Driving a car from Brussels to ireland

timmiekp

Hi lads thinking of buying a car to bring back to Ireland. What's the best route to go. Google maps bringing me through the UK to holyhead then down to Kerry. Any tips as I have never driven outside Ireland. I priced a lad to collect it 1300euro.

Del2005

Going through the UK could be a bit of hassle with a car you've just bought.

You can get any of these ferries

• the Rosslare-Cherbourg route takes 18 hours;
• the Rosslare –Dunkirk route takes 24 hours;
• the Cork-Roscoff journey takes 15 hours.

Dunkirk is only 2 hours from Brussels. 24 hours on a boat isn't the best but driving for 15 hours isn't either.

jmreire

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058295359/driving-a-car-from-brussels-to-ireland

Was the €1300 quoted inclusive of all costs and expenses? Fuel, Ferry fee's, hotels etc?

timmiekp

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120560699#Comment_120560699

Dunkirk is 600e oneway but less travel. Cherbourg is 200 but is 7 hrs and roscoff is more again.

timmiekp

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120560776#Comment_120560776

Ya all costs

jmreire

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120561328#Comment_120561328

Have you costed the trip yourself? and what did it work out at?

Marcusm

Brussels to the tunnel then around M25 depending on time of day then 5 hours to Holyhead. You’d do it all in one day. Book a cabin on board for a few extra quid to get your head down and then straight off the boat to Kerry.

timmiekp

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120561953#Comment_120561953

Rough guide 600-800 I think depending on what route I take. Excluding my own time I see it as a holiday 🤣I want to see the car before I buy.

mikewest

Tip on over then, have a look see at the car, do the deal and take a ferry back direct through France. Look at freight ferries also cause most of them will take cars and some have better times or ports than the tourist ferries e.g. I took a ferry out of St Malo to Cork years ago, about 10 cars and the rest trucks on board.

jmreire

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120563689#Comment_120563689

Go for it !!! Aside from the holiday aspect of it, I'd be slow to buy any car sight unseen if at all possible. And keep a diary of your experience, I'm sure that people would find it very interesting!!😎

Allinall

OP, if you’re going to Kerry don’t go near Holyhead.

Either get a direct ferry to Cork, or if going through the UK, head for Fishguard or Pembroke in South Wales and get a ferry to Rosslare.

timmiekp

The car is alot cheapsr than here. My biggest worry Is a break down. What do you think it would cost to bring home?

Count Dracula

Time your drive to Kerry through the night or off peak hours. Fly it down, I have done Dublin to Tralee in under 3 hours through the night.

The Continental Op

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120565235#Comment_120565235

Can't imagine you travelling at any other time ;-)

TheAnalyst_

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120564662#Comment_120564662

Agree, less time driving and more time sleeping or chilling on a ferry. I always did Holland to Dublin via uk landbridge but it made sense with those start and end points.

CrowdedHouse

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120565192#Comment_120565192

Including VRT and presumably the inconvenience and insurance issues of Left hand drive?

Capt'n Midnight

Not sure if for trucks only , or if you could drop on board and fly back and collect later

https://www.portofcork.ie/services/ro-ro-schedule/ there's a contact number for CLDN Cork - Zeebrugge they also do Dublin - Rotterdam

Marcusm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120565374#Comment_120565374

Via Cork -Roscoff would only be 250-300kms less than landbridge but ferry would be 15 hours plus generally more costly than Dub-Holyhead or Ross-Pembroke.

mikeecho

I have to ask...

What type of car?

timmiekp

Old Toyota

cnoc

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120566411#Comment_120566411

Insurance more expensive on older car plus LHD.

Have you priced it?

jmreire

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120566411#Comment_120566411

Toyota, even old one should be fine...normally, but in a situation like this, you cannot really tell. Best to drive it around on the holiday fir a few days, and you will get a good idea!!!

greasepalm

Why buy a left hand car and parts if needed might be harder to come buy if needed and would be checking that out before buying it . Different engine ? size and specs may differ.

Core6

I suggest that you buy a return flight to Brussels when you are going to look and buy.

That way, if you don't like the car or find out that it is much worse than described you have an easy way to back out.

If you don't have the return flight booked the potentially (very) high cost of buying a flight back for later that day will sub-consciously persuade you to buy the car.

eusap

If buying a car in Belgium make sure it has a registration plate when you are leaving, normally the seller keeps the plate and uses it on there next car, which means you will be driving a car with no plates and the french won't like that

Arnout

In Belgium they have export plates. Reversed colours (white lettering on a red background, as opposed to red-on-white for their normal plates) in the format XA-23-ABC (always X as a first letter and 23 right now because of the year). I don't know the exact procedure, but should be straight forward enough if you go to the relevant registration office. Here's some info from the Belgian government:

https://mobilit.belgium.be/en/road/inschrijven-en-schrappen/een-voertuig-exporteren-transit#side-anchor-2

Given the fact that it's a Toyota makes me wonder if there's no RHD version available. I can't see Toyota make many LHD-only models given the fact that they're based in a RHD country.

Marcusm

If it’s an RHD Toyota in Belgium then I wonder if it has been acquired/owned under a tax-free EU-staff scheme?

loyatemu

how do you insure it, will an Irish company insure a foreign registered car to be driven abroad?

hoodie6029

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120582344#Comment_120582344

My classic policy covered me when I got a second one in the UK a few years ago. Might be a different story if you don’t have an existing policy though.

CiniO

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120582344#Comment_120582344

Most Irish insurers should be able to transfer existing policy to foreign car you just purchased for up to 30 days. I once used that option when buying in UK (before brexit).

Alternatively, it's possible to buy shortterm transit policy in Belgium for car registered in Belgium on export plates. That policy would be most likely third party only afaik.