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

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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 3,558 ✭✭✭netwhizkid


    I myself am going to the UK next week around Midweek and am going to purchase a used BMW 316 - 320 depending on what’s available and price. Hopefully around 1996 to 1998 anything newer and the VRT will screw me.

    The OP's original first post is brilliant. I am going with my Father who will be driving it from South East, greater London region to Swansea for the Cork ferry and home. just a quick few questions if anyone could help.

    Question 1

    First off what would the Insurance situation be as the BMW would have to be covered while we drive it in the UK.

    At the moment my father has his own policy on a 93 Toyota Corolla 1.3l my sister aged 21 and my mother (long time driver) is also on his policy as named drivers. My sister is only on it until June 14th as she is going to Chicago. The Insurance is with Hibernian through a Dublin (Halligans ? brokerage I think ) I wonder would or are Insurance companies in the habit of giving temp cover until we get it home pay the VRT get Irish plates and Documents before taxing and insuring it.

    The plan being to fully transfer my fathers Toyota Policy on to the BMW then and add me on as a named driver which will be expensive as I am 19 and have only a provisional license. The Toyota will be lift Idle until next September when my sister returns and she plans to take out her own policy on the car then, and probably change the ownership of it from my father to her.

    Question 2

    Bank of Ireland quoted me .65 e/x rate for Sterling, This is very pricey as I was hoping to buy it at a bit better value. Is there any other places where sterling can be got a little cheaper. I was thinking that we would either get it here or else when we go over. I'd like to hear what some people went about getting their sterling and the way it worked out, e.g. drafts, cheques, cash etc.

    Question 3

    If anyone has a link to somewhere showing what papers we should be getting when/if we buy the car over there. E.g. Taxbook, Ownership etc.


    Any info or experiences would be very much appreciated.


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,398 ✭✭✭kluivert


    on the FX thats v bad bank of ireland are the worst for this.

    Ann Summers in Newry are .70 so are Dunnes Stores.

    Always found Ulster Bank to be the best of a bad bunch.


  • Registered Users Posts: 34 The Prisoner


    Afternoon all. Quick question re insurance.

    I'm just about to try to register a car with the VRO that I bought in the UK last July.

    The UK tax ran out at the end of May, but the insurance runs until the middle of July.

    Am I still covered on the UK policy until then or do I need to insure it over here straight away?

    Btw I have already informed the DVLA that it is being permanently exported.

    Cheers


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,153 ✭✭✭bkehoe


    Hi all,

    Very useful thread, encouraged me to go to the UK for my next vehicle. Anyway, I've got a question. I know it's been discussed here, but there doesnt seem to be any conclusive answer to it, so hopefully someone could clarify it for me.

    I arrived back with a 05 Discovery yesterday. The seller didnt give me the sections 1 - 8 of the V5 form, only the little slip that's valid for 2 months. Is this enough to get it registered in Ireland or not? They sent the V5 off to the DVLA as they normally do. I'm 95% sure that I have to wait for this to come back from the DVLA, stamped as exported or something... Correct?

    It's what happens in the meantime that seems debatable. I have seen some say that I can go to the local VRO office, explain the situation, and get a form/document from them to show to the guards/customs should I be stopped anywhere untill the full V5 comes from the DVLA.
    On the other hand, I've seen some posts saying that it has to be kept off the road untill the full documents come back. This would be most inconvenient, as I've basically sold my old Discovery.

    I'll be going to visit the local office with the disco on Monday morning to see what the story is, but basically I just wanted to know in advance if I should be prepared to pay the VRT there and then, or if I won't have to for a month. I've no problem with what the amount may be or if I have to backdate the tax to 'now', just wondering what will happen.

    Thanks,
    Brendan.


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,509 ✭✭✭digitaldr


    Same thing happened to me - I informed the VRO and they gave me a cover note (I think it was called a VT4) for a month. The DVLA took about 6 weeks to return the V5 - I didn't go to the VRO for another cover note after the month was up - they didn't seem to mind. My insurance company (Eagle Star) had no problem with the UK reg although I think I read somewhere on here that some companies will only give one months cover.

    Anyway I paid the VRT (which had dropped in the meantime:) ) a few days ago and taxed the car today. The disc is dated 05/07 and I bought the car on 17/04/06.

