How can you tell a car is a UK import?

unkel

This might help people be more aware when buying a used car without complete service history. If the car originated in the UK, it might have a hidden high mileage. If people knew it came from the UK, they could run a HPI check to verify mileage, etc.

Edit: Here are the suggestions from this thread:

Proof:

1. Cartell.ie will tell you if a car is a UK import and it will give you the UK reg number

2. The VLC (Vehicle Licensing Certificate) will tell you the date of first licensing. If this is a newer year than your reg, the car has been imported.

Signs:

1. take note of the registration number itself. If it looks like a well presented machine, with a high level of equipment compared to other cars for sale in Ireland, and it has an unusually high reg number, eg 04C28104 or 04D98998, it will have been one of the last vehicles registered in that year, and quite possibly an import

Saruman

This might sound stupid but how can a website tell you if the car has been clocked?

TheBigLebowski

Saruman wrote: »

This might sound stupid but how can a website tell you if the car has been clocked?

Car NCT'd at 50000 miles in 2006. Car NCT'd at 25000 miles in 2007. Car has been clocked. Mileage is recorded at every NCT (or MOT).

tuxy

Yes it's just a shame you can't do check on NCT. But in the UK you can do a check on the MOT.

TheBigLebowski

tuxy wrote: »

Yes it's just a shame you can't do check on NCT. But in the UK you can do a check on the MOT.

Can't you do it with cartell.ie?

tuxy

I doubt it, that info is not released.

Saruman

So its only good if a car has had an NCT then, what about a car that has just come over from the UK or Japan etc. Do they have to get an NCT if they are a 06/07 car? Or does that site also check the MOT for the UK? Obviously it would not work for Japan, australia etc.

Gregor Samsa

A HPI check gives you the MOT mileage information, it doesn't check against the NCT. It's a UK service for checking the history of UK registered cars, therefore helpful when importing from the UK.

As posters above were saying, there's no way to verify a car's mileage against NCT records in Ireland, as that information is not publicly released.

TheBigLebowski

phutyle wrote: »

there's no way to verify a car's mileage against NCT records in Ireland, as that information is not publicly released.

That's phucking crazy...

markmcie

cartell.ie will tell you if a car is a UK import and it will give you the UK reg number.

Then you can do a HPI check and in my case, the car I was looking to buy left the UK with 110k on the clock and between then and the time it appeared on the forecourt over here, it had lost 50k in mileage.

Also, there were no obvious signs of the high mileage as I presume it was a fleet car used to long motorway journeys. It was the eagerness of the salesman to satisfy my ever whim - timing belt, we will sort it, clutch, we will sort it, tyres, yes we will sort it. To agreeable for my liking so I did the cartell and HPI checks and it proved to me the car was a goose.

buyer beware

Moanin

The Licensing cert has the old english reg on it.So if you're unsure and about to buy take a look at the cert

unkel

markmcie wrote: »

cartell.ie will tell you if a car is a UK import and it will give you the UK reg number

I think you're right there. I'm editing my OP with all the answers / suggestions from this thread

Moanin wrote: »

The Licensing cert has the old english reg on it.So if you're unsure and about to buy take a look at the cert

I don't think so (looking at my VLC at the moment). What the VLC does state is the date of first licensing. In my case that is a date in '01 although the reg is '96. My car is a right hand drive non-Japanese car, so chances are it is a UK import

Moanin

I don't think so (looking at my VLC at the moment). What the VLC does state is the date of first licensing. In my case that is a date in '01 although the reg is '96. My car is a right hand drive non-Japanese car, so chances are it is a UK import[/QUOTE]

Well my 2004 A4 has the old English Reg number on it.I imported it in Jan 2006

unkel

Moanin wrote: »

Well my 2004 A4 has the old English Reg number on it.I imported it in Jan 2006

Where exactly on the VLC form? Maybe I missed it when looking at mine

Owen

Also, take note of the registration number itself. If it looks like a well presented machine, with a high level of equipment compared to other cars for sale in Ireland, and it has an unusually high reg number, eg 04C28104 or 04D98998, it will have been one of the last vehicles registered in that year, and quite possibly an import. As always, there are exceptions ... but it's a good initial visual check.

MarkR

On the vlc it will also show it's previous reg number if it's an import.

Guy:Incognito

Since when? My Rover 620 had the date of first reg in Ireland. It was 2 years after the reg of the car. Thats the only way I was able to distinguish that it was an import. No sign of an English reg. I bought that car last year so it was then that I got my VLC for it.

unkel

Stekelly wrote: »

Since when? My Rover 620 had the date of first reg in Ireland. It was 2 years after the reg of the car. Thats the only way I was able to distinguish that it was an import. No sign of an English reg. I bought that car last year so it was then that I got my VLC for it.

Yep, same on mine. To add to that, the number of previous owners is stated as 1 on my VLC. This is the Irish owner who imported the car into Ireland. The previous UK owners are not mentioned

Moanin

unkel wrote: »

Where exactly on the VLC form? Maybe I missed it when looking at mine

Not sure.I would have to look at it.I don't have it to hand at the moment.

sesswhat

UK dealers often have full details of cars sold on their database. If you ring the parts department of a NI dealer with the VIN (looking for a price for a wing mirror for example), if it's on their system they can often quote you the UK reg number and full spec.

I have never had to use this as a way of finding out if a car is an import, as I'm usually the one doing the importing, but it seems like one option.