How much to import a new car?

Lex Luthor

Thinking about going up north to bring in a new car for the missus. Have been given a price here for a new one (€20k).

The car is not listed on the VRT site so no idea of what to pay there. Also any idea what the VAT situation is?

The car is a Toyota Verso-S. Here the Luna model is €20k cash price inc metallic. List price is €21,240 so they are knocking off €1,240 for cash.

The TR is the closest to the Luna spec here and is on a special introductory price of £13995 plus £420 for metallic paint (£14415)

I put the details in for a new Auris TR spec and VRT comes in at €3.3k so in all honesty I cant see any savings there with the travel, etc.

Thanks

Leonard Hofstadter

Any particular reason it has to be a Toyota, given the multitude of talented cars in that segment that are now available?

You do know OP that Irish spec Toyotas have different suspension settings to UK cars? Ours have a higher ride height than UK models and a 'rough road' pack (heavier duty components) fitted as standard.

The petrol engine in the Verso-S is meant to be dangerously underpowered too, and there's no diesel option, which is strange.

Lex Luthor

captainspeed wrote: »

Any particular reason it has to be a Toyota, given the multitude of talented cars in that segment that are now available?

You do know OP that Irish spec Toyotas have different suspension settings to UK cars? Ours have a higher ride height than UK models and a 'rough road' pack (heavier duty components) fitted as standard.

The petrol engine in the Verso-S is meant to be dangerously underpowered too, and there's no diesel option, which is strange.

She has a Toyota, likes them and would prefer to stay Toyota. However gonna go look at an ix20 next week to see what the alternatives look like

didnt know that about the suspension, etc

The car is just a town run about so not interested in a diesel. She currently drives a 2litre diesel and its not getting great mpg around the town on short runs

mickdw

If importing new, you will have to pay both vrt & vat to the irish revenue. Now it is possible to buy the car in the north or the uk less vat by filling a uk revenue form stating that car is for immediate export etc. You do not have to be vat registered to do this and you then pay the vat together with the vrt on arrival here. The problem is that alot of garages dont want to do it and will insist on you paying them vat at time of sale and then refunding you on proof of payment of irish vat. This is a pain in the ass and you shouldnt do that in my opinion. Doing it that way would mean that you need to get your hands on more than the actual cost of the car until refund comes through.

If importing, I would seriously consider a 6 month old car. There is then no vat to be paid here and the purchase price in uk would be significantly below new retail price.

Esel

mickdw wrote: »

If importing, I would seriously consider a 6 month old car. There is then no vat to be paid here and the purchase price in uk would be significantly below new retail price.

I think that has gone down to 3 months and more than 3,000 km on the clock now?

colm_mcm

captainspeed wrote: »

Any particular reason it has to be a Toyota, given the multitude of talented cars in that segment that are now available?

You do know OP that Irish spec Toyotas have different suspension settings to UK cars? Ours have a higher ride height than UK models and a 'rough road' pack (heavier duty components) fitted as standard.

The petrol engine in the Verso-S is meant to be dangerously underpowered too, and there's no diesel option, which is strange.

Rough road pack isn't fitted to the majority of toyotas, from memory its only the Avensis and auris that do.

The 1.33 was well able to pull the urban cruiser along, I'd imagine the verso-s is similar.
Lex, contact a few dealers and see if they'll do any better. There are still a few not-for-profit type dealers left.

Padraig Mor

Esel wrote: »

I think that has gone down to 3 months and more than 3,000 km on the clock now?

IIRC that's the limits to Revenue's definition of a "new" car. It's 6 months/6000 km for VAT.

knifey_spoonie

Just some quick figures

£14500-UK VAT = £12083 X 1.16 (Exchange) =€ 14016

€14016X1.21(VAT)=€16960+3000VRT = €19960

To sum it up, it aint worth you while heading north.

bazz26

The only advantage of buying up North or mainland UK is that all Toyotas have a 5 year warranty as oppossed to the 3 years down here. Not sure if the extra 2 years are a dealer warranty or manufacturers warranty but even so getting warranty work done over the border may not be a big issue for the OP.

Leonard Hofstadter

The extra two years and 40,000 miles in the UK warranty is covered by Toyota GB only - the three year 100k km/60,000 mile warranty is the only warranty that is valid across all EU countries. So I presume that Toyota Ireland does not cover warranty work after three years/60k miles.

UK cars get a longer warranty as well for the batteries in the hybrids as well - EU cars get 5 years/100k km whereas the UK gets 8 years/160k km.

