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

Esel

Don't see why not?

Kotek Besar

dingding wrote: »

Would I be able to ring the car to NI to avail of the 3rd year warrenty..

Yes, I think this is correct for cars from the UK. First 2 years warranty can be fulfilled at a BMW dealership in ROI. Warranty work in the 3rd year, however, can only be done in the UK.

dingding

The dealer confirmed that the third year would be honoured by northern irish dealers.

Thanks

rabbitinlights

If your going over to look at 5-6 cars and your unsure of exactly how much your gonna spend, whats the best way to bring over money and pay for the car? The cars are around the £11K mark.


Thanks, S.

Padraig Mor

benifa wrote: »

Yes, I think this is correct for cars from the UK. First 2 years warranty can be fulfilled at a BMW dealership in ROI. Warranty work in the 3rd year, however, can only be done in the UK.

dingding wrote: »

The dealer confirmed that the third year would be honoured by northern irish dealers.

Thanks

The BMW third year 'garage' warranty will be honoured in ROI as well (but not in Europe like first two years).

rabbitinlights

Do most people just bring over cash to the UK and exchange it over there?

Also I dont have a car at the moment and I will be buying one in the UK, How do I get it insured for the drive back to Ireland?

S.

Kotek Besar

rabbitinlights wrote: »

Also I dont have a car at the moment and I will be buying one in the UK, How do I get it insured for the drive back to Ireland?

S.

Quinn Direct insure UK cars.

listermint

rabbitinlights wrote: »

Do most people just bring over cash to the UK and exchange it over there?

Also I dont have a car at the moment and I will be buying one in the UK, How do I get it insured for the drive back to Ireland?

S.

Depends on the value, Most bring bank Draft with them Some Bring Cash. I brought Cash changed it here.

Also Axa insure you for 6 weeks on a uk reg.

zing

I took my insurance out through insure.ie and rang them to say the car was on NI plates and they'd no prob covering it - just said to ring them with the new new reg once I'd vrt'd it/fitted the new plates.

The_Conductor

benifa wrote: »

Quinn Direct insure UK cars.

Ditto Zurich and Hibernian.

rabbitinlights

Nice one guys/gals, Whats the story with bank drafts do dealers accept them and you can drive away same day or does it take 24hrs to clear?

The_Conductor

rabbitinlights wrote: »

Nice one guys/gals, Whats the story with bank drafts do dealers accept them and you can drive away same day or does it take 24hrs to clear?

Even a sterling draft from an Irish bank can take 4-5 days to clear.
If you organise it properly, an EFT can be confirmed within 2-3 hours.

S.

rabbitinlights

Ok, so going over for on a friday eve and driving back monday is not gonna happen with a bank draft? Might have to bring over cash...

BArra

is an EFT, electronic funds transfer ill assume, same as a bank draft no?

i always assumed it was, bringing that amount of cash with you really would NOT be a wise thing to do, surely u can arrange with perm tsb or whichever bank to have a fund transfer available for the day you goto purchase the car?

In this day and age it surely must be capable of clearing within the day, its hardly feasible to pay for the car and have the seller not give it to you until it clears, what are you meant to do, book into a hotel for the week...?

The_Conductor

A bank draft is a cheque, which enters the cheque clearing system in the same manner as any other cheque. It is drawn on a particular branch of the issuing branch, from an account which belongs to the bank itself, rather than an external customer. That is how it differs from a regular cheque. It is not an EFT though, and does take several days to clear the system.

Depending on the EFT, and how you organise to have it routed (e.g. AIB tend to route via Citibank in London, which can be problematic, particularly if bankholidays get involved (and next weekend is a UK bankholiday)), its possible for the money to hit their account in between 2-3 hours.

S.

Kotek Besar

smccarrick wrote: »

A bank draft is a cheque, which enters the cheque clearing system in the same manner as any other cheque. It is drawn on a particular branch of the issuing branch, from an account which belongs to the bank itself, rather than an external customer. That is how it differs from a regular cheque. It is not an EFT though, and does take several days to clear the system..

Yes, but the fact that a bank draft is drawn from the bank's own account (rather than from an individual's account), means that, unlike a personal cheque, it's guaranteed to clear. I've never known a garage (or other) to refuse to treat a bank draft (payable to the garage) as anything other than secure cash.

The_Conductor

benifa wrote: »

Yes, but the fact that a bank draft is drawn from the bank's own account (rather than from an individual's account), means that, unlike a personal cheque, it's guaranteed to clear. I've never known a garage (or other) to refuse to treat a bank draft (payable to the garage) as anything other than secure cash.

