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

MidlandsM

NKELLY1 wrote: »

Hi All

Looking for help with the above. I am in the market for a new Audi A4 TDIe. I got prices from Irish dealers but a well known dealer in Dublin says he can get same car from UK with a much higher spec for less than quoted here. The car is new but will have about 20 miles on clock. Will have all taxes & import duty paid!:)

Any views - is this to good to be true.

I have heard that they brought in about 20 new a4s last year with no problems.

why not import it youself and save €€€€€€€€'s;)

Technoprisoner

not too sure about saving money from uk now....it seems second hand cars are actually cheaper over here now than they are in the uk.

copacetic

there certainly isn't the same amount to be saved due to exchange rate etc but there are still savings to be made. Especially if looking for a well specd model.

Most of the cheapest 2-3 year old premium cars available here are imports that garages have added 3-4k to. So importing yourself would often get you a better spec for less or the same as buying a low spec one here.

Of course it does depend on the car and probably only works for lowish Co2 models now.

The main thing is to check prices here and the UK inc VRT to know where to go to buy.

NKELLY1

Thanks for your help

Much appreciated

Esel

If importing a new car, you will have to pay VAT here, but can get a refund of the UK VAT.

The_Conductor

esel wrote: »

If importing a new car, you will have to pay VAT here, but can get a refund of the UK VAT.

Thats the big plus for getting a dealer to do the actual importation- it saves you so much hassle messing with UK and Irish tax officials......

The big reason for even contemplating this, in my opinion- is the different spec available in the UK, thats not on the Irish market.....?

NKELLY1

Yes there is a tecknik spec not available here which has full leather, sat nav & parking sensors.

PowerHouseDan

This has prob been asked and i did try and search but can't search for tax, My Gf is after buying a 95 Golf Gti off her friend in Uk now i'm assuming there is no Road Tax on it, How would one get around that driving it to ireland?

Stevie Dakota

PowerHouseDan wrote: »

This has prob been asked and i did try and search but can't search for tax, My Gf is after buying a 95 Golf Gti off her friend in Uk now i'm assuming there is no Road Tax on it, How would one get around that driving it to ireland?

If you mean what if the UK plod pulls you over? I've brought 2 cars back with no tax, picked up from dealer and drove straight to the port. I have heard that in most cases if you are genuine and have evidence of just buying the car they turn a blind eye, but they are within their rights to fine you. But I think you would be VERY unlucky to have a problem.

Esel

I would say that being able to produce a ferry booking receipt would help a lot if you were stopped.... you risk having the car seized otherwise.

MikeOis

Wow, what a excellent thread!! I'm hoping to bring in a 2010 ford Galaxy from the Uk
Just 3 questions,
1/ I know, a number of times this has come up here, but I still cannot get a definite answer, if the car which your importing is on the VRT calculator, but not the spec. What can you do to confirm the correct VRT? By the sounds of it, you have to take a risk!!
2/ CO2 emissions, What is the correct document if the manufactures certificate is not acceptable (From a previous reply)
3/ Can anybody confirm that they have used 'Currency.ie' and any comments would be grateful.

Can anybody recommend any good ford dealers in the Uk/NI

Any replies would be great!

Thanks,
Mike

metalgear2k2

what are the best sites to look at for cars in the UK besides autotrader?

helimachoptor

metalgear2k2 wrote: »

what are the best sites to look at for cars in the UK besides autotrader?

autoquake.co.uk
cargiant.co.uk

Moanin

metalgear2k2 wrote: »

what are the best sites to look at for cars in the UK besides autotrader?

www.allapprovedcars.com

mcnewberson

It seems that the advise people are giving is to stick with cars in Ireland, I am currently in the market for a good 04 or 05 Passat. when I look at the spec of the cars in the UK they are miles better, Most seem to come as Comfortline/Highline. the milage for me is a big thing as I drive alot. they seems to be a good number of cars available under 100K miles, Such cars are ferw and far between on carzone

any advice would be greatly appreciated

By the way my absolute budget is below what the irish guys are looking for an 05 Passat

mcnewberson

mcnewberson wrote: »

It seems that the advise people are giving is to stick with cars in Ireland, I am currently in the market for a good 04 or 05 Passat. when I look at the spec of the cars in the UK they are miles better, Most seem to come as Comfortline/Highline. the milage for me is a big thing as I drive alot. they seems to be a good number of cars available under 100K miles, Such cars are ferw and far between on carzone

any advice would be greatly appreciated

By the way my absolute budget is below what the irish guys are looking for an 05 Passat

Any advice Guys?

