Importing a car from Australia

Irish_Aus

I have a Volvo XC60 B6 R design I bought 2 years ago in Brisbane, AUS. We are relocating back home, and I was considering bringing the car back with me. My concern is the model doesn't exist in Ireland, the closest I could find is the B4. Would I run into trouble insuring the car? I also need to find out if the warranty is valid in Ireland. If I bought a comparable car in Ireland, it would cost significantly more even when factoring in the transport costs and associated fees.

Cheers

dubbloke100

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058317338/importing-a-car-from-australia

Maybe check with a main SAAB dealer in Ireland as to whether parts are available here. Your main dealer in OZ should be able to confirm if the warranty is valid in Ireland. I have my doubts it will.

As regards registering the car in Ireland and paying any import duties that may be due, I would suggest you might consider applying for a transfer of residence (TOR). I have experience of TOR's and there are lots of people who have imported cars from Australia in this way. More details here https://revenue.ie/en/vrt/reliefs-and-exemptions/transfer-of-residence.aspx. Some people use the services of an expect Customs agent.

Best of luck with the move back home if you go ahead with it.

Irish_Aus

Thanks dubbloke100, for some good insight and advice. I will definitely look into the TOR.

Cheers

Del2005

Doesn't look like the warranty is valid outside Oz

Volvo Car Australia undertakes to replace, free of charge, any part or parts of new Volvo cars purchased and operated in Australia found defective in material or workmanship for a period of 5 years / unlimited kilometres from the date of first registration. 

https://www.volvocars.com/au/l/warranty/

Irish_Aus

@Del2005 it's looking like it, unfortunately. It would be a shame to lose 3 years of warranty and servicing!

Rows Grower

There's the brucey bonus of getting to fill it with the bits and bobs you don't want to leave behind that would otherwise cost a small fortune to transport back home.

Irish_Aus

@Rows Grower That's the idea, we will have a 40 ft container, so the car should fit in. Filling the car would also help, plus a full tank of fuel judging the prices back home!

User1998

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121212376#Comment_121212376

How much is the container costing you if you don’t mind me asking?

Irish_Aus

@User1998 the most recent quote was $13-14k, and that was a few weeks ago, hopefully, it won't move too much on that when we book it in

R.O.R

Do you know what the Co2 emissions are on it? I found a USA review on the B6 that said combined fuel economy is 24mpg (US). The works out at 9.8L/100km, and that's somewhere around 227g of Co2 per KM.

If it's over 225g then it's going to cost €2,400 per year to tax it! It's also not going to be worth much if you go to sell it because of the high road tax. Not any quicker than the T6 PHEV but 20 x more expensive to tax.

Atlantic Dawn

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121214672#Comment_121214672

Good point, I see there's a couple of 2020 versions of them on sale on Pisonheads, worst of them seems to be 171g (€600 a year) but they are UK spec, very possible the Aus version could be differently tuned for emissions regulations but you do get the same rate of tax for anything betweem 171 - 190 so €600 might be worst case.

https://www.pistonheads.com/buy/listing/15534576

Irish_Aus

@R.O.R Great suggestion, there is no way I want to take an albatross back home. I have done some research and I found this information about the Australian model

Volvo claims the XC60 B6 R-DESIGN MHEV uses 8.0L/100km of Premium Unleaded-Electric Hybrid in the combined city and highway cycle while putting out 182g of CO2. It has a 71L fuel tank, meaning it should be able to travel 888km per full tank.

If this is correct, I assume the tax would be E630 per year, unless I am missing something obvious. If that's the case, I could live with that.

wandererz

Insurance may also be a problem.

Iecrawfc

With 3 years warranty left on it and 2nd hand prices still fairly high would be worth it to calculate roughly what it actually cost you for the 2 years ownership? as others have mentioned insurance in ireland can be very picky with situations outside the norm, you may be forced into an exorbitant quote if the model is not sold there. I know people who have shipped cars back but the model was available back home too so no difference, also worth looking into the importation duties on it.

Irish_Aus

@Iecrawfc Good points. We are speaking with an insurance company later to get an idea. If I were to sell it here, I would get around $75k which works out at E45k. For a similar model back home it's looking like around E65k. It looks like I wouldn't pay VRT through the transfer of residence process and there shouldn't be any customs duty or VAT according to this. https://revenue.ie/en/customs/individuals/transfer-residence/index.aspx

So it really depends on insurance and road tax. A lot of Irish friends here are telling us to bring it back due to high 2nd hand car costs back home, plus it's a very nice motor to drive.

wandererz

Many people are going full electric.

If you were to bring it over, you would have to keep it for at least 12 months before you considered selling.

When selling, the buyer would have to fork out a tremendous amount in a private sale with no warranty etc.

Original Irish Car = Great

UK Import = Great/Fine

Aus Import = Look away

I would only be considering an Aus car if it was something special i.e. A sports car or performance car.

Parts - this may be an issue further down the line.

Personally, i would look at selling in Aus and buying a Polestar or similar once over here.

Irish_Aus

@wandererz You read my mind, I was looking at the Polestar 2. More good points raised

Casati

Parts won’t be an issue, the B6 is very similar to the T8, just without the PHEV stuff, but these were available in the U.K. and Europe too. I would check the co2 using the current WLTP calculation however - if the tax is in the €600 bracket I’d be bringing it over, but if it’s in the €2400 bracket I’d leave it behind me. You’d get an ex rental 2023 XC60 T6 PHEV here for around €65k

galwaytt

As a good spec, no-EV car, demand for it will not dissipate for years to come, and at €630 to tax, it's reasonable.

Me, I'd bring it home, no question.

Irish_Aus

Here she is

Casati

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121217625#Comment_121217625

https://www.media.volvocars.com/global/en-gb/models/xc60/2022/specifications

Check the exact emissions for your car on whatever logbook you have - but it looks like you would fall into the ¢600 a year which I think would be fine for car in that class. Volvo might honour another year of warranty here - had a V90 was sure it had a 3 year global warranty.

Looks like a mighty car and you'd be sorry leaving it behind you.

Williewell

Hi just came across this post. Did you bring the car home and get plates? I've just brought my imported Australian car to the VRT centre and they want me to get a certificate of conformity from VW Australia to confirm emissions. Did you have to do this also?

Irish_Aus

@Williewell We are moving back in June, but we have decided not to bring the car with us. So many unknowns, and what you are experiencing makes me feel it's the right decision.