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

Kotek Besar · 08-12-2008 6:00pm

coghlac3 wrote: »

What documentation should the seller be giving me when everything is done and dusted.

He should give you the entire V5C (minus Section 11, which he sends to the DVLA), and a receipt.

DanGerMus · 08-12-2008 6:09pm

Where to now? I suppose i need to get a quote on stuff that will need to be done. He has basicaly left me with a few unanswered questions and advised that i get someone to have a good look at it before i buy.
I Thought that was what he was for??!
Is it okay for me to post the report up here? It's a pdf. I need some advice.

copacetic · 08-12-2008 6:16pm

DanGerMus wrote: »

Where to now? I suppose i need to get a quote on stuff that will need to be done. He has basicaly left me with a few unanswered questions and advised that i get someone to have a good look at it before i buy.
I Thought that was what he was for??!
Is it okay for me to post the report up here? It's a pdf. I need some advice.

sure why not, post it up, sounds like he has concerns and I'd move on to a different car myself..

niceirishfella · 08-12-2008 6:19pm

plenty more fish and all that. Just be glad you got the report done.

DanGerMus · 08-12-2008 6:26pm

Here it is so... when he called main things he said were the 2 front wishbone bushing (iirc?) need replaceing immediatly. Expressed worry about residue on oilcap but said it was most likely just old oil. Also coroded exhaust system that he reckoned would need doing in the near future. Stitching on drivers seat gone a little on the side about half way up at the back side about 2 inches long. They were has main issues rest were mostly minor. It's just i'm no mechanic and would appreciate a more exprienced eye.

Report attached.

PS he said it needed a good full service as oil and brake fluid weren't done in the last one.

niceirishfella · 08-12-2008 6:34pm

Crikey - thats a Bad report. Walk away from it.

copacetic · 08-12-2008 6:37pm

niceirishfella wrote: »

Crikey - thats a Bad report. Walk away from it.

agreed. run, don't walk.

The_Conductor · 08-12-2008 6:37pm

niceirishfella wrote: »

Crikey - thats a Bad report. Walk away from it.

+1

Looks like its had the **** driven out of it.
Gearbox and multiple engine areas are leaking oil, the timing belt is worn, and the suspension arm mounts have had it......

The fact that the current owner has only had it for less than 2 months would have alarm bells ringing- if nothing else.

Fair play to the RAC engineer- you got what you paid for- now go and find something thats got some life left in it.....

DamoRed · 08-12-2008 7:04pm

Not to mention 7 recorded keepers since first registration, and it's a 2001 car!

If this car was a football club, it'd be Newcastle Utd.

Service done on a BMW without doing oil and filter change.
No evidence of the air conditioning system having been checked or serviced within the manufacturers recommended service intervals.

And they are listed as being BMW specialists! :mad:

Not having seen a report before, it is reassuring to see how comprehensive it is. Down to the very small details. Good stuff and well worth every cent paid for it, whether it be bad, as the example here, or a top quality well kept car.

Damo

niceirishfella · 08-12-2008 7:22pm

yep, i like the standard of the report. Impressed by the RAC one tbh. Money well spent there.

DanGerMus · 08-12-2008 8:10pm

okee dokee. Thanx lads. Now time to move swiftly on and hopefully choose more carefully next time.

niceirishfella · 08-12-2008 8:27pm

If its a Bm you seek, look for one from a enthusiast. Look at the uk bmw forums, piston heads or the likes for a car that was well tended to.
http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/815578.htm
for example - heres a nice looking bm. Your money would be much better spent on a RAC report on an example like this.

Seth Brundle · 09-12-2008 12:11am

Oil & filters should be changed at every service

There are so many cars out there at low prices that you should be able to pick up a highly specced car for very little.

jimpc · 09-12-2008 12:32am

Theres plenty of bmw deals in the uk without having to accept something by his admittance is not ready for sale. Stay clear and also get an RAC done to make sure you know exactly what is outstanding if you are determined to buy.

Before you buy
always rac check it.

When paying
shop around, banks will give you a crap deal on foreign exchange, check xe.com or transfermate.com, an Irish outfit.

After you have imported
Get it vrted quick as theyre clamping down and penalising people holding off paying their vrt

Kotek Besar · 09-12-2008 9:11am

jimpc wrote: »

Get it vrted quick as theyre clamping down and penalising people holding off paying their vrt

Citation needed.

jonnygee · 10-12-2008 3:45pm

Is vrt calculated on the standard spec of irish cars or does the vrt office have a list of the standard spec of say british cars, what i am asking really is that if the irish version comes without aircon for example, but the british car has it as standard then would this be regarded as an extra over and above the revenue online quotation.

