Euro hits 92p Sterling today!!

pipsqueak

the stick/knob is about 4 inches too long. (jaysus me missus would kill me if she heard me now):D

pipsqueak

L-M

pipsqueak wrote: »

the stick/knob is about 4 inches too long. (jaysus me missus would kill me if she heard me now):D

Oh i thought you meant something like in those bloody Rexton's. What an awful, awful sized gear stick lol.

ninty9er

The 5 Series is a "premium" model, even if the 520d is at the lower end of the spectrum, premium cars always sell better in auto and it's hardly a drivers car. Someone who wanted a drivers car would get a 530I or 535d at a bare minimum.

itisyeah

2007 - Astra 1.7d - 33K miles - €18,995
http://www.carzone.ie/search/Opel/As...0883351/advert

2007 - Astra 1.7d - 25K miles - £8,999 - €9,475
http://www.cargiant.ie/Vauxhall/Astr...hall-Astra.asp


Now thats just ****in crazy!

By the way, the UK car has less mileage too

romperstomper

ninty9er wrote: »

That is wholly incorrect. You are getting a good deal, but emissions determine the rate of tax. M Spec vehicles have a higher OMSP therefore the VRT would be €7421 on an M Sport 520d.

You are still getting a very good deal. Fair play. How old is it. It doesn't qualify for VAT does it??

One note of caution I'd sound is that I'm not sure there would be much of a resale market for a manual 5 series of any kind.

it was first regged in june 2008 and is therefore over 6months old and not subject to VAT, but fairplay for warning anyway.

i don't give a hoot about resale value on manual vs auto as I have extensively tested both and way prefer the manual.i'm buying this car for me, not resale value and if the man loses me 3K versus the auto in 5 years time i don't care.

realistically i'll keep this for 5 years and there is NO reason I won't get 15K for it then (i do 6K miles a year so total mileage at that stage will be 35K miles)

copacetic

E92 wrote: »

The UK one is €35k before you pay the VRT.

As I outlined previously, there's at least €10k in VRT to be paid and as the high spec 520d in the UK that's "€35k" has lots of extras you'll have to pay VRT on those too.

That 520d in the Auto Trader will be at least €47k, compared to the one on sale here for €40,650. €35k plus flights and most of all VRT, and we know the revenue like to anally rape you for extras in BMWs, Mercs, Audis etc.

But like you say there is "little point" in saving €6k on a car already here - why would you do that when you could go to the hassle of bringing in a car from the UK and paying for the flights etc and then watch the VRO see how much they feel like adding on to the €10,135 they'll want you to cough up minimum for that car?

I couldn't click the links earlier to double check how wrong you were, now that I can I can see it was even more than I thought.

Firstly it isn't €35k before vrt, do you not even know the sterling rate?

The uk msport fully loaded with nav etc and auto is list at 27450GBP.

http://search.autotrader.co.uk/es-uk/www/cars/BMW+5+SERIES/Ne-2-4-5-6-7-8-27-44-49-53-61-64-67-103-133-146-236,N-39-51-59-112-141-157-180-240-4294967178-4294967202/advert.action?R=200846323201843&distance=285&postcode=BT34+2NQ&channel=CARS&make=BMW&model=5+SERIES&min_pr=20000&max_pr=27500&max_mileage=20000&vehicleYearOfManufacture=2008&vehicleRegLetter=08

Absolute minimum discount anyone could get off is 1450, so 26k driving away from dealer. At current exchange rates that is €27500 before vrt. Allow 10k for vrt including all extras after appeal and losing a bit on exchange rate. Landed for €37500.

i.e 10k less than you seem to think

The one you are comparing it to as 'proof' Irish cars are cheaper is actually dearer and is also an import, and much lower spec one at that!

The nearest to this spec on on carzone is 50k. That is 12.5k cheaper. This isn't even a particularly good value uk car.

You can land this 2008 msport manual one

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=0&model=5+SERIES&max_pr=&miles=1500&agerange=6&mileage=&postcode=nw11+0ad&variant=520&bodyid=2&trim=&fuelid=0&colour=&transmissionid=1&keywords=2008&ukcarsearch_full.x=50&ukcarsearch_full.y=10&start=8&distance=24&adcategory=CARS&channel=CARS&id=200849324835671

for 29k, including vrt. Cheapest on carzone is 40k. Same 10k+ saving without any effort except an hour on the plane and a 5 hour trip back including ferry and drive.


