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

scoby996

i'm thinking about importing a used car from england but was wondering if i do this which road tax would i be charged on? Is it de same as before or is it calculated on co2 emmissions

Tipsy Mac

scoby996 wrote: »

i'm thinking about importing a used car from england but was wondering if i do this which road tax would i be charged on? Is it de same as before or is it calculated on co2 emmissions

If it's originally registered from January 2008 on in the UK you will be charged CO2 based road tax, if it's before this you will be charged the old style of the CC of the car.

listermint

dingding wrote: »

Also another question, probably covered already, If I imported a BMW with options such as sat nav and leather interior will that affect the VRT, i.e. when I go to bring it in will the look for additional vrt above and beyond what is on the calculator. In this case would I be better to ring with the exact spec of the car, or just show up?

Check this out should answer some of your questions

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055214339&highlight=VAT

dingding

Thanks Listermint, looks like I need to get a price on VRT based on chassis no before I purchase. Car is less than 3 years old, a BMW with leather, sat nav, sunroof etc...

:mad:

listermint

dingding wrote: »

Thanks Listermint, looks like I need to get a price on VRT based on chassis no before I purchase. Car is less than 3 years old, a BMW with leather, sat nav, sunroof etc...

:mad:

They will most definitely charge you the VAT on extras for a car less than 3 years old. include it in your budget so.

Kotek Besar

listermint wrote: »

They will most definitely charge you the VAT on extras for a car less than 3 years old. include it in your budget so.

Where's this stated? Isn't VAT only charged if the vehicle is less than 6 months old / less than 6000 km?

Esel

benifa wrote: »

Where's this stated? Isn't VAT only charged if the vehicle is less than 6 months old / less than 6000 km?

I think listermint meant VRT, not VAT.

scoby996

thanx a million for dat, had hoped it was the other way round lol but at least i know before i buy.

by the way this is a great thread lads keep up the good work:)

zing

It's 4 years for VRT on extras - not 3 and they seem to be concerned more about extras on some makes than on others from what I've seen. Imported a BMW earlier this year with plently of extras on it which was a week or 2 older than 4 years. Girl in the VRO looked at the orig reg date and told me if it'd been a couple of weeks newer then she'd have had to send to chasis no off to rosslare get the orig spec for the car, do a quick verfiy on any extras to ensure they were present (if it was possible to verify visually and assume they were otherwise), and revise my vrt figure upwards accordingly.

fatladysang

Hi - does anyone know of a dealer in the north that would take a southern reg car as a trade in ?

Rgds

Kotek Besar

fatladysang wrote: »

Hi - does anyone know of a dealer in the north that would take a southern reg car as a trade in ?

Rgds

I asked this question to a Vauxhall garage in (I think) Co Tyrone. They said they do take trade-ins that are on ROI plates. Though in fairness I don't think they'd give you as much for it than if you were to sell it private in the South, 'specially with the pound as weak as it is.

Stevie Dakota

fatladysang wrote: »

Hi - does anyone know of a dealer in the north that would take a southern reg car as a trade in ?

Rgds

I know of two have traded in at Charles Hurst, in fairness both trade-ins where knackered so big money was not involved. But they do take them.

fatladysang

Thanks for that - I have a 07 Highline Passat Fully loaded - Full Cream leather (the lot) - Im interested in a BMW 520d but i hate the idea of trying to sell private.

Might make a few calls in the North,

TA

Kotek Besar

fatladysang wrote: »

Thanks for that - I have a 07 Highline Passat Fully loaded - Full Cream leather (the lot) - Im interested in a BMW 520d but i hate the idea of trying to sell private.

Might make a few calls in the North,

TA

Good luck, but I really doubt that a garage in the North could even come near to what you'd get for it if you sold it privately in the South..

zing

Anyone know how the VRO calculate VRT on extras - i.e. at what rates do they depreciate them over the 4 years ? And at what rate are the extras then VRT'd ? Same as the car itself (which would make the most sense) or is there a fixed rate (36% ?) for extras ?

Am considering bringing in a year old car with about EUR 6k (i.e. what they'd cost here for the equiv model) worth of extras on it and just trying to get an idea as to how much extra I'd be looking at. Would I be way off the mark to suggest the extras would be worth say 60% of their original value after 1 year ? Car I'm looking at would be in the 24% VRT mark and assuming the 60% figure is right would I be looking at something along the lines of (6000*.60)*.24 = EUR 864 ?

I'll put a call into a VRO when I get a chance to try get a definite answer but just wondering if anyone knew off hand from past experience.

magick

excellent post, could we make this a sticky?

