Exporting a vehicle

Mena

Due to promotion, we're moving to the Netherlands. I'm thinking about taking our 4x4 along with us (2006 ML320 if it matters).

Does anyone have any experience exporting a vehicle, in general and specifically to the Netherlands?

Would the VRT rebate be applicable? Anything else we need to do to 'officially' export it?

Besides parking garages and the like, what challenges can we expect with a RHD in mainland Europe?

Any advice appreciated.

challengemaster

Mena wrote: »

Would the VRT rebate be applicable?

Not unless VRT was originally paid (eg. the car was imported, bought new in Ireland, etc)

joe912

Are all cars not imports, what cars are manufactured in Ireland.

Kenny Logins

challengemaster wrote: »

Not unless VRT was originally paid (ie. the car was imported)

You sure about that? VRT is also paid on new cars.

CiniO

challengemaster wrote: »

Not unless VRT was originally paid (ie. the car was imported)

Your example is obviously correct, but VRT is also paid on any new vehicle first registered in Ireland.
So vast majority of cars in Ireland had their VRT paid, except those brought by foreign residents who used as exception, and possibly cars registered on disabled person who is exempt from vrt.

mickdw

challengemaster wrote: »

Not unless VRT was originally paid (ie. the car was imported)

Jesus don't post guess work.
Vrt rebate applies as long as vrt was paid.
Vrt was paid on all irish registered cars apart from those which availed of the exemption. Typical exemption cases would be people who moved to ireland and brought their car with them or people on the disabled scheme here.

CiniO

Mena wrote: »

Due to promotion, we're moving to the Netherlands. I'm thinking about taking our 4x4 along with us (2006 ML320 if it matters).

Does anyone have any experience exporting a vehicle, in general and specifically to the Netherlands?

keithclancy might be able to tell you something possibly.

Would the VRT rebate be applicable?

If car had VRT paid (i.e wasn't imported under exemption) then rebate would be applicable.
But problem with that is if you claim vrt rebate here, you won't be able to obtain exemption in new country (f.e. Netherland) relieving you from obligation to pay registration tax there.
Might be not worth it.

Anything else we need to do to 'officially' export it?

You will probably need to have lights changed to comply with right hand traffic

Besides parking garages and the like, what challenges can we expect with a RHD in mainland Europe?

Harder to get parts...

flyguy

Netherlands has it's own version of VRT, similar to Ireland, but as long as the car is in your name >6 months and haven't lived in Netherlands last 12 months you're exempt.
However you might want to check the road tax on your car. If you think Ireland is expensive think again. Had a 2006 Range Rover sport (2.7 Tdv6) which is around €1400/year in Ireland, in Netherlands it's about double that. Yes €2800/year. I would expect similar numbers for your car. Pre-emissions based tax is determined by weight of car (high) and type of fuel (diesel, highest tax).
Engine size no factor.

Edit, just checked, the road tax would be € 596 - € 643 (depending region) per 3 months. Don't think there's a discount for paying 6/12 months in one go. Paid by direct debit automatically taken from the account the car is registered in. No tax disc nonsense.

Mena

Thanks all, really helpful. As for tax, fact of life. Factored in already.

challengemaster

mickdw wrote: »

Jesus don't post guess work.
Vrt rebate applies as long as vrt was paid.
Vrt was paid on all irish registered cars apart from those which availed of the exemption. Typical exemption cases would be people who moved to ireland and brought their car with them or people on the disabled scheme here.

Yeah for some reason I had it in my head while posting that didn't count for some reason :pac:

edited my post for the sake of clarity

mgbgt1978

Would Insurance costs be an issue ?
Definitely a loading on LHD cars over here, despite the fact that most are driven by people who have arrived from a LHD Country and feel much safer driving a car that they are comfortable with.

Its easier to drive a rhd car in a rhd country and vice versa. For motorway driving, its not such an issue but for town or counry driving its definitely much easier to drive a car thats the correct side for the roads there.
As your car is from 2006, if you plan to drive a fair bit, you should really consider buying a car in the NL if you plan to stay there more than a few months.

Mena

We'll have a company (LHD) drive car as well so that'll help.

