# New tax & vrt rates?



## colly (16 Apr 2008)

I'm thinking of bringing in a 2001/2002 BMW M3. My plan was to do it before July 2008, cause then I would avail of current tax and vrt rates, and not the new band, which on this car will be quite a lit higher: €2,000 tax instead of €1,491 and VRT of 36% and not 30% as it is currently.

However, someone now tells me that the new rates only apply to brand New vehicles registered, if the car is 2nd hand it doesn't make a difference.

Can anyone please clear this up for me?
Thanks


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## Satanta (16 Apr 2008)

*Re: Can someone please confirm the truth about the new tax & vrt rates for me please?*



colly said:


> However, someone now tells me that the new rates only apply to brand New vehicles registered, if the car is 2nd hand it doesn't make a difference.
> 
> Can anyone please clear this up for me?


Technically, the advice "someone" gave you is currently correct. 

However, this has changed from the original details which were announced and I wouldn't be shocked if the exact details change again (I'm not suggesting that they will, I've no inside knowledge, but my confidence in trusting what has been detailed to date is low given the already significant changes to the original plan).


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## tiger (16 Apr 2008)

*Re: Can someone please confirm the truth about the new tax & vrt rates for me please?*

Article on the confusion that exists in todays [broken link removed]. I would check out the motoring forum on boards.ie. I believe in the case of a used import after July, the new VRT rates will apply, but the "old" road tax. e.g.. the road tax for a 2005 car will be the same regardless of where/when it came from, but I'm open to correction on this!


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## Cameo (16 Apr 2008)

*Re: Can someone please confirm the truth about the new tax & vrt rates for me please?*

look at www.simi.ie 

It appeares that an exception to the old annual road tax applying to imports (first registered before 1 Jan 2008) is if they are in the highest emissions band - which I assume would be the case for the m3 

It appears that annual road tax will be €2000 pa now no matter when you import it now!

That's my interpretation of it as it is stated in the info. provided by the SIMI on their website but I stand to be corrected


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## doogo (16 Apr 2008)

*Re: Can someone please confirm the truth about the new tax & vrt rates for me please?*

colly, as it stands now - you would be subject to the higher rate of VRT (1 July changes apply to new cars and cars imported from outside Ireland) and the old system of motor tax (annual tax) - based on the size of the engine

.... so probably the 36% VRT but the lower €1491 annual tax

as Satanta says - you wouldn't be at all surprised for more changes before 1 july


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## z101 (16 Apr 2008)

*Re: Can someone please confirm the truth about the new tax & vrt rates for me please?*

It will be the new VRT rates to import any car from July 1st, but the Road tax change is not for pre 08 cars


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## CreditCrunch (16 Apr 2008)

*Re: Can someone please confirm the truth about the new tax & vrt rates for me please?*

Hi

If you are looking for the official figures and information on VRT changes I can offer you a few solutions.

1. Visit a reputable new car website.

A good example of this is www.drivemagazine.ie BMW Ireland posted their official post July price changes on their website about two weeks ago.

Better still you will be able to read a review of the new BMW.

2. www.vrt.ie No official prices like on the previous site mentioned but you'll get the idea pretty quickly.

3. Wait till July and see what happens, you are going to save 7 and a half grand on a new 3 series or 8 and a half grand on a new 5 series.

Whatever you do buy from a reputable main Irish dealership.

Remember Rte's Primetime last week?


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## colly (16 Apr 2008)

*Re: Can someone please confirm the truth about the new tax & vrt rates for me please?*

Thanks, so just to confirm: if I bring in a car BEFORE the July cutoff, I will pay 30% VRT and €1,491 tax. But what happens after July is anyone's guess


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## CreditCrunch (16 Apr 2008)

*Re: Can someone please confirm the truth about the new tax & vrt rates for me please?*

If you are importing the car.

As far as I know the VRT will still be calculated on the same basis as new cars on the road as of Jan 2008. EG By emmissions as opposed to engine size.

Your tax should also go to the new band.

If you are going to buy a brand new BMW from a Main Irish dealer, you will save a considerable sum of money, my advice if you are serious about an 08 reg BMW would be to get on to your local dealer and see if you can organise the car you want for collection in July.

Once again I would reccomend that you visit www.drivemagazine.ie and check the news section of the site. All of the information that they publish is official and therefore correct at time of publication.


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## CreditCrunch (16 Apr 2008)

*Re: Can someone please confirm the truth about the new tax & vrt rates for me please?*

Don't forget that even though you will save on the new car, a similar figure will evaporate in residual VRT from your trade in .....if you have a trade in.

There is no free lunch in this world......


