Importing 2005 car from NI with low mileage

obscurething

Bought a 2005 Ford Fiesta Zetec in an auction up North - It has very low mileage - 3000 miles.

Just rung up to double check VRT today - this will be €1040 which is fine but was informed that because the car has less than 4500 miles - I will be liable for an additional VAT charge of 21% of purchase price. Does this sound right?

copacetic

yes, cars less than 6000kms count as new for vat rules, no matter how old they are.

Tipsy Mac

Get the mileage "corrected" to 6001km, who is to say the current reading isn't clocked, sounds shockingly low mileage for an almost 4 year old car.

lifer_sean

Was the car vat qualifying in the North ? If you can claim the NI VAT then you don't have a problem.

Be aware that the VRO may ask for the invoice for the vehicle. Invoices from auctions in the North are computer generated and specify the mileage, so cannot be altered.

@ Tipsymac, very low mileage such as this is not that uncommon in NI. I had 05 Corolla last week with 4,380 miles, guaranteed correct. Older folks up there find new cars more affordable and change them after 3 years. Usually "boring" petrol cars though.

copacetic

it doesn't have to be 'vat qualifying'. the 'new car' vat rules are EU wide law. If you have to pay VAT here, you don't have to pay it in the UK.

draycottgirlz

can you claim the vat back and not register it to Irish plates? (just because I need to buy something but will be away (abroad) with work for the next few months)

obscurething

4500m is more than 6000km! I am presuming that the man in the Revenue office was mistaken with his sums?

Anan1

When I hear of a 3 year old car with hardly any miles, the first thing I think of is that there was an insurance claim on it. Be sure to do a full HPI.