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

BArra

R_H_C_P wrote: »

Hey, Im considering importing a 2.0l Gti Almera from England. Lets say its £1650 (€2100) and add the €1000 euro to the price for flights etc.. What will I be paying for the vrt? I tried to calculate it before but couldnt lol.

1k for flights? what the hell are u chartering a private jet??

its cheaper to fly to the uk than it is to travel to another county within ireland

i was also wondering, say you stick a deposit on a car in he uk, obviously now isnt ur bargaining leverage gone when you arrive over there to pay for the car, i mean the dealer wont drop the price anymore since you are already a foot in the door so to speak??

advice?

Yakult

Thats max for:
- Flights
- Ferry
- RAC/AA inspection (has to be done!!!)
- HPI Check

Electrician

Hi all. Can you tell me if i import a 2004 car from the uk would i be on the old or the new car tax rates.
Thanks

The_Conductor

Electrician wrote: »

Hi all. Can you tell me if i import a 2004 car from the uk would i be on the old or the new car tax rates.
Thanks

??
You pay VRT based on emissions (if you can prove the emissions) or otherwise on a CC basis. You pay annual road-tax based on engine size.

Its only cars first registered in 2008 (irrespective of where they were first registered) that qualify for new annual car tax rates based on emissions.

GB15

Hi,
I posted this on a new thread already but didn't get any replies. Hopefully someone can help me here.

Just want to clarify a few things about importing a UK car from a private sale. Could someone tell what documentation is needed? Is it just the V5C registration cert? Thats all thats mentioned here in this link:

http://www.importyourcar.net/The_Pro..._your_car.html

Also who does what with the registration cert? i.e. is it a different procedure for the UK seller than if he was selling in the UK?

http://www.importyourcar.net/Horror_Stories.html

One last thing that was mentioned recently is whether some sort of proof of purchase was necessary for customs. There was a thread recently about this. If the money is being wired what proof of purchase will I have - a dealer may give a receipt but would a hand written receipt be enough from a private sale?

Thanks

Guvnor

Tipsy Mac wrote: »

Road tax on all but 2008 cars is charged on the old system ie by the engines cc.

Except when the CO2 is 225g/km or more then you are hit with a €2000 bill per year on imports.

A 2006 Irish registered VW Touareg V6 TDI will be based on the old CC system.
A 2006 UK imported now will be done on CO2.

The same car but €800 a year difference in road tax!

I have an old 00 clk230 and the road tax is €800 if I imported one now it'd be €2000 - will be fun in selling this with 'road tax savings' as a key selling point!:D

stesaurus

Guvnor wrote: »

Except when the CO2 is 225g/km or more then you are hit with a €2000 bill per year on imports.

A 2006 Irish registered VW Touareg V6 TDI will be based on the old CC system.
A 2006 UK imported now will be done on CO2.

The same car but €800 a year difference in road tax!

I have an old 00 clk230 and the road tax is €800 if I imported one now it'd be €2000 - will be fun in selling this with 'road tax savings' as a key selling point!:D

No think you're wrong on that. If you import any pre 08 car you pay the old engine size system.
If it's a 08 then you pay the new Co2 system rates.

Guvnor

Hi Mate,

I hope you are correct.

I did read about a month ago on the simi website about how road tax would be the same except on high co2 cars which would be put onto the new co2 system and therefore pay 2k a year. I just checked simi again and this phrase appears to be gone.

Hopefully this is the case as would make things easier.

Guvnor

OK - It was there at one stage that older imported cars with a CO2 of 226 or more would be on the new system but Gormley got rid of it at the eleventh hour.

Fantastic news.

wavert

Bringing in a 04 car from the North over the next few weeks. However I don't intend registering it here till the new year.

Will the VRO know when I purchased the car (Given that section 11 of the V5C will be filled in and sent away)?

Will I be charged VRT from the date of purchase or from the date I register it.

By the way excellent thread.

The_Conductor

wavert wrote: »

Bringing in a 04 car from the North over the next few weeks. However I don't intend registering it here till the new year.

Will the VRO know when I purchased the car (Given that section 11 of the V5C will be filled in and sent away)?

Will I be charged VRT from the date of purchase or from the date I register it.

By the way excellent thread.

You may be asked to prove when the car was brought into the country- or if there was a delay in bringing it into the country- prove it was stored outside of the country.

Esel

smccarrick wrote: »

??
You pay VRT based on emissions (if you can prove the emissions) or otherwise on a CC basis.

Not correct. All cars, since July, are VRT'ed on CO2 rating.

rabbitinlights

BArra wrote: »

1k for flights? what the hell are u chartering a private jet??

its cheaper to fly to the uk than it is to travel to another county within ireland

i was also wondering, say you stick a deposit on a car in he uk, obviously now isnt ur bargaining leverage gone when you arrive over there to pay for the car, i mean the dealer wont drop the price anymore since you are already a foot in the door so to speak??

advice?

