Is driving in Ireland really this expensive?

lostman · 26-09-2016 5:39am #1

Hi All,
I'am new to the forum and this beautiful country having been relocated here from Leicester in England by the company I work for. So far everything is going well expect for the car, I have a old 2002 Land Rover Defender that I have grown quite attached to and decided to bring it with me. I was able to get out of the VRT as I have owned the car over 10 years (they wanted 2600!!), but the other costs seem rather high:
Road Tax was 295 a year in the UK, Ireland is 1080
Insurance was 467 a year, Ireland 1900!!
MOT 22, NCT 55
What's even more annoying is both my UK and Irish insurance were both provided by Aviva, on the same driver and Car. When I asked why they told me 'because Ireland is a much more dangerous country to drive in'. Are the roads here really that dangerous?

dudara · 26-09-2016 5:45am

You're in the unfortunate position of having an old, large-engined vehicle, which are both factors that the Irish motor insurance industry don't like.

Driving in Ireland isn't more dangerous than the U.K. However, we do seem to have higher compensation payouts and allegedly more fraudulent claims.

On top of that, you can add in a punitive motor tax system that allows me to drive a 2013 2l diesel for €200, while my older 2000 1.8l petrol used to cost me over €700 annually.

jacksie66 · 26-09-2016 5:46am

This post has been deleted.

darragh o meara · 26-09-2016 5:47am

lostman wrote: »

Hi All,
I'am new to the forum and this beautiful country having been relocated here from Leicester in England by the company I work for. So far everything is going well expect for the car, I have a old 2002 Land Rover Defender that I have grown quite attached to and decided to bring it with me. I was able to get out of the VRT as I have owned the car over 10 years (they wanted 2600!!), but the other costs seem rather high:
Road Tax was 295 a year in the UK, Ireland is 1080
Insurance was 467 a year, Ireland 1900!!
MOT 22, NCT 55
What's even more annoying is both my UK and Irish insurance were both provided by Aviva, on the same driver and Car. When I asked why they told me 'because Ireland is a much more dangerous country to drive in'. Are the roads here really that dangerous?

I think what they meant to say is " Because the insurance companies can charge what they like in Ireland " Unfortunately motorists in Ireland are being screwed year on year because the companies can... TO make it worse, some of the Insurance companies are refusing to cover vehicles over 14 years old which could mean problems for your Landie next year.

lostman · 26-09-2016 6:00am

Well this is not sounding too good, I may have to rethink the car situation........

Special Circumstances · 26-09-2016 10:55am

lostman wrote: »

When I asked why they told me 'because Ireland is a much more dangerous country to drive in'. Are the roads here really that dangerous?

Ireland has a dwindling but still significant amount of cars over 10/14/15 (depends on the insurer) years old which have been shown by statistical interpretation (using techniques so advanced they are classified top secret) to be weapons of mass destruction.
Some of these have been observed to have "brake horse powers" far in excess of 75bhp. Some even have the prohibited Vtec technology.

Welcome ot dnalerI, where a 1.8L petrol old man Honda Accord is considered dangerous and possibly a symptom of grave mental issues.
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Pictures here of the infamous "Voldemort TEC" that Honda have been fitting to these wolves in sheeps clothing.
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Skatedude · 26-09-2016 2:23pm

Do you drive a lot? you may be able to get classic insurance next year once the land rover hits 15 years old , but you would be limited to 6k millage or so.

Special Circumstances · 26-09-2016 3:01pm

Skatedude wrote: »

Do you drive a lot? you may be able to get classic insurance next year once the land rover hits 15 years old , but you would be limited to 6k millage or so.

Would be almost certain he would have to insure a daily before he insured the classic. So he'd still get robbed here most likely.
And the stance on classics has hardened to "definitely 20+ years" and no japanese cars (yeah, not relevant here) , or so the man in the pub tells me.

Skatedude · 28-09-2016 10:41am

Special Circumstances wrote: »

Would be almost certain he would have to insure a daily before he insured the classic. So he'd still get robbed here most likely.
And the stance on classics has hardened to "definitely 20+ years" and no japanese cars (yeah, not relevant here) , or so the man in the pub tells me.

nope, i've been using classic insurance for years and it is my only and daily driver.
depending on the company , car needs to be 15 or older, driver needs to be 25 and generally no jap cars.

Special Circumstances · 28-09-2016 10:56am

Skatedude wrote: »

nope, i've been using classic insurance for years and it is my only and daily driver.
depending on the company , car needs to be 15 or older, driver needs to be 25 and generally no jap cars.

