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

testicle · 18-12-2009 1:43pm

draycottgirlz wrote: »

pm me details on the car, including price I might know someone who would be interested in it....

He can't sell it for 12 months, unless you want to pay the VRT too...

draycottgirlz · 18-12-2009 2:17pm

testicle wrote: »

He can't sell it for 12 months, unless you want to pay the VRT too...

i know that....

Padraig Mor · 18-12-2009 2:32pm

badlyparkedmerc wrote: »

(Wasn't sure whether to put this on the scrappage or UK thread)

Does anyone know if the scrappage scheme, which seems to be VRT relief, only applies to Irish bought new cars.

I've checked the revenue FAQ http://www.revenue.ie/en/tax/vrt/faqs-scrappage-scheme.html and it concentrates much more on the eligibility of the car to be scrapped than the car to be bought which is described as a "new passenger car with CO2 emissions of not more than 140g/km".

Since VRT is paid by Irish customers on privately bought UK cars whether new or second hand it would seem possible they could be covered as well.

I reckon you're right and it does apply to imported new cars!

Tragedy · 01-01-2010 9:04pm

Imported car in early October, appealed VRT in early December.

Car wasn't on ROS, they valued it at €5,200, I compared it to two other similar cars on carzone/donedeal/ebay, contrasted options+condition+mileage, attached pictures of damage to paintwork+alloys+leather seats, attached receipts for new tyres, servicing parts, tracking.

Within two weeks(i appealed by registered post btw), got a letter back - car revalued at €4,000 and a cheque for €324

Be reasonable, give a good argument, and give any evidence you have - worked for me!

Mc Love · 07-01-2010 12:36am

If buying a car from Ford Direct, would you still need to get all the checks done, even though its done for you by RAC and Ford?

Ford Direct: http://www.ford.co.uk/FordDirect

Mc Love · 10-01-2010 12:21am

I am going to call a dealer in the UK about a car I saw, have done an AA check on the reg and everything has checked out ok. I was wondering what questions should I have for the dealer?

I was going to ask whats the best price they can offer the car to me at? Or even suggest a price after they have given me an answer.

If everything is satisfactory, then I hope to be putting a deposit down. How should I know how much to put on or will the dealer tell me?

Cheers, Sparks

jonnygee · 10-01-2010 1:28am

sparkysrovers wrote: »

If buying a car from Ford Direct, would you still need to get all the checks done, even though its done for you by RAC and Ford?

Ford Direct: http://www.ford.co.uk/FordDirect

I bought a ford direct car (a focus 1.6 tdci zetec) in december from northern ireland from a ford main dealer, it has a full 2 year warranty. I dont see the point in any further checks than usual on these. signed rac inspection satisfys me. Ford main dealer in donegal will do the servicing and any warranty work that might be needed.
By the way the ros vrt calculator is valuing these cars at what i believe is a very reasonable figure of omsp of 14387 euros (feb 09 8500 miles) which gives a vrt calculation of 2014 euros to import. A bargain in my opinion for a 109 bhp diesel focus zetec.

Mc Love · 10-01-2010 1:53am

Thanks Jonnygee

Markx · 24-01-2010 4:43pm

Hi, I live in England and am planning to move back to Ireland in the summer. I plan to buy a car in the North and use it there (as i move between there and London a fair bit) until I'm ready to take it south and register etc.

Reading posts here and looking at vrt.ie i should be exempt from VRT after 6 months. My concern is that my address is in London but I won't be keeping the car there. Does anyone know if this is likely to be questioned? Anybody heard of a similar situation before?

Thanks

Kotek Besar · 24-01-2010 4:50pm

Markx wrote: »

My concern is that my address is in London but I won't be keeping the car there. Does anyone know if this is likely to be questioned? Anybody heard of a similar situation before?

Once you've bought the car in NI, complete the V5 inserting your address in London. The car will be de-registered with the DVLNI and registered with the DVLA. I believe you can opt for a new GB registration number or keep the NI reg. There is no charge.

The car can be kept in NI or in any other part of the UK, but you may want to inform your insurance company of where the car usually sleeps, for accuracy and to ensure that your insurance is valid in case of any claim.