Im flying over to the UK next friday to pick up my new car, It was advertised for £11,000 and through emails and a few phone calls I got him down to £10,000. It was pretty tough but I explained that I would be getting a full AA car inspection and I would not be needing his offered 6 month warranty which made a difference, also explain that you will not be trading in a car, which is a major thing for dealers at the moment.
I also wanted him to run down what cosmetic imperfections it had, it was perfect apart from 2 kerbed wheels, so he sent photos and I had a new bargaining tool!! Its very much like bargaining on the forecourt, just a little more 21st century!
He faxed me a week old HPI document which I rechecked online. I have the AA out at the car either on Tuesday or Wednesday, so apart from an adverse report from them I'll be collected from Heathrow by the dealer, looking over the car and taking a test drive and then paying for it by same day transfer using currency.ie, Ill probably find somewhere to sleep Friday night and get the ferry back Saturday after a blast through the Welsh mountains to see what the new car is made of!! Easy.

S.

jon1981

rabbitinlights, out of curiosity where did you source it? was it cargiant.co.uk? im looking at getting a car in the UK, but i dont fancy the drive back from london, how long would that drive take?

Kotek Besar

jon1981 wrote: »

rabbitinlights, out of curiosity where did you source it? was it cargiant.co.uk? im looking at getting a car in the UK, but i dont fancy the drive back from london, how long would that drive take?

I can personally recommend Motorpoint in Newport, South Wales. My car (Vauxhall Corsa Design 5dr, 08 plate, 4 months old at the time, 1000 miles on the clock), was £8499 when every other place I could find online was advertising at least £9499 for the same spec.

The car's condition was literally brand new. I am the second owner, first owner was a fleet company. Car was registered in March '08 and had it's pre-delivery inspection in April '08, so my guess is that the car was one of many bought by a company as some kind of tax dodge, who wanted to declare expenditure just in time for the end of the financial year.

Anyway, getting to Newport is easy. Aer Arann fly to Cardiff from Cork, Dublin and Galway, although I personally decided to go by bus. Eurolines from Waterford bus station was €25 for the one-way ticket, and that's from Waterford to Cardiff Gate (service station, just outside Cardiff). Newport is 20 mins by taxi (cost about £15) from Cardiff Gate.

Can't fault the lads at Motorpoint. Adam was the salesman I dealt with, and he was honest with me from start to finish. I love my Corsa, it's a great car and although I'm the second owner, I feel like the first. Even after paying VRT, I saved €5000 compared with the cost of a brand new Corsa of the same spec, at my local Opel garage in Ireland (and that's after discount).

Plus, my car's got three years warranty rather than two (less 4 months, car is 4 months old). Granted, the 3rd year warranty would only be fulfilled in Britain or Northern Ireland.

Kevin Heenan

Hi

Sorry for going off on a bit of a tangent here but has anybody heard of the likelyhood of a UK imported vehicle first registered in 2005 or after failing it's upcoming Irish NCT (Next year I think) because the UK speedometer is calibrated in MPH rather than KMH? I heard this from "someone who knows someone in the know" if you know what I mean I am very happy with my 2005 UK imported A4 but rather frightened at the prospect of having to get the speedo changed not to mind the hassle and expense ?

daRobot

Kevin Heenan wrote: »

Hi

Sorry for going off on a bit of a tangent here but has anybody heard of the likelyhood of a UK imported vehicle first registered in 2005 or after failing it's upcoming Irish NCT (Next year I think) because the UK speedometer is calibrated in MPH rather than KMH? I heard this from "someone who knows someone in the know" if you know what I mean I am very happy with my 2005 UK imported A4 but rather frightened at the prospect of having to get the speedo changed not to mind the hassle and expense ?

Does the dash not have KMH under MPH in small writing?

Kevin Heenan

daRobot wrote: »

Does the dash not have KMH under MPH in small writing?

Hi dRobot,

It does have the KMH in small writing and this is the main reason I am wondering about the validity of da info. If this is true, and I certainly hope it is not, the cost of changing the speedo would probably absorb the cash saved by importing from the UK. I amhoping to import a 08 model in the future and take advantage of the lower motor tax (Although if things keep going the way they are at the moment, the motley crew that are trying to run the Country will have well put paid to the lower tax )

ChingfordSpur

Hi all, hope someone can help with this question?????

I'm English and moved over to Dublin to live in August this year. When I moved I brought my 2001 Landrover Freelander over with me.

I owned the car back in the UK for over 12 months so I know I don't have to pay VRT. I have the forms in order to register it here but haven't sent them off yet.

The question I have is....how long do you get in order to register? If they said I'd taken too long, would I be able to use the excuse that I wasn't sure I'd be staying over and have been on an extended holiday?.......or am I ok to just send the forms off now and everything will ok.

These rules are confusing and no one I know seems to know the answer.