I'm going to unsubscribe from this thread now, it's hard to believe why anyone without a SIMI membership card is trying to let on that there isn't massive savings importing, on top of that we have the scare mongering that SIMI members will avoid honouring legally binding warranties and get away with it and that the 3 year warranty won't carry here when everyone should know it does.

Of course maybe all these thousands and thousands of people importing are actually losing money and just didn't get to read the rubbish posted above!

ninty9er

copacetic wrote: »

I couldn't click the links earlier to double check how wrong you were, now that I can I can see it was even more than I thought.

Firstly it isn't €35k before vrt, do you not even know the sterling rate?

The uk msport fully loaded with nav etc and auto is list at 27450GBP.

http://search.autotrader.co.uk/es-uk/www/cars/BMW+5+SERIES/Ne-2-4-5-6-7-8-27-44-49-53-61-64-67-103-133-146-236,N-39-51-59-112-141-157-180-240-4294967178-4294967202/advert.action?R=200846323201843&distance=285&postcode=BT34+2NQ&channel=CARS&make=BMW&model=5+SERIES&min_pr=20000&max_pr=27500&max_mileage=20000&vehicleYearOfManufacture=2008&vehicleRegLetter=08

Absolute minimum discount anyone could get off is 1450, so 26k driving away from dealer. At current exchange rates that is €27500 before vrt. Allow 10k for vrt including all extras after appeal and losing a bit on exchange rate. Landed for €37500.

i.e 10k less than you seem to think

The one you are comparing it to as 'proof' Irish cars are cheaper is actually dearer and is also an import, and much lower spec one at that!

The nearest to this spec on on carzone is 50k. That is 12.5k cheaper. This isn't even a particularly good value uk car.

You can land this 2008 msport manual one

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=0&model=5+SERIES&max_pr=&miles=1500&agerange=6&mileage=&postcode=nw11+0ad&variant=520&bodyid=2&trim=&fuelid=0&colour=&transmissionid=1&keywords=2008&ukcarsearch_full.x=50&ukcarsearch_full.y=10&start=8&distance=24&adcategory=CARS&channel=CARS&id=200849324835671

for 29k, including vrt. Cheapest on carzone is 40k. Same 10k+ saving without any effort except an hour on the plane and a 5 hour trip back including ferry and drive.

You do realise Roslare will contact BMW in Germany for a spec on the car before finalising VRT cost. You'll pay 20% of the cost of Sat Nav here, 20% of the cost of the autobox here, 20% of the cost of the leather here.

You should look at your own blind sightedness before attacking one of the most informed posters on this forum!

Revenue isn't an idiot....

peasant

I am more right than any single one of ye ...FACT :pac:


Now stop this boring bickering, it's soooo tiresome

romperstomper

if the 'most informed posters' can't find value in the UK market for nearly new 5-series with sterling nearly reaching parity, then i'm afraid your position is untenable.

ignoring the Oirish stealers and thanks to sterling alone, cars are 30% percent cheaper right now than 18 months ago.

but obviously I'm not as informed as you are, so clearly my 6 month old, 5K mile €31K 520d is a rip off...............

copacetic

ninty9er wrote: »

You do realise Roslare will contact BMW in Germany for a spec on the car before finalising VRT cost. You'll pay 20% of the cost of Sat Nav here, 20% of the cost of the autobox here, 20% of the cost of the leather here.

You should look at your own blind sightedness before attacking one of the most informed posters on this forum!

Revenue isn't an idiot....

I do realise that, which is why I included it in the calculation. Some of us have actually done this, not just read about it on forums.:rolleyes:

Being informed about car specs by reading about them on the web doesn't mean you know anything about the actual costs of buying in the uk.

ninty9er

romperstomper wrote: »

if the 'most informed posters' can't find value in the UK market for nearly new 5-series with sterling nearly reaching parity, then i'm afraid your position is untenable.

ignoring the Oirish stealers and thanks to sterling alone, cars are 30% percent cheaper right now than 18 months ago.

but obviously I'm not as informed as you are, so clearly my 6 month old, 5K mile €31K 520d is a rip off...............

