Is it still cheaper to buy in the North or UK?

The Guvnor

Lads,

I'm forever kicking tyres online pondering my next car.

I'm now wondering is it always better value buying UK over here.

The Nox charge is an added minor headache.

Nox - what annoys me is, it's not that easy to find online if you are as I am kicking tyres.

Hybrids should have low to no NOX or have I got this arseways?

On an x5 40e Revenue estimate NOX at €600 on a 16plate.

I always assume UK for choice and value but tbh atm I'm not so sure the savings are worth the hassle - am I wrong or is it still the way to go?

Atlantic Dawn

Much better choice in the UK, additionally you could focus on an area where there's multiple dealers within short distance of each other allowing you to view a number of choices on the same day.

Petrols and hybrids have tiny NOX figures compared to diesels. If you get a diesel which is Euro 6 the NOX emissions will be low, these appeared toward the end of 2015. Any diesel pre Euro 6 is generally not worth importing as you will likely get it cheaper here. VRT offices at NCT centres are currently closed, I'd wait until they have opened back up but bear in mind UK will have exited the Brexit transition period on 1st January 2021 and who knows what duty will be added then.

https://www.revenue.ie/en/customs-traders-and-agents/brexit/information-for-businesses/vrt-implications-of-trade-with-the-uk/vrt-implications-of-importing-cars-from-the-uk.aspx

Tabby McTat

The Guvnor wrote: »

Lads,

I'm forever kicking tyres online pondering my next car.

I'm now wondering is it always better value buying UK over here.

The Nox charge is an added minor headache.

Nox - what annoys me is, it's not that easy to find online if you are as I am kicking tyres.

Hybrids should have low to no NOX or have I got this arseways?

On an x5 40e Revenue estimate NOX at €600 on a 16plate.

I always assume UK for choice and value but tbh atm I'm not so sure the savings are worth the hassle - am I wrong or is it still the way to go?

Yes. Be prepared to do your homework and you'll find a way better selection, better spec and decent savings.

Get familiar with the Auto Trader app and set up a few saved searches.

Generally the UK garages will not negotiate much if at all, however that might be different in post Covid world where they have lots of used stock to shift. Same could be said of the Irish dealers too...

pale rider

i bought a two year old E class in March just before lockdown, on reflection I should have waited as it’s just gathering dust since....that said I set up a search on Motors.co.uk and was sure I’d be off on the boat, ended up buying in Antrim, no hassle, best value as well.

No real negotiation on price as stated but got it valeted, serviced, new tyres, the sales interaction was excellent, they sent me a good video of the car which made the trip easier.

NoX charge was inconsequential with this car and vrt took an hour of my time.

Well worth considering but there are loads of imports and local cars on our roads so search on the island first for convenience.

The Guvnor

Thanks Lads,

I'm here in North Louth so going north is easy.

My last 4 cars were all imports 2 from NI and 2 from UK.

The €600 on a petrol hybrid seems off doesn't it?

Part of me actively hates going the hybrid route - quite fancy a large petrol but then I'd need to move a few miles further north for that to make sense.

What cars do you see offering the bigger savings atm - I was looking at the x5 40e and 730d so far.

The Guvnor

pale rider wrote: »

i bought a two year old E class in March just before lockdown, on reflection I should have waited as it’s just gathering dust since....that said I set up a search on Motors.co.uk and was sure I’d be off on the boat, ended up buying in Antrim, no hassle, best value as well.

No real negotiation on price as stated but got it valeted, serviced, new tyres, the sales interaction was excellent, they sent me a good video of the car which made the trip easier.

NoX charge was inconsequential with this car and vrt took an hour of my time.

Well worth considering but there are loads of imports and local cars on our roads so search on the island first for convenience.

Nice car the e class which model did you go for?

The Guvnor

Atlantic Dawn wrote: »

but bear in mind UK will have exited the Brexit transition period on 1st January 2021 and who knows what duty will be added then.