I'm sceptical but would be very grateful if you could point me to a company who will insure a European car, 15 years old, daily drive but low annual mileage, no other car, member of owners club if that helps.

On a trolling note, I can't wait to be refused classic cover for a qashcai but a kadjar will be fine in a few years time, those filthy sneaky jap cars should never have been allowed here!

pilly · 28-09-2016 11:52am

I would seriously consider changing cars, you're gonna get hit from all sides, between all of the costs you mentioned and the cost of fuel which will go up next year I reckon you won't be able to afford to keep it on the road.

I had to go up in years and down in size to be able to afford to keep a car. And as other posters mention some insurers won't insure an older car at all.

Dardania · 28-09-2016 11:59am

Whilst yes, it is more expensive to motor-tax & insure a car in Ireland, I think the cost of fuel is a bit cheaper...

Frankly, I'd rather the UK system where the fuel is more expensive if the motor-tax was cheaper - that was it would allow people have pleasure cars

pilly · 28-09-2016 12:01pm

Totally agree Dardenia, a VW large van is paying less road tax than I do on my little banger and that would do a lot more damage to roads. Ridiculous system. If the tax is genuinely for the roads then it should be based on usage.

NIMAN · 28-09-2016 12:52pm

Driving in Ireland is expensive.

I used to live in NI, and when I first moved to Ireland in 2000, my car insurance was a lot cheaper than in NI, now its through the roof.

Also, I ended up getting married and having a family, and had to buy a petrol MPV (mostly short runs), and its tax is €636. Not sure what it would cost in NI, but a hell of a lot less.

Second car is a really economical diesel, which is €190 here but I think would be free road tax in NI.

One upside, fuel is cheaper.

Theanswers · 28-09-2016 1:01pm

Make your Land Rover commercial and the road tax will be €333. It's what every one here does to drive large 4x4s. Check out Land Rover Group on Facebook and they will offer advice.

Skatedude · 28-09-2016 1:25pm

Special Circumstances wrote: »

I'm sceptical but would be very grateful if you could point me to a company who will insure a European car, 15 years old, daily drive but low annual mileage, no other car, member of owners club if that helps.

On a trolling note, I can't wait to be refused classic cover for a qashcai but a kadjar will be fine in a few years time, those filthy sneaky jap cars should never have been allowed here!

I use first ireland brokers for my classic insurance with both axa and aig(current).

My old car was a 93 bmw 740 and current is a 97 bmw 840. I'm limited to 6k miles a year and i've only ever had one car at a time, Costs me 400 a year and have been using classic insurance for about 6 years or so.

Give first ireland a ring and see what they say.

lostman · 29-09-2016 1:48am

Well this is sounding like there is a few options I have talked to a couple of classic car insurance companies and they said wait till next year when its 15 and hopefully they can help:-)

Now the commercial tax sounds a lot better, will definitely be looking into....

I personally have not found the price on fuel to be much different. I filled up in Leicester before I left at £1.12/l and again in Maynooth at E1.17/l. So at the current exchange rate the diesel in Ireland is 13c cheaper per litre. So in my situation (with the Landie managing about 9l/100Km and the other cost being E2125.56 more expensive) I would need to drive 181671Km a year to brake even with the UK costs.

weldoninhio · 29-09-2016 1:53am

In June 17 is Europewide insurance, or the market to European insurance opening? Should that drive prices down?

I'm sure I've seen this mentioned on Boards.

pilly · 29-09-2016 12:44pm

None of the other insurers want to come into Ireland because of the cost of payouts, that's the problem. If there was any real competition out there they'd be in by now.

This has to be tackled by limiting payouts/claims and deterring fraud.

grogi · 29-09-2016 9:38pm

Theanswers wrote: »

Make your Land Rover commercial and the road tax will be €333. It's what every one here does to drive large 4x4s. Check out Land Rover Group on Facebook and they will offer advice.

Are you advocating fraud and tax evasion?

grogi · 29-09-2016 9:39pm

pilly wrote: »

None of the other insurers want to come into Ireland because of the cost of payouts, that's the problem. If there was any real competition out there they'd be in by now.

This has to be tackled by limiting payouts/claims and deterring fraud.

The competition is there. It is just the environment they work that's very hostile.

Theanswers · 29-09-2016 10:34pm

grogi wrote: »

Are you advocating fraud and tax evasion?

Start reporting all your neighbours, because as both you, I and the people who work in the motor tax office know this is what you do in order to tax large 4x4s in Ireland.

Let's tell this newcomer to Ireland how to tax his Land Rover, the same way everyone in Ireland does it.

Is driving in Ireland really this expensive?

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