Informed people would know you don't pay the carzone price for a car in Ireland, but you certainly don't get anywhere near as much discount when buying in the UK as the margins aren't artificially propped by taxes.

Tony Broke

What about this Volvo S40?

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=VOLVO&min_pr=75&source=0&model=S40&max_pr=5000&miles=1500&agerange=5&mileage=&postcode=m52ty&variant=&bodyid=0&trim=&fuelid=2&colour=&transmissionid=0&keywords=&ukcarsearch_full.x=69&ukcarsearch_full.y=3&start=1&distance=52&adcategory=CARS&channel=CARS&id=200851325562191

20% tax, cleared and in your yard for 8500e.

romperstomper

likes the E60, drove everything else. C, E, A6, A4, 95,93,S60. only E60 did i really like the look of.

if my budget wasn't what it is, it would be a 159 (there's the heart talking, you might as well puke on your money for the value it will hold)

ninty9er

Tony Broke wrote: »

What about this Volvo S40?

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=VOLVO&min_pr=75&source=0&model=S40&max_pr=5000&miles=1500&agerange=5&mileage=&postcode=m52ty&variant=&bodyid=0&trim=&fuelid=2&colour=&transmissionid=0&keywords=&ukcarsearch_full.x=69&ukcarsearch_full.y=3&start=1&distance=52&adcategory=CARS&channel=CARS&id=200851325562191

20% tax, cleared and in your yard for 8500e.

I'm fairly sure this could be in your yard for €8k and the road tax would be €63 cheaper next year and presumably by a higher margin going forward.
http://www.carzone.ie/search/Volvo/S40/1.8-KILM/200844190711038/advert

copacetic

ninty9er wrote: »

Informed people would know you don't pay the carzone price for a car in Ireland, but you certainly don't get anywhere near as much discount when buying in the UK as the margins aren't artificially propped by taxes.

since others on the thread wouldn't, why don't you actually back up the argument here and above with an example? Hinting that there is no saving to be made without giving any figures or examples is very easy as we have seen from all he 'experts' on this thread. We have examples of two 520ds imported for 29k and 31k respectively above.

Simply put, are you or are you not saying that this isn't cheap and that you can do better/get within an arses roar of that price here?

ninty9er

For example Anan1 posted here recently looking for advice on what to pay for a 07 Passat Variant Auto.

It had 500km on the clock, was €30k plus new and was advertised for €24k, it was sold for approx €18.5k.

If you were to go to CarGiant, where my uncle used to buy his cars when he lived in London, the cars were priced to sell and even a tight Scot like himself couldn't get more than £750 of a 2 year old A6 Avant 1.8T after an hour with the sales assistant.

I'm not saying there aren't bargains, but personally the inconvenience would put me off. I'd need t see a car and poke around it 2 or 3 times before I could decide if it was worth the money, that's 3 flights and car rentals.

Edit: prices

copacetic

ninty9er wrote: »

For example Anan1 posted here recently looking for advice on what to pay for a 07 Passat Variant Auto.

It had 2500 km on the clock, was €30k plus new and was advertised for €24k, it was sold for approx €18k.

If you were to go to CarGiant, where my uncle used to buy his cars when he lived in London, the cars were priced to sell and even a tight Scot like himself couldn't get more than £750 of a 2 year old A6 Avant 1.8T after an hour with the sales assistant.

but thats cargiant, prices are already rock bottom, similar to autoquake. At a bmw dealer you will get 5% off by just calling up and would easily get another 3% off. I'm sure a tight scot like you could talk your way into 10-15% coming up to year end.

all the 08 bmws are still with dealers and they are pretty desperate to shift over there too.

romperstomper

if you spending money on a decent car (ie nearly new), having RAC check done will cut that down to one flight. and that flight will be one way.

Drummerboy08

Hey look. If you want to buy a car in the UK, stop sh*tin on about it and actually do it. I hope you get many happy miles from it.

I was not scaremongering - what i said about the warranties not being honoured is true, has happened and will continue to happen. It has happened to an Uncle of mine, whether you want to believe it or not. Go and experience it for yourself.

As i said above, i hope you have many happy miles of motoring with your new car, if and when you get off your PC and actually go and buy it.

But please do us all a favour - if and when something goes wrong, and you cant get it fixed by a dealer, dont post on here complaining about it. I think its fair to say that anyone considering buying a car in the UK has been warned.

