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

corktina

if you buy several cars AND THEN SELL THEM you may get hassled for Income Tax, but if you are buying them as you say for your own use, there is no liability, even if you later decide to sell them. In some years I may have re-registered up to 10 cars and never had any problems with this.

The_Conductor

corktina wrote: »

In some years I may have re-registered up to 10 cars and never had any problems with this.

You've been extremely lucky in that case.
I have a colleague who imported and re-registered 3 in a 12 month period, and had it queried by Revenue.
Given the explosion in the numbers of cars coming in- Revenue are paying a lot more attention to it than they used do.

timmy4u2

The_Conductor wrote: »

You've been extremely lucky in that case.
I have a colleague who imported and re-registered 3 in a 12 month period, and had it queried by Revenue.
Given the explosion in the numbers of cars coming in- Revenue are paying a lot more attention to it than they used do.

Very true but it not only rings bells as to a suspicion of a commercial enterprise but alerts them to ask where the money came from

topher1990

so i received a copy of the service history from a seller am due to buy from(dealer) and just thought id ring up the stated garage where the service were supposedly carried out and they were unable to find any records of that car going through them.

now does that mean the service history is forged or could be nothing?

discombobulate

topher1990 wrote: »

so i received a copy of the service history from a seller am due to buy from(dealer) and just thought id ring up the stated garage where the service were supposedly carried out and they were unable to find any records of that car going through them.

now does that mean the service history is forged or could be nothing?

A lot of garages wouldn't have computer systems holding the data but if it was a main dealership it was serviced in you'd be expecting them to have a computer system.

Did you ask if they keep records of cars they work on?

When I was getting my car over there the seller had told me the timing belt and DPF had been changed but had no evidence of it. The Garage that did it were able to send me screenshots from their system.

gutteruu

topher1990 wrote: »

so i received a copy of the service history from a seller am due to buy from(dealer) and just thought id ring up the stated garage where the service were supposedly carried out and they were unable to find any records of that car going through them.

now does that mean the service history is forged or could be nothing?

I bought a car in UK last week, but the first car I went looking at was a mint condition accord. Not a scratch anywhere, everything looked perfect. Did a HPI check and found milage didn't match with car (only got reg a few mins before meeting him). Seller then showed me a full service history complete with dealer stamps, receipts, mechanics notes etc all completely fake (rang dealer next day to confirm same as you). Felt down by drivers leg and found 2 holes where CB for the taxi would have been mounted and found a tiny sticky patch on dash where the plate would have been. :eek: Trust nobody!!

topher1990

thanks for that lads, now the only concern im faced with now is that i already wired a good portion of the payment to them yesterday(10kgbp) before i thought to check service history. now apart from this everything else came back clean,(hpi,mot,and all data checks) and i have a rac check booked for monday which is the same day ill be there to collect the car so that should surely bring up any issues with the car and we did agree(verbally) that it was fully refundable.

bazz26

Risky, there is no way I would have hand over any money without first getting the RAC report done. Verbal contracts are rarely worth the paper they are written on. Lets hope the RAC report is favorable or you may have a battle on your hands getting your money back.

An Ard Ri

Hello,

If i import a car which was registered in June 2008, will the tax be based on the cc or the Co2 emmissions. I seem to remember that you can choose the most favourable. But not sure. Thanks in advance.

bazz26

The choice of whichever was lower was only available to cars originally registered in Ireland from Jan 1st 2008 to June 30th 2008. All cars after that automatically went on the co2 system.

To answer your other question, all 2008 or newer imports go on the co2 system.

An Ard Ri

bazz26 wrote: »

The choice of whichever was lower was only available to cars originally registered in Ireland from Jan 1st 2008 to June 30th 2008. All cars after that automatically went on the co2 system.

To answer your other question, all 2008 or newer imports go on the co2 system.

Thanks for the reply.

timmy4u2

bazz26 wrote: »

The choice of whichever was lower was only available to cars originally registered in Ireland from Jan 1st 2008 to June 30th 2008. All cars after that automatically went on the co2 system.

To answer your other question, all 2008 or newer imports go on the co2 system.

I do not think that you are right there. Well, I'm 95% sure that you have the choice up to mid 2008.
I intended to bring in a Feb 2008 1.4 Focus some time ago. I contacted the office and I was told that I had the choice in taxing on co or cc.
The co was dearer to tax than by cc by more than €100 so in the end of the day I got a lower mileage, better spec, nicer condition 07 as the co applicable to later cars was no advantage to me

bazz26

timmy4u2 wrote: »

I do not think that you are right there. Well, I'm 95% sure that you have the choice up to mid 2008.
I intended to bring in a Feb 2008 1.4 Focus some time ago. I contacted the office and I was told that I had the choice in taxing on co or cc.
The co was dearer to tax than by cc by more than €100 so in the end of the day I got a lower mileage, better spec, nicer condition 07 as the co applicable to later cars was no advantage to me

It used to be that way but afaik they have changed it and all imports go on the co2 system these days.

timmy4u2

bazz26 wrote: »

It used to be that way but afaik they have changed it and all imports go on the co2 system these days.