Cheers in advance.

daRobot

Kevin Heenan wrote: »

Hi dRobot,

It does have the KMH in small writing and this is the main reason I am wondering about the validity of da info. If this is true, and I certainly hope it is not, the cost of changing the speedo would probably absorb the cash saved by importing from the UK. I amhoping to import a 08 model in the future and take advantage of the lower motor tax (Although if things keep going the way they are at the moment, the motley crew that are trying to run the Country will have well put paid to the lower tax )

I'd honestly say that the guy who told you this is misinformed. There are so many cars here that have original mph speedos, and the fact that the car has a kmh reading anyhow would make that a bit of an illogical rule to enforce on a test designed to check safety.

My guess is that that rumour might originate from Irish dealers trying to spread pointless rubbish about the "danger" of uk imports.

Esel

Chingford, have a read of this http://www.revenue.ie/index.htm?/leaflets/vrt_3.htm

niceirishfella

ChingfordSpur wrote: »

Hi all, hope someone can help with this question?????

I'm English and moved over to Dublin to live in August this year. When I moved I brought my 2001 Landrover Freelander over with me.

I owned the car back in the UK for over 12 months so I know I don't have to pay VRT. I have the forms in order to register it here but haven't sent them off yet.

The question I have is....how long do you get in order to register? If they said I'd taken too long, would I be able to use the excuse that I wasn't sure I'd be staying over and have been on an extended holiday?.......or am I ok to just send the forms off now and everything will ok.

These rules are confusing and no one I know seems to know the answer.

Cheers in advance.

I'd be honest with them cos it if you are working here and paying tax for a while, they will be able to see your details on the system - it is revenue after all!
Still, they are ok down the revenue and fill out the forms and get them off!
Welcome btw.:P

oddone

(7) Get inspection done. Make sure you get the expensive one. An engineer will call you to discuss the car and these guys do a great job. One time he even told me that there was a tiny dent the size of a 10P coin in one of the speakers in the back door. When I got the car it took me ages to find it. They do a really good job.

Can I just ask the OP if he's still on here or anyone who do you mean by inspection?
Who is the engineer calling from and is that something you have to pay for?

I am simply looking to buy a 05/06 four door saloon car from the UK in the near future and I'm trying to get as much info ahead of making a move as possible so this thread is a great help.

Are Uk dealers at all interested in taking ROI registered used cars as part exchange or would I be better off selling my current car privately before I make the new purchase?

Are you likely to get much of a discount if paying cash?

Is is a straightforward swap over on your insurance if the car is the same cc?

thanks

Easy Rider

I have a question, what happens if you have no chance of getting the export cert or V5 form, but want to register the car here.....?

Kotek Besar

Easy Rider wrote: »

I have a question, what happens if you have no chance of getting the export cert or V5 form, but want to register the car here.....?

Not sure, but possibly you write to the DVLA explaining that you have acquired ownership of the vehicle, providing your name and address details.

Under these circumstances (in the absence of any V5 slip), the DVLA would then write to the last known keeper asking if he objects to the vehicle being transferred into your name.

If he doesn't object, or if the DVLA don't hear anything within a certain amount of time, they go ahead and register the vehicle in your name.

Exception is that they won't register the vehicle at a foreign address, and so instead will issue a certificate of export (in your name).

I think this would be the procedure but I'm not 100%.

Easy Rider

Hi, the seller said that she submitted her car log to the DVLA in the north....and says that I have to request from them an export cert.....but would they not have provided her with something like a V5 or something....I'm fairly confused about the whole thing....

Does she get the cert sent to her address? Or do she or I have to request this?

oddone

oddone wrote: »

Can I just ask the OP if he's still on here or anyone who do you mean by inspection?
Who is the engineer calling from and is that something you have to pay for?

I am simply looking to buy a 05/06 four door saloon car from the UK in the near future and I'm trying to get as much info ahead of making a move as possible so this thread is a great help.

Are Uk dealers at all interested in taking ROI registered used cars as part exchange or would I be better off selling my current car privately before I make the new purchase?

Are you likely to get much of a discount if paying cash?

Is is a straightforward swap over on your insurance if the car is the same cc?

thanks

Just bumping this thread as I was hoping for some advice on my q's above.

Cheers

Dolph Starbeam

Just to those taking advantage of the strong Euro at the minute if you import a car, normally the VRT has to be paid the day after the car is imported.
Not true, bring ypur car the the VRO and tell them you are waiting on the papers for the car to be posted on to you. They will fill out a letter saying you X ammount of days (14 in my case) without having to pay for the VRT. I was stopped by a Garda last Saturday, showed him the letter and all was fine. The can also give you up to 4 weeks.

copacetic

6 month rule. Does anyone have more details on exactly the date that matters?

Is it 6 months from first date of registration in the UK to when you become owner?

Or is it 6 months from the first date or registration to the date you VRT it?

wingnut32

I am thinking of importing a car from the uk, what sort of checks do I need to get done, how much does it cost and who do I contact.

Apologies if this has been mentioned in this thread before.