Rob.

ninty9er

romperstomper wrote: »

if you spending money on a decent car (ie nearly new), having RAC check done will cut that down to one flight. and that flight will be one way.

If I was ordering a brand new car I'd still go and fiddle about with the demo 3-4 times, just that with second hand cars each one is individual so a demo or same model won't do.

romperstomper

Drummerboy08 wrote: »

Hey look. If you want to buy a car in the UK, stop sh*tin on about it and actually do it. I hope you get many happy miles from it.

I was not scaremongering - what i said about the warranties not being honoured is true, has happened and will continue to happen. It has happened to an Uncle of mine, whether you want to believe it or not. Go and experience it for yourself.

As i said above, i hope you have many happy miles of motoring with your new car, if and when you get off your PC and actually go and buy it.

But please do us all a favour - if and when something goes wrong, and you cant get it fixed by a dealer, dont post on here complaining about it. I think its fair to say that anyone considering buying a car in the UK has been warned.

Rob.

i'll be delighted to adhere to your filtering of my posts

condolences to your 'uncle'

copacetic

Drummerboy08 wrote: »

Hey look. If you want to buy a car in the UK, stop sh*tin on about it and actually do it. I hope you get many happy miles from it.

I was not scaremongering - what i said about the warranties not being honoured is true, has happened and will continue to happen. It has happened to an Uncle of mine, whether you want to believe it or not. Go and experience it for yourself.

As i said above, i hope you have many happy miles of motoring with your new car, if and when you get off your PC and actually go and buy it.

But please do us all a favour - if and when something goes wrong, and you cant get it fixed by a dealer, dont post on here complaining about it. I think its fair to say that anyone considering buying a car in the UK has been warned.

Rob.

rubbish, now your uncle has had the problem when before it was your experience?
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=57931403&postcount=24

Car sales guys like you have been spinning this shite for a while. I know 5 people who have imported in last year who have had none of the issues you are making up.

Another one is robbie99, whos car ninety9er has in his sig and called you on it when you posted this crap when you first joined boards:

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=57932718&postcount=32

When I was buying my car I was willing to buy new here. I was willing to pay a couple of k more here for the peace of mind of having good customer service if I ever had issue with my car. I was open with the sales reps here and let it be known that buying from the UK was an option for me but my preference was to buy here. I couldn't get a discount anywhere near what I could get in the UK so I bought there but the thing is that when I asked the sales reps here if the UK waranty would be honoured here they said no, I'd have to bring the car back accross the water to get it fixed. Well guess what, on the drive back from the UK I got minor damage that involved needing to repair the front bumper. Rather than turn back I carried on home and brought it into my local BMW dealer still with the UK plates on and no problem at all they'd repair it (insurance paying) and they'd even print me up the Irish plates. I asked them about the situation with waranty and the service department said had absolutely no problem doing waranty work on UK imports. I asked about the 3rd year of UK waranty which Irish cars don't get and service dept said no problem, they're able to claim that directly from BMW UK. I've since had a free BMW winter inspection and a waranty issue with a headlight washer unit sorted (along with a courtesy car) at BMW Ireland expense. Totally contradictory to what the sales guys were saying.

and Stevie Dakota called BS on you in same thread:

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=57931596&postcount=25

Total BS. I've had NO issues at Irish dealers with a UK BMW, Merc, Renault and Ford. Warranty work, no problem? It was NEVER raised as an issue, in fact Renault told ME they would cover the car for 3 years, given that it was a UK car, I didn't even have to ask them.

Of course you never bothered to reply once people pointed out you were full of the proverbial.

romperstomper

amen

Drummerboy08

Unfortunately, your wrong when you say my uncle has never had that problem. Handbrake on his A6 went, Audi wouldn't do it over here, had to bring it back to liverpool with him when he was visiting his folks. And I HAVE had the experience, dealerships i have worked in have done it on several occasions, i now understand why some do it - when your faced with pr*cks like certain posters in here seem to have made themselves out to be, i'd say its hard to stomach.

Those boys simply said they had never had any problems with dealers over here, thats two out of the thousands of owners who imported a car this year. I never said nor claimed that EVERY dealer would do it with EVERY imported car, i said its a possibilty to be aware of. So i'd rather not have to put up with your sh*te of this that and the other.

