Owning a super car in Ireland

StereoSound

How realistic is it? Super cars are not Ireland's thing because of tax and insurance companies will need to be bribed to cover you.

Would you drive a Lambo or a Ferrari if you had disposable income to do so? I probably wouldn't because where the FCK would you park it without people crowding around it.. We don't see these kind of cars here unless its someone over on their holidays from France or UK etc who decided to bring their car over. I even saw a Dubai registered Lambo in Dublin last year parked outside Woodies D.I.Shyte.

Anything super rare will gather crowds, iffy little young fellas running over to it , "look at that!" " go on scratch it, I dare ya!" There is good and bad attention with these sort of things. People will on purpose drive into the car park just to stop and look at your car or maybe spit on it if the jealously level supersedes their respect for it. I was in Germany there a few months ago and super cars were common yet people always stopping and touching the cars and leaning on them to take selfies. That kind of thing would bother me as an owner. What peace would you have with one in Ireland ?

Mitch Connor

I'd love to own a super car if i could afford it.

I do always wonder about the planning that would be involved in driving it. There are a lot of speedbumps I reckon a supercar would have big issues with.

Notch000

most super car owners would have another if not several other cars for doing everyday stuff inn. In ireland theres plenty of BME M's, Merc AMGs audit RS that go round in cognito that most people dont take any notice of.

eviltimeban

If I had a supercar or even a priceless vintage car (Lambo Miura would be my option) I would only have it if I lived in the country on a large estate that had a suitable garage / stable for cars.

I would then drive it around for pleasure, rather than to get from A to B. I'd have a reasonable saloon car for day to day driving, and perhaps a smaller sporty run around, as well as my super / priceless car.

That's the fantasy anyway.

DaveyDave

Shows how powerful money is when there's plenty of Ferraris and Aston Martins out there but some lad with several years NCB and no points couldn't get insurance on a Golf R just because he wasn't 30 yet...

StereoSound

Super cars to me are Lambos and Ferraris, really exotic lookin stuff. I don't see an RS4 or an AMG as a super car since they look like a regular diesal saloon but with a bigger engine..

tossy

StereoSound wrote: »

We don't see these kind of cars here unless its someone over on their holidays from France or UK etc who decided to bring their car over.

Plenty of Irish reg'd super cars.

Ubbquittious

OSI wrote: »

Most modern supercars have a lift system in the suspension to give them enough height to get over speed bumps.

If you can afford a supercar you can afford to hang out with the local political bigwigs and plámás them a bit with the help of a stuffed envelope to make the speedbumps flush with the ground

ironclaw

If you have supercar money, you wouldn't be registering it here and you'd likely not be tax resident either. Anyone with that form of wealth would know that as it would be a tax and money pit. You'd lease it or place it as an asset to a company. Reminds me of a quote from Lambo, they don't advertise on TV as no one who owns a Lambo watches TV.

Tax aside, it would be utter hardship to own one. You'd be replacing wheels and struts every other day, not to mention the devaluing you'd experience due to the weather.

neilthefunkeone

Walking to work this morning and a 171 Vantage S pulled out of a driveway.. Lovely sound from it.. Must cost over 200k..

wyf437gn6btzue

Theres a lot more supercars in Ireland that you`d think, they just don`t get taken out all that much. For tax and insurance it isn't too bad, the roads are not all terrible. A lot are able to dodge vrt (but a lot also register). The attention your liable to get over here wouldn't be great as a lot of people would be presumptuous towards you and what ye do to drive one. I remember reading about a guy who bought a 911 and he had to sell it as the negative attention was too much. I don`t think you would see a day where supercars are a regular on the streets here.

On a side note there`s a 2010 murci SV registered and on the road recently.

cnocbui

If I had super car money I wouldn't live in this country.

emo72

i had a vehicle that attracts people. not a super car, a classic. my heart was broken with idiots damaging it. even had a pair of drunken middle aged women sitting on it for a photograph. i gave up after that, you cant have anything nice in this country, too many jealous selfish stupid people.

wyf437gn6btzue

cnocbui wrote: »

If I had super car money I wouldn't live in this country.

