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

Esel

I think you would be within your rights to re-export it, given you have not registered the car yet. I would say plenty of people over the years have decided not to proceed when they are told the amount of VRT due, and re-export the car.

Best to check with NCTS as said above.

wassie

The car could be registered and then technically re-exported back to UK and claim back the VRT - a lot of hassle to go through tho'. Also the risk that the VRT paid back may be less than paid out. Of course you could then appeal the VRT refund.....

reubenreuben

thadg wrote: »

Can some clarify this please:

Does the new VRT and tax bands starting in 2021 WLTP rates only apply to new cars? see page 21

From 2021, there will be three motor tax tables in operation:
1. The pre-July 2008 table based on engine size.
2. Cars registered up to 31/12/2020 and those from 2021 which are NEDC tested only
3. Cars registered from 1/1/2021 (WLTP tested cars)

A 2015 UK Import would only be NEDC tested only. See class 2 in red

In the papers today i didnt see anything about used imports being under the new tax system with the (Diesel: y = x(1.1405)+12.858) but i could be wrong
Any help would be welcomed with this sad set up

Depends on the c02 of your car but if imported before next year it will be subject to the vrt as stands now. My car is 139co2 and if i imported it next year the vrt would be 31% instead of 19% now. So its substantial.

wassie

In case anyone is considering importing and may be affected by this, remember the key is the date when a vehicle is first registered, not the date of import.

Vicxas

wassie wrote: »

In case anyone is considering importing and may be affected by this, remember the key is the date when a vehicle is first registered, not the date of import.

As in registered ever? Or first time in Ireland?

commited

I was hoping to import something next month, not really sure what to do now as the country just continues to massively punish the motorist. At the moment, the wait for a VRT appointment appears to be long enough, what happens if they can't facilitate a VRT appointment within 30 days and you fall into 2021 VRT calculation year due to their delays - I see a lot of appeals happening!

garo

They didn't have valuation for my car on my first visit. After waiting three week, got the valuation and went to Northpoint an hour ago only to be told - Revenue system is down come back tomorrow. Knowing my luck we'll go into lockdown tonight!

mickdw

garo wrote: »

They didn't have valuation for my car on my first visit. After waiting three week, got the valuation and went to Northpoint an hour ago only to be told - Revenue system is down come back tomorrow. Knowing my luck we'll go into lockdown tonight!

Im well over an hour from a centre with a vrt desk. You think returning with a car is bad - try agricultural machinery that has to go by truck at a cost of about 250 only for the chap there to not have a clue and tried to claim a tractor was a new vehicle because the clock said 5000 hours.
Less than 6000 km is where he was working from but 5000 hours is a well used machine.
The vat request only came days later and after many attempts to get in touch, his answer was to bring it up to us again!!

rawliii

Are there any reputable services that will handle the entire process of importing a car from the UK for you (inspection, transport,NCT,VRT) etc?

Millionaire only not

rawliii wrote: »

Are there any reputable services that will handle the entire process of importing a car from the UK for you (inspection, transport,NCT,VRT) etc?

Me

michellie

rawliii wrote: »

Are there any reputable services that will handle the entire process of importing a car from the UK for you (inspection, transport,NCT,VRT) etc?

Motorsource, very good to deal with

darragh o meara

peaceboi wrote: »

Hi...me also in similar situation. My car is not in their system, so they said they will find out my vrt amount and inform me within 8-10 days. My inspection was finished, and I don't need to bring the car, just need to pay the vrt amount & bring the v5c when I come for paying the vrt. I found a beter car now in the uk. Am wondering if it's possible to trade in back this car for a different car in the uk, since I already have the v5c with me? And just don't turn up for paying the vrt? Or do I need to inform them, am selling this car back in the uk? Your suggestions appreciated. Thanks

Just cancel the appointment and export the car. Problem solved. Just dont cancel it and keep driving the car hoping you get away with it for a few months.

Paremon

michellie wrote: »

Motorsource, very good to deal with

Link?
Found https://www.motorsourcegroup.com/ but doesn't seem applicable.

Any other recommendations folks?

wassie

UKimports will do this. I used them for my first import a few years ago when they were auction only but I think they have changed the model a bit since then. Found them straight enough to deal with, but their fees were not completely transparent (again at that time). Also found they encouraged buyers to pay higher at auction in order to guarantee them a sale, but I held firm on my maximum price.

Tiger72

Guys - i need this kinda fast , a contact no +email for a quote from Revenue for a car from the UK please i have this cvoffice@revenue.ie . i know tis back along on this tread but dont have the time at the moment thanks . How fast do they reply ?

bazz26

I'd say you will be lucky to get any reply if someone is actually monitoring that mail box. All VRT queries to Revenue have to come through the NCT centre these days afaik.

