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

tomm1077

So they are!! Just checked it & you're right! I was told that if a car was registered between January 1st & June 30th 2008, they would be taxed using the CC system. At least that opens my choice rage even more!

djtechnics1210

If i buy an 06 BMW in UK and then register it here, what tax band will i get... is it the new or old one.

Seth Brundle

VRT will be at the new rates - motor tax will be at the old rates
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055199036

djtechnics1210

Do i have to pay both VRT and VAT when i bring the car in from UK, or do i just pay VRT and thats the only extra to pay on the car???

The_Conductor

djtechnics1210 wrote: »

Do i have to pay both VRT and VAT when i bring the car in from UK, or do i just pay VRT and thats the only extra to pay on the car???

You only pay Irish VAT if the car is less than 6 months old and/or has less than 7k km on the clock.

djtechnics1210

Thanks for the help lads. Gonna try and import 06 BMW 530D or maybe 04/05 525D some time this year. Just checking out what all my extras will be. Prices are good by looks on net and VRT isn't as bad as i thought it would be

niceirishfella

djtechnics1210 wrote: »

Thanks for the help lads. Gonna try and import 06 BMW 530D or maybe 04/05 525D some time this year. Just checking out what all my extras will be. Prices are good by looks on net and VRT isn't as bad as i thought it would be

good choice DJ. I've imported quite a few 530d,525d's and 535d's et cetera. They are a good value import imho.

djtechnics1210

niceirishfella wrote: »

good choice DJ. I've imported quite a few 530d,525d's and 535d's et cetera. They are a good value import imho.

Iv always wanted one and now that the exchange is so good i might aswell splash out now or otherwise i'll never get one.
How much do you think would be a normal uk price range for 05/06 525d or 530d.
Looking at loads of different ones on net but a lot seem too good to be true.

bombers

520 d m sport manual + few extra's 09jan

Cost £31000
Less VAT @ 15% £ 4650

Total Cost £26350 (Euro 29606)

Add Vat @ 21.5% (VRT Office jan rate =0.944) Euro 6001.32
Add Vrt @ 16% (Stat code 46385297,136Co2) Euro 7786


Total Euro 13787.32
Euro 29606.00

Grand Total Euro 43393.00

Does this seem right or am i missing something , roughly speaking on calculation of english cost but vat and vrt should be right (?)
new one here approx 55k

fm

the vat on 31k is 4043.divide 31000 by 1.15 = 26956

bombers wrote: »

520 d m sport manual + few extra's 09jan

Cost £31000
Less VAT @ 15% £ 4650

Total Cost £26350 (Euro 29606)

Add Vat @ 21.5% (VRT Office jan rate =0.944) Euro 6001.32
Add Vrt @ 16% (Stat code 46385297,136Co2) Euro 7786


Total Euro 13787.32
Euro 29606.00

Grand Total Euro 43393.00

Does this seem right or am i missing something , roughly speaking on calculation of english cost but vat and vrt should be right (?)
new one here approx 55k

cullenswood

Was going to go up North to look at a car on Saturday, but they have kindly offered to drive it down here for me to look at! Should I haggle with the price over the phone or wait until they come down? Also what is the best way to work that, get a sterling draft for most of the price and then cash for the rest to leave me some room for manoeuvre?

The_Conductor

cullenswood wrote: »

Was going to go up North to look at a car on Saturday, but they have kindly offered to drive it down here for me to look at! Should I haggle with the price over the phone or wait until they come down? Also what is the best way to work that, get a sterling draft for most of the price and then cash for the rest to leave me some room for manoeuvre?

Ask- its entirely possible that they might be happy enough with Euro- which would be a lot more convenient for you.

niceirishfella

cullenswood wrote: »

Was going to go up North to look at a car on Saturday, but they have kindly offered to drive it down here for me to look at! Should I haggle with the price over the phone or wait until they come down? Also what is the best way to work that, get a sterling draft for most of the price and then cash for the rest to leave me some room for manoeuvre?

