VRT on extras added post purchase

Billy Baltic

Im planning to buy a car in the UK over the next few weeks. I had been looking for full leather interior without much luck. One dealer has suggested buying a "base" model and retrofitting the leather (recommends a business they use). Does anyone have any experience of how that would be treated for VRT purposes? Any opinion on the likely end result of retrofitting leather?

L1011

If its fitted when its brought in to the country, it'll be liable for VRT (assuming they inspect the car at all).

If you fit it between getting it in to the country and VRTing it, or claim to, they'll point out the requirement to get it VRTed straight after importation...

Gumbo

depends if the car is inspected or not. they could just check the factory options by the vin number and your leather would not show up but if they go out to the car and see leather they will mark it down as leather installed and charge the relevant VRT on it.

surely the leather option doesnt add that much VRT?

Tigger

vrt the car then put in the leather

Billy Baltic

I dont know how much it will add to be honest. Im looking at 09 A4's. The dealer said it costs approx £1100 for retrofitting. If I kept the receipt for the additional work could I argue that the extra VRT is on the £1100 only? Im wary of the VRO coming up with a higher value for the OMSP of the car.

Gumbo

Billy Baltic wrote: »

I dont know how much it will add to be honest. Im looking at 09 A4's. The dealer said it costs approx £1100 for retrofitting. If I kept the receipt for the additional work could I argue that the extra VRT is on the £1100 only? Im wary of the VRO coming up with a higher value for the OMSP of the car.

the VRO devalue options at a rate of 20% per year iirc, so if you bought a car with factory fitted leather and the factory cost was 3000 then the value of the option on a 2009 car is 2400 and hence the vrt of 14% (or whatever) the A4 rate is of 2400 is only approx 360 so alot cheaper than retro fitting in the first place.


NB - my calculations may be wrong, so dont take them as gospel.

Darsad

Billy Baltic wrote: »

I dont know how much it will add to be honest. Im looking at 09 A4's. The dealer said it costs approx £1100 for retrofitting. If I kept the receipt for the additional work could I argue that the extra VRT is on the £1100 only? Im wary of the VRO coming up with a higher value for the OMSP of the car.

As said get the leather fitted after the VRT and spend a little of your hard earned here too !
You never know it could even be better and cheaper

Billy Baltic

Thanks for feedback. Would be delighted to spend the money here but can't get anything like the same spec for the "hard earned" and I genuinely cant say I've been in an Audi garage (West of the country) that seemed interested in the sale ..... anyhow this has been done to death before. Thanks again.

Darsad

Well if thats the way they were on a sale perspective sale i dont blame you for looking elsewhere but how do you think they will treat you when you have a problem . why not look at another make !

Gumbo

Billy Baltic wrote: »

Thanks for feedback. Would be delighted to spend the money here but can't get anything like the same spec for the "hard earned" and I genuinely cant say I've been in an Audi garage (West of the country) that seemed interested in the sale ..... anyhow this has been done to death before. Thanks again.

why not buy the lower spec car in the UK if your dead set on it, then VRT it then get someone over here to do the leather for you. leats that way your giving some local guy a biy of work too

although leather is not on my high list, i would rarther xenons and factory fitted bluetooth tbh.

Billy Baltic

gumbo wrote: »

why not buy the lower spec car in the UK if your dead set on it, then VRT it then get someone over here to do the leather for you. leats that way your giving some local guy a biy of work too

although leather is not on my high list, i would rarther xenons and factory fitted bluetooth tbh.

If you have any good recommendations on businesses in the West of the country I'd be interested in talking to them. I've nothing against the local guy wheres theres good value and service

Gumbo

Billy Baltic wrote: »

If you have any good recommendations on businesses in the West of the country I'd be interested in talking to them. I've nothing against the local guy wheres theres good value and service

Sorry Billy, im from the big smoke (Dublin) , so any recommendations would only be local to me!

any links to the Audi you are looking at in the UK?

bazz26

They do inspect most German premium brand cars these days and can also have access to the car's original factory spec. They write extras off over 4 years afaik. So on a 09 car they will calculate the VRT based on 3/4 of the orignal cost of the extras.

VanhireBoys

If you can, dont take the car anywhere near the VRT office.. I went in with the taxbook, a printout off the ROS website and a draft for €1101. I just gave a load off soft chat. My yoke has leather and aircon full winter pack etc. cause its a Volvo V40 Sport - not available in this povvo spec country

I got away with the Volvo but Id say they would be sore on a BM or Audi. Just chance it

Billy Baltic

gumbo wrote: »

Sorry Billy, im from the big smoke (Dublin) , so any recommendations would only be local to me!

any links to the Audi you are looking at in the UK?

No specific links. Just been keeping an eye on used A4's through UK dealers, generally around 12 months old and 8 - 12k miles. No shortage of them.

Billy Baltic

VanhireBoys wrote: »

If you can, dont take the car anywhere near the VRT office.. I went in with the taxbook, a printout off the ROS website and a draft for €1101. I just gave a load off soft chat. My yoke has leather and aircon full winter pack etc. cause its a Volvo V40 Sport - not available in this povvo spec country

I got away with the Volvo but Id say they would be sore on a BM or Audi. Just chance it

Thanks for the advice. I have no problem with the VRT itself. It just feels in the case of something like this that its a bit unfair. Its almost like declaring a tank of diesel.

nogoodnamesleft

VanhireBoys wrote: »

If you can, dont take the car anywhere near the VRT office.. I went in with the taxbook, a printout off the ROS website and a draft for €1101. I just gave a load off soft chat. My yoke has leather and aircon full winter pack etc. cause its a Volvo V40 Sport - not available in this povvo spec country

I got away with the Volvo but Id say they would be sore on a BM or Audi. Just chance it

And what happens when they wish to inspect the vehicle that you are attempting to register?
Mine got inspected when I brough it in 2.5 -3 years ago. One of the lads at work brought in a 2001 Merc e200 Kompressor Estate within the last 3 weeks. Things have supposedly gotten a lot tighter in the tax offices these days.