Irish Dealers with UK Imports

SGKM

Have people noticed the way that there are a large number of small independent dealers with UK imports.(the cars are still on the UK plates) I've seen a lot of BMWs and Audis in these dealers with UK plates. I'm just wondering where these cars come from? Are they bought at auctions and then brought over or do they come from somewhere else?

Seth Brundle

I don't think dealers are allowed sell a car wearing UK plates - the registration has to be done first.
I know of one dealer in West Dublin that was selling UK regd cars who was sourcing them from dodgy places. One dealer was buying from ebay. With some dealers the mileage seemed to have dropped on the ferry!
If you are thinking of buying one then get a mechanic to give it the once over following an HPI check (www.hpicheck.com) - £40 but worth it!

Think of the stereotypical 2nd hand car salesman. Then presume this is who you are dealing with.

MacGyver

i bought from one of these dealers, he registered the car before i bought it and including this in his price i still saved 2000 euro. the car was 100% except for a the timing belt tensioner failed and he had it repaired under guarantee as he had given 6 months on it. since then ive recomended him to loads of ppl who've had no trouble. so as long as you get the car checked out you should be fine.

SGKM

Yeh, they'd obviously register the car to the purchaser and include the VRT in the purchase price. This is an example:

http://www.usedcars.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carID=529169

But I'm wondering where the typical small dealer like this would get the car in the UK? Would they typically buy them at auctions, repair any defects and slap on a few grand profit in the process?

Anan1

MacGyver wrote:

the car was 100% except for a the timing belt tensioner failed and he had it repaired under guarantee as he had given 6 months on it. since then ive recomended him to loads of ppl who've had no trouble. so as long as you get the car checked out you should be fine.

That's a pretty big exception!

Tipsy Mac

They almost all have no service history whatsoever, makes you wonder why anyone would import a legit car with no history

bazz26

SGKM wrote:

Yeh, they'd obviously register the car to the purchaser and include the VRT in the purchase price. This is an example:

http://www.usedcars.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carID=529169

But I'm wondering where the typical small dealer like this would get the car in the UK? Would they typically buy them at auctions, repair any defects and slap on a few grand profit in the process?

Alot are bought cheap from auction houses. They may have a failed MOT, damaged repaired or ex fleet high milers.

Daveq

Be very careful and as previously mentioned get it checked clocked uk imports are on the increase.

Mojito

I bought a nice Celica T-Sport from one of these dodgy dealers as well and got a 6 month guarantee and saved a few grand as well! Wait till you hear this, I also got the Full service history!

Come on, there's a very good reason why dealers buy cars and bring them in from the uk. Saved me going over and buying one there although if I did I'd have save another grand, maybe.

My mate got a 3 series BMW and saved a few grand aswell and the spec on his is way better than an Irish one. He got a FSH aswell but I'd say it must be fake.

Mojito

Look at this dodgy poster!

Dodgy Poster

Just helping you guys out. Beware and stay safe.

Anan1

Mojito wrote:

I bought a nice Celica T-Sport from one of these dodgy dealers as well and got a 6 month guarantee and saved a few grand as well! Wait till you hear this, I also got the Full service history!

Mojito wrote:

My mate got a 3 series BMW and saved a few grand aswell and the spec on his is way better than an Irish one. He got a FSH aswell but I'd say it must be fake.

An unverified service history is not a service history, hope you checked yours at least!;)

Tipsy Mac wrote:

They almost all have no service history whatsoever, makes you wonder why anyone would import a legit car with no history

No verified SH = not serviced and quite possibly clocked.

bazz26

Mojito wrote:

I bought a nice Celica T-Sport from one of these dodgy dealers as well and got a 6 month guarantee and saved a few grand as well! Wait till you hear this, I also got the Full service history!

Come on, there's a very good reason why dealers buy cars and bring them in from the uk. Saved me going over and buying one there although if I did I'd have save another grand, maybe.

My mate got a 3 series BMW and saved a few grand aswell and the spec on his is way better than an Irish one. He got a FSH aswell but I'd say it must be fake.

Did you ring the dealers on the service history to verify that it was geniune? Did you get a HPI check done in the UK using the car's chassis number to verify mileage, any insurance claims/write offs, etc?

Documents can be as easily falsified these days as mileage.

bf

I bought my current car at auction in the UK in February - the place was full to the brim with Irish dealers. I spoke to a number of UK dealers there and they said this was the case at most auctions now and the Irish dealers were runing their margins by pushing prices up at auction.

There dealers with UK stock definitely are making money off these cars - as other posters mentioned just do your homework on them!

bogmanfan

Mojito wrote:

Look at this dodgy poster!

Dodgy Poster

Just helping you guys out. Beware and stay safe.

Hey man, don't start branding me as 'dodgy'. As a previous poster said, lots of people want to save the cash, but don't have the time to source cars, travel over etc. Any car I sell will have a full service history, as well as an AA/RAC report.

Mojito

bogmanfan wrote:

Hey man, don't start branding me as 'dodgy'. As a previous poster said, lots of people want to save the cash, but don't have the time to source cars, travel over etc. Any car I sell will have a full service history, as well as an AA/RAC report.

lol, Relax I'm on your side. Read my post previous to that post.

Mojito

Anan1 wrote:

An unverified service history is not a service history, hope you checked yours at least!;)

bazz26 wrote:

Did you ring the dealers on the service history to verify that it was geniune? Did you get a HPI check done in the UK using the car's chassis number to verify mileage, any insurance claims/write offs, etc?

Documents can be as easily falsified these days as mileage.

I did the HPI check but never bothered with checking out the SH. I've had it serviced with Toyota twice now and there's been no problems with her yet.

I'll let the sucker's who buy's my car worry about the SH.