Has the car actually been inspected for VRT by the NCT centre already or is this just an adhoc query on a car you are thinking of buying? If it's the latter then you will be told to present the car for VRT inspection and a VRT stat code will come from that.

User1998

Tiger72 wrote: »

Guys - i need this kinda fast , a contact no +email for a quote from Revenue for a car from the UK please i have this cvoffice@revenue.ie . i know tis back along on this tread but dont have the time at the moment thanks . How fast do they reply ?

Doesn’t work like that. You have to calculate the VRT yourself: https://www.ros.ie/evrt-enquiry/vrtenquiry.html?execution=e1s1

5500

Anyone else got a lead for transport to Dublin? I've a car coming from yorkshire but getting quotes of between €650/750 which seems on the pricey side

Wildly Boaring

Eirtrans ony ones who gave a reasonable quote.

TBH Yorkshiire really is the back of beyond

5500

Yorkshire (sheffield) is pretty central I would have thought, another poster had mentioned p&o taking the car as freight which looks to be the cheaper option as present with the seller transporting to liverpool

All in all

5500 wrote: »

Anyone else got a lead for transport to Dublin? I've a car coming from yorkshire but getting quotes of between €650/750 which seems on the pricey side

I recently got a car from Huddersfield - €400 plus VAT to Tipperary by Eirtrans. Would be cheaper to their depot in Dublin I would imagine.
NVD were €375 plus Vat to any of their depots (Dublin/Cork/Wexford).

I have also done the P&O from Liverpool as freight previously, costs in the region €250-€300 depending on sailings as far as I remember.

younggalway

I started a thread recently about VAT Qualifying vehicles/ Disabled Passenger Scheme etc. and how importing a VQ car from the UK seems to be the best use of the VAT/VRT relief on the scheme. A family member is planning on doing this early in the new year and I have a couple of questions on it:

1. In order to get a Vat Qualifying UK car without paying the VAT, i will need to get the car through a dealer here. I have got one or two rough estimates from Garages in Galway who I know to deal mostly in UK cars so I assume they would have the best access to used cars across the water. Obviously they have to make their profit too but was wondering if I could get someone to source the car for a flat fee (I remember seeing a few references to lads who specialise in bringing cars in for people), I would ne happy enough to risk having no warranty etc as it will be for a 3 year old car. Does anyone know somebody who does this legitimately with a VAT Number? Preferably based in the west.

2. I assume the recent VRT changes won't make too much of a difference in this scenario, the VRT/VAT relief is still up to 16k so I think it should cover for the types of cars the person is looking at (3 year old BMW X3/ Audi Q5/ VW Touareg or similar)

3. If I was to just go through a garage, does anyone have any recommendations that they have used in Galway? Have been in contact with M6 Motors who seem to be very good but just want to have a few quotes.

4. Finally, where do garages source their stock in the UK? I was looking at the BCA site and a lot of the cars, even those that are only 1/2 years old seem to look rough enough. I would be concerned about the person ending up with a rough version of a car based on my advice. Also, I assume dealers buy stock for better price than I could as a private buyer?

Sorry for the long post, any input welcome

deezell

younggalway wrote: »

I started a thread recently about VAT Qualifying vehicles/ Disabled Passenger Scheme etc. and how importing a VQ car from the UK seems to be the best use of the VAT/VRT relief on the scheme. A family member is planning on doing this early in the new year and I have a couple of questions on it:

1. In order to get a Vat Qualifying UK car without paying the VAT, i will need to get the car through a dealer here. I have got one or two rough estimates from Garages in Galway who I know to deal mostly in UK cars so I assume they would have the best access to used cars across the water. Obviously they have to make their profit too but was wondering if I could get someone to source the car for a flat fee (I remember seeing a few references to lads who specialise in bringing cars in for people), I would ne happy enough to risk having no warranty etc as it will be for a 3 year old car. Does anyone know somebody who does this legitimately with a VAT Number? Preferably based in the west.

2. I assume the recent VRT changes won't make too much of a difference in this scenario, the VRT/VAT relief is still up to 16k so I think it should cover for the types of cars the person is looking at (3 year old BMW X3/ Audi Q5/ VW Touareg or similar)

3. If I was to just go through a garage, does anyone have any recommendations that they have used in Galway? Have been in contact with M6 Motors who seem to be very good but just want to have a few quotes.

4. Finally, where do garages source their stock in the UK? I was looking at the BCA site and a lot of the cars, even those that are only 1/2 years old seem to look rough enough. I would be concerned about the person ending up with a rough version of a car based on my advice. Also, I assume dealers buy stock for better price than I could as a private buyer?