There is no doubt that the VRT is based on co but I will not argue the tax as I did not proceed with the early 08 Focus....as least until I check it out further:)

bazz26

I'd say there aren't too many folks importing cars these days that are cheaper to tax on the cc system over the co2 system either.

timmy4u2

bazz26 wrote: »

I'd say there aren't too many folks importing cars these days that are cheaper to tax on the cc system over the co2 system either.

Probably not but the 1.4 focus is a surprising one. Far dearer to tax on co.

bazz26

Yep, same co2 tax rate as the 1.6 litre. Those engines were not very eco friendly back then. Toyota Avensis 1.6/1.8 cost about €750 to tax back then too and Toyota were stuck with lots of them when the system changed over.

timmy4u2

bazz26 wrote: »

Yep, same co2 tax rate as the 1.6 litre. Those engines were not very eco friendly back then. Toyota Avensis 1.6/1.8 cost about €750 to tax back then too and Toyota were stuck with lots of them when the system changed over.

I know at least three people who got caught out as it never dawned on them that the tax per co could be so high.
Something most people will not realise.

kilns

Quick general Question, I am currently living in Switzerland but hopefully returning home soon in the next few months.

I was driving an Audi here but didnt need it so sold it and not driving a car here now, I am close to the German border where I can pick up some right hand drives.

Question can I pick up a car and bring it back as I have been living here for 2.5 years or is the date the car is registered. I also have a registered address in France, is it possible to buy a car in the UK, register it in France, leave it there for a say 6 months and bring it back with no VRT to pay

discombobulate

kilns wrote: »

Quick general Question, I am currently living in Switzerland but hopefully returning home soon in the next few months.

I was driving an Audi here but didnt need it so sold it and not driving a car here now, I am close to the German border where I can pick up some right hand drives.

Question can I pick up a car and bring it back as I have been living here for 2.5 years or is the date the car is registered. I also have a registered address in France, is it possible to buy a car in the UK, register it in France, leave it there for a say 6 months and bring it back with no VRT to pay

I think you'd have to be resident in France for those 6 months. If not people could just buy cars in the UK get them registered then wait a few months to bring it in.

kilns

Would a properly registered home address in France be sufficient?

discombobulate

kilns wrote: »

Would a properly registered home address in France be sufficient?

No. You need to have been living there. See here

RMDrive

Recently imported a little Fabia and getting the VRT inspection done this week. The speedo dial is in mph only - however there is a digital read-out of the kph that is permanently displayed in the maxidot display. Will this be sufficient to meet the requirement to have a kph speed display?

bazz26

Yes it will, lots of UK cars with only mph on the speedo are imported here every year and pass the NCT all the time.

Supergurrier

Whats generally the best way to pay for a car you are looking at privately in the UK, cash would be dodgy obviously.

timmy4u2

Supergurrier wrote: »

Whats generally the best way to pay for a car you are looking at privately in the UK, cash would be dodgy obviously.

I think cash is king. If your car is not as expected you have the cash in hand to go elsewhere.

If you are afraid that any private seller may be a criminal always make sure that you meet either in a very public place and that you see their home also.
Have your cash concealed or given to a friend and you can always arrange to pay later.

Of course you will have the car checked out, HPI etc, and that the V5 is present and that the chassis number matches up.
Hopefully it will also be registered in the sellers name and that he produces his driving licence as proof of identy

Supergurrier

timmy4u2 wrote: »

I think cash is king. If your car is not as expected you have the cash in hand to go elsewhere.

If you are afraid that any private seller may be a criminal always make sure that you meet either in a very public place and that you see their home also.
Have your cash concealed or given to a friend and you can always arrange to pay later.

Of course you will have the car checked out, HPI etc, and that the V5 is present and that the chassis number matches up.
Hopefully it will also be registered in the sellers name and that he produces his driving licence as proof of identy

Thats about what i thought, however going to far side of the UK alone with 10k cash in your pocket doesn't sound like the best of ideas

timmy4u2

Supergurrier wrote: »

Thats about what i thought, however going to far side of the UK alone with 10k cash in your pocket doesn't sound like the best of ideas

Have often done it. Dont have it in your pocket.
Get a waist pouch and it will be concealed.
Others have different views but I find cash is less hassle.

Supergurrier

timmy4u2 wrote: »

Have often done it. Dont have it in your pocket.
Get a waist pouch and it will be concealed.
Others have different views but I find cash is less hassle.

Brother might come over with me and get him to feck off somewhere until im ready to pay at a bank if car checks out i suppose.

Im sure he would enjoy the experience

gutteruu

Cash gives you better buying power too. Prices change very quickly when you pull out wads of cash.