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## Frank (16 Apr 2008)

*Re: Can someone please confirm the truth about the new tax & vrt rates for me please?*

Its almost as if nobody knows what is going on.

As above I thought new register of second hand car was new vrt and new road tax.

Now it seems the choice of new road tax is only for people who can afford to buy 08. Very green stance this.

At one time Mary Harney was telling us all to shop around for fuel insurance everything, thanks to the gov for allowing us the option

Well done to Irish motoring lobyists for clawing back some of the money out of your pocket and mine.

Keep the motorist down and screw every cent you can out of said motorist.


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## z101 (16 Apr 2008)

*Re: Can someone please confirm the truth about the new tax & vrt rates for me please?*

The gov backtracked on the Road tax on March 6th, changing it to only 08 cars that are registered. but the VRT is emissions based as of July 1st. for the Rate on any car you can use this website [broken link removed]


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## z101 (16 Apr 2008)

*Re: Can someone please confirm the truth about the new tax & vrt rates for me please?*

The point Creditcrunch makes is valid abd should also be kept in mind, as all calculations will change from July.

For anyone thats interested dealers are lumbered with a serious amount of used cars at the moment.


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## CreditCrunch (16 Apr 2008)

*Re: Can someone please confirm the truth about the new tax & vrt rates for me please?*

Yes they are......

So do as Mata says and shop around.

Main Dealers will do a great deal for you if you want a used car.

My advice is buy from a main dealer....why?

1. Did you watch L & L Auto's on RTE last week?

2. A big fancy showroom means that these people are SERIOUS about what they do and will be there when you need to go back to them.

Sure it may cost a little more than the guy on the side of the road, but it's the peace of mind that you cannot get from the Arthur Daly Brigade.

I believe the call it service.


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## roadrunner (17 Apr 2008)

*Re: Can someone please confirm the truth about the new tax & vrt rates for me please?*



Ceatharlach said:


> It will be the new VRT rates to import any car from July 1st, but the Road tax change is not for pre 08 cars


[broken link removed]
check out this website - they seem to be of the opinion that motor tax will change irrespective of year. Are they incorrect??


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## doogo (17 Apr 2008)

*Re: Can someone please confirm the truth about the new tax & vrt rates for me please?*



roadrunner said:


> [broken link removed]
> check out this website - they seem to be of the opinion that motor tax will change irrespective of year. Are they incorrect??


 
In a word - Yes - for the most succinct answer abou this thorny issue - see Ceatherlach's entry below


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## roadrunner (17 Apr 2008)

*Re: Can someone please confirm the truth about the new tax & vrt rates for me please?*

What a crazy system where the treatment of motor tax is seperated from VRT treatment.
There should be uniformity to these rules - for the majority of car buyers in second hand category the changes wont make a bit of difference to their choice of car.


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## efm (17 Apr 2008)

*Re: Can someone please confirm the truth about the new tax & vrt rates for me please?*



CreditCrunch said:


> Main Dealers will do a great deal for you if you want a used car.
> 
> My advice is buy from a main dealer....why?
> 
> ...


 
Do you have any connection with the motor trade by any chance?


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## Betsy Og (17 Apr 2008)

*Re: Can someone please confirm the truth about the new tax & vrt rates for me please?*



Ceatharlach said:


> The gov backtracked on the Road tax on March 6th, changing it to only 08 cars that are registered. but the VRT is emissions based as of July 1st. for the Rate on any car you can use this website [broken link removed]


 
So you're saying that if someone buys a "low emmissions" 2008 car before July they get the new low road tax from 2009 onwards? (Before, the thinking was definitely that if you buy "low emmissions" before 1 July you pay the higher VRT and the higher road tax for the future).

So in road tax terms a "low emmissions" car bought on 30 June was always to be worse off than one bought on 1 July, but now (since this recent change) a 2008 model before or after 1 July are the same for 2009 road tax onwards.

This makes a significant difference for someone considering an import because, under the old rules, if you wanted a Jan '08 car there was an incentive to import Vs buy and Irish car, because the import would be first Irish reg after 1 July 08 and therefore under the new low road tax. I suppose for 2007 and older models it still makes sense to import to lock in lower road tax for "low emmission" cars. Am I right on this?


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## z101 (18 Apr 2008)

*Re: Can someone please confirm the truth about the new tax & vrt rates for me please?*

The VRT changes as of July 1st, but when you go to renew road tax in 09 on a jan to july 08 car it will be new emmissions tax.


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## collis (19 Apr 2008)

*Re: Can someone please confirm the truth about the new tax & vrt rates for me please?*



Ceatharlach said:


> The VRT changes as of July 1st, but when you go to renew road tax in 09 on a jan to july 08 car it will be new emmissions tax.