The_Conductor

mcnewberson wrote: »

Any advice Guys?

Would you be willing to look at any of the Volkswagen family that are built on the Passat chasis (or slightly longer)- notably some of the very interesting Skoda Superbs (and the slightly shorter Octavias).
Personally I wouldn't get hung up on *having* to have a Passat- when there are far better models that are first cousins out there- better equipped, better drives?

The volkswagen family have traditionally sold higher specs in the UK- for similar factory prices to in Ireland (the lower VAT helped). With the increase in VAT there a few weeks ago- any dealer purchases are going to be heading into a lot more similar territory with Irish dealers though.

If you want the higher spec- you have a better chance of getting it in the UK- and most of the main dealers will give you a warranty that covers the main dealers here (in my limited experience). You do however have the hassle of transporting and registering the vehicle- which could mean the Irish vehicle, though more expensive on the surface, could in fact be a better buy?

PSKdesign

MikeOis wrote: »

Wow, what a excellent thread!! I'm hoping to bring in a 2010 ford Galaxy from the Uk
Just 3 questions,
1/ I know, a number of times this has come up here, but I still cannot get a definite answer, if the car which your importing is on the VRT calculator, but not the spec. What can you do to confirm the correct VRT? By the sounds of it, you have to take a risk!!
2/ CO2 emissions, What is the correct document if the manufactures certificate is not acceptable (From a previous reply)
3/ Can anybody confirm that they have used 'Currency.ie' and any comments would be grateful.

Can anybody recommend any good ford dealers in the Uk/NI

Any replies would be great!

Thanks,
Mike

Mike, I can answer only at seccond question. Recently I VRT-id a Mercedes from UK, with no proof of CO2 . They accept a print page from revenue web page with the CO2 emission stated there for car quoted. I had no other proof of CO2 emissions but this print and they were happy with it. I also paid as quoted in the webpage , noone took a look inside the car (she is equiped with full package).
Hope it helps

ArphaRima

I have been living in the UK for around 18 months and am now heading outside the EU to work. I have a prestige car in the UK that I'm hoping to bring into Ireland for use when home. I've owned it around 8 months.

Thing is I will be commuting to Ireland from far abroad whereas the VRT exemption says I have to be doing a permanent transfer of residence into Ireland.

I'm wondering if anyone here has tried to do anything similar. No way I'm paying VRT.
I love my car but if I am asked to pay VRT on it I will sell - its madness to pay ~30k in tax alone for a car I already own and have done for months.

Kotek Besar

fluffer wrote: »

I have been living in the UK for around 18 months and am now heading outside the EU to work. I have a prestige car in the UK that I'm hoping to bring into Ireland for use when home. I've owned it around 8 months.

Thing is I will be commuting to Ireland from far abroad whereas the VRT exemption says I have to be doing a permanent transfer of residence into Ireland.

I'm wondering if anyone here has tried to do anything similar. No way I'm paying VRT.
I love my car but if I am asked to pay VRT on it I will sell - its madness to pay ~30k in tax alone for a car I already own and have done for months.

AFAICS you qualify for VRT exemption. Once your car's in and on Irish plates they won't be checking to see are you working in or outside of the state.

slave1

yep, that's why I did when I came back from blightly, went to tax office, had all my forms proving ownership/residence etc and got a VRT bill of €0, reg no and put the plates on and that was it

ArphaRima

Yeah I certainly believe I am entitled to the exemption. It's just the permanent transfer of residence part that bothers me.

The way I see it Ireland can either get 2k a year from me in motor tax or nothing at all.

Esel

fluffer wrote: »

I have been living in the UK for around 18 months and am now heading outside the EU to work. I have a prestige car in the UK that I'm hoping to bring into Ireland for use when home. I've owned it around 8 months.

Thing is I will be commuting to Ireland from far abroad whereas the VRT exemption says I have to be doing a permanent transfer of residence into Ireland.

I'm wondering if anyone here has tried to do anything similar. No way I'm paying VRT.
I love my car but if I am asked to pay VRT on it I will sell - its madness to pay ~30k in tax alone for a car I already own and have done for months.

