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

fricatus

Quick question: how long does the RAC check take, from say picking up the phone with the car details and your credit card, through to having the guy call you up with the results?

niceirishfella

Stevie Dakota wrote: »

In my dealing with Motorpoint drafts are accepted, no clearing required, as are credit cards. It is worth checking though.

+1, check prefered payment. A delay could cost you esp. if you have a ferry to catch.

lafors

fricatus wrote: »

Quick question: how long does the RAC check take, from say picking up the phone with the car details and your credit card, through to having the guy call you up with the results?

2 days for me, that was 2 weeks ago.

EIREHotspur

So you can now have to base vrt on all second hand cars from UK based on the Emmisons?

Esel

^ Yes. Also note that the minimum OMSP for any car is now €2,000, so the minimum VRT amounts are the relevant percentage of that.

EIREHotspur

And as we move into a new year the OSMP of any car should decrease too by 500-1,000.

niceirishfella

EIREHotspur wrote: »

And as we move into a new year the OSMP of any car should decrease too by 500-1,000.

Nope, lots more than that. The Arse is on the floor.

kleefarr

niceirishfella wrote: »

Nope, lots more than that. The Arse is on the floor.

So how much would a car being sold by a dealer for 10.000 be in the new year?

niceirishfella

kleefarr wrote: »

So how much would a car being sold by a dealer for 10.000 be in the new year?

Depends on a few things (to which none of us has a crystal ball) but he's a few thoughts on what it'll depend on...

• The Banks and available credit for finance to shift metal.
• The market itself
• The dealer himself and how deluded he is with his pricing.
• The Car itself (make,model etc).
• And the punters themselves, like are they going to start spending again - i personally doubt it!

So, it could drop 2k or 2.5k or even up to 4 k by the end of 2009.
When I used to sell cars, I used to get people into a new car every year for only £1500 cost to change. These days its more like 5,6,7 or even 10 k.

EIREHotspur

Yes but here is the thing guys.....it doesn't go by the dealers estimates, it goes by the VRT Calculator of the OMSP of the particular car on the ros.ie website.

I think I will ring up the local VRT Offices and give the detail of the car I am after and see what they estimate because I don't fully trust the online calculator.

niceirishfella

EIREHotspur wrote: »

Yes but here is the thing guys.....it doesn't go by the dealers estimates, it goes by the VRT Calculator of the OMSP of the particular car on the ros.ie website.

I think I will ring up the local VRT Offices and give the detail of the car I am after and see what they estimate because I don't fully trust the online calculator.

The OMSP is the full retail forecourt price, or at least should be if revenue took their head out of their asses and recognised that car values have plummeted this year.

kleefarr

niceirishfella wrote: »

Depends on a few things (to which none of us has a crystal ball) but he's a few thoughts on what it'll depend on...

• The Banks and available credit for finance to shift metal. Not required
• The market itself Depressed
• The dealer himself and how deluded he is with his pricing. Could be a problem
• The Car itself (make,model etc). Honda CR-V
• And the punters themselves, like are they going to start spending again - i personally doubt it! Agreed

So, it could drop 2k or 2.5k. That would be fine.

So I could try 12K and get a 10K car.

niceirishfella

I think in 2009 you'll be getting 15k cars for sub 10k money tbh.
The dealers are in real stook.

kleefarr

niceirishfella wrote: »

I think in 2009 you'll be getting 15k cars for sub 10k money tbh.
The dealers are in real stook.

Even better.

Thanks

cooperguy

Im thinking of investing in a car in the new year. My problem is im seeing some cars that the prices seem too good to be true. The cars down below are 2 examples. I know you cant tell a huge amount from the ads but im just wondering what peoples opinions are on them. Are the prices too good? Is there something likely to be wrong with them. Or am I too sceptical and you can get deals that good?

http://atsearch.autotrader.co.uk/ni/cars_popup.jsp?searchform=&modelexact=1&lid=search_used_cars_full&photo=1&state=block&sort=3&hassearched=Y&make=BMW&min_pr=75&source=2&model=3+SERIES&max_pr=&miles=1500&agerange=5&mileage=&postcode=w1a+1ab&variant=&bodyid=6&trim=&fuelid=1&colour=2&transmissionid=1&keywords=&ukcarsearch_full.x=25&ukcarsearch_full.y=5&ukcarsearch_full=SEARCH&start=4&distance=5&adcategory=CARS&channel=CARS&id=200852325986386

http://atsearch.autotrader.co.uk/ni/cars_popup.jsp?searchform=&modelexact=1&lid=search_used_cars_full&photo=1&state=block&sort=3&hassearched=Y&make=BMW&min_pr=75&source=2&model=3+SERIES&max_pr=&miles=1500&agerange=5&mileage=&postcode=w1a+1ab&variant=&bodyid=6&trim=&fuelid=2&colour=2&transmissionid=1&keywords=&ukcarsearch_full.x=29&ukcarsearch_full.y=9&ukcarsearch_full=SEARCH&start=1&distance=27&adcategory=CARS&channel=CARS&id=200850325319152

kleefarr

They do seem very reasonable, but you would need to get them checked out I suppose. Also, you would have to add on the dreaded VRT or OSMO or whatever it's called, so you could be talking more like 25k.

cooperguy

kleefarr wrote: »

They do seem very reasonable, but you would need to get them checked out I suppose. Also, you would have to add on the dreaded VRT or OSMO or whatever it's called, so you could be talking more like 25k.