Markx · 24-01-2010 5:25pm

Thanks Kotek. Thats helpful info

tomasis100 · 10-02-2010 3:50pm

Can anyone confirm how is VAT @ 21% added to a new car imported from NI. Is it simply adding 21pc to the purchase price shown on the invoice I bought my car for, or some heebie-jeebie calculation (like open market price estimate and so on)? Thanks for your help.

The_Conductor · 10-02-2010 3:54pm

tomasis100 wrote: »

some heebie-jeebie calculation (like open market price estimate and so on)

Unfortunately its true.....
Of late they seem to be a lot more reasonable with people who dispute off-the-wall calculations, providing they have good documentary evidence on which to base their dispute.

skippy2 · 17-02-2010 2:04pm

HI
I am buying a car from the UK and hope to go over next week to pick it up
Can i drive it with no tax over there to get it to the ferry
I dont want to be stopped on the way back to the ferry by the UK police and have any problems
Dealer has asked me
"Will you be taking the car on trade plates? We will ask you to sign a letter stating that you have requested we don’t tax the vehicle."

Is this OK

Is there anytihng else i need to be aware of
I will get it insured for the trip back from here

Many thanks

Stevie Dakota · 17-02-2010 3:28pm

skippy2 wrote: »

HI
I am buying a car from the UK and hope to go over next week to pick it up
Can i drive it with no tax over there to get it to the ferry
I dont want to be stopped on the way back to the ferry by the UK police and have any problems
Dealer has asked me
"Will you be taking the car on trade plates? We will ask you to sign a letter stating that you have requested we don’t tax the vehicle."

Is this OK

Is there anytihng else i need to be aware of
I will get it insured for the trip back from here

Many thanks

If you drive without tax you are taking a chance, but you may get away with it if stopped given you are exporting, I've brought a couple of cars in and never had an issue. The dealer is within his rights to ask you to sign that letter.

Tipperarymike · 17-02-2010 9:00pm

... already answered within this thread but I was unsure of what exactly to search for .

My query is as follows...

a friend of mine brought a car in from Wales about nine or ten months ago but didnt clear it/pay duty or whatever the exact term is at that time as he was returning to work in Dubai. He stored it in a garage since then but now is coming back next week and is thinking of sorting it out and getting it regd up now.

What should his next move be? Will he have to pay the VRT etc as it would have been last year or can he just say he brought it over now?

Sorry again if this is already somewhere in here but it seems like an odd sort of situation

Cheers

copacetic · 17-02-2010 9:03pm

skippy2 wrote: »

HI
I am buying a car from the UK and hope to go over next week to pick it up
Can i drive it with no tax over there to get it to the ferry
I dont want to be stopped on the way back to the ferry by the UK police and have any problems
Dealer has asked me
"Will you be taking the car on trade plates? We will ask you to sign a letter stating that you have requested we don’t tax the vehicle."

Is this OK

Is there anytihng else i need to be aware of
I will get it insured for the trip back from here

Many thanks

ask the dealer to tax it for you. why take the risk? If you get stopped they could take the car off you and you'd have to stay a day or two and travel to get it taxed and released.

The_Conductor · 17-02-2010 9:12pm

Tipperarymike wrote: »

... already answered within this thread but I was unsure of what exactly to search for .

My query is as follows...

a friend of mine brought a car in from Wales about nine or ten months ago but didnt clear it/pay duty or whatever the exact term is at that time as he was returning to work in Dubai. He stored it in a garage since then but now is coming back next week and is thinking of sorting it out and getting it regd up now.

What should his next move be? Will he have to pay the VRT etc as it would have been last year or can he just say he brought it over now?

Sorry again if this is already somewhere in here but it seems like an odd sort of situation

Cheers

Providing he can prove he only brought it into the conuntry on date X (normally by way of a ferry ticket) he should be fine. He may have to organise a trailer or some means of getting it as far as the ferry- so it doesn't get impounded en route though- they give you a little leeway to export the car- a day or two perhaps- but certainly not months.

Tipperarymike · 17-02-2010 9:24pm

Hi smc

I actually seem to have misled you there. He wants to keep the car in Ireland as now he will be back for longer periods at a time than before. The way I wrote it first time sounds like he wants to take it to Dubai.

he just bought it last year as the exchange rate was decent and thought at that time he would be here for longer but got called back for work the day he actually brought it over from Wales hence being in the garage ever since.