Me neither but a lot that do have business ties here so would have to be resident

btkm8unsl0w5r4

Plenty of Supercars in ireland, you dont see them on the street, cause the guys that own them have secure parking, or park in secure car parks if out and about. Go to any cars and coffee and you will see plenty, you just need to know where to look.

One thing people dont realise, is that those types of cars are an absolute pain the the arse to drive around a city, you look like a tool creeping at 1kph over speedbumps, getting the transmission to park without lurching around, massive turning circles, noisey and uncomfortable. They are special occasion cars, and have to be handled with great care.

Go up the sally gap at 8 am on a good day and you will always see Ferraris, Astons, Big Mercs, M cars, classic cars or mega value. Porsche Turbo and turbo S ,There is one very nice McClaren MP4-12C always up there. Go to a gumball and see the irish reg plates there.

The UK has way more because they are cheaper there and also there are wayyyyyyy more rich people in the UK.

StereoSound

Talon Substantial History wrote: »

Plenty of Supercars in ireland, you dont see them on the street, cause the guys that own them have secure parking, or park in secure car parks if out and about. Go to any cars and coffee and you will see plenty, you just need to know where to look.

One thing people dont realise, is that those types of cars are an absolute pain the the arse to drive around a city, you look like a tool creeping at 1kph over speedbumps, getting the transmission to park without lurching around, massive turning circles, noisey and uncomfortable. They are special occasion cars, and have to be handled with great care.

Go up the sally gap at 8 am on a good day and you will always see Ferraris, Astons, Big Mercs, M cars, classic cars or mega value. Porsche Turbo and turbo S ,There is one very nice McClaren MP4-12C always up there. Go to a gumball and see the irish reg plates there.

The UK has way more because they are cheaper there and also there are wayyyyyyy more rich people in the UK.

You make sallys gap sound like the secret breakaway state of Dubai.... Lol

Dagenham Dave

I'd love a supercar.
Had a Merc C63 a few years back and the attention it got was crazy, mind you I was popping and banging the exhaust most of the time lol

Kersh

emo72 wrote: »

i had a vehicle that attracts people. not a super car, a classic. my heart was broken with idiots damaging it. even had a pair of drunken middle aged women sitting on it for a photograph. i gave up after that, you cant have anything nice in this country, too many jealous selfish stupid people.

Same, I had little scrotes throw stones at me parked at the lights in Swords years ago. Cars been pretty much in storage/moved around the yard since, with the odd drive on open roads.

Afaik there is one Veyron on Irish plates, and a good few Lambos/Ferraris etc.

Mr.Boots

**** all car culture in Ireland though. Most who have the money buy something diesel and boring
Put a 172 reg diesel audi a6 in front of most people and they will choose it over something older (And fruitier) or smaller but more fun.
Are we the only country in the world that most of the population strive to own a grey/silver/white diesel saloon car.

PrettyBoy

Kersh wrote: »

Afaik there is one Veyron on Irish plates, and a good few Lambos/Ferraris etc.

There's no Veyron on Irish plates but, relatively speaking, there are a good amount of supercars registered over here. The issues and hardships mentioned so far are not exclusive to Ireland. The biggest barriers to owning one over here is the high cost of VRT and annual motor tax - cross the border to Belfast and you'll see a big difference in the cars there compared to the ones you see in Dublin.

If you're in Dublin 2/4 then you'll usually see a few knocking around. I saw a 171 Ferrari California last week and then an old 400i a couple of minutes later. The 171 Aston Martin Vanquish S & DB11 are both regularly pictured around Dublin. The guy that organises Cars & Coffee has a Ford GT, Lamborghini Murcielago, De Tomaso Pantera, Audi R8 and plenty of others I'm forgetting - all on Irish plates. A good few Ferrari 458's have been imported and registered here in the last couple of years. Porsche Centre Dublin sold and registered at least five 911 GT3 RS models. There's plenty of other UK registered cars that reside here with their Irish owners - 488, F12, Aventador SV, Huracan - I could go on.

Just because you don't see them all over the roads doesn't mean they aren't here.

endacl

cnocbui wrote: »

If I had super car money I wouldn't live in this country.

