NI-reg, VRT, Insurance, and generally fed up. Please help!

jhcabs

Hi Everyone

I bought a cheap NI car for a Rally I am taking part in this summer and i am so confused about which way to approach this from a VRT/Insurance way and i'm looking for the best advise on which route to take. This is what i have and what i know so far.

Its a Banger Rally for Charity so trying to keep things as cheap as possible. The car will be driven from ROI to Mongolia where it will be imported and donated to our charity. I would rather not have to VRT the car because it will not be used down here really until the day we leave.

We bought the NI car basically because it was such a Bargain. €800 for a 2000 Terios. Most cars in this rally only cost around this or less.

The car is now down in ROI and i have an insurance policy in my own name (fully comp) for a Mazda 6. I can't drive the terios cause its in my name and i have no insurance for it. I then found out that i can only get 1 monthes temp insurance until i get the VRT don't that i don't want. and i really need to keep the car in my name because of the border crossings in Russia. If they don't see my name on it then i will defo be hit with many bribes.

I could wait till the month before we go to transfer my insurance so i could get across europe on my own policy but I would like to be able to drive it to charity events and around the local area for sponsors and what not. Anyone got any ideas on this? any help would be much appreciated. I think i covered everything but if not just ask.

Thanks

Ferris

The VRT will be about 1k+ unfortunately. It may be cheaper to insure the car seperately for yourself and your co-drivers with a totally new policy that allows you to drive the car on irish roads on uk plates. There are plenty of people drivin yellow regs for well over a month in the south and most of them, I presume, are insured.

As for the customs confiscating the car for non payment of VRT, i'm sure if you explain the situation (charity etc) then they'll let you away.

Best of luck with the rally (ambition of mine) and please keep us updated with mods to the jeep etc.

Robbo

For what it's worth, I'd suggest not paying the VRT but finding a way to have it taxed and tested in the north. If you have a contact in a garage up there, this might be handier.

Then approach a local insurance broker to sort out cover. Even with the way things are, I'm sure they'd be at least able to sort you some kind of deal in exhange for the name on the side of the car.

jhcabs

Ferris wrote: »

As for the customs confiscating the car for non payment of VRT, i'm sure if you explain the situation (charity etc) then they'll let you away.

Best of luck with the rally (ambition of mine) and please keep us updated with mods to the jeep etc.

Thats exactly what i was worried about. I know if i got into bother i could porbably just explain the Situation about the Charities, but it would suck beyond the highest order to end up with a Guard who was just dumped the night before by his misses or was being made redundant or something. I would hate something like insurance or tax to get in the way of this adventure being a success.


I know two lads on another team who are still looking for an extra team mate if your interested. Our team website is www.mongolrally.ie we will be updating it till we get there or where ever we end up

cashmni1

As said above, cheaper to get a seperate insurance cert. But, to begin with, the car wasn't really that cheap, when you take vrt into account. You should have factored that into the purchase cost.
Anyway, I would just get it insured and have a letter in the glovebox re: explaining the rally and the circunmstances of the car.
You should be fine then.

peasant

Have you actually tried talking to your local VRT office?

In light of the fact that the car is going to leave the country again anyway and that you might be able to commit to a very limited mileage/useage until then for promotional purposes only (you have your other car as a means of transport) and that it is for charity ...you never know, they might actually let you away with it.

Robbo

peasant wrote: »

Have you actually tried talking to your local VRT office?

In light of the fact that the car is going to leave the country again anyway and that you might be able to commit to a very limited mileage/useage until then for promotional purposes only (you have your other car as a means of transport) and that it is for charity ...you never know, they might actually let you away with it.

There is an expemption for show cars and cars in the state "temporarily for competition purposes". It was generally thought that this included rally cars (including those based here) but recently they've made a number of enquiries to prominent Irish competitors.

Think of the haul from a half million quids worth of Subaru S12B at the upper rate of VRT...

Ferris

cashmni1 wrote: »

But, to begin with, the car wasn't really that cheap, when you take vrt into account. You should have factored that into the purchase cost.

Equivalent on carzone (I know ) is about 3.5-4k so its not that bad a deal.

