This week's EV bargain that I'm not buying V2

joe1303l · 27-01-2026 06:55PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124185357#Comment_124185357

Yes, it was posted here previously. 3rd row seating is a joke though. iMotors are decent to deal with.

joe1303l · 27-01-2026 09:00PM

€4350 BMW i3 with frontal damage. Small Km’s. Parts would need to be easy got & cheap to make it worth fixing.

https://www.donedeal.ie/view/41425660

munsterfan2 · 27-01-2026 09:57PM

Just a quick update on importing the Polestar 2 from UK with SAD. All paperwork was OK, but to get to the engine number you need to remove the Frunk which requires an 8mm & 10mm wrench ( https://share.google/Ud9Djeq7UlzcKoDuh ). They were very friendly, back again on 13th :-)

evftw · 28-01-2026 12:59AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124185955#Comment_124185955

Wonder what they do if it's a dual motor EV? Can't believe basically that you need to diassemble your car to show them the totally irrelevant motor serial number.

Gumbo · 28-01-2026 01:12AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124186273#Comment_124186273

Must be a SAD requirement. I’ve never had to do that on a normal import before or after brexit.

User1998 · 28-01-2026 01:48AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124186295#Comment_124186295

Engine number has always been a requirement for VRT. It's usually printed on the V5 logbook so it's not actually physical checked. But EV's don't have an engine number listed on the V5 so some staff members make you show them the motor number or whatever it's called on an EV.

Japanese imports don't have the engine number listed either so your supposed to show them the physical engine number. Most VRT staff don't care tho and will just take your word for what it is as it's completely irrelevant anyway. Unlike the VIN number which is always checked physically.

Gumbo · 28-01-2026 08:41AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124186329#Comment_124186329

Yes but I’ve never been made to physically show them it. They’ve always took it from the V5.

User1998 · 28-01-2026 08:50AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124186451#Comment_124186451

Yeah most staff just accept that EV's don't have an engine number but some of them are picky about it

listermint · 28-01-2026 10:26AM

The ones that's are doing their job are getting the numbers. It's to prevent stolen vehicles being registered in this country. They should come with matching vin tags and engine numbers all the same. Which is a tough thing for cut n shut operators to do as it takes more time and expense. So they tend to just manipulate the vins.

We should be happy that people are searching for this tbh .

User1998 · 28-01-2026 10:34AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124186596#Comment_124186596

Engine number is fairly irrelevant tbh as the car could have had an engine replacement at some point and after the VRT appointment it's never checked again. Unlike the VIN which is checked at every NCT and is tied to the car for life. The VIN is always checked at the VRT appointment with no exceptions.

A cut & shut repair does not involve VIN tampering. It's making one 'good' car out of two crashed ones, usually by combining one car that's been rear ended with one car that has front end damage.

...Ghost... · 28-01-2026 10:48AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124186596#Comment_124186596

I brought in a Model S last month. The V5 only had L2S written down as the engine number. Apparently this is the norm. The VRT lady wanted to see the number, which would require lifting the car up, removing the rear skid plate and snaking a phone up into the bowels of the car to try take a photo of the motor number.

At the time, I didn't know how to gain visual access to the motor number, but thankfully one of the NCT lads got into the car and claimed he had found it on the infotainment system. When I asked where it was, he couldn't find it again. Tesla told me it's not available on the infotainment system. Make of that what you will. I have the logbook here and there is an "Engine Number", so that's good enough for me. It would be totally impractical to show them the motor number and would be health and safety hazard unless they were willing to use the lift in the centre to check under the car.

listermint · 28-01-2026 10:49AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124186619#Comment_124186619

Well this isn't true at all. The car comes with a document stating that it has X code on engine and X vin. That's on the dealers stored information too.

When cars are stolen they take the vins from a crashed car and often they literally take the body panels off the crashed vehicle and put them on the new washed stolen car.

The engine they often don't bother cost of cost and hassle .

It's a very important procedure to prevent stolen vehicles being washed into this country and no it's not insignificant .

Actually there was a case recently with that you tuber Matt Armstrong and a stolen M3 BMW that was cloned off a vehicle exported to Cyprus.

The tell in that one was the engine code matched the stolen car.

...Ghost... · 28-01-2026 10:59AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124186658#Comment_124186658

Sort of useless when the V5 doesn't have the engine/motor number though. Also I called Tesla and they don't have a record of the motor number, just the VIN, which I thought strange. I told them why it was needed and I was informed that a physical check needed to be done to see the code. I've learned that you can see the motor number if you have the correct diagnostics equipment, such as TOOLBOX in the case of Teslas. Not sure if it just stores the original number, or if a new motor is coded in with new motor number as I expect would be the case.

ELM327 · 28-01-2026 11:57AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124186658#Comment_124186658

That video was very telling. If it wasn't such a rare spec of car it wouldn't have even been checked. He had the keys, the logbook and by all accounts was the owner.

