Advice on Importing car from U.K. Without going over to collect

Sweens92

I'm looking at cars in the uk compared to Ireland and finding that they're newer, higher specs and less mileage for less money, even when you include vrt.

My problem is however that I would ideally like to avoid going over to the uk to collect the car, and instead have the dealer put it on a ferry for me? I know someone who did this so I know it can be done, however theirs was a brand new car from the dealer, whereas mine will be secondhand.

Just wondering if anyone has any experience of doing this? I'm only looking at cars from dealers in the uk, but I'm wondering will I get stung anyway and is there anyway I can safeguard myself?

Any advice would be really appreciated!

blindside88

I assume you'll be going over to look at the car and test drive it at least? What ever you do don't just buy it from pictures on the Internet. There is a company called NVD that will transport it from the in to ireland if you wish. A lot of dealers use them

Sweens92

blindside88 wrote: »

I assume you'll be going over to look at the car and test drive it at least? What ever you do don't just buy it from pictures on the Internet. There is a company called NVD that will transport it from the in to ireland if you wish. A lot of dealers use them

Honestly I wanted to avoid going over to the uk full stop. The cars are all fairly new in years and with an internet car check I'm hoping they should be fine?

I know It probably sounds crazy but the fact that I know someone who did this is encouraging me.

I wonder is there any company I could pay over there to check the car out if needs be?

Donal55

Sweens92 wrote: »

Honestly I wanted to avoid going over to the uk full stop. The cars are all fairly new in years and with an internet car check I'm hoping they should be fine?

I know It probably sounds crazy but the fact that I know someone who did this is encouraging me.

I wonder is there any company I could pay over there to check the car out if needs be?

Mad Ted! Willing to fork out 1000s and speccing it off an internet photo.
I look forward to listening to you on lavelahn.

greenspurs

Mordaunts in Clonmel.
They will meet you, go through your budget/ what car you are looking for and then get it for you.

Ive been shopping for a new car, and just called in there to see what they had.
I didn't buy with them , as we found a car elsewhere.

blindside88

Sweens92 wrote: »

blindside88 wrote: »

I assume you'll be going over to look at the car and test drive it at least? What ever you do don't just buy it from pictures on the Internet. There is a company called NVD that will transport it from the in to ireland if you wish. A lot of dealers use them

Honestly I wanted to avoid going over to the uk full stop. The cars are all fairly new in years and with an internet car check I'm hoping they should be fine?

I know It probably sounds crazy but the fact that I know someone who did this is encouraging me.

I wonder is there any company I could pay over there to check the car out if needs be?

Absolutely crazy idea in my opinion. Would you buy a car in ireland without ever looking at it? For the sake of the €100 it would cost you to fly over and back in the same day to inspect the car. By all means then have it shipped back

Del2005

You can get AA or RAC inspections done on cars and I'm sure that there are other companies that offer similar services, even if you do go over you should really pay for an inspection. If people paid for inspections here, or even brought it to their mechanic, before purchasing we'd have a lot less threads in a few forums. The vast majority of people don't know a good car from a lemon.

I know loads of people who bought bikes unseen from the UK. My Brother in law recommended a place. I looked at a few online and found one that I liked, luckily I had a friend close by to check it out. It turned out to be the place my BIL recommended. When my friend was checking it over he and chatting to the dealer the dealer was saying that they'd send a bike over to Ireland and shortly after they'd get a rake of orders from the persons friends.

So buying unseen from the UK is doable, isn't nearly every JDM bought this way, but personally I wouldn't do it.

slave1

I've brought 3 cars in over the last few years and never seen them in person.

Photos on line, then a video walkaround including the interior and boot/engine, then service history check, then finance check, then refundable deposit, then RAC comprehensive test, then phone call with RAC inspector to get his straight opinion, then pay for it, then a transporter home.

If I was to go see it in person I do not have the skillset that would inform me anything a RAC inspector would not spot being straight.

Never an issue to date and I'll be changing again in a few months and bringing in car number 4 with the same method.

I only purchase from main dealers with FSH and a sales person that will provide all the extra photos and video, if they do not provide extra photos or video I move on, lots to choose from.

Sweens92

greenspurs wrote: »

Mordaunts in Clonmel.
They will meet you, go through your budget/ what car you are looking for and then get it for you.

