UK dealers organising inspection trips?

sk8board · 27-05-2008 9:56pm #1

Does anyone know if UK garages are gearing up to actively market and sell their cars in Ireland (en-masse, far more than are imported currently) after July 1st?

They have the same glut of cars on the 2nd hand market as ourselves, and were I a reputable dealer with a yard full of lower emission cars (I'm thinking bmw and so forth), surely i'd be aware that they are about to become very very attractive to irish buyers, and maybe even start organising inspection trips to a docks yard full to the ears of 320d's and 520d's, (almost ala bulgarian property).

or maybe this happens already ......

L-M · 27-05-2008 10:38pm

The new system only works on cars registered after July. All second hands will stay on the old system. If u search on boards u'll find plenty to read about.

Lord Nikon · 27-05-2008 10:57pm

Didn't it include cars registered after the 1st of January '08 too?

L-M · 27-05-2008 10:59pm

I think it's only after July, could be from the start of 08. But i think the OP is refering to pre 08 stock.
"They have the same glut of cars on the 2nd hand market as ourselves",
i can't imagine there's a glut of 08 cars on the English market.

Lord Nikon · 27-05-2008 11:03pm

True...

I was wondering, do these new prices make them cheaper then their UK counterparts?

L-M · 27-05-2008 11:07pm

I never thought about it like that to be honest. If anything, it will stop the need for importing them. Alot of what adds up the price on the Irish cars is the VRT, so if the vrt is lowered, won't it work out the same? Confusing myself now:o

bazz26 · 27-05-2008 11:30pm

VRT changes to the new Co2 system on used imports from 1st July, motor tax stays on the existing engine on pre 2008 cars afaik.

Imported used diesel cars will be the big movers here come July.

Lord Nikon · 27-05-2008 11:34pm

bazz26 wrote: »

Imported used diesel cars will be the big movers here come July.

Bring it on.

finbarrk · 28-05-2008 7:31am

It all sounds fine to import the UK diesel after July 1st, but when it's so difficult to sell the cars we are driving at the moment there won't be a massive surge across the water by people.

Henry Ford III · 28-05-2008 9:16am

Loads (thousands) of cars are being imported into Ireland as is. Why would a UK dealer go to the additional bother and expense of arranging a trip for prospective Irish buyers?

Bendihorse · 28-05-2008 9:23am

Limerick-man wrote: »

The new system only works on cars registered after July. All second hands will stay on the old system. If u search on boards u'll find plenty to read about.

Yes but my understanding is that second hand cars imported after july are under the new system?

Anyway, dont think the 'trips' you speak of are really a runner. Both car markets are saturated with second hands at the moment.

sk8board · 28-05-2008 9:36am

Limerick-man wrote: »

The new system only works on cars registered after July. All second hands will stay on the old system. If u search on boards u'll find plenty to read about.

I know there are 20 different versions, but this isn't correct. All cars qualify for the new Co2-based VRT come July, but only '08 ones qualify for the Co2-based motor tax.

so, back OT,

From a quick search of auto-trader and carzone for an '05 new model 320d SE.

auto trader throws up 1,200 of them, with mid-range motorway milers (50k miles) for £12k (€15k).
The VRT at 20% on an '05 is 20% of the OMPP of 31k (according to VRT.ie), so about €6k.

thats €21k in total (not including travel costs) from the UK versus about €30k for any high-mileage ES model from carzone (which won't qualify for reduced VRT).

Its just a rough calculation, but relatively accurate all the same. It should be about 20% cheaper at least to import. If you get the 16% VRT version of the 320d, then you will save even more.
#
Which brings me back to my original point: why would you buy pre-08 diesels here, when they are so much cheaper a 30min flight away.
i.e. why not organise a one-day-only trip to a dock-yard in Liverpool, and all main-dealers send their cars, just like Merc do here in Swords every year to help clear the forecourts.

maybe the answer is that the BMW-UK dealers wouldn't be allowed pull a fast one on the IRL-dealers, who knows.

sk8board · 28-05-2008 9:49am

Bendihorse wrote: »

Anyway, dont think the 'trips' you speak of are really a runner. Both car markets are saturated with second hands at the moment.

you're right, its the same situation in the UK, but the prices are still cheaper in the UK, whatever way you cut it. Here in IRL, people have an inflated sense of what their 3-series is worth, but the new VRT system will make them very had to shift (the pre-08 diesels).

why spend €30k plus, when you can spend €22-24k.

according to SIMI, 60-70k cars are imported annually; imagine that increases substantially come july , as every non-main dealer starts importing on the cheap, and offering 6 month warranties etc etc. The market might end up being flooded with imports, making it even harder to shift a pre '08 Irish car.

Bendihorse · 28-05-2008 10:42am

sk8board wrote: »

you're right, its the same situation in the UK, but the prices are still cheaper in the UK, whatever way you cut it. Here in IRL, people have an inflated sense of what their 3-series is worth, but the new VRT system will make them very had to shift (the pre-08 diesels).

why spend €30k plus, when you can spend €22-24k.

according to SIMI, 60-70k cars are imported annually; imagine that increases substantially come july , as every non-main dealer starts importing on the cheap, and offering 6 month warranties etc etc. The market might end up being flooded with imports, making it even harder to shift a pre '08 Irish car.

The second hand car market here will have to adjust in line with market value in the UK, thats why cars are not selling here at the moment (People are holding prices regardless - they are not desperate, yet). Its only a matter of time before irish sellers reduce their asking prices in line with whats available on sale in the UK in order to shift their motors, its simple ecomomics.

Then after all the cars have been imported from the UK, and the irish market is double saturated, no car, either irish or uk import, will be worth diddly squat. Ok so importing saves you in the short term, but long term its just making a mess of the market in a small country.

People SHOULD hold off and wait for the market here to adjust rather than import, it will save the value of their car and the car market in general in the long run.

But we all know short sighted, eye on the pie irish mentality means people wont see the wood from the trees

sk8board · 29-05-2008 5:13pm

This is probably what I'm actually referring to, whereby the cars are actually already here. This fella looks like he's stocking up for July:
http://www.carzone.ie/used-cars/BMW/520/Saloon-2/988830/

Choice of ten models seven colour available all 30000 miles and under special price for straight cash deals call for further information dont miss out., VRT INCLUDED NATION WIDE DELIVERY

they are all up to €8-10k less (with special cash price) than equivalent irish models also on carzone.

UK dealers organising inspection trips?

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