Have the 5 people you know who imported a car had problems that they had to have done under warranty? if they have not had any, then that argument is useless.

If they have had problems, then you have to ask why FIVE people who imported FIVE cars from the UK have had problems with them? MMM STRANGE.


And lastly, in the post that you used as an example of me making up these stories, i think you will find that i never once claimed it was me who had the problem, it was simply an example i used in that case.

If you going to try to make a fool of someone, make sure you do it right OK?

I didnt come into this forum looking for abuse - i simply posted my opinion and experiences of imported cars, i did not come in mouthing off. You have your own opinions, which i respect, but i would like that same respect too.

Stevie Dakota

If it is true, I think it is astounding that in depressed and falling market that service departments would try and inconvenience or turn away customers with UK cars and warranty work. Do they not realise that the purchase is made, and now the car enters the service phase of its life where there is good money to be made, certainly more so than during the sale. If they jerk customers around they will simply loose them for life. It is typical of the small mindedness that still exists in the Irish car market. If you are in a hole why keep digging?

Drummerboy08

Its a good point Stevie - i think any service manager with a brain in his head realises how important every service is to him at the minute - at the same time it could be an instruction from a stubborn dealer principle thinking he getting one over on the person who brought their business to a different marketplace.

Tony Broke

ninty9er wrote: »

I'm fairly sure this could be in your yard for €8k and the road tax would be €63 cheaper next year and presumably by a higher margin going forward.
http://www.carzone.ie/search/Volvo/S40/1.8-KILM/200844190711038/advert

Looks ok but its a year older, its a heavy petrol and I would have to haggle 3000e.

Drummerboy08

Drummerboy08 wrote: »

Unfortunately, your wrong when you say my uncle has never had that problem. Handbrake on his A6 went..........................

I didnt come into this forum looking for abuse - i simply posted my opinion and experiences of imported cars, i did not come in mouthing off. You have your own opinions, which i respect, but i would like that same respect too.

Can you honestly see garages turning away the money they would make doing warranty work on UK cars with times as bad as they are. I think not. What would be the point turning people away it will not have them running back to the dealership when buying there next car begging for forgiveness for their "sins" and throwing out extra cash to buy a car off them:rolleyes:. I would imagine they would be glad to have the warranty work. Maybe if they gave some good customer service they may well sell a car to that person in the future if their price was right of course

Matt Simis

Drummerboy08 wrote: »

Its a good point Stevie - i think any service manager with a brain in his head realises how important every service is to him at the minute - at the same time it could be an instruction from a stubborn dealer principle thinking he getting one over on the person who brought their business to a different marketplace.

If the customer bought the car in a different dealer here it would largely have the same effect on the individual garage as buying it abroad. Likewise if he bought it from an independent or privately but in warranty here. I asked VW here and they said there wasnt any warranty concern on a UK car, but I didnt need to avail of it so cant say that with certainty. There is of course the legality of refusing warranty of a product bought in another member state, ie they have to and a bit of legal letterheaded paper should loosen up the stubborn.

Ninty9er, if you need 3 visits to buy a car thats fine and your prerogative. But you present it as if its the "rational" thing to do and its part of the status quo for buying from the UK. It isnt. Ive bought all my recent cars in the UK and had no issue, went there cash in hand (and a VAG COM) after long conversations with the sellers and HPI and Dealer car checks. It pretty much was as easy as going to the airport, getting off plane, picking up car and driving home. Not a once off, but everytime. One has the benefit of choosing from any car in the entire UK, just pick a sound car and seller..

Im of the rather logical POV that with the falling value of sterling, cars in the UK (and other goods) are now cheaper than ever. I simply do not believe dealers here are dropping car prices in line with the sterling drop due to the fact the majority of Irish people are too scared by the "mysterious" VRT men and the evil English robbing Paddy blind, there is simply no need.


This is to say nothing of buying far more interesting 3-8year old niceties such as M5s and RS6s, where there is simply no choice here, the currency has made these even more attainable. I wouldnt be so passionate about it if the two Islands car inventories were reversed and 99% of UK people drive 1.9TDI Passats and aspire to an 09 2litre one day as we do. There are some stunning cars and bargains to be had, please stop the pointless scaremongering, we have an entire Irish Auto industry backed up by mis-informed Media to do that and I would thank those with such commercial bias to stay out of this thread.