Oh ya I know about the VRT. The second one has a VRT of about €4834. Im prepared for that bit:D I just want to know what my chances of getting a banger are!

Pauliwalnuts

All,
Hi I am just wondering if anybody has experience of importing from the UK using either www.autoquake.co.uk or www.carsite.co.uk

Both seem to be very good with lots of pics, HPI checks & in the case of carsite an RAC inspection. That along with the brilliant prices they seem to be offering makes either a very interesting proposition when thinking of importing a car from the UK. Peace of mind plus great prices.

Will probably be heading across the channel in Jan for a new car so was wondering if anybody has first hand experience of using either of these online supermarkets.

Thanks Pauli.

EIREHotspur

Never bought anything off either of them so cannot help you there but I am also heading to england in January to purchase a car and at a glance and search, they don't have the choice of autotrader.

olewy

Folks,

For those of you with car buying experience around this time of year, realistically how long does it take ROS.ie to update their OMSP calculations after the 31st Dec has passed (ie a new calender year) to reflect the innevitable lower values in cars on Irish forecourts?

Wondering if it would be worth holding off purchasing a used car in the UK until later in 2009, by which time ROS.ie MAY have (hopefully) pulled their finger out and realised that Irish car values have plummeted, thus lowering the total VRT needed to be payed.

Anybody else buying in the UK and holding off on their purchase for the same reason? Have you found that ROS.ie OMSP values have come down at all since Irish car prices have plummeted this year? Tks.

niceirishfella

olewy wrote: »

Folks,

For those of you with car buying experience around this time of year, realistically how long does it take ROS.ie to update their OMSP calculations after the 31st Dec has passed (ie a new calender year) to reflect the innevitable lower values in cars on Irish forecourts?

Wondering if it would be worth holding off purchasing a used car in the UK until later in 2009, by which time ROS.ie MAY have (hopefully) pulled their finger out and realised that Irish car values have plummeted, thus lowering the total VRT needed to be payed.

Anybody else buying in the UK and holding off on their purchase for the same reason? Have you found that ROS.ie OMSP values have come down at all since Irish car prices have plummeted this year? Tks.

Its a good question. They are an effing law onto themselves and they'll probalby lick a finger and stick it in the air someday to see which way the wind is blowing and pull some more stupid figues out of the sky for some statistical codes for their doapey website, where we then drop our pants, get the kyjelly out and get it up the swiss!

olewy

Lol. No doubt.

Anybody remember if the OMSP values on ROS.ie changed much in early January 2008 from December 2007's values? Granted the car market was in a completely different state this time last year compared to how it is now but I'm just trying to get a general idea of how ROS.ie have adjusted their OMSP values around this time of year historically (e.g. over the last 5 years). Is there anywhere we can view a database of this kind of historical info to see if there has some kind of general trend? Tks.

EIREHotspur

Obviously I would like to know the answer to that question too. They would want to take their fingers out of the air and start typing updates then because nobody in todays climate should buy cars here at these rates.

If you look at carzones prices in comparison to autotraders + conversion + vrt then you can not only calculate the difference in price but how lazy or well off people who still buy cars in this country are.

lafors

Lads that question is similar to the "Whats the meaning of life?" one.
I brought my car in last week and its been off the road parked in a barn. I'm going to bring it down to Dublin soon so hopefully they change it asap so I can pay less VRT.

EIREHotspur

So the old "bring it to the VRT Office 24 hours after arriving in Ireland" is a sham......hhmmmmmm thought people would be letting it slide. lol

Good idea though.....buy car while exchange rate is good and wait and see if VRT Rates come into line based on the Real Market Prices here.

ciarsd

The OMSP values are updated on ROS at midnight 31st into the 1st.. however, updated doesn't always mean a downward trend - but nothing ceases to amaze me with our cartel of SIMI/Revenue/Dealers.

whowantstwoknow

Hi all,

How strict are the VRO on the 6000 KM usage limit? Is it done by looking at the readout from the car on the day of the registration?

Thanks

W.

L-M

I'm not too sure on how strict they are, but i'm sure it's there for a reason. If they can get the VAT out of you, they will, What miles are on the car?

whowantstwoknow

2.5Kmiles-3Kmiles,

So it looks like I'll have to do some major driving between the time I collect to sitting outside the VRO office!! I can just see me driving up and down the motorways clocking up the KMs :rolleyes:

W.

L-M

whowantstwoknow wrote: »

2.5K-3K,

So it looks like I'll have to do some major driving between the time I collect to sitting outside the VRO office!! I can just see me driving up and down the motorways clocking up the KMs :rolleyes:

W.

Is it 6000km's or miles??

If it's km's and your buying an English car you'll only need 3750 miles. You'll have to confirm that first though.