Well, whilst its great they are coming to you - consider and ponder on it. Why? Why are they coming to you?
Is it a private sale? Or is it a dealer coming to you with the car? I'm suspicious of people coming to me or offering to do so - why? Well...........

1. Have they something to hide - like do they not want you to know where they live?
2. Do they not want you to view the car from a cold start?
3. Why are they soooooooooo keen in this busy world to come to you?

Re; the rest. Don't haggle over the phone, but illude to the fact that you are not going to pay anywhere near their asking price as prices have plummeted - and see if they'll still come? If they do, you can really hammer them for a deal.
Have nothing ready for payment ..if they want the sale, they'll wait for you. You're the boss here.
ohhhhhhhh, and pay them in €'s if you deal. Like they are coming to you into the eurozone........let them absorb the 9% currency differential.
I know i'm a hard task master - but you're in charge, you're the big cheeze here, its a buyers market - ohhh, and tell them this. Don't be afraid to control the scenario whilst having fun, being nice and making it enjoyable for all.
If there's tax on the car, tell them to claim it back and dock it off your final discounted price. Its no good to you.

Inspect the car extremely well, check each panel gap, tyre,spare,push every button, check the aircon is icy cccccccc-old, check for paint, get under it if you can - check, check, check.
and haggle, haggle, haggle.

cullenswood

niceirishfella wrote: »

Well, whilst its great they are coming to you - consider and ponder on it. Why? Why are they coming to you?
Is it a private sale? Or is it a dealer coming to you with the car? I'm suspicious of people coming to me or offering to do so - why? Well...........

1. Have they something to hide - like do they not want you to know where they live?
2. Do they not want you to view the car from a cold start?
3. Why are they soooooooooo keen in this busy world to come to you?

Re; the rest. Don't haggle over the phone, but illude to the fact that you are not going to pay anywhere near their asking price as prices have plummeted - and see if they'll still come? If they do, you can really hammer them for a deal.
Have nothing ready for payment ..if they want the sale, they'll wait for you. You're the boss here.
ohhhhhhhh, and pay them in €'s if you deal. Like they are coming to you into the eurozone........let them absorb the 9% currency differential.
I know i'm a hard task master - but you're in charge, you're the big cheeze here, its a buyers market - ohhh, and tell them this. Don't be afraid to control the scenario whilst having fun, being nice and making it enjoyable for all.
If there's tax on the car, tell them to claim it back and dock it off your final discounted price. Its no good to you.

Inspect the car extremely well, check each panel gap, tyre,spare,push every button, check the aircon is icy cccccccc-old, check for paint, get under it if you can - check, check, check.
and haggle, haggle, haggle.

Tough taskmaster indeed. They are a dealer and the car is a 07 with full service history through themselves and there cars have a 3 year manufacturer warranty. It was a company car but has low mileage. It is 8500 sterling but even taking VRT into account I am saving 5 grand from down here. He knows this, would I still have much room on the price?

Stevie Dakota

cullenswood wrote: »

Tough taskmaster indeed. They are a dealer and the car is a 07 with full service history through themselves and there cars have a 3 year manufacturer warranty. It was a company car but has low mileage. It is 8500 sterling but even taking VRT into account I am saving 5 grand from down here. He knows this, would I still have much room on the price?

Would you not hold out for a 2008 to avail of the lower road tax? No-one is going to want 2007 cars in a few years time. What kind of car is it?

cullenswood

Stevie Dakota wrote: »

Would you not hold out for a 2008 to avail of the lower road tax? No-one is going to want 2007 cars in a few years time. What kind of car is it?

Mondeo. Will people really not be buying 07 cars in the future for the sake of 300 euro tax a year?

bombers

thanks for that that calculation
the vat on 31k is 4043.divide 31000 by 1.15 = 26956

Stevie Dakota

cullenswood wrote: »

Mondeo. Will people really not be buying 07 cars in the future for the sake of 300 euro tax a year?

I think a lot of people will, when faced with a 2007 or 2008, go for the 2008. I assume at that price it is the last of the old Mondeos, if it is the current model then it is a good deal.

