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

bazz26

Sounds like it wasn't really looked after by it's previous owner. Shocking that a premium brand main dealer would retail a car on their forecourt in that condition but I suppose the one good thing is at least you are aware of it rather than them cleaning it up and you being non the wiser. What are you going to do Mick?

mickdw

They can feck off. Terrible nonsense. Probably go offering to do bits now.
I know approved used is a sales gimmick for the most part but you would expect them to at least have the stuff looking right.

bazz26

This one any good to you? It's a year older but has the oyster interior you were looking for and and has a few extras:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201901143912688?radius=1500&model=5%20SERIES&sort=price-asc&year-from=2017&advertising-location=at_cars&onesearchad=Used&onesearchad=Nearly%20New&onesearchad=New&make=BMW&seller-type=trade&exclude-writeoff-categories=on&postcode=ls11az&aggregatedTrim=530e&year-to=2017&page=1

mickdw

I've seen that one. It's there quite a while now.
Alot cheaper than one I was buying but I was alot happier buying the late 18 car warranty wise.

L-M

mickdw wrote: »

They can feck off. Terrible nonsense. Probably go offering to do bits now.
I know approved used is a sales gimmick for the most part but you would expect them to at least have the stuff looking right.

To be fair approved Used generally isn’t a sales gimmick, the standards and random audits dealers have to adhere is unreal.

Very surprised a Main BMW dealer was letting a car out front like that.

mickdw

L-M wrote: »

To be fair approved Used generally isn’t a sales gimmick, the standards and random audits dealers have to adhere is unreal.

Very surprised a Main BMW dealer was letting a car out front like that.

If it was a 3 or 4 year old car, you might say it had a not so careful owner but just the year old. The person driving this wasn't paying for it anyway would be my impression. Kinda shocked myself by the standard.

I found a salesmans guide to approved used there online and to be honest it was set up all about how to sell it as a bonus and also explaining how they don't need to have full main dealer history or be relatively new or low mileage or have factory approved tyres to be sold under the scheme. . It also set out how sales man should make use of the reconditioning sheet cost breakdown to show the customer that they won't get a discount due to outlay incurred.
Hardly customer focused.

L-M

Any link?

Any used approved program I’ve seen is usually very anti dealer, very high spend and very little return.

mickdw

L-M wrote: »

Any link?

Any used approved program I’ve seen is usually very anti dealer, very high spend and very little return.

Google e217174 auc salesperson guide.

ando

I'm looking to import from the UK in January hopefully. With Brexit planed for December 2020, do we see anything obstructing or increasing the prices of importing until then? Is NOX going to add any significant costs to say a 2015 2 litre diesel import? I'm just trying to do the figures at the moment. I've imported twice in the past, but last time was in 2010...

pablo128

ando wrote: »

I'm looking to import from the UK in January hopefully. With Brexit planed for December 2020, do we see anything obstructing or increasing the prices of importing until then? Is NOX going to add any significant costs to say a 2015 2 litre diesel import? I'm just trying to do the figures at the moment. I've imported twice in the past, but last time was in 2010...

You really need to find out the nox figure for the particular car you are looking at, to avoid a nasty shock. It will be on the v5 document. A quick call to a seller should give you the figure.

ando

pablo128 wrote: »

You really need to find out the nox figure for the particular car you are looking at, to avoid a nasty shock. It will be on the v5 document. A quick call to a seller should give you the figure.

Is the NOX cost currently in place? I generally in the past have priced up the cost of the car converted to euro, VRT plus general expenses like boat, flights etc. Just need to know now if I have to add in NOX pricing too..

chalky_ie

Does anyone know what state the V5 has to be in for VRT to accept it? I was under the impression it had to be untouched, but the dealer I bought from said they have to fill in one part and send it away, said he's done it with loads of Irish recently.

Last time I imported (years ago), dealer convinced me I had to send the full thing to the DVLA on the spot, caused me havoc as I couldn't register car with the little slip off the V5 he'd given me to bring home.

So, long story short; do I need the V5 100% intact, or am I ok with what I have, which is the majority of it, with one section removed and filled in by the dealer. Any info much appreciated!

darragh o meara

conor-w wrote: »

Does anyone know what state the V5 has to be in for VRT to accept it? I was under the impression it had to be untouched, but the dealer I bought from said they have to fill in one part and send it away, said he's done it with loads of Irish recently.

