UK Car Supermarket will not sell to Ireland - thank you Brexit

Stallingrad

Well this is something new, just got this correspondence from Motorpoint, one of the biggest UK car supermarkets when enquiring about a car.

Basically they will not sell to customers outside the UK.

"It is caused by new laws by HMRC, means at the moment it is not possible. We are hopeful that this problem will be rectified shortly. It is Brexit related, we have just had a directive from senior management that whilst the HMRC is going though these changes, that until sorted, we cannot sell to anybody outside of the UK."

IrishZeus

You would think it would be an opportunity to open up new markets for them, given the weakness of the GBP.

Seems a bit backwards to me....

bear1

I really don't understand the logic behind that. If you are quoting word for word then it would appear that the person's English isn't the best so maybe ask them to clarify the laws?
You could also try other supermarkets and ask if this is indeed true?

Marcusm

That's a complete load of utter horse****. There have been no Brexit changes, there has been a non binding referendum and that's it. Using it as an excuse for some other reason.

GM228

I find that odd as no Brexit related laws have been initiated yet!

Stallingrad

It's daft, I asked him to check with his supervisors and he confirmed that this is the case. I have no idea if any other UK dealers are doing the same, but Motorpoint is a huge operation so a move like this is not to be taken lightly.

Marcusm

Stallingrad wrote: »

It's daft, I asked him to check with his supervisors and he confirmed that this is the case. I have no idea if any other UK dealers are doing the same, but Motorpoint is a huge operation so a move like this is not to be taken lightly.

The U.K. Government is not permitted to make laws or regulations precluding UK companies from selling to residents of other EU states. I'm willing to bet that they've been caught out on a scam or else have other types of problems.

Buffman

Ye, some UK-based traders are reportedly trying to use 'Brexit' as an excuse for everything. Nothing has actually changed yet.

The European Consumer Centre (ECC) in Ireland is advising that consumer rights under EU legislation have not changed, for now, because of the UK decision to leave the European Union.
The warning comes after ECC Ireland received worrying reports that some UK-based traders have refused to refund Irish online consumers citing the outcome of the Brexit referendum on June 23rd as the reason
.........
The woman then contacted the trader to exercise her right under EU law for a 14 calendar day ‘cooling-off’ period under which a consumer does not have to give any reason to return the goods and seek a full refund. The trader refused to give the refund on the basis that Britain was leaving the EU and that EU consumer law would no longer apply.

GM228

Buffman wrote: »

Ye, some UK-based traders are reportedly trying to use 'Brexit' as an excuse for everything. Nothing has actually changed yet.

I can understand some businesses using the excuse to not issue refunds, hardly surprising, but I can't understand why they would use the excuse to not sell and make themselves money!

coylemj

Imported car prices are going to go up in the UK because of the drop in sterling, I suspect that the distributors have greatly reduced the UK dealers' allocation from manufacturing until they sort out new pricing i.e. their supply has probably dried up and they're barely able to meet demand for the new registration number from home buyers.

If a UK person was planning on buying a new car in the next 6 months, he'd want to get his skates on before prices go up so I suspect that dealers are seeing their order books filling up fast.

So demand going up rapidly from local buyers and there's a squeeze on supply while the distributors sort out pricing.

2forjoy

Buffman wrote: »

Ye, some UK-based traders are reportedly trying to use 'Brexit' as an excuse for everything. Nothing has actually changed yet.

Nothing has changed yet eh ! Take a look at the drop in sterling value over the last few weeks .

smash

Sounds like bullshít to me. If you offer £20,000 and live outside of the UK it's no different than offering the same while living in the UK. It's not like you're offering them Euros or Dollars or expecting them to pay shipping.

Buffman

2forjoy wrote: »

Nothing has changed yet eh ! Take a look at the drop in sterling value over the last few weeks .

Ye, I was refering to the 'new laws' mentioned in the OP, obviously lots of changes are happening and will happen with Brexit, but there's plenty of other threads on those.

GM228 wrote: »

I can understand some businesses using the excuse to not issue refunds, hardly surprising, but I can't understand why they would use the excuse to not sell and make themselves money!

smash wrote: »

Sounds like bullshít to me. If you offer £20,000 and live outside of the UK it's no different than offering the same while living in the UK. It's not like you're offering them Euros or Dollars or expecting them to pay shipping.

