Importing a vintage car from the US

Geck

Hey guys,
Apologies if this has come up before, but I had a look around and wasn't able to find much. I'm looking to import a 71 Chev for my next project car from the states, this specific car will need allot of work so will most likely be in my garage for a long time time, which I'm ok with . I have however never brought something over here from the US and was wondering if anybody can give me hand on some of the details.

citizensinformation.ie/en/moving_country/moving_to_ireland/coming_to_live_in_ireland/importing_car_into_ireland.html
^sorry, it wouldnt let me post a direct link

As detailed above, when it comes into the country I will need to pay VRT (which is fine, I believe for this vehicle it should only be 200) customs and VAT.
I'm however a tad confused on the VAT and customs and how much this could possibly be? I'm only paying 3000 euro for the vehicle, so is the vat just 23% of the 3000? as well I have no idea how much the customs will be, does anybody have any ideas on this?

Also, do you guys know if their is anything else I could be missing? something else nasty I might need to pay or be aware off that's not listed above.

Thanks so much!

Pkiernan

You'll pay VAT on the cost of shipping and insurance too.
There will also be import duty which I think for a vehicle is 2%.

Dr Turk Turkelton

I believe the best way to import a car from the States to here is to first import it to the UK where there is little or no vat on it and then import it from there to here and you will only have to pay the nominal 200 euro for vrt.
I have never done it myself but I remember talking to one guy who had done it a few times but I can't remember the finer details but I'm sure someone else here will be able to expand on it.

Geck

Pkiernan wrote: »

You'll pay VAT on the cost of shipping and insurance too.
There will also be import duty which I think for a vehicle is 2%.

Thanks for your reply, do you know if the 2% or even the VAT for that matter is a percentage based on what I paid or a percentage based on the price of it in 1971 or what they think it's worth? Kinda confused on this

Whiskey7

I looked at this about 3 years ago. At the time I was told I would pay duty on the value of the vehicle (I think it was 10%) then VAT at 23% on the purchase price plus shipping plus insurance. Then when the vehicle is roadworthy bring it to the VRT centre and pay €200. I think you need to make sure you have a clear title to the vehicle to export it from the USA. I didn't go any further with mine but as Dr Turk says bring it through the UK where there is minimal duty on classic vehicles.

Type 17

Another advantage to importing to the UK is that, given the size of that market, there are probably already established UK-based vehicle shippers who import from the US regularly, and it will be easier (and likely cheaper) to let them organise the US collection, shipping and UK delivery (to their premises nearest to Holyhead/Pembroke/Liverpool) than to try and do all that yourself over the phone.

Dades

Geck wrote: »

Thanks for your reply, do you know if the 2% or even the VAT for that matter is a percentage based on what I paid or a percentage based on the price of it in 1971 or what they think it's worth? Kinda confused on this

I believe tax is charged on the invoiced value of the car - i.e. if you produce a recent purchase invoice that figure is used. At least when I brought a car in from Canada, I produced (my own *cough*) invoice and this was used. That was 10 years ago though.

Definitely worth getting UK shipping prices, and factoring in what you might pay to get the car from there to Ireland, and then what VAT etc would cost you here if you came direct. I guess the more expensive the car the more savings are to be made.

Geck

Type 17 wrote: »

Another advantage to importing to the UK is that, given the size of that market, there are probably already established UK-based vehicle shippers who import from the US regularly, and it will be easier (and likely cheaper) to let them organise the US collection, shipping and UK delivery (to their premises nearest to Holyhead/Pembroke/Liverpool) than to try and do all that yourself over the phone.

Thanks for the reply and apologies for the tad late reply. I was looking for some of these shippers online but I wasn't really able to find any. Would you know of any or reccomend any of these companies, it seems like it would be a great idea to look into this further.

jimbev

https://www.shipmycar.co.uk/2016/10/importing-a-classic-car-from-the-usa-to-uk/

Try your search the other way USA dealers shipping cars to the UK

Type 17

Geck wrote: »

Thanks for the reply and apologies for the tad late reply. I was looking for some of these shippers online but I wasn't really able to find any. Would you know of any or reccomend any of these companies, it seems like it would be a great idea to look into this further.

...and sorry for my own late reply(!).
Sorry, but I don't know of any specific ones that I'd recommend - I'd just be using Google.

Saying that, jimbev's link looks like a professional set-up, but I'd probably want to compare it against a few others, as well as his suggestion of looking at the US end of things.