Last time I imported (years ago), dealer convinced me I had to send the full thing to the DVLA on the spot, caused me havoc as I couldn't register car with the little slip off the V5 he'd given me to bring home.

So, long story short; do I need the V5 100% intact, or am I ok with what I have, which is the majority of it, with one section removed and filled in by the dealer. Any info much appreciated!

The front page is the bit you need and it needs to be complete. Just get the seller to look up the DVLA site and find out exactly whats needed.

chalky_ie

darragh o meara wrote: »

The front page is the bit you need and it needs to be complete. Just get the seller to look up the DVLA site and find out exactly whats needed.

I've already collected the car so too late for that haha. Is this what you mean by front page?

deezell

conor-w wrote: »

I've already collected the car so too late for that haha. Is this what you mean by front page?

You're sorted

chalky_ie

deezell wrote: »

You're sorted

Thanks Christ, I can't go through the hell I had with the DVLA again 😂. Nice one lads.

deezell

ando wrote: »

Is the NOX cost currently in place? I generally in the past have priced up the cost of the car converted to euro, VRT plus general expenses like boat, flights etc. Just need to know now if I have to add in NOX pricing too..

From January;



To check emissions by make, model, year, etc;

https://carfueldata.vehicle-certification-agency.gov.uk/search-new-or-used-cars.aspx

at9qu5vp0wcix7

If I am looking correctly, this is only an extra €85 on a BMW G30 520D? Not as bad as I feared.

deezell

Madisyn Cool Lion wrote: »

If I am looking correctly, this is only an extra €85 on a BMW G30 520D? Not as bad as I feared.

Correct, plus VRT will rate will drop by 1% from 19% or 18% depending on model co2 emissions. This drop will take roughly €270 off the current VRT for average 2017 versions of this car, so an overall drop of €200, plus a possible drop in OMSP and VRT if lower OMSP is published in January as the car will technically be a reg. year older. All very tight, and would need to be sorted before end of January and brexit.

Johnny86

The 7 days to make an appointment...is that 7 days to physically visit a NCTS centre? Or to just make the booking? I assume its to physically present the car.

Brought a car in on 23rd dec but next NCTS appointment available is 4th Jan...will that be ok as they're closed over Christmas?

Truckermal

Johnny86 wrote: »

The 7 days to make an appointment...is that 7 days to go online and make a booking within 30 days? Or 7 days to physically visit a NCTS centre?

Brought a car in on 23rd dec but next NCT appointment available is 4th Jan...will that be ok?

7 days to make the Appointment!

Johnny86

Truckermal wrote: »

7 days to make the Appointment!

Cheers

User1998

Doesn’t actually matter when you make the appointment as long as you have an appointment date before the 30 days is up

Isambard

that's not true.You have 7 days to make the appointment and 30 days to complete the process.

User1998

So why is it then that I’ve waited over 7 days to make the appointment and had no consequence?

Isambard

User1998 wrote: »

So why is it then that I’ve waited over 7 days to make the appointment and had no consequence?

you were lucky and didn't meet the wrong official?

ricimaki

Has anyone used UK Car Imports or similar services before? Any good or bad experiences with them?

heffo500

ricimaki wrote: »

Has anyone used UK Car Imports or similar services before? Any good or bad experiences with them?

I had looked at them before, but I see the Hyundai i30 I place a deposit on today and they have a markup of approximately 1k on it for doing the leg work which I don't think is worth it at all. Really negates a lot of the savings on lower priced cars, I dont there's a enough work to buy a car from a main Hyundai dealer that warrants the 1k mark up.

ricimaki

heffo500 wrote: »

I had looked at them before, but I see the Hyundai i30 I place a deposit on today and they have a markup of approximately 1k on it for doing the leg work which I don't think is worth it at all. Really negates a lot of the savings on lower priced cars, I dont there's a enough work to buy a car from a main Hyundai dealer that warrants the 1k mark up.

I noticed that there is an additional charge of €395 for delivery on each car, on top of the markup. I've had a look through some Leon's and Golfs, and see a markup of between €800 and €1500... safe to say I won't be using them.

SlipperyPeople

I haven't but someone I know has and he said it was very straight forward. shipped to him.

Considering using them myself too