Something like this?

http://www.motorpoint.co.uk/(S(o4uaaeuvo05iflq5mda3bxqk))/Search/VehicleDetails.aspx?vehicle=208674

The_Conductor

cullenswood wrote: »

Mondeo. Will people really not be buying 07 cars in the future for the sake of 300 euro tax a year?

Given the choice- I'd shy away from an '07 if at all possible. An '08 will depreciate in a very different manner.

cullenswood

Stevie Dakota wrote: »

I think a lot of people will, when faced with a 2007 or 2008, go for the 2008. I assume at that price it is the last of the old Mondeos, if it is the current model then it is a good deal.

Something like this?

http://www.motorpoint.co.uk/(S(o4uaaeuvo05iflq5mda3bxqk))/Search/VehicleDetails.aspx?vehicle=208674

Yeah, kind of like that, a hatchback though. I know that is why the price is a good bit lower but is it worth going for the older model if I am going to hold onto it for about 5 years

Esel

smccarrick wrote: »

You only pay Irish VAT if the car is less than 6 months old and/or has less than 7k km on the clock.

Almost. It's if the car is less than 6 months old or has less than 6k km on the clock.

positron

Just back from Santry VRO office. Had to wait approximately an hour to get to the counter. There were guys ahead of me with 3-4 cars to register, and over heard them saying their boss is in the UK buying cars and these guys keeps bringing them over every other day etc.. probably SIMI members too.., who knows..!!

Anyway, A very nice young guy took the details, told me the amount (same as the online), took payment (paid by cheque, laser is accepted but only up to 1500 or so), and all done in 10 mins.

Guvnor

Do we still think the best value to be had on 2nd hand cars is in the UK or north?

Some of the prices for second hand luxury motors that I have heard/seen here is getting ridiculous - I heard that an 06 X5 not commercial was let go at an auction for €11,000! Seems to me to be incredibly cheap. It goes with a doctor friend who was offered €24k value on a 2008 e320cdi trade in against a bmw.

I just look at the above and see the price of some cars here versus the fanciful vrt and am beginning to see better value to be had here!

Just wondering what others think?

positron

Question about taxing the car after paying VRT:

So, I paid VRT this morning, and now I am trying to pay tax at motortax.ie with the new reg number and last 6 digits of the chasis no, as instructed by the guy at the VRO - but I can't get in / says reg number or PIN could be wrong etc.

Any thoughts? Am I trying too early? Is is that the new details are not on their system yet?

thanks a mil!

Stevie Dakota

positron wrote: »

Any thoughts? Am I trying too early? Is is that the new details are not on their system yet?

I'd say that's it, why the hurry, you've paid enough tax for one day!

goldfish

positron wrote: »

Just back from Santry VRO office. Had to wait approximately an hour to get to the counter. There were guys ahead of me with 3-4 cars to register, and over heard them saying their boss is in the UK buying cars and these guys keeps bringing them over every other day etc.. probably SIMI members too.., who knows..!!

Anyway, A very nice young guy took the details, told me the amount (same as the online), took payment (paid by cheque, laser is accepted but only up to 1500 or so), and all done in 10 mins.

Did they do a check on or ask about any extras/options you had on the car?

positron

goldfish wrote: »

Did they do a check on or ask about any extras/options you had on the car?

No. But I did seem them going out to check other cars now and again. May have something to do with the model/year (I was registering a three year old Honda Accord)

The_Conductor

positron wrote: »

No. But I did seem them going out to check other cars now and again. May have something to do with the model/year (I was registering a three year old Honda Accord)

They do have a thing for checking BMWs/Mercs or any performance or sports cars.

Stevie Dakota

smccarrick wrote: »

They do have a thing for checking BMWs/Mercs or any performance or sports cars.

They were also very interested in my Ford Focus diesel as well! Had to wait a few days for the final figure.

fricatus

I'm thinking of buying a car off Autoquake, but how would I go about getting the RAC to check it out? I've been on their site and the only way to book them is to call an 0800 number in the UK, which of course is not accessible from here.

I presume Autoquake has no problem with the RAC guys turning up to do an inspection. Has anyone any experiences to share?