# Purchasing UK reg cars off Irish dealers



## rowlandrat (9 Apr 2007)

Every second car being advertised these days appear to be UK or NI reg cars that are brought in to Ireland by private sellers. According to the Revenue site the seller must already have registered the car and paid the VRT in Ireland and they then incorporate this into the sale price. However, while looking to buy a car off some of the sellers they dont say anything about them paying the VRT.

So can anyone tell me what usually happens in these sale transactions? Does the buyer pay the VRT and whatever penalties the seller has incurred by not registering the car as soon as they brought it into the country (as some of the sellers have the cars in a few months and use it to drive about)? Or does the seller usually clear up the VRT and add this into their price?

Any help is really appreciated as have a car in mind and want to act quickly on it...

Thanks


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## xt40 (9 Apr 2007)

you buy it, you register it. thats it.


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## ang1170 (10 Apr 2007)

xt40 said:


> you buy it, you register it. thats it.


 
I think you'd be crazy to take the risk of paying out good cash for something that's dependent on everything going smoothly with the Revenue. Maybe it never happens, but I can see all sorts of potential pitfalls.

I think you'd be much better bringing a car in yourself: at least then (a) you know where it's come from and (b) can have full control over the import process.

If I was paying someone here to remove the effort of doing a personal import, I'd expect to be able to drive off in a fully imported car.


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## rowlandrat (10 Apr 2007)

Originally Posted by *xt40* http://www.askaboutmoney.com/showthread.php?p=395221#post395221 
_you buy it, you register it. thats it_


Ok, so you buy it you register it... thats the obvious answer... but it states on the revenue site that there will be penalties if you don't register the car the next working day after bringing it into Ireland... If you buy it off a guy who brought it in 2 months ago then how does it work? Do they pay the penalties? Are they even down as a registered owner of the car thereby driving the car illegally in Ireland for the length of time they have it here?

I understand the pitfalls in buying off someone who has imported it for you... but going over to the UK to souce a car can take time and its not something that can be done over a day or two. Unfortunately time is not on my side at the moment...


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## RonanC (10 Apr 2007)

if you buy a car from a dealer they are legally obliged to VRT the car before it is sold.


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## Staples (10 Apr 2007)

AFAIK, there is no problem dealers selling UK cars _as long as they pay the vrt and register the car in advance of handing the car over._

In other words, you, the buyer shouldn't have to get involved in the registration/vrt process yourself and the price quoted by the dealer covers his expense for doing so.

However, it is not uncommon for supposedly "private" sellers to offer a UK car at a discount on the condition that you, as buyer, arrange vrt/registration. While a buyer might be happy to do so, this practice is not allowed by the revenue commissioners. 

You should also be aware that the vrt payable can run to several thousand euros. Details of what's payable by car/model/year, etc are available on www.revenue.ie


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## ang1170 (10 Apr 2007)

rowlandrat said:


> I understand the pitfalls in buying off someone who has imported it for you... but going over to the UK to souce a car can take time and its not something that can be done over a day or two. Unfortunately time is not on my side at the moment...


 
That's exactly what I meant: if you're buying the car here for the convenience of not having to import it yourself, the least I'd expect is that the import and payment of VRT has already been done, so there's no risk on your part.

Someone who says they'll sell the car and you do the import/VRT payment is leaving you wide open to problems with Revenue, with no comeback.


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## dh10 (19 Apr 2007)

rowlandrat said:


> Originally Posted by *xt40* http://www.askaboutmoney.com/showthread.php?p=395221#post395221
> _you buy it, you register it. thats it_
> 
> 
> ...


 

Does anyone know/have experience of the possible penalties which can be imposed if the car is not VRT'd within 1 day?

Does this penalty increase with time/ do you have to be able to prove the car was 'off the road' for the period since you purchased etc.?


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## ang1170 (19 Apr 2007)

I brought a car in last July (for my own use). As far as I recall, they didn't even ask when I brought it in, much less seek proof.

I think the biggest risk is being stopped driving a foreign registered car rather than be faced with any problem at the time you eventually get round to doing the import. 

Having said all that, I think you'd be mad to risk it: why wait?


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## CCOVICH (20 Apr 2007)

Don't you have to provide them with a UK form (VR5??) when you go to pay the VRT?

Would this form have the date of purchase?


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## ang1170 (20 Apr 2007)

CCOVICH said:


> Don't you have to provide them with a UK form (VR5??) when you go to pay the VRT?
> 
> Would this form have the date of purchase?


 
"Yes", and "I'm not sure"

I have a photo copy of the form at home: I'll check this evening, if nobody else can confirm in the meantime.


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## Pique318 (20 Apr 2007)

it's the V5 and I waited 10 months (twice) before registering my cars. Customs guy cared not a jot.

I was lucky though....and I'm not a boyracer (who get pounced on regularly in NI reg cars)

Still, saved me road tax for a few months and the OMSP had reduced too so my VRT payable was less.

Only worth it if the car still has a valid UK tax disk as the Gardai will think you're a tourist.


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## nfegan (25 Apr 2007)

I just bought a UK reg VW Passat about 2 months ago from a Dublin dealer. When I viewed and test drove it it still had UK plates on it. he said he'd had it for about 2 months at that stage. I decided to purchase it but he couldn't release it to me until he had it registared and VRT had been paid (by him, naturally incorporating it into the overall price). It wouild have been illegal for him to give it to me with UK plates on it he said.
When I collected it it had Irish plates and I just had to wait for paperwork to come in post then I could tax it.


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