Ye, could be an opening for a 'car' parcel motel type operation, although I'd say the car sourcing companies operating here would have no bother setting up a UK address if this became a real issue.

bobbysands81

They're still part of the EU, nothing has changed.

Sounds very dodgy to me.

bear1

There is nothing on their website which mentions this at all.
Pure bull****.

bazz26

They don't want to sell you a car, fine move on. Plenty of other dealers over there will.

Special Circumstances

bear1 wrote: »

If you are quoting word for word then it would appear that the person's English isn't the best

I admire your restraint. I would have called it nonsensical gibberish.

Stallingrad

bazz26 wrote: »

They don't want to sell you a car, fine move on. Plenty of other dealers over there will.

I pointed that out to them alright. I suspect this is a short term thing until they realise the folly of their ways. I know there Newport branch has sold loads of cars to Irish customers, I have purchased twice from them.

bear1

Stallingrad wrote: »

I pointed that out to them alright. I suspect this is a short term thing until they realise the folly of their ways. I know there Newport branch has sold loads of cars to Irish customers, I have purchased twice from them.

Was it the same branch you emailed? or another one?

Stallingrad

bear1 wrote: »

Was it the same branch you emailed? or another one?

It was done via live chat on their website. If anyone else wants to try and see if you get the same result go for it.

tossy

As Bazz said i would point out the Horsesh&t in their reply and tell them you are off to buy your car else where. Also point out that they are missing out on a massive customer base over here as their mighty pound continue to plummet,then tell them their football team is crap and mention something about 800 years lol

Atlantic Dawn

Where you saying you were paying in cash because this would be breaking HMRC rules if you wanted to pay £20k in cash.

Marcusm

Atlantic Dawn wrote: »

Where you saying you were paying in cash because this would be breaking HMRC rules if you wanted to pay £20k in cash.

The limit is €15k but even then there is no issue so long as the dealership is pre registered. That being said, I've never experienced a mainstream dealership willing to accept that amount of cash.

AmberGold

Just bought a 25k stg motor today from one of the largest secondhand dealerships. Move on to another, for certain you will find the same level of car elsewhere.

Stallingrad

AmberGold wrote: »

Just bought a 25k stg motor today from one of the largest secondhand dealerships. Move on to another, for certain you will find the same level of car elsewhere.

Which dealer Amber?

cramp

I was onto Motorpoint last Friday week and they never siad anything to me
I was enquiring on how to pay for a car from them from Ireland
They told me bank transfer / debit card

goochy

forget about Motorpoint , Car giant all the way !!

vandriver

goochy wrote: »

forget about Motorpoint , Car giant all the way !!

Take this 2013 passat as an example

https://www.cargiant.co.uk/car/volkswagen/passat/ND13GYH

Under 14k landed vrt paid!

bear1

30gbp per year tax...

vandriver

bear1 wrote: »

30gbp per year tax...

We can dream.

bear1

vandriver wrote: »

Take this 2013 passat as an example

https://www.cargiant.co.uk/car/volkswagen/passat/ND13GYH

Under 14k landed vrt paid!

To be fair though:

https://www.donedeal.ie/cars-for-sale/volkswagen-passat-2-0-tdi-sport-bluemotn-tech-on/12770590

https://www.donedeal.ie/cars-for-sale/volkswagen-passat-1-6-tdi-bluemotion/12351803

https://www.donedeal.ie/cars-for-sale/volkswagen-passat-1-6-tdi-bluemotion-alloy-whe/12358779

In this case it would be cheaper to buy that Passat in Ireland when you factor in flights, ferry etc.

declan123

And there is a massive gap in service history on that one also

vandriver

declan123 wrote: »

And there is a massive gap in service history on that one also

It was an example of the prices to be had.I checked carzone and all the 2013 passats were coming up at over 20k.
I obviously didn't check done deal.
However,clocking does occur,so tread carefully with done deal specials .

cramp

@stallingrad
Was that for a cash transaction u were enquiring about
Or did they
Won't sell to Irish republic in general

cramp

So just onto Motorpoint (live chat )and they are saying same
Due to "taxing" the cars they can no longer do it

No point in even trying explain nothing has changed since

Brexit

They seemingly make a lot of money from the after sale
I.e. Finance /insurance / service / pre delivery and valet
With Irish customers they get none of this I suppose and they
Maybe used the whole brexit thing to stop sales

Are car giant still selling to Southern Ireland anyone know

grogi

cramp wrote: »

So just onto Motorpoint (live chat )and they are saying same
Due to "taxing" the cars they can no longer do it

No point in even trying explain nothing has changed since

They cannot refuse publicly available service based on the residence of the recipient. It is the definition of discrimination.