The insurance thing does give me pause, would be nice to get an idea at least.

flyguy

Quote from a comparison website for a June 2006 ML320CDI, 5 years NCB, 10K km/year, main driver 38 years old, living in South of Netherlands (any other driver is automatically insured, like the way normal insurance companies work, not this rip off named driver BS). RHD does not affect price afaik.
€56/month for 3rd party, fire&theft. (Excess €135, which is high for Dutch standards).

flyguy

flyguy wrote: »

(any other driver is automatically insured, like the way normal insurance companies work, not this rip off named driver BS)..

+1

People accept things as normal in Ireland because thats the way the UK does it.

Mena

Thanks Flyguy, by Irish standards you're missing two zero's in that figure :-)

browniepoints

Living in Europe long time now driving mostly RHD cars and also sometime LHD all I can say if you got the money change to LHD every time


its peculiar I found driving a LHD in RHD cant find any problems but RHD in LHD regions has special issues .I always prefer to drive LHD no mater which system I drive in. Why doesn't Southern Ireland do as Sweden did change on January first from RHD to LHD

The biggest problem with RHD in LHD region is filtering into traffic from filter roads such as filters into motor ways thats a real night mare with so many blind spots and your often driving more slow than the rest of the speeding traffic on your left . Stick in the dutch bad weather always raining a formula to crash and put your insurance rates up . Dry climates are hard enough
Overtaking is easy enough back away and peek out and if its clear go for it .
The T junctions some issues if there is big passenger in the car and telling the large breasted missus to lean back doesn't help later on

The first six months RHD in LHD region are the hardest close calls every few weeks so driving like granny is the best motto or simply sell up and move onto to LHD .

Holland the Dutch drivers are not so easy going as many other parts of Europe like France and Spain where roads and distances are large .

The Dutch are big 4x4 byers especially the Belgiums and the prices are often very reasonable compared to Ireland.
Not sure why there isnt a decent hill in Holland to use the 4 wheel drive in .

Also many of them come with factory fitted natural GAS as that is the cheapest fuel there for those gas gusslers but they also do turbo diesel versions as well

Its probably much cheaper to put the 2006 ML320 in Spain pay the Spain import tax there often less than ~€2000 and the low car tax often less than ~€300 a year and pay the parking often ~€30 a month and fly down every few weekends and really use it doing real wild 4x4 driving in Spain .

Jed

flyguy

My advice would also be to change car. Dunno if you're going to be living in/near a big city but almost everywhere is paid parking which would be in/out through a barrier (ticket point on the left). Dutch are generally efficient which means impatient, don't keep loading your shopping bags once the cashier has finished scanning, pay now load after. The cashier will move your stuff in a separate space so you won't hold hold up the next in line. No joke, Dutch don't like waiting (or social talk by someone they don't know, like a sales person). Anyway this equally applies in traffic, things I see in Ireland daily -people taking their time for whatever reason- gets drivers annoyed quickly. Also don't speed, you will not get away with it, average one speeding ticket per driver per year. Do not use your phone while driving, Dutch police do not give warnings (or penalty points) but only hefty fines, €230 for phone use.
It's a nice country though I miss it at times (not the traffic jams). Cost of living should be cheaper than here...
Useful site: https://www.justlanded.com/english/Netherlands

ardmacha

Why doesn't Southern Ireland do as Sweden did change on January first from RHD to LHD

I think the answer is in your qualification that only one part of Ireland. Sweden was changing to remove changeovers, not create them. Of course we could have a change in the 26 counties and in the north the GFA rights would mean that nationalists could drive on the right while unionists could continue to use the left.

ardmacha

ardmacha wrote: »

I think the answer is in your qualification that only one part of Ireland. Sweden was changing to remove changeovers, not create them. Of course we could have a change in the 26 counties and in the north the GFA rights would mean that nationalists could drive on the right while unionists could continue to use the left.

I don't believe any country will ever do that again. It was a mammoth task then and that was in the 1970s. Apart from all the 'wrong ' cars already on the roads think of all the highway reconstruction that would be needed.

The dangers in driving the 'wrong' HS car is not so much about overtaking (thats an inconvenience) but from lapses of concentration eg pulling out from a filling station, that could see you heading into the oncoming traffic lane. Such lapses are less likely when you are driving the 'correct' HS car.

goochy

op youre biggest problem will be having to live with dutch plp !

Mena

Thanks for all the help. Got confirmation at VRT export examination the refund is €4500.00 and no fee (BPM in Netherlands) due as I've owned it longer than 1 year (this from Dutch tax authorities).

Just for closure sake I thought I'd update.