loop hole around paying vrt ?

plissken

Just a hypothetical question here regarding importing a car to ireland from the us. As we are being screwed royally when it comes to car prices of american cars here in the good aul emerald isle for example:


Chrysler sebring us price $19'500/E13'000 (irl price E37'000)
Chrysler 300c us price $25'000/E16'500 (irl price E59'500)
Ford mustang us price $22'000/ E14'500 (irl price E45'000 roughly)

Now obviously they will be left hand drive so will be worth less than there right hand drive equivalents when it comes to resale, but just to import one of these into ireland first theres the us price of the car, cost of shipping, customs and then after that the real killers vrt and vat (as this has not been paid on the car in an eu country already)so this could bring the cost of the car to not far off its irl sale price.

so my question is if the car is registered to my us cousin and is insured/taxed in his name can he import it to ireland after 6months and not have to pay vrt and vat, he could then sell the car to me at cost which would be simply the cost of the car and shipping plus customs thus i would be driving around in a left hand drive 6 month old car for less than half the price of a new right hand drive model in the chyrlers 300 case a massive saving of aproximately E30'000k.

what am i missing here folks surely this cant be done as easily as i have described there must be something im missing any ideas, thanks

--amadeus--

Your hypothetical cousin would need to physically relocate to Ireland and be able to prove it (typically utility bills in his name).

Been tried, won't work (and is illegal)

andrewh5

There is a restriction that prevents you from selling a car that has not had VRT payed on it for 12 months after registration. If you sell before that time expires they screw you for the VRT.

Steve

--amadeus-- wrote: »

Your hypothetical cousin would need to physically relocate to Ireland and be able to prove it (typically utility bills in his name).

Been tried, won't work (and is illegal)

Yep, and can't sell it for 1 yr either (whithout paying VRT).

Lex Luthor

He would have to prove he is moving here to work and then would not be able to sell to you for min 6 months, maybe 12.

If it was that easy we'd all be using our "cousins" across in blighty to do it

Mc-BigE

I know of guys that worked in europe for more than 6 months and the first thing they did was to fly to the UK and buy a secondhand RHD car, and drive it to the place they were working in Europe (italy i think), then when they were returning home after the correct amount of time 12 months i think) they were able to register the car VRT free.

all perfectly legal. as long as you don't sell it for 12months after importing it,
also you must own the car 6months (i think) before importing it.

and like the others said, every bit of paper work to back you up.

It would work better if your cousin could find a RHD car in the US, or find a cousin(friend you trust) who is working in the UK and is returning to Ireland to live.

Heres another question for you all, if your "Cousin" imports the car and registers it here, can you drive it under your cousins insurance for the 12months after?

zilog_jones

I thought that way of avoiding VRT was only for countries within the EU?

Also, the US has different standards for lighting - different powers for dipped beams and stuff IIRC (not to mention the headlights are facing the wrong way), no indicator repeaters, dunno about rear fog lights (though Jap imports don't have them either and no one cares), etc. I've seen several US imports around here though (there's at least a Mustang and a CR-V in Limerick) so some people do it - don't know if they need to make modifications though.

galwaytt

zilog_jones wrote: »

Also, the US has different standards for lighting - different powers for dipped beams and stuff IIRC (not to mention the headlights are facing the wrong way),

...indeed, I often wonder about this: how are LHD cars being NCT'd, if the headlights point the wrong way? It's not as if you can order RHD lenses......

MrPudding

Mc-BigE wrote: »

I

Heres another question for you all, if your "Cousin" imports the car and registers it here, can you drive it under your cousins insurance for the 12months after?

No. Irish residents are not legally allowed to drive any car in the state unless VRT has been paid on it.

So, if you uncle comes over from the UK for a week in his car and lets you drive it you are breaking the law. Whether or not the law would be enforced, in that particular scenario, is up for debate, but I think that particular rule is there to cover that particular potential loophole.

MrP

Tony Danza

You have to moving to Ireland from an EU country to get exempt from VRT. If your cousin moved to Ireland from the US, he'd pay VRT and VAT, no matter how long he owned the car.

So basically it could be more expensive than buying a second car in the UK and paying VRT, and you'd have a left hand drive car.

zilog_jones

...indeed, I often wonder about this: how are LHD cars being NCT'd, if the headlights point the wrong way? It's not as if you can order RHD lenses......

I wonder too. Most the LHD cars here are probably from Europe so it'd be plausible to swap the light clusters, but I don't know if they actually do this or what. The US CR-V I see around has those triangular sticker things on the headlights (like the things you're supposed to use when travelling to LHD countries with a RHD car).

And don't forget the useless radio! FM radios in the US often only go up in odd 0.2 MHz intervals (e.g 91.1, 91.3, 91.5, etc.), and MW is in 10kHz steps instead of our 9kHz. No LW either. I'm sure there's something else they do wrong too...

craichoe

Also, the US has different standards for lighting - different powers for dipped beams and stuff IIRC (not to mention the headlights are facing the wrong way), no indicator repeaters, dunno about rear fog lights (though Jap imports don't have them either and no one cares), etc. I've seen several US imports around here though (there's at least a Mustang and a CR-V in Limerick) so some people do it - don't know if they need to make modifications though.

[/QUOTE]

Well if you import a car from the Uk or Ireland into say Germany or one of the Benelux countries you need to get new light clusters, otherwise they won't register it.

zilog_jones

Yeah I assumed there were real countries who are serious about that kind of stuff, but anyone knows what happens in Ireland? Do the VRO or NCT care?

Wishbone Ash

zilog_jones wrote: »

I thought that way of avoiding VRT was only for countries within the EU?

Also, the US has different standards for lighting - different powers for dipped beams and stuff IIRC (not to mention the headlights are facing the wrong way), no indicator repeaters, dunno about rear fog lights (though Jap imports don't have them either and no one cares), etc. I've seen several US imports around here though (there's at least a Mustang and a CR-V in Limerick) so some people do it - don't know if they need to make modifications though.

Fog lights (front or rear) are not a statutory requirement in Ireland.

javaboy

zilog_jones wrote: »

Yeah I assumed there were real countries who are serious about that kind of stuff, but anyone knows what happens in Ireland?

lol. Ireland's not a real country

We're efficient at getting the money from imports but as for making the cars more suitable for the roads. Meh.

Ronanom

Mmmm, just a quick question, does the same apply from someone moving back to ireland from N. Ire like UK?

Esel

Tony Danza wrote: »

You have to moving to Ireland from an EU country to get exempt from VRT. If your cousin moved to Ireland from the US, he'd pay VRT and VAT, no matter how long he owned the car.

Not in a Transfer of Residence situation.

pow wow

Ronanom wrote: »

Mmmm, just a quick question, does the same apply from someone moving back to ireland from N. Ire like UK?

Yes.