Don't know where to file a complain though...

galwaytt

grogi wrote: »

They cannot refuse publicly available service based on the residence of the recipient. It is the definition of discrimination.

Don't know where to file a complain though...

...maybe so, but who would want to buy something off someone who didn't want to sell to them ?

grogi

galwaytt wrote: »

...maybe so, but who would want to buy something off someone who didn't want to sell to them ?

It is more about preventing discrimination in future. This one case is already lost.

bear1

Exactly, they don't want your business/money? fcuk em, move onto somewhere else.

grogi

bear1 wrote: »

Exactly, they don't want your business/money? fcuk em, move onto somewhere else.

We're not there yet, but imagine if you are of ethnic origin and one shop won't sell you groceries... You tell them to f..k o.f and shop in a different place. But the other place starts discriminating too, you run out of places really fast.

I get it - a car is not a bottle of milk, but it is about the principle. It must be stopped immediately, otherwise it will spread.

ba_barabus

Report it to trading standards in the UK, or tell them you will. They are very active and love a good discrimation case. Or Auto express or the likes. They'll publicise it for all to see.

Stallingrad

cramp wrote: »

@stallingrad
Was that for a cash transaction u were enquiring about
Or did they
Won't sell to Irish republic in general

Never even got as far as discussing price.

bear1

grogi wrote: »

We're not there yet, but imagine if you are of ethnic origin and one shop won't sell you groceries... You tell them to f..k o.f and shop in a different place. But the other place starts discriminating too, you run out of places really fast.

I get it - a car is not a bottle of milk, but it is about the principle. It must be stopped immediately, otherwise it will spread.

If you want to be certain it's aimed solely at Irish buyers then send another request pretending you are from any other RHD country, Malta/Cyprus and see how they react.
If they agree then you have a case.

cramp

galwaytt wrote: »

...maybe so, but who would want to buy something off someone who didn't want to sell to them ?

Exactly what Iam would thinking

You try and argue
But they could pull the plug on the same at any time
And you could have booked flights ferries etc

dodzy

vandriver wrote: »

Take this 2013 passat as an example

https://www.cargiant.co.uk/car/volkswagen/passat/ND13GYH

Under 14k landed vrt paid!

50K miles since last service. F*** that long life sh1te. I'd never leave a service that long. Not a chance.

vandriver

dodzy wrote: »

50K miles since last service. F*** that long life sh1te. I'd never leave a service that long. Not a chance.

Is the concept of 'as an example' lost on all of ye?

Bazzy

vandriver wrote: »

Is the concept of 'as an example' lost on all of ye?

Yes , this is boards some people LOVE picking holes

Kotek Besar

As I said on the other thread.. Obviously they don't need to sell cars. Anyway, no biggy, just give them a UK address, wait for the log book to come, have it forwarded to you in Ireland, proceed with import.

bazz26

How would that work? What if you don't have friends or relatives with a UK address to give them? How are you going to contact the person at a random UK address and ask them to forward the logbook to your address over here given that they don't know you from Adam?

Kotek Besar

bazz26 wrote: »

How would that work? What if you don't have friends or relatives with a UK address to give them? How are you going to contact the person at a random UK address and ask them to forward the logbook to your address over here given that they don't know you from Adam?

You must know someone in GB / NI?

cramp

Well that's what I was going to do
But u would still have the issue of paying them

They only take bank transfer / debit card / or finance

I have sister in uk and was going to get her to do the transaction
Log book would go in her name though and then transfer back to my mine

Any turns out I found the exact same car up the north in a main dealer garage

For more or less 500 sterling more !
But now don't have to worry about transport from uk

Plus can drive it back to the actual garage with 4yrs warranty left from Toyota uk
Toyota Ireland will honour the next 2yrs

Have a look up north guys Northern Ireland dealers are very happy to deal Southern Ireland buyers