The_Conductor · 17-02-2010 9:33pm

Tipperarymike wrote: »

Hi smc

I actually seem to have misled you there. He wants to keep the car in Ireland as now he will be back for longer periods at a time than before. The way I wrote it first time sounds like he wants to take it to Dubai.

he just bought it last year as the exchange rate was decent and thought at that time he would be here for longer but got called back for work the day he actually brought it over from Wales hence being in the garage ever since.

The car has to be registered within 24 hours of taking it into the country. If you get a statement from a Garda that the car has not been on the road- normally you will get away without taxing it until such time as the same Garda gives a statement saying its to go back on the road again.

Aka- you have to register it and pay VRT from date of import- but providing you get a testiment from a Garda- you pay tax and insurance from date of first use.

Tipperarymike · 17-02-2010 9:36pm

Thanks again for such a prompt reply.

I think he was dreading that as he hoped he would get away with it as being imported now and therefore the amount of VRT would be lower with the car being that bit older!

Esel · 17-02-2010 11:47pm

Yes, it would be wrong of him to present the car as if he had just imported it yesterday.......

rchapman247 · 20-02-2010 2:03pm

Hi,
Can anyone help out with a query? I have a car which I have owned for 12 months which I believe is ok to import and secure tax exemption on (I am a UK resident and employee this last 3 years). My father has offered to give me his car, which he has owned more than 6 months. So here's the question - In this scenario would my fathers car be exempt? I get conflicting advice. Some friends say that car would be exempt and others say it would not be.
Help
R

R.O.R · 20-02-2010 2:10pm

rchapman247 wrote: »

Hi,
Can anyone help out with a query? I have a car which I have owned for 12 months which I believe is ok to import and secure tax exemption on (I am a UK resident and employee this last 3 years). My father has offered to give me his car, which he has owned more than 6 months. So here's the question - In this scenario would my fathers car be exempt? I get conflicting advice. Some friends say that car would be exempt and others say it would not be.
Help
R

Only if your father is also moving permanantly from the UK to Ireland as well.

The important thing to note in the legistlation is that YOU have to have owned the car for more than 6 months.

rchapman247 · 20-02-2010 2:17pm

Thanks. It is definitely 6 months and not 12? So to be clear, I would need to change ownership to me, and move to Ireland in 6 months+, to be able to exempt?

Esel · 21-02-2010 12:00am

You would also have to show that you used the car during that 6+ months i.e. mileage increase, insurance cert.

Mc Love · 28-02-2010 1:54pm

Has anyone had any problems with bringing cash over and paying for a car as opposed to bank draft/transfer?

Just wondering what is the best practice?

Leeside · 11-03-2010 2:29pm

Another question on Road Tax in the UK when driving to the Ferry. The car I'm buying is not taxed at present and cannot be taxed by the garage without an insurance certificate. I have arranged insurance cover here and have an email from my insurer confirming this but a cert will only be issued once re registered with Irish reg no. So the car cannot be taxed. Looks like a classic catch 22 situation.

Is there anyway I can get around this?

Kotek Besar · 11-03-2010 2:45pm

Leeside wrote: »

Another question on Road Tax in the UK when driving to the Ferry. The car I'm buying is not taxed at present and cannot be taxed by the garage without an insurance certificate. I have arranged insurance cover here and have an email from my insurer confirming this but a cert will only be issued once re registered with Irish reg no. So the car cannot be taxed. Looks like a classic catch 22 situation.

Is there anyway I can get around this?

The UK garage can tax it. Don't know why they're saying they cannot unless you provide an insurance cert.

Anyway, some people have reported that, even if stopped by the police on the way to the ferry, they let you off if you can prove that you're on the way there and the car is going to be exported.

The_Conductor · 11-03-2010 4:01pm

Kotek Besar wrote: »

The UK garage can tax it. Don't know why they're saying they cannot unless you provide an insurance cert.

Anyway, some people have reported that, even if stopped by the police on the way to the ferry, they let you off if you can prove that you're on the way there and the car is going to be exported.

Legally in the UK- you cannot tax a car, unless its insured.

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

Comments