The_Conductor

zing wrote: »

Anyone know how the VRO calculate VRT on extras - i.e. at what rates do they depreciate them over the 4 years ? And at what rate are the extras then VRT'd ? Same as the car itself (which would make the most sense) or is there a fixed rate (36% ?) for extras ?

Am considering bringing in a year old car with about EUR 6k (i.e. what they'd cost here for the equiv model) worth of extras on it and just trying to get an idea as to how much extra I'd be looking at. Would I be way off the mark to suggest the extras would be worth say 60% of their original value after 1 year ? Car I'm looking at would be in the 24% VRT mark and assuming the 60% figure is right would I be looking at something along the lines of (6000*.60)*.24 = EUR 864 ?

I'll put a call into a VRO when I get a chance to try get a definite answer but just wondering if anyone knew off hand from past experience.

VRT'ed at the same rate as the car itself, but on a flat line deduction- with an assumption that they loose 1/4 of their value every year for the first 4 years, and have no nominal value thereafter.

spav

A bit of a long shot maybe, but...

I'm from the UK, have a UK passport and obviously parents living in the UK etc., and I've lived in Ireland for about 2 and a half years.

Would that help me in anyway to make it easier to buy a UK reg car?

Tipsy Mac

spav wrote: »

A bit of a long shot maybe, but...

I'm from the UK, have a UK passport and obviously parents living in the UK etc., and I've lived in Ireland for about 2 and a half years.

Would that help me in anyway to make it easier to buy a UK reg car?

Handiest "way" would be if your Dad has the same name as you and you get him to buy one there and then you import it here saying it's yours. They may ask for proof of a social security number, if they do it won't work.

Esel

spav wrote: »

A bit of a long shot maybe, but...

I'm from the UK, have a UK passport and obviously parents living in the UK etc., and I've lived in Ireland for about 2 and a half years.

Would that help me in anyway to make it easier to buy a UK reg car?

Don't see how. To import free of VRT, you have to be transferring your residence to here (TOR). The VRO will seek proof of previous residence (bills, payslips, bank statements), proof of taking up residence here, and you have to have owned and used the car for at least six months in the UK (insurance, V5 date, etc.).

spav

esel wrote: »

Don't see how. To import free of VRT, you have to be transferring your residence to here (TOR). The VRO will seek proof of previous residence (bills, payslips, bank statements), proof of taking up residence here, and you have to have owned and used the car for at least six months in the UK (insurance, V5 date, etc.).

Just as I thought. Curses!

snowstreams

I was wondering with the new VRT system is it feasible to import a diesel car (16%) for 10grand say? Or is it only really feasible if the car is worth more like 20k?

The_Conductor

snowstreams wrote: »

I was wondering with the new VRT system is it feasible to import a diesel car (16%) for 10grand say? Or is it only really feasible if the car is worth more like 20k?

You'll probably get a much better spec- and you'll still be paying the same annual road tax as you would have been for an Irish car- so its all relative.

snowstreams

Thanks, I'll be up the north this wkend so I'll have a look but i'll prob just buy a car in the south cause its less hassle.

mickeytheshoe

hi guys, love the thread has made everything simple to do. i just have one question. I am in the process of getting an import either an 07 corolla or astra(its the astra i really want). seems like i can save about 4/5 grand.:)

The only thing thats worrying me with the astra is its a vauxhall and i dont know what they are like to resell next year when i decide to change again.

Does anyone know and any help would be obliged. thanks

The_Conductor

Its the exact same as an Opel- there is no difference whatsoever- its just the badge that GM use in the UK. Some people prefer the regular Opel badge- but I can't see that you'd have any difficulty with reselling it.......

Kotek Besar

smccarrick wrote: »

Its the exact same as an Opel- there is no difference whatsoever- its just the badge that GM use in the UK. Some people prefer the regular Opel badge- but I can't see that you'd have any difficulty with reselling it.......

Don't forget that the speedo would be in miles rather than KMs. On the plus side, UK Vauxhalls have 3 years warranty from new, as opposed to 2 years warranty for Irish Opels.

Esel

snowstreams wrote: »

Thanks, I'll be up the north this wkend so I'll have a look but i'll prob just buy a car in the south cause its less hassle.

With a huge percentage of the diesel in the north being 'washed', I'd be a bit concerned buying a diesel from there, tbh.

robbie2003ie

Robertr


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Thanks
Robert

dingding

Looking at a BMW and enquiried about the warrenty. The dealer said that the first 2 years was a BMW warenty and the third year was a garage warrenty.

Would I be able to ring the car to NI to avail of the 3rd year warrenty, or am I limited to 2 years from new, leaving about 18 months?

Thanks.