If you had supercar money you could afford to live in this country.

deco nate

PrettyBoy wrote: »

There's no Veyron on Irish plates but, relatively speaking, there are a good amount of supercars registered over here. The issues and hardships mentioned so far are not exclusive to Ireland. The biggest barriers to owning one over here is the high cost of VRT and annual motor tax - cross the border to Belfast and you'll see a big difference in the cars there compared to the ones you see in Dublin.

If you're in Dublin 2/4 then you'll usually see a few knocking around. I saw a 171 Ferrari California last week and then an old 400i a couple of minutes later. The 171 Aston Martin Vanquish S & DB11 are both regularly pictured around Dublin. The guy that organises Cars & Coffee has a Ford GT, Lamborghini Murcielago, De Tomaso Pantera, Audi R8 and plenty of others I'm forgetting - all on Irish plates. A good few Ferrari 458's have been imported and registered here in the last couple of years. Porsche Centre Dublin sold and registered at least five 911 GT3 RS models. There's plenty of other UK registered cars that reside here with their Irish owners - 488, F12, Aventador SV, Huracan - I could go on.

Just because you don't see them all over the roads doesn't mean they aren't here.

Well there was one Bugatti Veronica registered in Ireland before because I've seen it a few times. It was a few years ago mind.

mickdw

911 would b okay in pretty much any location around Ireland. Anything beyond that would be a waste.

JohnCleary

Had the lend of a family friend's 599 a while back.

Pain in the hole TBH, was too paranoid to park it in town, constant gawks.

Ended up heading out Connemara for a drive, that was fun. Still couldn't relax though, mainly because it wasn't mine in that regard, though :pac:

Arthur Daley

Is a regular 911 not stripped down to it's knickers what you would call a super car as such. Plenty of big engined Mercs and BMW coupes and other sleepers can get up there with a 911. Certainly in Dublin a 911 is nothing special and wouldn't think twice about owning/parking one most places.

Gerrup Outta Dat!

Mommy driving a car with Sadbhb and Fiachra going to drama practise will ding it.

CalamariFritti

StereoSound wrote: »

How realistic is it? Super cars are not Ireland's thing because of tax and insurance companies will need to be bribed to cover you.
...

You really think someone who has a Ferrari or an Aston Martin or something like that cares about tax or insurance cost?

Ubbquittious

deco nate wrote: »

Well there was one Bugatti Veronica registered in Ireland before because I've seen it a few times. It was a few years ago mind.

What do they look like?

cnocbui

CalamariFritti wrote: »

You really think someone who has a Ferrari or an Aston Martin or something like that cares about tax or insurance cost?

Yes. You think they got that wealthy by being careless with their money? Wealthy people care about taxes far more than those who aren't.

PrettyBoy

deco nate wrote: »

Well there was one Bugatti Veronica registered in Ireland before because I've seen it a few times. It was a few years ago mind.

There has never been a Bugatti Veyron registered in Ireland. A few of them have been here over the years but none of them have ever been on Irish plates. The one you saw all those times was not Irish registered.

cnocbui

PrettyBoy wrote: »

There has never been a Bugatti Veyron registered in Ireland. A few of them have been here over the years but none of them have ever been on Irish plates. The one you saw all those times was not Irish registered.

It would be far cheaper to buy an apartment in the north or Uk, live in it occasionally and have the car registered at that address, pay for all the costs associated with the apartment and such, than to pay VRT to import it.

Pinch Flat

I have a significant birthday in a few years and always fancied a Maserati Quartoporte. Can pick up a 10 year old one for reasonable money, but I'd say unless it was absolute mint and was serviced properly it'd be an absolute money pit. Even at that, I'd suspect still a money pit to run and service.

Few US websites I read with Maserati enthusiasts reckons to budget $6,000 - $7,000 annually to run it, presumably as a daily driver, which you could probably double here. I'd be using it for weekends / occasional use. Would have also need to factor in the scummers it would attract to my gaff -a bog standard semi-D without a garage.

q85dw7osi4lebg

Veyron...

https://www.thefreelibrary.com/IRISH+TYCOON+BUYS+EUR1M+SPORTS+CAR.-a0168189339

PrettyBoy

Pinch Flat wrote: »

I have a significant birthday in a few years and always fancied a Maserati Quartoporte. Can pick up a 10 year old one for reasonable money, but I'd say unless it was absolute mint and was serviced properly it'd be an absolute money pit. Even at that, I'd suspect still a money pit to run and service.