Ive been shopping for a new car, and just called in there to see what they had.
I didn't buy with them , as we found a car elsewhere.

Do they just sell cars themselves or find cars in the uk and Ireland for people?

Sweens92

blindside88 wrote: »

Absolutely crazy idea in my opinion. Would you buy a car in ireland without ever looking at it? For the sake of the €100 it would cost you to fly over and back in the same day to inspect the car. By all means then have it shipped back

Yeah I know I wouldn't have considered it myself, only for my family have done it previously that I'm trying to suss out have others ever done it before.

Sweens92

slave1 wrote: »

I've brought 3 cars in over the last few years and never seen them in person.

Photos on line, then a video walkaround including the interior and boot/engine, then service history check, then finance check, then refundable deposit, then RAC comprehensive test, then phone call with RAC inspector to get his straight opinion, then pay for it, then a transporter home.

If I was to go see it in person I do not have the skillset that would inform me anything a RAC inspector would not spot being straight.

Never an issue to date and I'll be changing again in a few months and bringing in car number 4 with the same method.

I only purchase from main dealers with FSH and a sales person that will provide all the extra photos and video, if they do not provide extra photos or video I move on, lots to choose from.

Thanks for the reply, that's really helpful. A check like that seems really through. My problem is though that the cars I'm looking at and my budget mean I'm looking at dealers but they wouldn't be actual Kia/Vauxhall dealers. I wonder would that make this more dodgy?

BrendanD

U.K. imports.ie , am thinking of trying these myself ,you pick the car from auction site they buy and vrt it for you , they show the full price on there website inc delevary and vrt

slave1

Sweens92 wrote: »

Thanks for the reply, that's really helpful. A check like that seems really through. My problem is though that the cars I'm looking at and my budget mean I'm looking at dealers but they wouldn't be actual Kia/Vauxhall dealers. I wonder would that make this more dodgy?

It's up to you, I would not be put off if it was a reputable/main dealer but do not entertain a small independent, Google Maps is excellent, lets you see are you dealing with a good place in a good location with good buildings or a guy in business selling off his front lawn.
I brought in a Renault back in the day and it was a sh1te car (sh1te everywhere, nothing untoward), a CMax and it was excellent and I got more trading it in a few years later than I paid for it and last year a CRV which 'm keeping for the foreseeable future, FSH (critical, I phoned the garage where it was serviced, a main Honda dealer and they sold the car and serviced from new and could read off everything done with it since delivery), mint condition and very happy with it, saved probably €3k versus a lower specification model here.

Cee-Jay-Cee

I bought my current car from the UK without going over BUT I did get a very good friend of mine who lives there and who I trust totally and is in the motor trade to go and check the car out for me first. He test drove the car, sent me around 40 photos of inside/outside/under the car and went through the service records and receipts. It probably saved me around €300-400. If you know someone that you trust, reasonably near to where whatever car it is your looking at then I'd recommend doing it that way.

bazz26

You would certainly want to get the likes of the AA or RAC to do a comprehensive inspection on the car prior to buying it. There are also transport companies out there that will collect it in the UK and transport over here for you. Cost will eat into your savings over buying one here but if travelling over is not an option then that's your best alternative.

Sweens92

Yeah I would prefer to get someone over there to check it out but don't really have anyone I could ask . Honestly after thinking about it more I think I'll price up the cost of actually going over to view the car and see if that's a runner. For peace of mind it would probably be smarter especially when I'm not buying it from the big brand dealers.

bazz26

Make sure you have a few cars to view in the vicinity so that your not under pressure to come home with a car that's not 100% to your liking.

greenspurs

Sweens92 wrote: »

Do they just sell cars themselves or find cars in the uk and Ireland for people?

Mainly imports by order in the salesroom I was in in Clonmel.
I, not sure if they have another dealership...

slave1

bazz26 wrote: »

You would certainly want to get the likes of the AA or RAC to do a comprehensive inspection on the car prior to buying it. There are also transport companies out there that will collect it in the UK and transport over here for you. Cost will eat into your savings over buying one here but if travelling over is not an option then that's your best alternative.

The inspection is critical for me, when I go to sell on my import in X number of years it will be with full service history between the UK and here and the report to bridge the gap so the assurance of that report will be a plus for me as a private seller...