    Incidently one of the people I talked to at the DVLA asked me to send them a form (available on their website) to apply for a certificate of permenant export which a got the day after they send me the V5. I understand from somewhere on this forum that this is not necessary.


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  • Registered Users Posts: 2,153 ✭✭✭bkehoe


    Got a note off them today no problem thankfully. Doesnt seem to be any time limit on it. They were going on about me needing a certificate of permanent export which I'd need to request from the DVLA. Is this what will arrive when they send me back the v5 form or is it something else?


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,509 ✭✭✭digitaldr


    You'll need to fill in a form requesting a certificate of permanent export from the DVLA - available from their website.


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,074 ✭✭✭RiderOnTheStorm


    not sure if this is the right thread for this question, but here goes:
    What system is in place to make a person re-reg their UK reg'd car? Why cant someone just buy a car over there, and drive it back and keep driving here? the guards cant do anything to a foreign reg'd car!

    (sorry if this has been answered here before, but the thread is so long that i dont have time to read it all!)


  • Registered Users Posts: 32 bringoutthegimp


    not sure if this is the right thread for this question, but here goes:
    What system is in place to make a person re-reg their UK reg'd car? Why cant someone just buy a car over there, and drive it back and keep driving here? the guards cant do anything to a foreign reg'd car!

    (sorry if this has been answered here before, but the thread is so long that i dont have time to read it all!)

    If the Revenue find out you haven't paid your VRT, the least that will happen is your car will be impounded. Then you could face a hefty fine, and/or VRT payment with interest.

    The Gardai will impound your car on their behalf.


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,074 ✭✭✭RiderOnTheStorm


    If the Revenue find out....
    The Gardai will impound your car on their behalf.

    just to be clear, I dont have a UK reg car.
    The reason I asked, is that I see yellow reg cars (I cant tell the diff between English, NI, Scotish, Welsh, etc) all the time, and I know a few on sight from regular meetings on the road (they travel same morning route as me) and I am thinking that they are getting away with speeding (thats what made me remember them). There is nothing concrete to make them re-reg the car. Thats a big 'if' in the 'if the revenue find out....'

    They cant be reported to the guards, as they cant do anything if its a foreign reg, and if picked up on a speed camera the fine / points are not applied.

    Kudos to you guys who buy cars abroad and re-reg them, it is a pain to have to do this, and the VRT is a stinker (that in itself is illegal, accoring to EU regulations)...... I just wish more would do it if they are going to live here also.


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 3,558 ✭✭✭netwhizkid


    Just to update ye,

    Went to London last week, bought a BMW 316 Auto 1997 R reg. Landed home last Monday morning on the Swansea Cork Ferry. I intend to pay the VRT next week hopefully. I had a fair bit of trouble in the UK both finding the Car and with payment. Eventually I found the car in London, out of autotrader.co.uk.

    The real problem was paying for it, my local bank of Ireland here told me to go over and go into the Bank of Ireland in London (of which there are several) That was what I intended to do; go there after seeing the car and get a draft, however when I went there (after two hours trying to find the place in Croydon as they had moved from the address on boi.ie) when I got there they would neither give me cash nor draft, as BOI in the UK no longer does this with about two weeks. I rang my local branch here and told them my story he was very sympathetic and said I should have no problem paying by Debit (laser) card so I went back to my garage and we went to make the transaction on the Debit card, no way would it work, Whatever machine or bank they used would not take my Debit Card.

    So I had to pay by mastercard.....Holy crap €3,000 credit limit and the car was UK£3,800 I rang my bank again and told them the mess i was in.. As I have a good banking record and do not owe any debt they agreed to extend my credit limit to allow for buying the car and booking the ferry home. 10mins later the transaction went through and I had my car bought. Word to the wise, carry cash in future as I was nearly gazumped as an another man came to buy the car and offered the garage £4,000 for it but in fairness they did hold to their first come first served basis. It was rather funny as my debit card worked the next day in Currys when I was buying an iPod and the associated accessories. Paying by Mastercard cost me a 2.5% charge on the UK£3,800 which was UK£95, it cost me an extra €150 roughly but it was either that or leave the car there........ My love of the Bank of Ireland goes deeo you know :mad: :mad:

