€30,000 to spend - What car would you buy?

Dinarius

I want a diesel. Must have air con/ABS/.

I am considering the Volvo S40 Sport - incredible spec -

Golf TDi 150BHP - lousy spec. Everything is extra. e.g. Air Con is €2100 extras - but a very sexy car

Laguna 1.9Dci 120BHP. Incredible spec. Looks better than the Volvo, but not as sexy as the Golf.

Any other cars I should be considering?

D.

mike65

Well I would'nt be a snob the Laguna is a great value buy for its spec but maybe a Skoda Ocatvia would be even better in that respect.
Also if you want to push upmarket what about a one year old BMW 320d
or Saab 9-3, 9-5?

http://www.carzone.ie/newcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=Details&uid=1783

http://www.autopoint.ie/AutoOpinion2.asp?compareid=&CompareMake=&make=SK&model=3154

http://www.autopoint.ie/AutoOpinion2.asp?compareid=&CompareMake=&make=SA&model=2267

http://www.autopoint.ie/AutoOpinion2.asp?compareid=&CompareMake=&make=BM&model=1788

Mike.

Chimaera

I'd go for a nearly new Mondeo TDCi (130bhp and as much torque as a Jag 3.2 V8) at that kind of money - great car, great engine. Loads of room inside.

Laguna would be a good buy too - doesn't handle as well as the Mondeo, but rides better. Engine is also a peach.

Golf is a heap of crap - ugly, overweight and handles like a boat. Expensive to boot. Engine is old too. It's also a great deal smaller than anything else on your list.

Dinarius

Cheers guys. Extremely helpful.

I should have said that I am buying for export - my wife is being transferred to Brussels for a year - so we will be able to buy less VRT and VAT. A once in a lifetime chance. But, we have set a ceiling of €20,000 (after the deductions) as we will have two rents/mortgages to pay during the year since we are not letting our Dublin apartment. So, €30,000 is my limit. This would mean paying about €19,000-€19,500 in reality.

Hadn't considered the Mondeo (always think of it as a fleet car) nor the Octavia. What's the Octavia's second hand value like?

Thanks again.

D.

Dinarius

ps......................

That's also why we're not buying second hand. Nothing to gain on the VRT front.

D.

DivX

One thing worth considering is which one will depreciate the hardest.

When a new model is introduced the old model's value usually takes a nose dive... will probably affect the Golf, S40, 406.


Approx. list price(incl. VRT)


Ford Mondeo 2.0TDCi Zetec 119bhp €28,269
Skoda Octavia Tdi 1.9 110bhp €25,530
VW Passat 1.9 TDI BASE 100HP €28.220
VW Bora 1.9TDi 100bhp €26,110

Laguna 1.9 dCi Sport Pl 105bhp €28,450
Laguna 1.9 dCi Super Sp 120bhp €31,000

Volvo S40 1.9D 115bhp €27,810

VW Golf 1.9 TDi 5dr 100bhp €23,950

Repli

I'd get an alfa 156 t-spark (1.6/1.8)
Or a 99/01 mercedes CLK, or BMW

DivX

Dinarius, just wondering would the car be exempt from irish vat and what's the equivalent sales tax in belgium.

Do you have to take delivery in belgium? and when you go to reimport the car in 12 months are you exempt VRT then?

I'm assuming your buying a right hand drive version.

Dinarius

DivX,

I am buying it here. Right hand drive.

I then get what are called ZZ Plates from the AA. These are a form of registration and insurance that cover the car for about 48 hours (I think) - enough to get it across to Brussels on the car ferry.

The car must then be out of the country AND I must have proof of having lived outside the country for a minimum of 365 days. Then, when I return, I don't have to pay any duty or VRT.

D.

GillyS

Dinarius,

You WILL have to pay VAT on the car when you import it to Belgium, however you will avoid the VRT when you bring it back into Ireland. I went through the process myself about 5 years ago in Belgium.

It might be worth looking into buying the car in Belgium , most garages there are able to source RHD cars - especially the german makes and it might work out cheaper. It also might be possible to get Belgium export plates put on the car , these are like irish ZZ plates but can last up to a year, you just need to prove that you will be leaving the country within the year. It would mean avoiding the belgian equivalent of road tax...

That said I know they changed the rules on the export plates a couple of years ago so you'd have to check that out.

Gilly

Ba$tard

boards.ie is great!
Finding other people like GillyS being thru the same situation before!

I dunnot about the whole VRT/tax thing, but do know the German cars in Belgium are very very cheap and do a relatively brisk trade in exporting RHD cars to UK/Eire.


As for the car choice, I would need to recommend the;
Laguna 1.9 dCi Super Sp 120bhp €31,000

Or if you could stretch to the 2.2 DCi, its a very very smooth car with loads of pulling power, plus 150bhp.

Best of luck in Belgium!

seamus

Volkswagon Passat w/ all the trimmings.

€28,000 incl VAT & VRT, so you'd get it much cheaper.

Animal car.

Dinarius

Once again, thanks for all the help.

I have decided to go for the 120 BHP Laguna. €18,600 including metallic. A steal!

The 2.2 litre diesel would be nice, but it would take us over our budget.

The Passat, typical of all German cars sold here, charges extra for most things. I don't think that the spec of the €28,000 comes close to the Laguna. Anyway, the Laguna is gorgeous!

Gilly, will check up on your point about Belgian VAT, but my friend in Foreign Affairs says the you don't have to pay it.

We'll see.

Ta.

D.

Ba$tard

120 BHP Laguna. €18,600 including metallic

I feel ill, I am going to collapse.

Can you buy 2 please? hehehe

GillyS

Dinarius,

You probably don't have to pay if its a diplomatic posting but VAT has to be paid somewhere in the EC unfortunately. I paid it in Belgium because at the time their VAT rate was lower than ours but I think they are the same now.

You won't be able to register the car in Belgium without customs clearance.

Anyhow , enjoy the car (and the Belgian beer!), its always good to poke a finger in the eye of the government:D

Gilly

Dinarius

Gilly,

You're right, it is a diplomatic posting.

I hope that makes a difference. I haven't got a conclusive answer on it yet. Will post when I do. Worth sharing the info.

Ta.

D.

Dinarius

ps...........

For the record here are the sums..............

Renault Laguna 1.9dci 130BHP with metallic.

Full list price €31,800

Less discount for no trade-in - 2,200

€29,600

Less VRT - 7,065

€22,535

Less 21% VAT - 3,911

Total payable €18,624

D.

mike65

For the record here are the sums..............
Renault Laguna 1.9dci 130BHP with metallic.
Full list price €31,800
Less discount for no trade-in - 2,200
€29,600
Less VRT - 7,065
€22,535
Less 21% VAT - 3,911
Total payable €18,624

Feck it, I feel sick. Lets bomb the government! :ninja:

Mike.

Dinarius

Just been offered the Laguna for €17,750 by another dealer.

It gets better!

D.

daveg

Originally posted by mike65
Feck it, I feel sick. Lets bomb the government! :ninja:

Mike.

I'm with ya :ninja:

Ba$tard

Lets buy the bombs in Germany because they will cost us too much here !

VRT THIS YOU MOFO BA$TARDS!