Few US websites I read with Maserati enthusiasts reckons to budget $6,000 - $7,000 annually to run it, presumably as a daily driver, which you could probably double here. I'd be using it for weekends / occasional use. Would have also need to factor in the scummers it would attract to my gaff -a bog standard semi-D without a garage.

Have you watched this yet? I always liked the look of them but this video put me right off ever wanting to own one.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3QAHK1Uy9ao

pawdee

You don't often see supercars where I live (in the sticks) but I did see:

A Dodge Viper in Castlegregory
One of those newish ugly Mercs with the gullwing doors (Dublin reg) outside Homebase in Killarney
Yellow Lamborghini Gallardo outside a bookies in Tralee
Ferrari 360 (?) in Main Street, Dingle
White Lamborghini Gallardo (not the Audi engined one) in Camp


I'd like an underground carpark under the stables of my stately home containing the following:

Ford GT
1968 Ferrari 206 GT
1994 Bentley Continental R (black with oxblood hide)
Renault Clio V6
Mercedes 560 SEC
Renault 5 GT Turbo
A lowered hearse with flame paint job, side pipes and a coffin sub-woofer

cnocbui

I don't want a garage full, a single Alfa 33 Stradale will do me plus a runabout.

wyf437gn6btzue

Marcelo Noisy Towel wrote: »

Veyron...

https://www.thefreelibrary.com/IRISH+TYCOON+BUYS+EUR1M+SPORTS+CAR.-a0168189339

That was never registered, stayed here for a few weeks and quickly departed to spain I think. Was sold soon after. There is one veyron here at the minute but its not registered and is on gb plates. Same guy owns too many ultra rare supercars to list (which all reside here)

MadYaker

I saw a 172 Aston Martin Vanquish S in Dublin last week. That must be over €300,000 after they paid the VRT.

neris

cnocbui wrote: »

It would be far cheaper to buy an apartment in the north or Uk, live in it occasionally and have the car registered at that address, pay for all the costs associated with the apartment and such, than to pay VRT to import it.

my friends dad has a Bentley he bought few years ago in UK, VRT was extortionate on it to being ot over here so its kept in a climate controlled car storage place over near Gatwick and uses it a few times a year. Says its cheaper to store it and pay for flights then pay vrt and tax here on it

Pinch Flat

PrettyBoy wrote: »

Have you watched this yet? I always liked the look of them but this video put me right off ever wanting to own one.

Maybe I'll revert to Plan B. A Honda S2000. Not quite a super car, but would do me.

redcup342

I see so many exotic cars around Dusseldorf I'm desensitized to it.

A lot of people keep them in Classic Remise, there's one in Berlin too.

http://remise.de/Classic-Remise-Duesseldorf-english-summary.php



Nice idea, you keep your car garaged in a safe place and people can go and see a whole heap of nice cars for free

StereoSound

Anyone remember seeing a black Dubai registered Lamborghini murcielago around Dublin 2016? I saw it several times.

MadYaker

MadYaker wrote: »

I saw a 172 Aston Martin Vanquish S in Dublin last week. That must be over €300,000 after they paid the VRT.

My parents old neighbor had 8/10 Astons,
he even had a full time mechanic that lived on the property:eek:

Wibbs

Pinch Flat wrote: »

Few US websites I read with Maserati enthusiasts reckons to budget $6,000 - $7,000 annually to run it, presumably as a daily driver, which you could probably double here. I'd be using it for weekends / occasional use.

Bloody hell! To put that in context I was reading recently about a 1960's Ferrari 250 GT Lusso, worth between a million and two million, the last of the 250 series that included mad cars like the GTO, the SWB etc and the expert in them said 2000 a year would cover maintenance at a specialist. And that's a 60's Ferrari. Then again that could be much of it. Much simpler car and even a competent home mechanic could do most of the servicing on it(retrofit electronic ignition and even more hassle free)*. And apparently they're OK as a "daily" and actually run much more reliably if regularly driven and are more comfortable to drive**

For me anyway, though I like that they exist I can think of no current supercar that I'd want to have or drive. Maybe the LFA, it seems more useable and being Japanese will likely stay working. And has an exhaust note that sounds like God clearing his throat. And not just in Ireland. Ireland is not nearly as bad a place as other countries. Some of the safest roads contrary to some fear mongers, low in crime compared to many and we have some cool roads too. Tax and insurance would be the biggie.