Nothing good AD - if we are lucky just a lot more unnecessary paperwork.

The Guvnor

barrac wrote: »

Generally the UK garages will not negotiate much if at all, however that might be different in post Covid world where they have lots of used stock to shift. Same could be said of the Irish dealers too...

It will be interesting to see what happens. Frank Hogan has started putting cars into Wilsons down in Dublin - nice T-Roc came to me for €50 in a timed auction but for some reason they relisted the auction and it went for €22,000:eek:


Not as many cars moving atm for sure so if and when it starts to bite or they feel pressure from marques to move stock some deals may crop up.

User1998

It automatically gives you the highest amount if you don’t enter the Nox value, which is why it gave you €600, thats the highest for a petrol car. The nox on hybrids is generally about €50-€100

pale rider

I bought an '18 22O D SE, easy on fuel, quick yet refined, happy enough its a nice enough car.....not a patch on my previous 2010 E250 that I had for six years trouble free, it was a tad old fashioned but I loved it and boy could it go with 204 bhp.

I'm going to keep this E until the summer then look for a 220D SE Premium Plus in the Uk, I don't want low profile tyres as on the AMG, the premium plus is fabulous.

Plenty of value out there, happy shopping.

The Guvnor

User1998 wrote: »

It automatically gives you the highest amount if you don’t enter the Nox value, which is why it gave you €600, thats the highest for a petrol car. The nox on hybrids is generally about €50-€100

Thanks Man that makes sense but not something I'd ever have worked out by myself!

The Guvnor

pale rider wrote: »

I bought an '18 22O D SE, easy on fuel, quick yet refined, happy enough its a nice enough car.....not a patch on my previous 2010 E250 that I had for six years trouble free, it was a tad old fashioned but I loved it and boy could it go with 204 bhp.

I'm going to keep this E until the summer then look for a 220D SE Premium Plus in the Uk, I don't want low profile tyres as on the AMG, the premium plus is fabulous.

Plenty of value out there, happy shopping.

220 is not bad power wise 180-190? It's the new 8 speed auto? Premium Plus is defo the way to go on the mercs - I'd quite fancy an e350 or even e400 but good luck trying to shift them on in Ireland lol

Mc Love

Is there an easy way to calculate the Nox?

pale rider

194bhp 9 speed auto.

The NOx on more recent models will usually be declared on the V5 so have the seller get it for you or send you a copy.

Tabby McTat

pale rider wrote: »

I bought an '18 22O D SE, easy on fuel, quick yet refined, happy enough its a nice enough car.....not a patch on my previous 2010 E250 that I had for six years trouble free, it was a tad old fashioned but I loved it and boy could it go with 204 bhp.

I'm going to keep this E until the summer then look for a 220D SE Premium Plus in the Uk, I don't want low profile tyres as on the AMG, the premium plus is fabulous.

Plenty of value out there, happy shopping.

I got similar, estate rather than saloon, and went with the AMG. Have only had it since February so likewise it has been sitting gathering dust on the driveway.

Very happy with it so far. Lovely and smooth and lots of power when needed. Big step up in comfort from what I had before.

The Guvnor

Mc Love wrote: »

Is there an easy way to calculate the Nox?

Unfortunately not. It is on the reg cert but getting the info prior to that is hard as it is not usually listed in tech info for the cars which is annoying tbh.

Safe to assume your
hybrid would be under €50
petrol under €250
Ulez Diesel under €1000

Lads can correct me if I am way off here.

The Guvnor

pale rider wrote: »

194bhp 9 speed auto.

The NOx on more recent models will usually be declared on the V5 so have the seller get it for you or sent you a copy.

I would have felt with 194 and 9 speed it'd be a match for the 204 250? ATM I seem to think I need 300+ bhp on next car don't ask me why I think this but it'd a firm thought in my head lol.

Goes out looking for a sensible diesel comes back with a 2 door petrol, that'd be me lol :eek::D

The Guvnor

barrac wrote: »

I got similar, estate rather than saloon, and went with the AMG. Have only had it since February so likewise it has been sitting gathering dust on the driveway.