The_Conductor · 10-12-2008 8:10pm

jonnygee wrote: »

Is vrt calculated on the standard spec of irish cars or does the vrt office have a list of the standard spec of say british cars, what i am asking really is that if the irish version comes without aircon for example, but the british car has it as standard then would this be regarded as an extra over and above the revenue online quotation.

They have a list of the different specs- but appear to a lot more vigilant when dealing with BMWs, Mercs, Jags etc (aka the luxury marques). It will normally be correctly reported on the V5 (I think thats the name of the document) so there is no point in playing games with them.....

kleefarr · 10-12-2008 10:14pm

When I try a VRT check on this CR-V Antrim I get this "There were no vehicles matching your selections found. Please try again." Am I doing something wrong?

EDIT: Found problem - entering wrong class. Used Jeep and not Estate.

roonster · 10-12-2008 10:26pm

guys thinkin of bringing a 320d coupe m sport in from uk prob 07/08 how much will i save?? 5k?

lafors · 10-12-2008 11:59pm

Lads as I've posted before, I want to bring in an A3 sportback.
My brother in law is from the UK, he's moving to Ireland.
Would it be possible for him to buy the car, bring it in, register it and then I could buy it from him?
Would I be able to save on VRT if I did this?

DanGerMus · 11-12-2008 12:01am

lafors wrote: »

Lads as I've posted before, I want to bring in an A3 sportback.
My brother in law is from the UK, he's moving to Ireland.
Would it be possible for him to buy the car, bring it in, register it and then I could buy it from him?
Would I be able to save on VRT if I did this?

afaik he'd need to hav it reged in his name for 6 months then not be able to sell it for 12 once here

cooper38 · 11-12-2008 2:09pm

If he trusts you enough there wouldbnt be anything wrong with this. He brings it in, registers you as a named driver and you could be the sole driver

niceirishfella · 11-12-2008 2:22pm

cooper38 wrote: »

If he trusts you enough there wouldbnt be anything wrong with this. He brings it in, registers you as a named driver and you could be the sole driver

You mean insure him as the main driver, tho' the car would remain registered to your Brother in law.

cooper38 · 11-12-2008 2:34pm

I dont know if that is possible. I was suggesting at least insuring him too. This way he could drive the car as if it were his own

Kotek Besar · 11-12-2008 2:49pm

niceirishfella wrote: »

You mean insure him as the main driver, tho' the car would remain registered to your Brother in law.

Yes, as far as I know there's nothing wrong with that. One can purchase an insurance policy for a car owned by someone else. Or, as someone else said, the owner can insure the car in his own name but with another person as a named driver.

copacetic · 11-12-2008 6:42pm

Sterling hit another record low today, €1 = 89p

eg £15000 = €16,900

niceirishfella · 11-12-2008 6:55pm

Wow - its going to be a nasty year in 2009 for the motor trade with Sterling so Cheap.

jonnygee · 11-12-2008 7:21pm

It,s not only going to be a nasty year for the motor trade, it,s also going to be a nasty year for us buyers as well, remember as customers then we are also part of the motor trade. As sterling continues to fall then the value of any car that we may want to trade in to a dealer also falls. I can go to england tomorrow and import a cheap car but if i want to sell the car i have at the moment then i can only ask a price that the equivelant model can be imported for, which is way way below the true "irish" book value.
However i think the situation has been reached now where the question is not whether i will import a car or not. i think if i want to change now then the only option open to me is to import.
I have been around a few dealers here recently and thay are all experts at telling me how little a car the same as my own can be imported for but they seem to forget this when quoting prices for their own stock.

niceirishfella · 11-12-2008 8:07pm

jonnygee wrote: »

I have been around a few dealers here recently and thay are all experts at telling me how little a car the same as my own can be imported for but they seem to forget this when quoting prices for their own stock.

Agreed. More dealers to go to the wall next year, some of which are old friends of mine unfortunately.:o I'm glad i left the trade behind me years ago.

copacetic · 11-12-2008 8:22pm

jonnygee wrote: »

I have been around a few dealers here recently and thay are all experts at telling me how little a car the same as my own can be imported for but they seem to forget this when quoting prices for their own stock.

Agreed, they have been at this 'one law for us' thing all this year, it's no wonder so many of them are in such trouble.

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

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