 
So - if I import an automatic, 2 litre petrol, 2002 MY Volvo next week, I can tax the car at the current tax rate i.e Euro 590 p.a.
BUT, April/May next year when I go to renew my car tax I will have to pay the C02 based rate, in my case Euro 1000 p.a? Seriously???


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## Frank (19 Apr 2008)

Collis 

Nobody knows thats the problem.

We will have to wait and see. 

You would think that is the way Gormley would want it discourage people from buying your example and push them towards greener cars.

If you were thinking of the petrol volvo auto then defo buy now though because as it stands it looks like the VRT is going to go up. At the moment it appears the tax will remain on the cc's


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## soy (21 Apr 2008)

*Re: Can someone please confirm the truth about the new tax & vrt rates for me please?*



collis said:


> So - if I import an automatic, 2 litre petrol, 2002 MY Volvo next week, I can tax the car at the current tax rate i.e Euro 590 p.a.
> BUT, April/May next year when I go to renew my car tax I will have to pay the C02 based rate, in my case Euro 1000 p.a? Seriously???



No.
The new annual motor tax system only applies to 2008 cars. Your 2002 car is not affected even if you import it after July 1.

This is explained on the dept of Environment website.


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## kbie (22 Apr 2008)

Have been told by 'someone in the know' that the BMW diesel will only reduce in price by a small amount in July but that it will be loaded with extras in lieu to protect the value of current BMWs.


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## Frank (22 Apr 2008)

Don't be suprosed if car dealers don't change prices too much don't add extras and try and screw us for more profits.

Although if they do this then expect a lot more people to go north or start looking at the ferry.


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## pator (22 Apr 2008)

kbie said:


> Have been told by 'someone in the know' that the BMW diesel will only reduce in price by a small amount in July but that it will be loaded with extras in lieu to protect the value of current BMWs.


 
Unfortunately ur friend is just offering an opinion rather than being 'in the know'  
BMW have been consistent from the start that they will pass on the vrt reductions in full to their customers.  The following link provides clear details of this with large reductions in particular on the 520d and 320d amongst others.  http://external.bmw.ie/templates/BMW06/includes/0807_BMW_MINI_Price_List.pdf

the spec levels remain the same with es, se and m models available and a host of extras at extra cost the same as they have always been.


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## werner (22 Apr 2008)

pator said:


> Unfortunately ur friend is just offering an opinion rather than being 'in the know'
> BMW have been consistent from the start that they will pass on the vrt reductions in full to their customers. The following link provides clear details of this with large reductions in particular on the 520d and 320d amongst others. http://external.bmw.ie/templates/BMW06/includes/0807_BMW_MINI_Price_List.pdf
> 
> the spec levels remain the same with es, se and m models available and a host of extras at extra cost the same as they have always been.


 
Good to see a company not attempting to take advantage of consumers unlike in my opinion Renault!

Renault were selling their new 1.5 Laguna Diesel for €26590
They have upped the April price for the Laguna to €28590
From July with the decrease in VRT the car will be back on sale for €26590! It is very sharp practice and against the spirit of the VRT reduction so top marks to BMW and ZERO to renault.

Look here for the car price list in Feb / 2008 http://www.simi.ie/admin/files/PriceGuideFeb08.xlsYou can see a Renault 

Laguna diesel is priced at 1.5L DCI 110 ROYALE 5DR €26,590 On Renaults website the new price for the Laguna ishttp://www.renault.ie/specialoffers.asp 

The Renault Laguna III 1.5 dCi 110 ROYALE 5DR for April has been increased to €28,590 

I think there should be a "sticky" highlighting genuine reductions and outing any attempt at price gouging


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## pator (22 Apr 2008)

ya lot of coments about renault and in particular that model.. I'm not as familar but renault's arguement is that that model was heavily discounted because no 1.6 available at the time.  Saying look at all prices not just this model.  Either way brutal PR for a company launching a new laguna when it was suppossed to so much better than the old one.


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## CreditCrunch (22 Apr 2008)

There are a lot of specialist Independants popping up in Ireland now who will import the car for you on request if nessacery and give you a 24 month warranty on the vehicle.

One example of a reputable company is www.autoplatz.ie

They will source the car from the UK and stand over what they sell.

A large percentage of the cars you see imported for sale on the internet here in Ireland offer no such guarantees, you wont have to go far to pick up a clock job or worse still an insurance write off back on the road.

with 80,000 + imports arriving in Ireland each year it's worth covering your ass.


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## hopalong (26 Apr 2008)

just to recap,i buy a uk car under 120 co2 in august,its a 2007 car,so i pay 100 euros road tax and the lowest vrt to import.