Very happy with it so far. Lovely and smooth and lots of power when needed. Big step up in comfort from what I had before.

I've a 2012 e350 estate for the last 3 years I think now can't fault it - air suspension in the rear - pretty sure most merc estates have that and tbh it makes some difference to the ride.

The new E class looks great tbh and the 220 has good power imo plus the 9 speed box.

User1998

The Guvnor wrote: »

Unfortunately not. It is on the reg cert but getting the info prior to that is hard as it is not usually listed in tech info for the cars which is annoying tbh.

Safe to assume your
hybrid would be under €50
petrol under €250
Ulez Diesel under €1000

Lads can correct me if I am way off here.

Ulez (Euro 6 / 2016 onwards) diesel max is €600. Almost always a lot less. You can get some BMW’s that are Euro 6 too from 2014 or so onwards.

maddness

Mc Love wrote: »

Is there an easy way to calculate the Nox?

Google is your friend here, there are various sites with charts of different cars and the revenue site has a nox charge per number.

The Guvnor

User1998 wrote: »

Ulez (Euro 6 / 2016 onwards) diesel max is €600. Almost always a lot less. You can get some BMW’s that are Euro 6 too from 2014 or so onwards.

Great info mate - am I in the right area on petrol and hybrids?

The Guvnor

maddness wrote: »

Google is your friend here, there are various sites with charts of different cars and the revenue site has a nox charge per number.

I've not had much luck if honest with nox and google.

Revenue - if you have a statistical code will it give you a nox figure as well? I do think the vrt page should actually calculate it for you as they should know they figure based on the model selected.

PukkaStukka

Mc Love wrote: »

Is there an easy way to calculate the Nox?

The revenue commissioners had a link to a spreadsheet on the VRT page where you could look up a model and get an indicative NOx figure for it. I checked earlier and I couldn't see the link. It could be a Spec saver moment on my part but I found it easy enough last time.

Anyway, I did have a chat with a lad recently who said he presented a car for VRT with a NOx value liable for around €2,500 on a 2012 diesel. He swore blind he paid a lot less than that in the end when the figure was much reduced on the day. Now, I don't know whether this yarrn is true or just a leg pull, but I'll put it out there in case there is some truth to it. Would be interested to hear if they are somehow 'going easy" on the NOx charges.

AnthonyGrady

With the new nox tax I think unless you are buying hybrid or electric, or a diesel car with very low emissions (which are uncommon and are usually more expensive brands) it is no longer worth it...

AnthonyGrady

The Guvnor wrote: »

I've not had much luck if honest with nox and google.

Revenue - if you have a statistical code will it give you a nox figure as well? I do think the vrt page should actually calculate it for you as they should know they figure based on the model selected.

No you still have to enter the car emissions to the website, even with the statistical code

poker--addict

https://www.nextgreencar.com/

Is there not several websites like this one which show you the NOX, then stick it into the VRT calc. Seems simple, what am i missing? Can't imagine the car's logbook is going to be drastically different?

A random sample now suggests most decent cars are euro 6 and VRT cost seem reasonable, and the NOX charge is barely relevant in terms of a debate about savings by going North, unless looking at older more marginal vehicles, in which case the hassle of searching travelling and getting the VRT sorted is hardly worth it anyway.

Mc Love

that is handy poker addict

Creamy Goodness

191 A5 bought in February with 18k on the clock, €36k landed, closest spec one here at the time was €46k with 40k on the clock and in Mayo, Liverpool is closer

The Guvnor

Creamy Goodness wrote: »

191 A5 bought in February with 18k on the clock, €36k landed, closest spec one here at the time was €46k with 40k on the clock and in Mayo, Liverpool is closer

Great buy mate! That is some saving.

blingrhino

Creamy Goodness wrote: »

191 A5 bought in February with 18k on the clock, €36k landed, closest spec one here at the time was €46k with 40k on the clock and in Mayo, Liverpool is closer

Was it a audi main dealer you bought from?