Ferris

jhcabs wrote: »

I know two lads on another team who are still looking for an extra team mate if your interested. Our team website is www.mongolrally.ie we will be updating it till we get there or where ever we end up

Thanks man, i'll take it on advisement, not really in a position to do it at the mo however.

jhcabs

I think the price was as good as we could have hoped for. I spent a lot of time pricing up different cars from Ireland/England/Poland(panda's)/ and Northern Ireland was top thrump and especially this car. She needs a new timing belt but the cooling system is top notch and very little rust for a NI car with 66 on the clock. Clutch needs to be adjusted but running great besides that. A dog ate one of the back seats but not too worried about that.

I will admit that i didn't do enough research into the whole VRT part because i was so excited about getting our Mongol Rally car that I kinda just hoped that there would be some option available. Letter in glove box, Go to the VRT Office to appeal etc., which i did actually but they didn't even hear me out. He just quoted me 1135 for VRT and pretty much hung up. Might try a different office maybe

I wonder would going to a local Guarda station to state my case there would help..

Ferris

jhcabs wrote: »

I think the price was as good as we could have hoped for. I spent a lot of time pricing up different cars from Ireland/England/Poland(panda's)/ and Northern Ireland was top thrump and especially this car. She needs a new timing belt but the cooling system is top notch and very little rust for a NI car with 66 on the clock. Clutch needs to be adjusted but running great besides that. A dog ate one of the back seats but not too worried about that.

I will admit that i didn't do enough research into the whole VRT part because i was so excited about getting our Mongol Rally car that I kinda just hoped that there would be some option available. Letter in glove box, Go to the VRT Office to appeal etc., which i did actually but they didn't even hear me out. He just quoted me 1135 for VRT and pretty much hung up. Might try a different office maybe

I wonder would going to a local Guarda station to state my case there would help..

Car sounds ok and i'd guess that the 4x4 will be useful.

Unfortunately all you are going to get from any of the state bodies is red tape in this case, i'd keep the car NI reg and find a way of insuring it - maybe the insurance company would sponser you??

Incidently there is a '00 Jimny softtop in Merlin car auctions thats bound to be cheap if you know anyone who'd be interested.

jhcabs

How cheap would you think that Jimny would go for? I wonder is a swap possible. Problem is though i'm no machanic and everything i know so far was from a machanic friend who looked over the terios before we bought it. But a softtop would be cool. Anyother way to us killed too :rolleyes:

It looks like the letter in the glove box, insured with quinn or something is the only route. otherwise stick it up on a trailer and drive it to London in July..

Ferris

jhcabs wrote: »

How cheap would you think that Jimny would go for? I wonder is a swap possible.

Hard to tell what the Jimny would go for but i'd imagine low as very few people would want to buy a small convertible jeep in the middle of winter.

Swap is possible but they won't give you much or even anything for yours.

I'd imagine the letter and seperate insurance policy is the way forward.

Bogger77

Insurance for the trip is one thing, you'll need coverage in all those countries you'll pass through.
As for VRT, it only needs vrt if it's going to be driven on public roads in the Republic of Ireland, so trailer it from venue to venue, if needed, and you can trailer it to the ferry port and drive on roads the rest of the way from holyhead/prembroke/fishguard.
For your car to be legal in any EU country, it needs a valid MOT/NCT if Irish, valid road tax, and valid insurance green card. MOT and road tax shouldn't be that hard to sort out.

Del2005

Can you not get an NI address for the purpose of the journey. Tax, MOT and insure it up north and trailer it around down here. I doubt very much that a Russian boarder guard is going to be able to read a letter in English never mind want to read it and I also doubt that you'd be let go on the rally if everything wasn't fully legit.

jhcabs

We will bring her back up to NI soon to put her through an MOT test. Should I just UK tax it then? I think the Trailer idea is probably the most sensible route, but The just get insured and get a letter for the glove box might work but not sure who to get it from. maybe ask a local council man for advise there? or the guards? vrt people? Probably won't help but worth a second shot.

So either

Trailer her up & my first real road trip with her will be a 10,500 mile one :eek:
or
Insure it and hope it doesn't get confiscated, Magic letter from ??

Only need the EU insurance to the border of the Ukranie. after that I will just buy the insurance at each border. We will have our import papers for Mongolia so each offical will know its final destination. Obviously they will try to rip me off but i will be prepared for this. I will just stand behind my team mate :P

Guy:Incognito

Ferris wrote: »

. It may be cheaper to insure the car seperately for yourself and your co-drivers with a totally new policy that allows you to drive the car on irish roads on uk plates. .

No insurance policy makes it legal for an Irish resident to drive a foreign registered car here. The Gards and /or customs will still take it if they catch him.

