import from belgium / EU

oldsmokey

Hi, hope this hasnt been done to death...wife got a transfer to work in belgium for around 10 months,start soon..whats the deal about buying a car there and bringing it home duty-free?..I did it years ago with an Passat when i was living in UK, no hassle really. Shes looking to buy new..where do i get advice, prices, dealers (could it be bought here for example/), paperwork involved...shes looking at an Accord Estate incidentally...thanks

oldsmokey

oldsmokey wrote: »

Hi, hope this hasnt been done to death...wife got a transfer to work in belgium for around 10 months,start soon..whats the deal about buying a car there and bringing it home duty-free?..I did it years ago with an Passat when i was living in UK, no hassle really. Shes looking to buy new..where do i get advice, prices, dealers (could it be bought here for example/), paperwork involved...shes looking at an Accord Estate incidentally...thanks

bump..

CiniO

Are you looking for RHD?

If so, this will be quite unusual for dealers in Belgium, but I'm sure the will be able to provide one.

Just let her buy one there, use it for 6 months while she lives there, and then bring it back to Ireland to register without a need to pay VRT.


Finding a dealer in Belgium shouldn't be a problem I suppose

Only problem might be actually registereing RHD in Belgium.
I'm not sure what regulations apply there, but you might need to change lights / mirrors / etc for LHD.
If car is going to be new, I'm not sure how such modification would affect warranty.

oldsmokey

CiniO wrote: »

Are you looking for RHD?

If so, this will be quite unusual for dealers in Belgium, but I'm sure the will be able to provide one.

Just let her buy one there, use it for 6 months while she lives there, and then bring it back to Ireland to register without a need to pay VRT.


Finding a dealer in Belgium shouldn't be a problem I suppose

Only problem might be actually registereing RHD in Belgium.
I'm not sure what regulations apply there, but you might need to change lights / mirrors / etc for LHD.
If car is going to be new, I'm not sure how such modification would affect warranty.

ok thanks...any useful websites / old posts out there..

bmstuff

Just order the new RHD car from the dealer. They will do the local registration. Technical test only takes place 4 years later.
I dont see any problem here. She might get stopped at night for the lights. Sometimes they are adjustable and do not require stickers.

Other than that RHD cars are registered every day on continental europe without too much hassle (when they have an EU cert). Since the car will be sold new from he dealer, EU conformity cert come as default.

HTH

But try the dealer, he might know better. But I am fairly sure of what I am saying.

oldsmokey

bmstuff wrote: »

Just order the new RHD car from the dealer. They will do the local registration. Technical test only takes place 4 years later.
I dont see any problem here. She might get stopped at night for the lights. Sometimes they are adjustable and do not require stickers.

Other than that RHD cars are registered every day on continental europe without too much hassle (when they have an EU cert). Since the car will be sold new from he dealer, EU conformity cert come as default.

HTH

But try the dealer, he might know better. But I am fairly sure of what I am saying.

Great stuff, I'd imagine our Belgian friends should be fairly au fait with this kind of thing alright..thanks

afatbollix

Just so you know Belgium has a higher VRT tax than Ireland.

keithclancy

afatbollix wrote: »

Just so you know Belgium has a higher VRT tax than Ireland.

Think your mixing it up with the Netherlands, Belgium has no BPM tax on cars.

E.G.
A 1.6 CR TDI Superb in Belgium starts at 22k
In the Netherlands the same car starts at 27.490.

oldsmokey

What if one was to buy a nearly-new or used RHD car in Belgium /Germany, anyone know of any useful websites in those countries selling rhd vehicles?

oldsmokey

Right., shes off ...have decided to buy an 11 reg Merc c220 estate, should have it here next year duty free for around 23000.
would one be best advised to buy in the uk, and get it to belgium for the duration, or use a Belgian dealer to source it for simplicity's sake (I'm a little simple)..I had a poke around German / Belgian dealer sites, but theres v little RHD stuff.
Would really appreciate a lead on this, ta.

CiniO

oldsmokey wrote: »

Right., shes off ...have decided to buy an 11 reg Merc c220 estate, should have it here next year duty free for around 23000.
would one be best advised to buy in the uk, and get it to belgium for the duration, or use a Belgian dealer to source it for simplicity's sake (I'm a little simple)..I had a poke around German / Belgian dealer sites, but theres v little RHD stuff.
Would really appreciate a lead on this, ta.

Surely it would be easier to fing RHD from UK dealer.
But remember there's no chance your wife will get VRT ceased if she doesn't have this car for at least 6 months registered in her name in Belgium while she lives there.

As I said this might not be as easy as you think, especially if you buy in UK.
I would start from finding out what needs to be done to get is registered.