Tried to buy a 191 530 from bmw dealer in london this week and doesnt want to know when he heard it was going to ROI

Creamy Goodness

blingrhino wrote: »

Was it a audi main dealer you bought from?

Tried to buy a 191 530 from bmw dealer in london this week and doesnt want to know when he heard it was going to ROI

Yes, Chesire Oaks about 30 minutes from Liverpool Airport. Had a slight issue where they wouldn't give me the V5 document and would only post it to my UK address. Since I was using my cousin's address she forwarded it on to me.

The Guvnor

blingrhino wrote: »

Was it a audi main dealer you bought from?

Tried to buy a 191 530 from bmw dealer in london this week and doesnt want to know when he heard it was going to ROI

I can't see why they would mind - money is money - if you want to drive it into a lake after buying it (not that you would lol) fair game etc.

The Guvnor

Creamy Goodness wrote: »

Yes, Chesire Oaks about 30 minutes from Liverpool Airport. Had a slight issue where they wouldn't give me the V5 document and would only post it to my UK address. Since I was using my cousin's address she forwarded it on to me.

Used to visit Oaks regularly when family lived over there - Porsche dealership were very friendly - he was desperate for me to take a range of cars out for a test drive despite me being a tyre kicker lol

Get In There

In the market to buy a car following the addition of a baby boy. The buggy and baby stuff takes up all the boot space of a 08 Corsa so looking to get a car with a bigger boot. Have a budget of ~ 14k all in. Would ideally like a car no more than 3 years old, runs on petrol and doesn't have mileage greater than 30k. Am I being unrealistic here?

I'd be looking to use a company to bring the car over from UK to Ireland for me. Regardless of where I buy my next car from, I wouldn't have the mechanical know-how to verify if a car is mechanically sound. So I do like going onto the BCA website and filtering out the cars that have a BCA Mechanical Assurance report. Maybe I'm attaching too much weight to their report but as I say, I don't have the mechanical know-how.

However, I have no idea how much the cars I'm looking at are going for at auction. I understand you'd have to buy via a trader and I was considering Flipping Cars as I know they would bring over the car for me as well.

Any thoughts or advice on that?

PukkaStukka

Get In There wrote: »

I'd be looking to use a company to bring the car over from UK to Ireland for me. Regardless of where I buy my next car from, I wouldn't have the mechanical know-how to verify if a car is mechanically sound. So I do like going onto the BCA website and filtering out the cars that have a BCA Mechanical Assurance report. Maybe I'm attaching too much weight to their report but as I say, I don't have the mechanical know-how.
....
Any thoughts or advice on that?

BCA's private buyers fees are very steep and the mechanical health checks don't constitute a guarantee, just an opinion.

If it were me and my budget allowed, I'd buy a nearly few car privately that is still under manufacturers warranty and suitably priced, and get a report on it beforehand from the AA or RAC.

I've bought from auction myself and even though the auctioneers report gave the car a thumbs up, it still had gremlins that would've put me off had I test driven it beforehand. Bidding was strong and I didn't save much compared to a private buy. But I can't complain because once sorted, it turned out to be a damn good car that I'm still driving now.

User1998

Have a look at Flipping Cars, they buy from BCA on your behalf and ship it over to Ireland for you. I’ve used their service a few times and found them quite good and there are good deals to be had. Sign up and you’ll see how much the cars are going for and the cost of the fees etc. I only ever bought cars with an AA mechanical report and they were fine. Some unexpected scratches and scuffs but the cars were mechanically sound and there was a good level of saving over the prices on Autotrader. Obviously buying from auction isn’t for everyone so do your research first

pale rider

Get In There wrote: »

In the market to buy a car following the addition of a baby boy. The buggy and baby stuff takes up all the boot space of a 08 Corsa so looking to get a car with a bigger boot. Have a budget of ~ 14k all in. Would ideally like a car no more than 3 years old, runs on petrol and doesn't have mileage greater than 30k. Am I being unrealistic here?