    I also got a fair quizzing upon boarding the Cork ferry from security (the UK police to be exact), 1st question was how long do you own that car, sir?… A few days I answered, He then demanded to see proof of payment for the car, so I handed him the invoice and the credit card receipt. Our passports were then demanded and we produced them (mine being expired) my fathers was valid and they checked them out and said drive on. We were again asked for our passports at Cork after disembarking the ferry. We got the "drive on" answer again, a Ford Transit in front of us got the sniffer dog treatment though. My father and I undertook this together but I have condensed it all into “me” and "I" to make it clearer and less confusing for you reading this. On another thread I asked about Ryanair’s Photo ID and my Provisional license was fine and was accepted, some people said I would need a valid passport but everything went ok thank god.

    My car checked out on the HPI test and service history was all there, It has tax until October but me and the dealer agreed to knock off £100 on condition I send him back the tax disc, I intend to do this after VRT payment next week. We filled in the DVLA form with my Irish address and I have sections ten (new keeper supplement) an eleven (notification of permanent export).

    I will update ye after paying the VRT with my final analysis.

    Your comments and feedback are very welcome.


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,033 ✭✭✭Mc-BigE


    Yes you've hit the nail on the head when importing cars, buying with sterling draft cheque can be hassle if the seller wants to clear it before handing over the keys. Carrying large amounts of sterling cash is not good and will cost you on exchange rates compaired to draft.
    anyone else have better ways to pay? what about Paypal, bank transfers?

    regarding the ferry, i've brought in two cars in the last 2 years and both times
    it was pretty ok, i was asked were are you coming from? question but it was friendly (i went holyhead first time and fishguard second time)


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 81 ✭✭Padwick


    Long thread to read so this may have already been addressed.

    I was told this evening that you don't have to change a car over to a RoI reg for a year after buying it in the North. Anyone any experience of this or know if it's true?

    Thanks.


  • Registered Users Posts: 725 ✭✭✭Robertr


    Padwick wrote:
    Long thread to read so this may have already been addressed.

    I was told this evening that you don't have to change a car over to a RoI reg for a year after buying it in the North. Anyone any experience of this or know if it's true?

    Thanks.

    Sorry, all cars have to registered within 24hrs of arriving in the country. Only exception is for dealers who can wait until the car is sold on but you have to register for this.


  • Registered Users Posts: 725 ✭✭✭Robertr


    Just to give an update.

    I've found that it can be very handy to use the Freight service provided by the ferry companies. If I don't feel like going over I will get the dealer that I am buying from to deliver to Holyhead (sometimes they charge, sometimes not as they may offer UK delivery). Once you have booked the ticket they can just had over the keys and the Ferry company will look after the rest and you just go and collect at the port in Ireland. THe Ferry ticket is actually cheaper and there are no passengers.

    Just an option.


  • Registered Users Posts: 725 ✭✭✭Robertr


    Mc-BigE wrote:
    Yes you've hit the nail on the head when importing cars, buying with sterling draft cheque can be hassle if the seller wants to clear it before handing over the keys. Carrying large amounts of sterling cash is not good and will cost you on exchange rates compaired to draft.
    anyone else have better ways to pay? what about Paypal, bank transfers?

    regarding the ferry, i've brought in two cars in the last 2 years and both times
    it was pretty ok, i was asked were are you coming from? question but it was friendly (i went holyhead first time and fishguard second time)

    I use Bank Transfers alot now. Obviously only for a dealer. Most will not take drafts unless they can confirm them with their banks first. Obviously there is a bit of trust involved as you have to arrange payment before you see the car but this is where your research and vehicle checks come in.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 81 ✭✭Padwick


    Robertr wrote:
    Sorry, all cars have to registered within 24hrs of arriving in the country. Only exception is for dealers who can wait until the car is sold on but you have to register for this.

    Are there any parts of this guide about ways around it? I don't mean anything illegal, but I spend half of my time every week in NI anyway. Are there things I could change over to count me as being from NI; insurance, licence etc?


  • Registered Users Posts: 725 ✭✭✭Robertr


    just to be clear, I dont have a UK reg car.
    The reason I asked, is that I see yellow reg cars (I cant tell the diff between English, NI, Scotish, Welsh, etc) all the time, and I know a few on sight from regular meetings on the road (they travel same morning route as me) and I am thinking that they are getting away with speeding (thats what made me remember them). There is nothing concrete to make them re-reg the car. Thats a big 'if' in the 'if the revenue find out....'