YourCourier.ie

I did the Plymouth - Timbuktu rally in 2007/08 and if the border crossings where you're going are anything like they are in Africa you will have lots of trouble. The one big thing they looked for was vehicle documents matching (names) your passport. It could ruin your adventure if you don't get it sorted. Best of luck on the rally. I'll be keeping an eye on your website.

Ferris

Stekelly wrote: »

No insurance policy makes it legal for an Irish resident to drive a foreign registered car here. The Gards and /or customs will still take it if they catch him.

I know quinn insured me no bother on a NI reg for the month before I registered it, this was 2yrs ago however.

Are all the people driving UK reg'd cars uninsured after 1 month?? I don't know but I'm sure its worth asking the question.

As for the customs siezing a 9yr old daihatsu with charity and rally stickers all over it........I suppose the risk is there alright but its worth the risk imo.

Stephen

Eh, I think you still need VRT even if you're trailering it around here. That would avoid motor tax though.

jhcabs

Stephen wrote: »

Eh, I think you still need VRT even if you're trailering it around here. That would avoid motor tax though.

Please say your Joking? That would be horrible if we had to fork out 1k to have a car lying around for 5 monthes. We are paying for this Rally ourselves. I have Visa's, vacs, equip, wheels, sump thingy, travel insurance, maps, bribes, petrol, food, accom etc . All monies Raised is for the Charity thats why we can't afford such a big hit. You'd have to be some prick of a cop to take a 9 year old, charity car off the back of a trailer.

Courier Dude, yeah Borders are going to be the Same as Africa. Same routines of just waiting them out and try every trick in the book to get by without bribes. Good thing i suppose is only half the guns are loaded :cool:

Ferris - I got a quote from Quinn and they said they didn't care about the VRT. Not there job to chase me but they would insure me not problem for 5 monthes -year whatever. But that wouldn't stop the guards though so back to that problem.

Guy:Incognito

Ferris wrote: »

I know quinn insured me no bother on a NI reg for the month before I registered it, this was 2yrs ago however.

Are all the people driving UK reg'd cars uninsured after 1 month?? I don't know but I'm sure its worth asking the question.

As for the customs siezing a 9yr old daihatsu with charity and rally stickers all over it........I suppose the risk is there alright but its worth the risk imo.

Insurance doesnt negate the law. Yes your insured. Thats up to the insurance company, they just want money. The act of an Irish resident driving a foreign reg vehicle in Ireland is illegal.

jhcabs

How come there are so many then?

I know insurance doesn't set the Laws, but the one law i have always agreed with is that a Car shouldn't be driven unless is has insurance, but in this case its a bit odd. I'm not trying to get away with anything here. I bought a car with my own money, that i plan to drive to a Country and donate it to people in need. It makes no sense in this world at all to pay my goverment more than its even worth just to keep it in my front lawn or even on a trailer while its in this country as a transit channel between NI and Mongolia.

I want this to be completely above board and i don't even mind if it has to stay up on a trailer till July but... ya know its going to be so hard to just look at it all the time not being used and stuff

Guy:Incognito

jhcabs wrote: »

How come there are so many then?

A combination or not haveign been caught and being able to prove they are resident outside Ireland (pay tax, bills and have an adress abroad)

lynchie

Stekelly wrote: »

Insurance doesnt negate the law. Yes your insured. Thats up to the insurance company, they just want money. The act of an Irish resident driving a foreign reg vehicle in Ireland is illegal.

Think its actually that an Irish resident may not drive an unregistered (unregistered within the state) vehicle, doesn't matter whether its from the UK, US, or Ireland. It has to be registered here if an Irish resident wants to drive it.

Ferris

jhcabs wrote: »

I want this to be completely above board and i don't even mind if it has to stay up on a trailer till July but... ya know its going to be so hard to just look at it all the time not being used and stuff

How many of you are in your team? If its only two you could turn it into a commercial vehicle by removing the back seats and welding up the seat and seatbelt mountings. Then your vrt would be 50quid.

Cosmo K

Try FBD insurance, I drove my car on UK plates for 8 weeks, insurance cover was no problem with them.

cadete

Hi mate my girlfriend is driving ni reg for 2 years now, and is insured with quinn no hassle, if you want to tax the car over the border you need valid mot cert and insurance in your name and your insurance has to be to a NI address, southern insurance is no good to tax a car in the north the tax office wont accept it.