I do think motor number is quite an archaic measure on an EV however, but I'm left without a better idea in substitute.

zg3409 · 28-01-2026 12:02PM

From another boards.ie user

OH selling her Electric 2019 Kona, 154K Km, FSH, Battery recorded 100% 2 weeks ago during service. Donegal. €14K (down to 13.500 asking now)

More info here Marketplace - 2019 Hyundai Kona | Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/1527840368516397/?rdid=3grxWBl6JNaMGyOH&share_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fshare%2F1WPe77hZ3C%2F#

listermint · 28-01-2026 12:21PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124186857#Comment_124186857

Agreed , but it's physically stamped so probably the best available method.

TBF anyone can do this type of basic validation if they are concerned. Id prefer to check this stuff myself rather than being stuck with a stolen car I could never recoup money on. This is far more common than people realise. And folks left totally out of pocket.

Gumbo · 28-01-2026 02:29PM

I changed the engine on an 06 Merc C180. Bought the new engine from IVI. Went through multiple NCT afterwards without even been questioned.

mr chips · 29-01-2026 12:02AM

Thought I'd post THIS here rather than in the Leaf thread - 24kWh 2014 Acenta with reasonably low miles (48000, so roughly 75000km) in Newtownards, Co. Down, asking £3250/€3750. Know nothing about it apart from what's in the ad, but seems competitive with some asking prices in the south for the age & mileage. Dashboard photo shows 10 bars and a range of 63 miles at 97%, so about 105km from full to empty. NI reg and MOT history going back to 2018 so isn't a GB car, or at least not one brought over in the last 6 months.

User1998 · 29-01-2026 12:20AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124188923#Comment_124188923

So call it €4,000 after NCT & travel. I feel like there are plenty of them already registered here for that price? Even the ones listed at €4,500 etc should be easily got for €4,000

mr chips · 29-01-2026 11:53AM

The one I linked is an Acenta (aka SV) with under 77000km on the clock - for comparison, I put in a quick search on DD for 2014 and 2015 Leafs priced up to €5000 with no more than 100000km on the clock and of the five that came up, four are poverty-spec XE and/or had significantly higher mileage, while the one that is an Acenta is asking €4950. To my eyes none of them would represent the same value for money - and presumably all asking prices should be seen as equally negotiable, including this one, so maybe it can be got for £3000stg (or less if you're unkel!). But it's not a car I'm selling myself or have any connection with - just flagging it for anyone it might suit. If I was in the market for a Leaf at that price point, I'd be checking it out in preference to an XE.

User1998 · 29-01-2026 12:35PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124189517#Comment_124189517

Northern Ireland dealers don't give discounts, whereas Irish private sellers do. That's why I don't think it's a bargain

Badger242 · 29-01-2026 03:38PM

Is this always the case? The price is the price? I'm looking at cars on the NI websites the past week and it would be good to know. There was a bit of wiggle room on my last three cars that I bought from dealers down south.

Gumbo · 29-01-2026 03:41PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124190180#Comment_124190180

NI dealers are very hard to get anything off. But I did get £500 off a model in October from one. Many won’t budge and they consider a £100 off a car to be a discount!

You’ll see yourself when you start ringing them.
It’s mainly due to low margins and quick turnaround. Also when the Irish call, they already know they are cheaper than an Irish car in most cases and certainly cheaper than buying from UK.

rob316 · 29-01-2026 03:45PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124190180#Comment_124190180

I used to buy cars from the UK regularly before Brexit and I found main dealers and car supermarkets won't move a penny, independent dealers can be haggled with but it just depends. £250-£500 off say a 10k car is possible but that's about it and I think that was more I was exporting it so no warranty issues.

...Ghost... · 29-01-2026 04:57PM

NI/UK dealers are tough to negotiate with. I did manage to get a 2015 Leaf Tekna from £3,750 to £3,500 in October last year.

Similarly I bought a 2017 Model S 75D in London back in September and got a good £5-600 off the price from a small Tesla dealer.

It's worth mentioning also that the Leafs that say they are XE/Visia spec on DD are just pre-populated. Most are SV/Acenta, identifiably from the lack of alloy wheels and the non-colour coded wing mirrors.

The one @mrchips posted may not be a bargain, but it's well priced against the local stock and would be on my maybe list if I was looking, assuming I could knock a few quid off. As for travel….last one I picked up, I drove the other EV with the OH. I took the Leaf while she drove home in the other car. Cost very little. Some toll costs and public charging, plus VRT (€12) and NCT (€60).

User1998 · 29-01-2026 04:59PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124190200#Comment_124190200

UK dealers generally don't give discounts at all anymore since the cost of doing business has increased so much for them.

slave1 · 29-01-2026 07:09PM

Private sellers only option for deep discount, during COVID I offered a very cheeky £3k off asking for an already very well priced Model S (would have bought at asking) and I nearly dropped when he said yes. Paid deposit, arranged pick up for a few days later and deal done. The good old days