    They cant be reported to the guards, as they cant do anything if its a foreign reg, and if picked up on a speed camera the fine / points are not applied.

    Kudos to you guys who buy cars abroad and re-reg them, it is a pain to have to do this, and the VRT is a stinker (that in itself is illegal, accoring to EU regulations)...... I just wish more would do it if they are going to live here also.

    You would be suprised how may people have their cars impunded for this. The guards will always ask you in a check point if its imported. I've had a few close calls myself where I have been slow to register and they have threatened to impound. My freind had his can impounded and you don't get it back until you payt eh VRT and fines. Not worth it if you ask me.


  • Registered Users Posts: 725 ✭✭✭Robertr


    Padwick wrote:
    Are there any parts of this guide about ways around it? I don't mean anything illegal, but I spend half of my time every week in NI anyway. Are there things I could change over to count me as being from NI; insurance, licence etc?


    Not really. Unless you can prove residency in NI. Even at that if your local Guard notices that you are allways around in the Yellow reg he may pull you up on it.


  • Registered Users Posts: 725 ✭✭✭Robertr


    bkehoe wrote:
    Got a note off them today no problem thankfully. Doesnt seem to be any time limit on it. They were going on about me needing a certificate of permanent export which I'd need to request from the DVLA. Is this what will arrive when they send me back the v5 form or is it something else?


    You won't need this. You should get the original V5 back in the post (assuming your details are on it) stating that they cannot process for anyone outside of the UK. Then you just need this for the VRT.


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  • Registered Users Posts: 725 ✭✭✭Robertr


    Afternoon all. Quick question re insurance.

    I'm just about to try to register a car with the VRO that I bought in the UK last July.

    The UK tax ran out at the end of May, but the insurance runs until the middle of July.

    Am I still covered on the UK policy until then or do I need to insure it over here straight away?

    Btw I have already informed the DVLA that it is being permanently exported.

    Cheers


    Depends on what you told your insurance company. If they know that the car is coming to Ireland until the policy runs out then it should not be a problem but most companies only alow European cover for a month or so.

    Best check with them.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 81 ✭✭Padwick


    Robertr wrote:
    Not really. Unless you can prove residency in NI. Even at that if your local Guard notices that you are allways around in the Yellow reg he may pull you up on it.

    The cops usually pull for this outside my work once in a while and they make you prove that you're bringing the car back to the North once a week. But I'd say you're correct in that it only applies to residents.
    I was just wondering anyway as I haven't bought up there yet and I only found out today that the VRT is the 25% of what it's worth down here. I always presumed it was 25% of what you paid for the car. Nearly works out as cheap to find a similar car with a freestate reg and save the hassle of changing it.


  • Registered Users Posts: 725 ✭✭✭Robertr


    Padwick wrote:
    The cops usually pull for this outside my work once in a while and they make you prove that you're bringing the car back to the North once a week. But I'd say you're correct in that it only applies to residents.
    I was just wondering anyway as I haven't bought up there yet and I only found out today that the VRT is the 25% of what it's worth down here. I always presumed it was 25% of what you paid for the car. Nearly works out as cheap to find a similar car with a freestate reg and save the hassle of changing it.

    Ahh, but its not what its worth, its what the Revenue think its worth which can be much higher or lower then the actual worth which is the main factor in deciding what to go for.

    For example, they totally overvalue BMW's and charge way too much VRT compared to the others.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 81 ✭✭Padwick


    Robertr wrote:
    Ahh, but its not what its worth, its what the Revenue think its worth which can be much higher or lower then the actual worth which is the main factor in deciding what to go for.

    For example, they totally overvalue BMW's and charge way too much VRT compared to the others.

    This is a '03 Passat. But it's a 1.9 TDi SE model. Costs €11,700 but on the VRT Calculator it's valued at €16,000, so they'd want €4,000 to change over.
    How accurate are these calculations?


  • Registered Users Posts: 725 ✭✭✭Robertr


    Padwick wrote:
    This is a '03 Passat. But it's a 1.9 TDi SE model. Costs €11,700 but on the VRT Calculator it's valued at €16,000, so they'd want €4,000 to change over.
    How accurate are these calculations?