If I do ever win the lotto(if I ever buy a ticket ) I'd be a cheap enough collector. I reckon my "perfect" garage would cost less than a million. Much less, though I would have a hankering for one of those above Lusso(slap bigger brakes on it mind you), though something like a Lamborghini 400 GT would cover the 60's V12 too. Or one of the four seater "cheaper" Ferraris from the same era. I'm generally more of a front engined, long bonnet, two seater(or with back seats for small children you hate) RWD type guy anyway.

Mid engined? I'm a pretty below average driver so not so good in my hands, but I would have an NSX Type R(2nd series), no question and a Lancia Stratos or a Ford RS200 or a Renault 5 Turbo 1, though would love to build an exact copy of the original and purer Countach prototype, before they had to add all the intakes to stop the engine blowing up.



Slap something like a Tesla motor into it. I think the languid 70's style Italian model lady comes as standard(with blonde/brunette options). So there's that too.







** fun fact: those 60's Ferrari's didn't come with a manual. An not just an owner manual, they didn't have service manuals either. Real old school Italian master apprentice stuff, where the factory mechanics would learn on the job.

*we can forget that they were cars designed when many Italian and European roads were barely paved, if they were paved at all. The reviewer noted this too as he followed a high end BMW down an English backroad that was a bit lumpy. The BMW lad was very tentative on his rubber band wheels and Nurburgring bred suspension, whereas in the old Italian car he was plough on, be grand.

darragh o meara

There is an Irish Reg Lambo owner who posts here from time to time, I’m sure he would answer any of your ownership questions.

But as already said, there are a lot more Irish reg super cars around than you’d think. Down my direction I know of 2 or 3 Ferrari’s, Porsche 911 GT3 RS and a few other non GT3 911’s,Cayman S’s, Panamera, Maserati Levante and couple of Aston Martins. I don’t live in a major city, far from it in fact..

neris

StereoSound wrote: »

Anyone remember seeing a black Dubai registered Lamborghini murcielago around Dublin 2016? I saw it several times.

There's a middle eastern/gulf reg,d Audi r8 up in Beaumont hospital a lot. Probably doctors or medical students in rcsi who find it cheaper to ship a car over here then just but a top notch Merc bmw or audi

jimbis

Marcelo Noisy Towel wrote: »

Veyron...

https://www.thefreelibrary.com/IRISH+TYCOON+BUYS+EUR1M+SPORTS+CAR.-a0168189339

I missed getting a a spin in that by mere minutes , Friend is related to the owner.
We also tried to convince him to let us drive it back to the lock up in the uk :pac:

CalamariFritti

cnocbui wrote: »

Yes. You think they got that wealthy by being careless with their money? Wealthy people care about taxes far more than those who aren't.

While there is truth in that I don't think it adds up in this case. You gonna buy a car for 250K and be worried you get the cheap tax or not or whether your insurance is 2 grand or 3 grand? I don't think so.

If someone does then there's something wrong with them.

dastardly00

A neighbour of mine has a Ferrari 360.
It's probably not a supercar by modern day standards, but definitely still exotic.
It has Italian plates, but it's been in Ireland for at least the last three years...
He very rarely drives it though

cnocbui

CalamariFritti wrote: »

While there is truth in that I don't think it adds up in this case. You gonna buy a car for 250K and be worried you get the cheap tax or not or whether your insurance is 2 grand or 3 grand? I don't think so.

If someone does then there's something wrong with them.

How much were you thinking the VRT on a €250,000 car would be? Have you ever personally imported a nice car and made a VRT payment to Revenue?

CalamariFritti

I have actually but still managed to forget about that tbh. I just assumed you buy new and the price is what it is. But I agree thats a fair chunk of money, a supercar could be easily 35% dearer here than elsewhere?