Importing a car

TheOneToBe

Hi I have a newer car (2006) that I would probably like to import to Ireland from Canada. Problem is that I am not sure how to calculate taxes and insurance I would have to pay. Unfortunately car is not under my name and I would not be able to import it with 6 month exception.
Car specifications are…
2006 Civic Coupe SI
2 L engine with 200 HP, 6 speed
For insurance purposes..
I am 31 with out accidents and clear driving record in Canada.

Also another question is if there is a good places to advertise if someone would like to buy it once I get it to Ireland (it would have to pay for taxes).
And my third question which I have also asked in different forum is how hard is to get car financed? I would have a job and I would like to buy a car with in 3-4 months of arrival? Are there different options that would give me different chance? What if I pay partially for a car in cash? 10-40 %?
Thanks…

Anan1

To be honest, i'd forget about importing the Civic. A LHD Canadian-spec car will be very hard to sell here, and will be worth very little. To answer your second question, financing a car here shouldn't be too much of a problem, providing you have a suitable income, bank account, etc. Why not just sell the Civic in Canada and buy a car here with the money from the Civic?

astraboy

I'm not sure if you can get the Si version over here. Insuring it should not really be a problem, however there may be some extra charge for left hand drive? Selling a left hand drive civic will not be easy, unless you intend on driving the car into the ground and never selling it, you would be better off selling the car in Canada and buying one here. Civics are not exactly hen's teeth these days!:D

MicraBoy

You'd have to pay VRT when you register it here.

https://www.ros.ie/VRTEnquiryServlet/showVRT

TheOneToBe

Thanks for info. I can sell it in Canada, but there is such a big price difference… just for comparison, from performance/looks stand point this is 2007 Civic Type R that is selling in Ireland for 36 000+ euros… If I sell it in Canada I will be selling it at around 16 000 euros. It is a new car, and I thought that there could be people interested that like these kind of cars for much less then they are sold in Ireland…As for web site for VRT I tried that before but when I enter my info, it does not give me any info back…???
I love my car, and just a thought that I will have to pay at least double more to get approximately same car here….

Anan1

TheOneToBe wrote:

Thanks for info. I can sell it in Canada, but there is such a big price difference… just for comparison, from performance/looks stand point this is 2007 Civic Type R that is selling in Ireland for 36 000+ euros… If I sell it in Canada I will be selling it at around 16 000 euros. It is a new car, and I thought that there could be people interested that like these kind of cars for much less then they are sold in Ireland…As for web site for VRT I tried that before but when I enter my info, it does not give me any info back…???
I love my car, and just a thought that I will have to pay at least double more to get approximately same car here….

Your car is a year old, it's LHD, and it's Canadian-spec. Even duty-paid here I can't see it being worth any more than €16,000, if even that. Add in the cost of bringing it over and all the relevant taxes and you'll be looking at a big loss. Honestly, you're better off selling it.

Glanza V

TheOneToBe wrote:

Thanks for info. I can sell it in Canada, but there is such a big price difference… just for comparison, from performance/looks stand point this is 2007 Civic Type R that is selling in Ireland for 36 000+ euros… If I sell it in Canada I will be selling it at around 16 000 euros. It is a new car, and I thought that there could be people interested that like these kind of cars for much less then they are sold in Ireland…As for web site for VRT I tried that before but when I enter my info, it does not give me any info back…???
I love my car, and just a thought that I will have to pay at least double more to get approximately same car here….

just remember our vrt tax is 22% of the cars open market value, so in our country that 16k car turn into a 20k car, and then you have to pay import charges along with shipping and port handling fees. Its not plausible to bring it to our country.

Anan1

Glanza V wrote:

just remember our vrt tax is 22% of the cars open market value, so in our country that 16k car turn into a 20k car, and then you have to pay import charges along with shipping and port handling fees. Its not plausible to bring it to our country.

VRT is 30% of OMSP for a 2 litre. You're right though, the figures just won't add up.

TheOneToBe

Thanks for info. I was just shocked to learn how expensive cars are in Ireland. Average selling price for regular civic 2006 is around 23 000. I would probably have option of getting it shipped for free.
On other note, when you look at MRSP prices for new cars, is it common to negotiate price for a new car?

Anan1

TheOneToBe wrote:

Thanks for info. I was just shocked to learn how expensive cars are in Ireland.

It's not just cars, have you checked out the price of property here?;)

TheOneToBe wrote:

On other note, when you look at MRSP prices for new cars, is it common to negotiate price for a new car?

Yes, but it really depends on the car. Ford dealers discount heavily, for example, whereas the premium German marques tend to offer much smaller discounts. How long are you planning on staying for? If it's not that long, then you might be better off looking at buying an older car.

jimmycrackcorm

i'd think carefully about the six month exemption and keep it in canada until it passes that. The savings would say for a few trips back there until you can effectively begin residence. Not having to pay vrt would offset the eventual loss of a left hand drive sale.

TheOneToBe

Best option for me would be if I can bring it with Ontario plates and drive it up to a year with out trouble and then I would sell it somewhere in continental Europe. That way I do not have to wait and I can use a car for at least a year. Problem with that is I am not sure who to contact and how to insure a care while it is in Ireland. I do not want to have trouble with police and mainly I would be using it when we drive to continental Europe.
As for living it here for a while and then shipping it, it could work so that could be another option.
I am going to get green card and going to have permanent job. I anticipate staying at least for 2 years. As for used car, I would not care to pick one as long as it newer 2006 for instance… I was looking at VW Golf GTI but prices for used one are still over 30 000+…another options would be to get Accord but with bit more HP, I am not sure if there are any with 180+ HP... I would love to get new Type R but it is expensive 36 000 and I am not sure even if they would how much would they discount it