True- but there has been a massive problem with fake bank drafts- a lot of people are very wary of them, and trust them as they would any cheque (only good once cleared.......)

S.

zing

If you're considering paying by draft then presumably you're dealing with the garage in advance (i.e. over the phone before you go see the car) - if so just ask them if they'll take a draft. An EFT may be the ideal way to do it but might not be an option for everyone. Nothing to loose by asking if they'll take a bank draft as payment. If they will then get the draft for a few hundred less than the agreed price of the car and top the rest up with cash on the day - that way you've room for further bargaining should you so wish.

I paid for mine by draft + cash and drove away same day.

Kotek Besar

Another option (though possibly not practical for some)..

Drive up North and open a current account at an Ulster Bank branch there. Once open, use www.currency.ie to transfer Euros from your current account in the South, to Sterling into your UB account in the North.

Result is that you've pounds available whenever you need it. To pay the garage or individual you're buying from, just call UB phone banking and with the recipient's sort code and account number at time of purchase. Transfers between UK accounts usually take no more than 15 minutes, thanks to the new "faster payments" service in the UK.

snowstreams

smccarrick wrote: »

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.

I bought a focus ghia in the north in the end. It turned out to be a far nicer and far better maintained car than I would get in the south plus it was diesel so vrt wasnt a prob.

snowstreams

esel wrote: »

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

does that still go on up the north? :eek: I just bought a diesel up there. Would it take long to burn off all the residue from washed diesel do you think?

The_Conductor

snowstreams wrote: »

does that still go on up the north? :eek: I just bought a diesel up there. Would it take long to burn off all the residue from washed diesel do you think?

Its not residue- they use acid to clean the dyes from the diesel. Obviously over a period of time- the acid will also eat the guts out of the engine. A lot of people are very anti buying diesels up north given the extent of the problem up there (as evidenced by the numerous cleaning operations that keep getting raided).

snowstreams

Hmm, the car i got was fairly new and had lowish mileage 23k so i hope it'll be ok. Its running very nicely at the moment anyway! Maybe the washed diesel is only common near the border? I got mine near belfast.

mickey mac

esel wrote: »

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

there's washed diesel being sold all over Ireland, most people don't even realise that they have bought it, I wouldn't single out Ulster for this pratice!

hogeybear

i'm planning on buying a 01 diesel ford mondeo from the north the weekend after next!! 96000 miles and all the toys. I can get it for €2800 with a VRT of €1050. Same car here is about 6-7k!! Definitely worth it. 148g/km so only pay 20% of OMSP. The online quote for OMSP is actually much lower than the real life prices!! YAY

The_Conductor

mickey mac wrote: »

there's washed diesel being sold all over Ireland, most people don't even realise that they have bought it, I wouldn't single out Ulster for this pratice!

True- however its a regular cottage industry in the border counties (both sides). C&E don't even bother mounting checkpoints over most of the rest of the country (or they do a once a year blitz like the week in June). It could happen anywhere- but is definitely more prevalent in the that part of the country.

S.

4cork

looking to buy a chevrolet captiva in the uk it is £17000 new can anyone tell how much it will be to bring in to ireland and what laws are there

Kotek Besar

4cork wrote: »

looking to buy a chevrolet captiva in the uk it is £17000 new can anyone tell how much it will be to bring in to ireland and what laws are there

Did you read any of this thread?

cooper38

rabbitinlights
You can make the payment friday, collect the car friday and drive it back. I went through this myself and this is what i found

1. bringing cash: lose up to 7% converting it to sterling in UK

2. Bring draft: may not be accepted as it needs to clear/fake drafts doing rounds.Rates bank give you are crap

3. Call into your bank and find out how much euro it would cost to make the payment. Call Currency.ie, then use whoever is cheapest.

I used currency.ie to get a commercial jeep in and the difference between my bank rate and currency.ie was over €150

best way to phone them and your bank and compare

DundalkDuffman

rabbitinlights wrote: »

Ok, so going over for on a friday eve and driving back monday is not gonna happen with a bank draft? Might have to bring over cash...

Bear in mind also if you are going to bring cash that the UK have a prevention of Crime Act whereby they can seize cash over 1000 if they suspect it ie related to crime. It may seem unnecessarily cautious but when I took a car back in Jan 07 the copper at Holyhead was telling me about it. I had already paid for the car 5K stgs which I had in my arse pocket flying in that morning, he advised that if the cops in Birmingham airport had searched me for any reason then they were fully in their rights to impound it pending further investigations ! As I say, probably very unlikely that you would get a tug but it is something to bear in mind.