Buying commercial vehicle for private use

irish bloke

Hi,

As the title suggests I'm looking at buying a commercial Jeep for private use.

Motor I'm looking at is a 08 VW tourage.
It's commercial got 5 doors and windows and apparently the windows work on the back 2 doors.

My plan is to buy and install back seats in this vehicle.

To be honest I know virtually nothing about how this could impact the vehicle tax, insurance, log book or anything else.

If anyone had any experience in doing something similar or could offer any sound advice I would be very grateful.

Thanks,
IB

Atlantic Dawn

irish bloke wrote: »

Hi,

My plan is to buy and install back seats in this vehicle.

Thanks,
IB

This will mean VRT implications as the vehicle will have changed use, probably mean paying 25% of the value to revenue. You will also find it's more than likely no possible to convert it back to passenger use as the anchor points for the seatbelts will (should) have been welded shut during the original commercial conversion process. As regards motor tax the rate will change from being €300 odd to being €1500 odd per year. All these costs will be in addition to possibly paying €2000 plus for seats, windows, fitting to make it passenger and also another €1000 plus for someone to do all the work. It is unlikely an insurer will provide cover for such a converted vehicle.

You would be better off just purchasing one which is already passenger.

irish bloke

Atlantic Dawn wrote: »

This will mean VRT implications as the vehicle will have changed use, probably mean paying 25% of the value to revenue. You will also find it's more than likely no possible to convert it back to passenger use as the anchor points for the seatbelts will (should) have been welded shut during the original commercial conversion process. As regards motor tax the rate will change from being €300 odd to being €1500 odd per year. All these costs will be in addition to possibly paying €2000 plus for seats, windows, fitting to make it passenger and also another €1000 plus for someone to do all the work. It is unlikely an insurer will provide cover for such a converted vehicle.

You would be better off just purchasing one which is already passenger.

Thanks for the reply. Would I def need to pay the VRT. I know very little on the topic but thought this was only paid on new or imported vehicles. Is there any way around this?

Thanks

amdublin

No way round this. Otherwise we'd all be doing it

irish bloke

amdublin wrote: »

No way round this. Otherwise we'd all be doing it

Fair point. Tks again for info

ResearchWill

irish bloke wrote: »

Thanks for the reply. Would I def need to pay the VRT. I know very little on the topic but thought this was only paid on new or imported vehicles. Is there any way around this?

Thanks

As the Vehicle was sold as new with out VRT, as it was a commercial vehicle, it will now have to be paid if the vehicle is converted to private use with back seats. If a person converts such a vehicle without paying the VRT and private tax, and is stopped by AGS or Revenue the vehicle will be seized and not returned till VRT and penalties paid.

Usually after adding VRT and conversion costs it is more expensive than if you bought a private version, commercial again usually has higher mileage and more wear and tear than private car of same age, (more a general observation).

colm_mcm

There's a small chance that the car had vrt paid back in 08 and then was converted recently. In this case vrt won't need to be paid again.

Small chance though.

Seanieke

Didn't I read somewhere that all conversions now have to be signed off on now too? Yet another money spinner.

If you do decide to push on with your project source your seats etc from Customs in Holland. They sell off all the seats taken out of Commercials over there.