Kotek Besar wrote: »

AFAICS you qualify for VRT exemption. Once your car's in and on Irish plates they won't be checking to see are you working in or outside of the state.

Afaik, Customs used to look for proof of you taking up permanent residence here. Noy sure how it will go now that NCTS are doing the VRT lark....

Anyone any experience of doing a VRT-exempt Transfer of Residence importation since NCTS took over?

LordSutch

When bringing a second hand car into the State from NI or GB, where do you apply for Irish plates? how much do they cost? and how long does it take to get them?

Kotek Besar

LordSutch wrote: »

When bringing a second hand car into the State from NI or GB, where do you apply for Irish plates? how much do they cost? and how long does it take to get them?

Lots of info on this thread.

opinion guy

LordSutch wrote: »

When bringing a second hand car into the State from NI or GB, where do you apply for Irish plates? how much do they cost? and how long does it take to get them?

Once the VRT people have given you a license number its up to you to go to any motor factors and just ask them to make one. There is no application or anything (actually thats a little scary - from what I saw you could just walk in and ask for any number and they do it for you).

Anyhow when I got mine done I got plastic plates - it took 5 minutes to print them out on a laser printer. Not sure how long metal ones take

APM

I'm from Dublin but living now in Spain.

Hope to buy a car in the UK within the next few weeks with the hope of bringing it back to Ireland eventually. Forgetting the Spanish law which says the car should be imported within 6 months.....

Do I need a UK address to register the car at if I'm planning to keep it on UK plates and tax?

I've got a company called Ibex which will insure me in Spain for as long as I'm there.

Is there anything major I'm missing, or which I'd need to do? I'm thinking the UK address is going to be the biggest problem, any ways around this?

Thanks

Kotek Besar

APM wrote: »

I'm from Dublin but living now in Spain.

Hope to buy a car in the UK within the next few weeks with the hope of bringing it back to Ireland eventually. Forgetting the Spanish law which says the car should be imported within 6 months.....

Do I need a UK address to register the car at if I'm planning to keep it on UK plates and tax?

I've got a company called Ibex which will insure me in Spain for as long as I'm there.

Is there anything major I'm missing, or which I'd need to do? I'm thinking the UK address is going to be the biggest problem, any ways around this?

Thanks

The seller needs to fill out the details of the new owner in the section of the V5 (logbook), which he will need to send off to the DVLA upon selling the car to you.

If the address he fills in is your address in Spain, then *I think* the DVLA will write to you (in Spain), informing you that a foreign address cannot be placed on the V5.

You will also not be able to tax the car as you will not have UK insurance. An untaxed car runs the risk of being impounded if on any public road in the EU.

If I were you, I'd use the address of a friend or relative in the UK. That way you would have no problems with the V5 (helpful also when you eventually return to Ireland). You could easily tax the car also.

That way the car would be legal in Spain. You say you have Spanish insurance sorted too, so that's fine.

Btw, you are entitled, under EU law, to keep the car in Spain on UK plates for up to six months before the Spanish authorities can require you to register it there.

ArphaRima

www.revenue.ie/en/tax/vrt/forms/vrt-tor.pdf

The relevant departments should see right through such a ruse. It is my understanding that to be 100% legitimate you would have to buy the car in Spain.
It is not good enough to own it but you also have to show habitual use.

Kotek Besar

But did he say he wanted VRT exemption? Even if he did.. I think he qualifies.

As long as he owns the vehicle for at least 6 months before bring the car in to Ireland, and uses it habitually..

I don't believe it's part of the rules that the vehicle must be registered in the state you're moving from in order to qualify for VRT exemption.

In the application form which you linked to it says:

The vehicle, details of which are shown on this application:
w is my personal property at the time of my transfer of residence to the State;
w is being brought permanently into the State by me;
w was in my possession and was used by me for a period of at least six months outside
the State before the date on which I ceased to have my normal residence outside the
State.
w was acquired by me under the general conditions of taxation in force in the domestic
market of a country and was not the subject, on the grounds of exportation or departure
from that country, of any exemption from or refund of any tax. (Please delete this
paragraph if the vehicle was acquired duty-free through diplomatic/consular
arrangements or because of membership of an international organisation.) For
additional information see Revenue information leaflet “Transfer of Residence
(Duty-Free Vehicles)”.

As I said, under EU law the OP is entitled to keep the car in Spain on UK plates for up to six months before the Spanish authorities can require him to register it there.