I'd be looking to use a company to bring the car over from UK to Ireland for me.


You are not being unrealistic but check out dealers in Northern Ireland, way more accessible than your plan to go to the UK and you will have no shipping costs and get to kick the tyres quite easily.

I had a first class experience with my first import in March.

galwaytt

The Guvnor wrote: »

Unfortunately not. It is on the reg cert but getting the info prior to that is hard as it is not usually listed in tech info for the cars which is annoying tbh.

Safe to assume your
hybrid would be under €50
petrol under €250
Ulez Diesel under €1000

Lads can correct me if I am way off here.

I bought a CLS yesterday, in Ireland.

However, I did look in the UK, and had narrowed it down to one, in a main dealers'. He duly looked up the V5 and sent me the full info, including NoX info.

For a 2017 CLS Shooting Brake, with the 2.2cdi engine, the NoX charge worked out at €210 odd. Not the end of the world.

Only reason I didn't go for it was the budget, I got a 20k miler here for 3k less that it would have cost to bring it in, and it was just a bridge too far. Can't fault the car or the spec they were offering.

GavMan

galwaytt wrote: »

I bought a CLS yesterday, in Ireland.

However, I did look in the UK, and had narrowed it down to one, in a main dealers'. He duly looked up the V5 and sent me the full info, including NoX info.

For a 2017 CLS Shooting Brake, with the 2.2cdi engine, the NoX charge worked out at €210 odd. Not the end of the world.

Only reason I didn't go for it was the budget, I got a 20k miler here for 3k less that it would have cost to bring it in, and it was just a bridge too far. Can't fault the car or the spec they were offering.

Congrats. Well wear. Do post some pics if/when you can. Really love all vintages of the CLS

kanuseeme

Get In There wrote: »

In the market to buy a car following the addition of a baby boy. The buggy and baby stuff takes up all the boot space of a 08 Corsa so looking to get a car with a bigger boot. Have a budget of ~ 14k all in. Would ideally like a car no more than 3 years old, runs on petrol and doesn't have mileage greater than 30k. Am I being unrealistic here?

I'd be looking to use a company to bring the car over from UK to Ireland for me. Regardless of where I buy my next car from, I wouldn't have the mechanical know-how to verify if a car is mechanically sound. So I do like going onto the BCA website and filtering out the cars that have a BCA Mechanical Assurance report. Maybe I'm attaching too much weight to their report but as I say, I don't have the mechanical know-how.

However, I have no idea how much the cars I'm looking at are going for at auction. I understand you'd have to buy via a trader and I was considering Flipping Cars as I know they would bring over the car for me as well.

Any thoughts or advice on that?

I used this company twice, https://www.carauctionservices.co.uk/, much the same as flippin cars, but they have people on the ground at auctions,
he was able to tell me about one car I was considering to buy "forget about it, smells of dog" .

What car have you got in mind?

Marcusm

galwaytt wrote: »

I bought a CLS yesterday, in Ireland.

However, I did look in the UK, and had narrowed it down to one, in a main dealers'. He duly looked up the V5 and sent me the full info, including NoX info.

For a 2017 CLS Shooting Brake, with the 2.2cdi engine, the NoX charge worked out at €210 odd. Not the end of the world.

Only reason I didn't go for it was the budget, I got a 20k miler here for 3k less that it would have cost to bring it in, and it was just a bridge too far. Can't fault the car or the spec they were offering.

Now that is a very swish looking car. What’s the rear headroom like?

galwaytt

Marcusm wrote: »

Now that is a very swish looking car. What’s the rear headroom like?

Reasonable is the word for adults. The Shooting Brake is better as the curve starts further back

We have two kids (kids?? 20 & 17?). One tiny, one, er, not.....he'll have to suck it up. Next year he probably won't want to be seen out with us anyway !!

An E-Coupè was the alternative- the CLS is the compromise. But a lovely one