Should the Gardaí be able to do this ??

That guy Greg

I bought a 2004 Audi A8 in the UK 3 days ago and brought it over to Ireland and I've been stopped 4 times now !! 4 Times ! I'm in the middle of getting the VRT sorted etc.

I've been going in and out of Darndale the past few days to visit my parents, and was stopped 3 times coming in and out of the place !! TWICE BY THE SAME GUARD. I asked him why does he keep stopping me and he says because its on UK plates and (This is exactly what he said) "Seeing this type of car in an area like this belongs to someone involved in serious crime, nobody in Darndale would have a car like this and not be involved in crime." I got absolutely P**ed at this. He had to ask me to calm down twice I was that mad.
I grew up there and worked my arse off for that car, my housee etc. Never got involved in anything !! I took his badge number and I'm going to go up to the station where he works. Is there sense in going to the station and making a complaint ? Will it go anywhere ?

Really can't get over it. I know its a rough area, but if someone worked his arse off for a car like this they should be able to drive around in it without being harassed.

So should he be able to stop me that many times just because its on UK plates?

And do you think I went a little over the top about taking his badge number ?

Explosive_Cornflake

Once your VRT is sorted you should get less hassle.

tallaghtmick

In fairness the garda in Darndale are just playing it safe,I was stopped before because they hadnt seen my car before and just wanted to make sure one of the local scumbags wasnt in it......although stopped twice by the same guy is idiotic tbh.

mikemac

That guy Greg wrote: »

And do you think I went a little over the top about taking his badge number ?

Yes

That checkpoint will deal with hundreds of cars a day
Big deal if you got stopped twice by the same garda, they are not going to remember every single vehicle

That guy Greg

mikemac wrote: »

Yes

That checkpoint will deal with hundreds of cars a day
Big deal if you got stopped twice by the same garda, they are not going to remember every single vehicle

I wasn't at a check point, just driving out of the estate, but I just didn't like what he said. Its as if everyone from Darndale are scum. In my own opinion I don't think he should have said what he did say.

dev100

You ll only be painting a target on your head if you complain best off just smile at the guard and say thanks guard

That guy Greg

mikemac wrote: »

they are not going to remember every single vehicle

I doubt he'd forget about it in a day TBH. I would imagine theres not alot of UK reg A8's going around Coolock/Darndale area.

mikemac

So you're saying there is no checkpoint and four times a squad car has followed you and pulled you over, is that right?

That guy Greg

mikemac wrote: »

So you're saying there is no checkpoint and four times a squad car has followed you and pulled you over, is that right?

I was stopped twice driving into the estate, once over at Clarehall shopping centre and once going to Longford.

Drummerboy08

How long do you have legally to declare a car once its brought into the state?

finbarrk

I wouldn't blame them for doing their job. Actually if we weren't allowed to be exporting so many euros to the UK for second hand cars it would help the economy here.

mikemac

Drummerboy08 wrote: »

How long do you have legally to declare a car once its brought into the state?

The registration process must be completed within 30 days of the vehicle's arrival in Ireland.

That guy Greg wrote: »

! I took his badge number and I'm going to go up to the station where he works.

When you speak to the garda's superior and you're asked what do you want done what will you say?

Do you want a personal apology?
Do you want an explanation on procedures for stopping cars not yet sorted for VRT?
Something else?

dev100

finbarrk wrote: »

I wouldn't blame them for doing their job. Actually if we weren't allowed to be exporting so many euros to the UK for second hand cars it would help the economy here.

Its called value for money if the Op aint getting it here when purchasing a car then why not? We gave up car manufacturing in this country many years ago. So all cars are imported

999nobody

I thought you only had 24 hours to register the car once you bring it into the state?

pa990

hang on.. you asked a question, and got an honest answer that you didn't like

grow up.

you are obviously an intelligent person who worked hard and succeeded in life, and should know that the truth hurts, or would you prefer to be surrounded by YES men who tell you what you want to hear?

Cillian13

You're lucky the car wasn't taken off you to be fair. I know two lads who brought A4s in from england. One of them was impounded because it had been spotted on Irish roads a few times over a week and it hadn't been vrt'd. They were both stopped numerous times while driving on English plates though.

Delancey

OP - you should be thanking the Guards for not seizing your car as they are fully entitled to do so , you have 24 hours to get it VRT'd and your time is up.
Pay the VRT and get the new plates up immediately and the ' hassle ' will cease.

mikemac

They can't impound the car, the OP has thirty days to arrange the VRT and is within it

Within 7 days of your vehicle arriving in Ireland, you must book an appointment with the NCTS for it to be inspected

At the inspection the vehicle will be examined to ensure its characteristics match those recorded in the registration documentation.

