT in the UK and then pay 21% VAT again here in Ireland ?

Yes, you can get it back- however you have to register as a business in order to reclaim the VAT. For a once off transaction its a hell of a lot of trouble to go to.

BnA

Smccarrick

Thanks for that.

So are you saying that as a Joe Soap with no VAT number, if I went into the VRT office in Dublin with a span new car and a receipt showing I had paid in full for it including VAT in the UK, I would be charged VAT again, and I wouldn't be able to claim the UK VAT back.

Padraig Mor

BnA wrote: »

I have a quick question on VAT I'd apreciate if someone could answer for me.

I am aware of the 6 month 6k miles rule. i.e. If you import an new car (or any car less than 6 months old or with less than 6k miles) you have to pay VAT @21%;.

However, do you also have to pay VAT on the car in the UK. i.e. If I go into a showroom in the UK in the morning and buy a brand new car, it will have VAT included in the price. Can I get that VAT back because I will be paying my VAT in Ireland or Do I pay VAT in the UK and then pay 21% VAT again here in Ireland ?

There was a thread on askaboutmoney where a guy imported new from the North. If you're buying it for immediate export, it's apparently a simple enough process to NOT pay the UK VAT and then pay in Ireland when registering. I'll see if I can find thread.

edit: here we go. http://www.askaboutmoney.com/showthread.php?p=605286

blastman

daRobot wrote: »

It's for sure jamie, I rang the VRO office to double check.

Yep, you're right.

Duty and VAT are based on the actual price you paid for the car as you have to provide receipts etc. You won't get the car off the docks until this money is paid. In order to re-register the car on Irish plates, VRT is then charged on what the VRO reckon the open market price of the car is, regardless of what you actually paid for it.

Bulmers

hi guys,

have read thru this thread to see if it's worth actually bringing car in from ul or north but not sure.

I'm looking to buy a car, have about €30-35k to spend, looking at BMW 320ds, Lexus Is220ds, maybe Passat. Lexus IS220d 06 average NI price £16k = €20K, VRT is approx €9.5k, gives approx €30k...plenty on carzone for 30-33k so easily get on for that price, have checked for other motors in this range too and dont see too much savings really on cars in this range, or am i getting something wrong as anyone i mention it to buying a car say go to UK etc etc but from searching on web, not seeing it all that diff once conversions and vrt factored in?

any opinions appreciated

cheers

gary the great

Whats the cheapest site for a HPI check?

Nephew

Has anyone experience with Ford of Winsford? Can I trust them not to sell me a clocked car or one that was involved in one of the recent floods in England? I'm interested in a couple of cars on their site www.fow.co.uk. I noticed you can arrange a test drive online, but do they accept deposits online or over the phone to hold a car for a few days. I'd hate to travel over only to be told the car is gone or for it to be a real lemon. In car markets like this, are prices negotiable?

For anyone who bought from FOW, what is the quickest/cheapest way to get from Dublin to Cheshire and back in a day?

Can anyone recommend places they bought from near to Holyhead and places to avoid?

I have no insurance of my own at the moment, other than work insurance. Does anyone know if an Irish insurance company would give me a policy on a car I am buying in the UK and driving to Holyhead, especially when I might not know the precise details of the car until I get there as I would probably test drive a couple of cars before deciding.

Do English cars have miles and kilometres underneath on the speedometer dial like Irish cars used to have, or is it strictly miles?

Thanks

hoganpoly

just bought in a bmw 525d,2004 reg, vrt coming in at 9k , and tax 800 euro, would it make sense to wait until july when new vrt laws are introduced and vrt on my car according to emissions would be 28% and tax would be 600 euro, any ideas , car is garaged and not on the road thx

jason31

yea was going to ask that! could you buy the car now and take the chance of driving on english plates until July, then do the VRT thingy and saving yourself a packet?

blastman

I get the impression the new VRT rules only apply to cars manufactured from this year on, so the old rules still apply to e.g. an 06 car imported after July. I'm open to correction about this, there's so much stuff floating around about it my head is melted!