Importing a NEW bike from the UK

fergusdo

Hi, does anyone out there KNOW, not have an opinion, what are the total costs involved in importing a NEW motorbike or, where I can find these is one place.

I know about the VRT regime, about VAT @ 21% and, I think, not being able to reclaim VAT already paid in UK.

Would appreciate any input especially if you have already done this.

MrPudding

fergusdo wrote:

Hi, does anyone out there KNOW, not have an opinion, what are the total costs involved in importing a NEW motorbike or, where I can find these is one place.

I know about the VRT regime, about VAT @ 21% and, I think, not being able to reclaim VAT already paid in UK.

Would appreciate any input especially if you have already done this.

You would not be able to claim the UK VAT back, as you have said, but then you should not pay it in the first place.

I don't KNOW what the total cost are, so forgive me if I am wasting your time, but I think it is an interesting subject so I am going to have a ramble anyway.

If you know the VRT end of things then I would presume the only additional cost will be you getting over, if you even need to, and getting the bike back to Ireland.

And may I be the first to offer my services should you buy a bike over here. I will collect it for you, assuming you get it a reasonable distance from where I live, ride it to Holyhead, bring it on the ferry and deliver it to you for the very reasonable price of:

The ferry crossing, about £50 or 60 quid. I do like the fancy lounge.
A few beers on delivery.
An easyjet flight back to Luton.

Most reasonable, I am sure you will agree.

MrP

fergusdo

Hi that's a very kind offer; if you could only find an Easyjet service to anywhere, from anywhere in the Republic of Ireland.:)

Belfast doesn't count because I wouldn't be worrying about the kind of 'challenge' that we have to confront doing what every other European citizen regards as perfectly normal, even our Eurosceptic near neighbours i.e. buying in a common economic area. Correction, exclude the Danes its even worse for them and maybe Malta but are they part of Europe yet?

Anyway, rant over. I thought as you do until I had a very interesting experience trying to register a bike some time ago and discovered that it was too young and fell into a mysterious quagmire.

If you are interested follow http://www.revenue.ie/pdf/05_01_CETI_06.pdf

Pages 8 - 10, factor in VAT and you see why I would prefer to look before I leap.

MrPudding

fergusdo wrote:

Hi that's a very kind offer; if you could only find an Easyjet service to anywhere, from anywhere in the Republic of Ireland.:)

Oops, I meant Ryanair.

fergusdo wrote:

Pages 8 - 10, factor in VAT and you see why I would prefer to look before I leap.

But you do know you WON'T have to pay the VAT in the UK don't you?

MrP

fergusdo

I wasn't aware of that, but I have to say it's not easy to imagine how! I would be a retail customer, purchasing from a retail outlet in UK and as such would be liable to pay VAT @18%. I could ask for a VAT receipt but as the transaction is not with an entity registered for VAT in a member state, I doubt that I could do much with the receipt - even if the retailer furnished me with one.

I think that I would then be charged 21% in RoI on top of the 18% paid in Uk and with no way of offsetting one against the other.

I think.......

MrPudding

fergusdo wrote:

I wasn't aware of that, but I have to say it's not easy to imagine how! I would be a retail customer, purchasing from a retail outlet in UK and as such would be liable to pay VAT @18%. I could ask for a VAT receipt but as the transaction is not with an entity registered for VAT in a member state, I doubt that I could do much with the receipt - even if the retailer furnished me with one.

I think that I would then be charged 21% in RoI on top of the 18% paid in Uk and with no way of offsetting one against the other.

I think.......

No. That is wrong, and wrong in a good way.

You will be buying the bike for export and therefore will buy it ex-VAT. As a citizen of the EU you should be able to chose where to pay the VAT, either at source (where you buy the product) or where you are going to use it, but unfortunately the Irish government illegally (?) require you to pay the VAT in Ireland. Oh, an dthe rate in the UK is 17.5%.

When you contact a dealer ask them about exporting. Alternatively, if you have a particualar type of bike in mind I could call into a dealer and ask some initial questions on your behalf.

MrP

fergusdo

MrPudding wrote:

No. That is wrong, and wrong in a good way.

You will be buying the bike for export and therefore will buy it ex-VAT. As a citizen of the EU you should be able to chose where to pay the VAT, either at source (where you buy the product) or where you are going to use it, but unfortunately the Irish government illegally (?) require you to pay the VAT in Ireland. Oh, an dthe rate in the UK is 17.5%.

When you contact a dealer ask them about exporting. Alternatively, if you have a particualar type of bike in mind I could call into a dealer and ask some initial questions on your behalf.

MrP

Right.......that's something to check out. I'll call a UK dealer tomorrow and do as you suggest. I'll also call one in 'Europe' and see what they say. The reason for this is that we are so Pro-Europe over here that we are in Km's/hour - it's easy to be European when it doesn't cost the Government anything.

I'll keep you posted and thanks for the help.

murphaph

If you're buying new from 'europe', make sure you get the headlights to dip to the correct (left) side for use in these thar islands! Dealers are legally obliged to do this but (in cage world anyway) they make every effort not to.

UK would be a lot less hassle.

What's the story with warranty though, is your warranty valid here or in NI or something? I don't know as I've only bought old jalopies in the UK!