Sorry for the long post, any input welcome

1. Is it not the case that the UK dealer can sell you the VQ car without VAT anyway, as you are exporting and especially as UK leaving the EU. It's not his concern as to your VAT status, the revenue will pick this up on VRT inspection, and charge VAT, or not, accordingly.

2. I'd say that's correct.

3.

4.Do you mean Irish or UK garages? I'd say the answer is the same for either, auctions of ex. lease and PCP cars. There simply aren't enough private owner used trade ins, some 80% of UK cars are PCP lease, So dealerd, even big brand main dealers, have to buy these cars wen they're handed back at 3 yrs old. Afaik, the get then cheaper because auction fees to private buyers are extortionate. The clearing houses need the Dealers, they're not going to let Joe Public get a nice trade bargain. It's not surprising if Top brand dealers hete buy the banged up stock, they lever their Dealership image to make a huge profit. Pop round the back of a big Audi or Merc showroom, check out the newly arrived imports before the touch up masters work their magic. Some really crappy examples, but you'll be told it was a little old lady's car when it's had its makeover.
Just buy a VQ car yourself from a UK dealer. If it's less than immaculate, the price will generally reflect this.

Tiger72

User1998 wrote: »

Doesn’t work like that. You have to calculate the VRT yourself: https://www.ros.ie/evrt-enquiry/vrtenquiry.html?execution=e1s1

Maybe i should have said the car is a 2010 Nissan GTR so as usual that car is not listed - at the moment it is booked in for inspection

Tiger72

What are we looking at OMSP of about 50K with a 36% VRT rate ?

deezell

Tiger72 wrote: »

What are we looking at OMSP of about 50K with a 36% VRT rate ?

Closer to 60k maybe? VRT of 36% is correct, Nox of €600. It's all down to the new price in 2010 depreciated by a fair whack. They'll have to base this on open market sales, but I've seen a 2011 for €71k, so.. Good luck, fingers crossed.
Road tax €2350 btw.

Vicxas

People who used the likes of Eiretrans, what was the procedure of buying the car? Did you call the dealer in the UK or did you just send the AA to do a check on it and then get it brought back over to you?

pat1981

Vicxas wrote: »

People who used the likes of Eiretrans, what was the procedure of buying the car? Did you call the dealer in the UK or did you just send the AA to do a check on it and then get it brought back over to you?

i purchased from main dealer, the car was just over 6 months old, so didnt do the inspection thing as car was as new.

Really depends on age of car and whether private sale/versus main dealer, anyway that's my view on it others may still want the car inspected.

You need to make the first call, first to see if the car is for sale then to negotiate a price and if your happy to proceed give a deposit/purchase.

A car brand in the uk that i tried to buy from wouldn't sell to me, I had to deal direct with the retail company, I tried numerous franchises but none would sell to me,the only disadvantage with this I paid 1000 pound more for the same spec car.
Good luck with your search.

darragh o meara

Vicxas wrote: »

People who used the likes of Eiretrans, what was the procedure of buying the car? Did you call the dealer in the UK or did you just send the AA to do a check on it and then get it brought back over to you?

Bought a 4 yr old Merc a few weeks back. Once I explained my situation the dealer organised videos etc of the car, they also arranged to get the car to a main dealer for a health check in my behalf, the dealer contacted me and arranged a Skype call with the mechanic doing the check, he was pretty thorough and pointed out small issues that I wouldn’t have even thought of, any item I asked about he would check there and then etc. I got a report back from them showing one or two small issues and I got the garage selling the car to get them sorted. The garage provided me with a 3 month warranty which they would honour here if I found any issues.

Once happy I arranged to get the car collected and paid using Revolut as soon as Eirtrans confirmed they had the car and paperwork etc.

I was fortunate enough to be dealing with a reputable dealer and one who’s sister company was a main dealer for Mercedes so I was happy to take their word that the car was good, and so far the car is 110%

I have in the past bought cars in the uk blind and it has worked out so far but there are chancers everywhere so beware. Last few cars I bought there were from Non supermarket type garages as the tendency there is to sell sell sell and not worry if the car needs to come back for work.

If in doubt, get an RAC or the likes check done. Usually the garage will be happy enough to hold a car with a small refundable deposit pending an inspection. If they start to push back from an inspection then move on to the next car.

Cona

pat1981 wrote: »

A car brand in the uk that i tried to buy from wouldn't sell to me, I had to deal direct with the retail company, I tried numerous franchises but none would sell to me,the only disadvantage with this I paid 1000 pound more for the same spec car.
Good luck with your search.

Sorry what?
Do you mean you tried to buy from one of the Car Supermarket types but they refused so you had to go to a main dealer?