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## clonboy (26 Apr 2008)

no, cheaper VRT,, only


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## ang1170 (27 Apr 2008)

Does anyone think this whole situation is laughable? I heard there was a survey last week saying there was a deal of confusion around this whole issue, and various pundits implying it was people's fault for not being informed. 

However, if you dig down into the Dept. of Environment's Web site, you can find a document (with no title, no date) that says "The new CO2 based system will *not apply* to second-hand imports that were registered abroad prior to 2008." Fairly unambiguous, I would have thought. Then try going to the SIMI Web site, and you'll find an information leaflet that tells us: "Imported cars first registered in previous country before the 1st January 2008 will be Road Taxed at current rates except those with emissions more over 225g/km which will be taxed on a CO2 basis (currently €2,000)." 
Now, either the SIMI is wrong, or they know something that the Dept. of Environment aren't sharing with the rest of us (or maybe they are, and I just can't find it?). Or maybe the Dept. is issuing conflicting information? surely not? 

Who to believe in any of this???? As I said, laughable.

On second thoughts, not so funny: I'm looking at importing a 2nd hand car from the UK, and could well be faced with making a very expensive mistake, based on mis-information that's been circulated.

Can ayone point to any definitive, government sourced information on both VRT and car tax pre- and post- July this year?


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## clonboy (27 Apr 2008)

yes, totally agree, i have read both of those statements too,,

would of imagined tha the SIMI,  would have it correct at this stage,,

do we just wait for the guinea pigs in july??????


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## hopalong (27 Apr 2008)

i think i understand now,if a buy a second hand 2008  yaris diseal in july,i pay low vrt and low road tax


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## clonboy (27 Apr 2008)

will u import it hopalong?


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## hopalong (27 Apr 2008)

i may do,first i want to make sure i know what the road tax and vrt are,then i want to check out internetcarcompany.ie  ,also i have to sell my own car.


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## pator (27 Apr 2008)

clonboy said:


> yes, totally agree, i have read both of those statements too,,
> 
> would of imagined tha the SIMI, would have it correct at this stage,,
> 
> do we just wait for the guinea pigs in july??????


 
Lot of excellent info about this over on boards.  

For imports:

all 08 (and later 09 etc) imports subject to new vrt rates and new co2 based tax rates. 

All other imports (ie 07 and older) subject to new vrt rates only.  Subject to existing car tax regime.


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## ang1170 (28 Apr 2008)

pator said:


> For imports:
> 
> all 08 (and later 09 etc) imports subject to new vrt rates and new co2 based tax rates.
> 
> All other imports (ie 07 and older) subject to new vrt rates only. Subject to existing car tax regime.


 
That's pretty much my undterstanding, but....

Where exactly is this information published?

Also, what about 2nd hand import cars between Jan and July '08?

Why do the SIMI say something different?

There's planty of info here and on boards.ie etc., but unless it can be backed by reference to something, it's little more than speculation or opinion.


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## pator (28 Apr 2008)

ang1170 said:


> That's pretty much my undterstanding, but....
> 
> Where exactly is this information published?
> 
> ...


 
I would argree with u 100%.  We need to be carefull of the difference between speculation/opinion/pub talk and actual fact.  
Of course thats where my arguement falls down I can't point to one specific document, alot of stuff on http://www.environ.ie/en/LocalGovernment/MotorTax/News/MainBody,16861,en.htm
also just keeping up and trying to avoid opinion. (people are entitled to give out about stuff but doesn't change facts etc.)

For your question: what about 2nd hand imports between Jan and July 08;

Answer is the same; in this time period 08 cars and pre 08 cars will be vrt at the old rates. 
08 cars road tax at new rate
pre 08 cars at old rates.


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## ccraig (28 Apr 2008)

Ive spoken with several tax offices and the official line is that all car imported into ireland between January and before July 1 will have the option whether to pay motor tax based on emissions or engine size, whichever is less.

After July 1 the new co2 emissions will only apply to 08 cars imported or registered, the old system will still apply to older vehicles


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## ang1170 (28 Apr 2008)

ccraig said:


> Ive spoken with several tax offices and the official line is that all car imported into ireland between January and before July 1 will have the option whether to pay motor tax based on emissions or engine size, whichever is less.


 
Have you seen this written down anywhere?

The press release referred at http://www.environ.ie/en/LocalGovernment/MotorTax/News/MainBody,16861,en.htm is ambiguous on this point, which is exactly the case I'm interested in.

I've just e-mailed the Minister, but I'm not holding by breath.....


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## ccraig (29 Apr 2008)

Wherever ive seen anything writen down its a little ambiguous however several tax offices have now told me the same thing which was in my last thread


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