AugustusMinimus

Padraig Mor wrote: »

IIRC that's the limits to Revenue's definition of a "new" car. It's 6 months/6000 km for VAT.

Correct. Defined as "new means of transport" in the VAT Acts.

bazz26

captainspeed wrote: »

The extra two years and 40,000 miles in the UK warranty is covered by Toyota GB only - the three year 100k km/60,000 mile warranty is the only warranty that is valid across all EU countries. So I presume that Toyota Ireland does not cover warranty work after three years/60k miles.

UK cars get a longer warranty as well for the batteries in the hybrids as well - EU cars get 5 years/100k km whereas the UK gets 8 years/160k km.

Ok but if the OP has easy convenient access to the North then he can get any warranty work sorted up there.

Lex Luthor

bazz26 wrote: »

Ok but if the OP has easy convenient access to the North then he can get any warranty work sorted up there.

exactly and its only 90 mins up the road

Theanswers

Use a company such as the AA to take the vechicle to the north.

Then ring recovery on the other side of the border, they will then take it to a Toyota Dealer.

Warrenty is a Warrenty as someone else pointed out, I'd rather have that instead of having to pay expensive repair bills. you never know what can fail.

100,000km is a joke of a warrenty.

Buy North, better Deal.

Dont be stupid.

colm_mcm

The aa won't just bring it up north for free will they?
Also the uk is working out more expensive isn't it?

Leonard Hofstadter

The Irish Luna model has a higher spec than the TR in the UK (amazingly) and a kph speedo, so will be easier to sell in this country.

Obviously the Terra model is complete poverty spec, but the OP has more sense than to be looking at one of those:)!

Lex Luthor

captainspeed wrote: »

The Irish Luna model has a higher spec than the TR in the UK (amazingly) and a kph speedo, so will be easier to sell in this country.

Obviously the Terra model is complete poverty spec, but the OP has more sense than to be looking at one of those:)!

I think the Luna has alloys and the TR doesn't. Think thats the only difference.

Friend of mine has a 08 Passat bought up north, recently needed work done, VW here wouldnt cover it but he droive it to Newry and it was all done under warranty

Henry Ford III

Mph speedo is an issue, can be expensive to put right, and will affect future value if it isn't.

bazz26

captainspeed wrote: »

The Irish Luna model has a higher spec than the TR in the UK (amazingly) and a kph speedo, so will be easier to sell in this country.

Obviously the Terra model is complete poverty spec, but the OP has more sense than to be looking at one of those:)!

If the Auris is anything to go by then the TR is better equipped than the Luna. Auris TR has dual zone digital climate control whereas the Luna here has to make due with manual ventilation.

I don't see the speedo being in mph as an issue or a major factor of depreciation, so many UK imports around now that most people are well used to it and now they are getting a higher spec car. My car is a UK import with a mph speedo, made feck all difference to me when buying and I'd doubt it when I eventually go to sell.

Theanswers

I'd much rather have an warrenty.

Also would a car being in warrenty not be worth more come resale compared to a car with kph speedo.

i know which one i'd buy if faced with the choice.

This Island of ours isnt that big, therefore the north is the best option.

Ps.
I drive new cars with MPH speedo not a big deal, most have kph displayed on the digital dash along with the main speedo being mph.

colm_mcm

Carroll and kinsella walkinstown have a zero mileage demo Luna in silver for 19k.

They mustn't have that much confidence in them if they're selling the demo so soon. Haggle hard :-)

Esel

Padraig Mor wrote: »

IIRC that's the limits to Revenue's definition of a "new" car. It's 6 months/6000 km for VAT.

My mistake.

So, to avoid VAT down here, the car has to be over 6 months old and have more than 6,000 km on the clock.

[ There is a mechanism for getting a VAT refund in the UK under certain conditions. ]

Lex Luthor

colm_mcm wrote: »

Carroll and kinsella walkinstown have a zero mileage demo Luna in silver for 19k.

They mustn't have that much confidence in them if they're selling the demo so soon. Haggle hard :-)

Also a better looking grey one in longford for same money

The issue with the paying twice for vat is putting me off even if i can claim the uk portion back later

The trade in price offered on her car was disappointing. Hard to get a price for it on carzone any equivalent age cars have more on the clock and poverty spec

colm_mcm

I thought you'd sell privately. Stick it on donedeal. Its quite a desirable model in my opinion.