You pay the VRT charged after your vehicle has been inspected at the NCTS centre. The registration process must be completed within 30 days of the vehicle's arrival in Ireland.

http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/moving_country/moving_to_ireland/coming_to_live_in_ireland/importing_car_into_ireland.html

So is this website incorrect? It's the offical site used by Citizens Information Bureau


Even the revenue confirms it,

When must I register?
In order to register an unregistered vehicle (or one previously registered outside the State) you must make an appointment with the NCTS within 7 days of its entry into the State to have a pre-registration examination of the vehicle carried out. You must complete the registration process and pay VRT at the NCTS Centre within 30 days of the arrival of the vehicle in the State.

http://www.revenue.ie/en/tax/vrt/faqs-vrt.html#section2

Delancey

Motoring forum is littered with stories of VRT seizures after a few days never mind 30 days

mikemac

I smell a compensation case coming if a car is seized and the rules set by the Revenue and the State are disregarded

It was 24 hours in the past but that's gone and maybe some gardaí need an information leaflet or a refresher course on the rules they enforce

Edit, changed last year, explained in this thread
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056009853

El Inho

That guy Greg wrote: »

I bought a 2004 Audi A8 in the UK 3 days ago and brought it over to Ireland and I've been stopped 4 times now !! 4 Times ! I'm in the middle of getting the VRT sorted etc.

I've been going in and out of Darndale the past few days to visit my parents, and was stopped 3 times coming in and out of the place !! TWICE BY THE SAME GUARD. I asked him why does he keep stopping me and he says because its on UK plates and (This is exactly what he said) "Seeing this type of car in an area like this belongs to someone involved in serious crime, nobody in Darndale would have a car like this and not be involved in crime." I got absolutely P**ed at this. He had to ask me to calm down twice I was that mad.
I grew up there and worked my arse off for that car, my housee etc. Never got involved in anything !! I took his badge number and I'm going to go up to the station where he works. Is there sense in going to the station and making a complaint ? Will it go anywhere ?

Really can't get over it. I know its a rough area, but if someone worked his arse off for a car like this they should be able to drive around in it without being harassed.

So should he be able to stop me that many times just because its on UK plates?

And do you think I went a little over the top about taking his badge number ?

well if someone robs your car and he has that attitude wont you be delighted

dev100

dev100 wrote: »

You ll only be painting a target on your head if you complain best off just smile at the guard and say thanks guard

That's a load of crap. If you have a legitimate complaint then make it.

And re the cars been seized within a "couple" of days of arriving in the state I would find that hard to believe and would be inclined to believe they had made no effort to register the vehicle.

delly

While a yellow plate A8 in Darndale may bring some unwanted attention, I doubt a white plate A8 in Darndale will totally escape the attention of the Gardaí either. In other words once all is legal and above board regarding VRT, I would still expect the odd stop to occur.

Zambia

I use to think it was pretty slack UK regs did not get much hassle at all. Glad to see this is not the case.

I knew a guy who drove for years on a English reg.

FGR

Once paperwork is present confirming that the buyer has attended the NCT centre within 7 days of arrival (and still within 30 days after said date to register) then I wouldn't see why Customs/Guards would seize the car.

cocoshovel

Jaysus, I haven't even seen 4 gardai in the past 2 weeks! At least they have a visible presence where you live.

Gumbo

Delancey wrote: »

Motoring forum is littered with stories of VRT seizures after a few days never mind 30 days

that was before the VRT collection was taken over by NCTS.

kub

Great to see AGS working on this. It is no wonder so that I am seeing a lot less foreign registered vehicles on our roads.

Especially those Polish ones.

Eru

mikemac wrote: »

I smell a compensation case coming if a car is seized and the rules set by the Revenue and the State are disregarded

It was 24 hours in the past but that's gone and maybe some gardaí need an information leaflet or a refresher course on the rules they enforce

Edit, changed last year, explained in this thread
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056009853

revenue or the nct centre being backlogged and / or changing their proceedures doesnt change the law under which gardai seize the cars. namely Section 140, Finance Act which entitles Gardai to seize the vehicle without any time limits being stated. If revenue choose to release the car without any further issue is neither here nor there

(http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/2001/en/act/pub/0007/sec0140.html)

Geansai

I'm no solicitor, but in order for section 140 to be enforced, and a vehicle to be "liable to forfeiture" then an offense must have occured.

Under section 119 the person must have "intent to defraud, either directly or indirectly, the State of such duty."

Surely, if you have 30 days, and this time limit has not expired, then you can hardly show intent.

Just my two pence worth.

However, this is moving away from the OPs question. His query was in regard being stopped regualrly, and not haveing his vehicle confiscated.

Eru

Geansai wrote: »

I'm no solicitor, but in order for section 140 to be enforced, and a vehicle to be "liable to forfeiture" then an offense must have occured.

Under section 119 the person must have "intent to defraud, either directly or indirectly, the State of such duty."

Surely, if you have 30 days, and this time limit has not expired, then you can hardly show intent.

Just my two pence worth.

However, this is moving away from the OPs question. His query was in regard being stopped regualrly, and not haveing his vehicle confiscated.

The Gardai arent taking the car as a punishment or because they are investigating which is the case with say, no insurance seizure, they are taking the car to give to revenue so they can investigate. As I said, if revenue give the car back without issue then so be it.

Liken it to being arrested for drink driving and then passing the test. You were still arrested without an offence having been committed.

As for the OP, thats what we do, we check cars and people who we think may have committed an offence. If we could only go after people when we have seen the crime happening things would be a lot worse.

You yourself have to admit that Darndale has a high level of criminals so being vigilant in the area is only to be expected, in fact its to be demanded.