    Well, looking at carzone.ie the cheapest 03 Passat 1.9TDI in the country is 18,000 and thats with 80,000 miles. So if you can get a good one all in for 15,700 it would seem like a good price to me.

    The calculation are 100% in regards to what you will be charged when you show up. As long as you don't wait too long between.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 81 ✭✭Padwick


    Robertr wrote:
    Well, looking at carzone.ie the cheapest 03 Passat 1.9TDI in the country is 18,000 and thats with 80,000 miles. So if you can get a good one all in for 15,700 it would seem like a good price to me.

    The calculation are 100% in regards to what you will be charged when you show up. As long as you don't wait too long between.

    Sounds decent then if that's accurate. Higher than I expected but not bad all in all if it's over 2k cheaper than what's out there down here.
    I'm without a car so need to move pretty quickly in getting one. Are there any problems with sorting out finance generally with a UK garage or do you need to be bringing cash to the table always? I've my eye on an A4 (RoI registered) for similar money but I have heard most people say the Passat is generally the better car. Probably should post a separate thread or search for an older one on that question though.


  • Registered Users Posts: 725 ✭✭✭Robertr


    Padwick wrote:
    Sounds decent then if that's accurate. Higher than I expected but not bad all in all if it's over 2k cheaper than what's out there down here.
    I'm without a car so need to move pretty quickly in getting one. Are there any problems with sorting out finance generally with a UK garage or do you need to be bringing cash to the table always? I've my eye on an A4 (RoI registered) for similar money but I have heard most people say the Passat is generally the better car. Probably should post a separate thread or search for an older one on that question though.

    Unless your resident in the UK with a UK bank you'll probably have trouble with the finance.

    I'd recommend checking the A4's in the UK also as Audi's uaually are a good car to import.

    Anyway, seems your on your way, just need to make up your mind now. Good luck!


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 81 ✭✭Padwick


    Robertr wrote:
    Unless your resident in the UK with a UK bank you'll probably have trouble with the finance.

    I'd recommend checking the A4's in the UK also as Audi's uaually are a good car to import.

    Anyway, seems your on your way, just need to make up your mind now. Good luck!

    Cheers, you've been a great help I've a lot more now to help me decide. I'll have to decide quickly anyway.
    Hopefully I have better luck with this one, as you may have seen from my other thread the last one was a disaster.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 13 avicbebaldemelt


    not so sure lads about the guards been able to take a ni/english car off you and impound it.yes they are usually present at a checkpoint,but if the car is taxed insured and road worthy i believe they have no powers to impound the car.they might like to threathen but thats it-don`t see them impounding too many latvian/polish/lt motors. customs give you one warning usually and if your caught again -seize it.


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  • Registered Users Posts: 2,153 ✭✭✭bkehoe


    Thanks Robert, that is what they did (put my Irish address on it), and that is what I expected to happen, but the guy in the tax office rambling on about this other cert was confusing me. Will just wait so. :)

    Notice a couple of questions regarding payment. Before I went over I had picked out the car I wanted. One of my questions when talking to the dealers was about payment. Only around 50% seemed willing to take a bank draft. In the end I had come up with 2 options, both from Land Rover main dealers, both 1 year old, everything exactly the same, even the milage was similar. My preferred dealer was in Swansea (which would have been handy for ferry in Fishguard), but they wouldnt take a bank draft, and wanted the money sent over a few days in advance. While I was confident about the vehicle, I just wasnt willing to hand over money without actually seeing it. I could, of course, have gone over to view it, come back, paid, and then gone over again, but that would have added a few hundred euro to the cost. So, I went to the further away dealer near Swindon, who was more than happy to take a bank draft. I got it from my local AIB branch the day before I went. I also brought the receipt for the draft with me, and showed it to them for reassurance purposes. They didnt need to ring the bank to check the draft or anything like that. I had to give them a deposit on my visa before going btw.

    Took the HSS from Holyhead to Dun Laoghaire the following morning. No police/checks getting on to the ferry (have never seen any inspections here tbh) and no questions when getting off.

    Since getting back, I've been through 5 or 6 garda checkpoints. None have even spoken to me, just been waved on, after a few confused looks at the uk tax!


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