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Buying a used car that was once imported

  • 09-01-2012 4:14pm
    #1
    cormac.c
    Closed Accounts Posts: 12 ✭


    Hey guys, it's been a while since I posted on here. I'm buying a used car and I've been looking around for ages. I found a 2002 Audi A4 with decent mileage. I looked up the history of it on mywheels.ie and I can see that it was imported from the UK at some stage in the past. It has an Irish reg now. My question is, should this influence my buying decision at all? Does an imported car have any effect on insurance costs?


Comments

  • #2
    dgt
    Closed Accounts Posts: 12,985 ✭✭✭✭dgt


    UK cars are generally better specced and looked after.

    I drive an imported Fiesta, no insurance differences :)


  • #3
    eth0
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,635 ✭✭✭eth0


    Don't think it matters much with insurance. LHD cars are slightly more expensive to insure but not as bad as it used to be


  • #4
    Kristopherus
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 11,907 ✭✭✭✭Kristopherus


    Try motorcheck.ie. They may well have previous history. You can also talk to them at 01-8839230.


  • #5
    cormac.c
    Closed Accounts Posts: 12 ✭cormac.c


    Sounds good to me. If you guys have any experience with buying used cars, with this particular car, the NCT is up in March. If it's really worth buying should I insist on the owner putting it through the NCT first?


  • #6
    no1beemerfan
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,714 ✭✭✭no1beemerfan


    I would ask the seller to put it through the test. If they agree it means the car is probably ok but if they refuse to NCT it, it probably means there is a problem with it and they are trying to get rid of it before the NCT is up.


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  • #7
    tossy
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 9,597 ✭✭✭tossy


    I would find out its original UK reg and do a HPI check.


  • #8
    cormac.c
    Closed Accounts Posts: 12 ✭cormac.c


    Kristopherus wrote: »
    Try motorcheck.ie. They may well have previous history. You can also talk to them at 01-8839230.
    I did the full check on mywheels.ie. Everything else with the car seems fine. The only thing that was flagged was the fact that it's imported.


  • #9
    coylemj
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 25,650 ✭✭✭✭coylemj


    cormac.c wrote: »
    the NCT is up in March.

    You can put a car in for the NCT in the three months before it expires, six months if it's due it's first NCT i.e. coming up to 4 years old. If you're thinking of selling a car and you're inside the window for a renewal then anyone who has looked after their car would jump at the chance to get a brand new NCT to enhance the package.

    If the guy is selling the car and has chosen not to submit it for the NCT you have to be asking why not?

    There are too many good secondhand cars out there to be taking a chance on a car where the owner is getting rid of it at a time when he could be putting it in for the NCT.
    cormac.c wrote: »
    If it's really worth buying should I insist on the owner putting it through the NCT first?

    Deffo, you're asking for trouble by taking it without an NCT.


  • #10
    Tea 1000
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,520 ✭✭✭Tea 1000


    Motorcheck.ie should give you it's UK Reg. Many A4's have reached Dublin port off a ferry with much miles less on the clock than before!! I'd get the UK reg and give Audi UK a call and ask them if they have any service details on it on record. THey'll oblige and if you find something like it having the same miles on it back in a service in 2006 as there is now, then you'll know something is not right!


  • #11
    cormac.c
    Closed Accounts Posts: 12 ✭cormac.c


    Tea 1000 wrote: »
    Motorcheck.ie should give you it's UK Reg. Many A4's have reached Dublin port off a ferry with much miles less on the clock than before!! I'd get the UK reg and give Audi UK a call and ask them if they have any service details on it on record. THey'll oblige and if you find something like it having the same miles on it back in a service in 2006 as there is now, then you'll know something is not right!

    I got the English reg off mywheels.ie. Everything seems legit from that end. I think I may just go and see it to suss the car and the owner out.


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  • #12
    tossy
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 9,597 ✭✭✭tossy


    Just remember there are plenty of A4s out there so don't be afraid to walk away from it,if it doesn't feel right.


  • #13
    cormac.c
    Closed Accounts Posts: 12 ✭cormac.c


    tossy wrote: »
    Just remember there are plenty of A4s out there so don't be afraid to walk away from it,if it doesn't feel right.

    Yeah for sure. I've already shot down a few that looked good. There's cars added every day, it's actually pretty insane how many! I'm looking for an A4, Mazda 6, VW Golf or Ford Focus.


  • #14
    Big Nasty
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 22,080 ✭✭✭✭Big Nasty


    As said above ask the seller to NCT it if you're happy with the car. Also get it checked out by a mechanic to include the undercarriage.


  • #15
    Saab Ed
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5,374 ✭✭✭Saab Ed


    A lot of stuff like that-A4s, Passats, 3 Series-all Diesels, were imported around 05-08. At that time people who previously couldn't afford a so called "Prestige Car" all came into the same easy access to credit that caused most of the sh1te that we're in today. For this reason it was an easy void for the scumbags to fill with UK impoterd junk. So much stuff brought in around this time was crashed, clocked or both.

    If the car you're looking at has high mileage now then my advice is stay away because its more than likely double what you think it is and that aint gonna be a good thing when you're already paying over the odds for what is for all intents and purposes a glorified Skoda ;)


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