# UK car import and VRT



## Sparky (2 Apr 2004)

I am considering importing a used car from the UK. Revenue says for this model, VRT will be 25% of the market value.

Does anybody know what benchmark they use for market value, and could they give me an example of previous experience? Did it seem a fair valuation?


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## elderdog (4 Apr 2004)

*Many years ago I ....*

bought a car in The North 

Paid the VRT on it

The GBP was weak at the time so the car ( landed in The Free State ) was very cheap compared to local dealer prices.

Off Topic : I still have it, its been a great car & a great buy

Someone managed to get the following released :

[broken link removed]

happy reading !



eDog


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## <A HREF=http://pub145.ezboard.com/baskaboutmoney.s (4 Apr 2004)

*Re: Many years ago I ....*

This link might also be of use:


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## Sparky (4 Apr 2004)

*VRT*

Cheers!

It still leaves me with the feeling that it is the customs official who estimates it's value. At least there is an appeals procedure. I'll go ahead.


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## elderdog (4 Apr 2004)

*It still leaves me with the feeling that it is the customs o*

No, No !

Its not like that at all

If you know the Model, trim level, year and month of manufacture and miles on clock then just phone one of the VRT offices and they will tell you what the tax will be

If the car is in very poor condition you may be able to argue for a reduction.

In my case I found the VRT people very helpful both pre and post purchase. There were a number of cars I was looking at and they gave me the VRT figure for each before I went buying.


eDog


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## Westbound (5 Apr 2004)

*VRT*

Just to concur with Elderdog - I too imported a car and before doing so rang the VRT people to query what the duty would be. They were very helpful. They do say it is ballpark, but it's pretty close to the mark!!

Slightly off topic...you have to commend the wisdom of the chap who set up a number plate making shop next door to the VRT office on the Dublin quays!


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## Slim (4 May 2004)

*Re: VRT*

That was an excellently useful link 0.

Slim 8)


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## safebet (5 May 2004)

*Importing from the North*

I too had  a positive experience importing from the north. The VRT office gave me a quote based on the age, model, spec  and mileage of the car. 
When they saw the car they were  31 euro under their original quote. The only downside was they would not accept a personal cheque for VRT in excess of 1500 euro. I complained that this was not specified on their website. 

Overall it was  good deal.

Regards


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## Jack (6 May 2004)

*Question*

I thought it was based on the price of the car new here so that even if you bought a second hand car the VRT was charged based on the price of a new car of same model etc here


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## sfag (4 Jun 2004)

*dfgdfg*

Last time I looked (1 month ago) VRT was 30% of the cars "estimated value". The percentage figure means very little as their 'estimated value' is what counts and it is a pretty high value. It is geared to include the car with a vat and duty figure already added. If the car is under 6 months they make you pay vat and vrt even though the vat will already have been paid. After you have paid all the taxes the car will rarely work out cheaper but you will probably get lots of extras thrown in as UK cars come high spec and Southern cars come with the bare minimum as standard.


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## littlejim (4 Oct 2006)

Hi All.

Not sure how this one work so maybe one of you could help me.

Thinking about bringing in a MK 2 GTI from the UK. Its an 1988 but the engine has been converted to a 2.8 GTI. The car is priced at 4500euro. I tried the revenue website to see how much it would cost but none of the options will match the car with the bigger engine. Any ideas?  Thanks...


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## efm (5 Oct 2006)

littlejim said:


> Hi All.
> 
> Not sure how this one work so maybe one of you could help me.
> 
> Thinking about bringing in a MK 2 GTI from the UK. Its an 1988 but the engine has been converted to a 2.8 GTI. The car is priced at 4500euro. I tried the revenue website to see how much it would cost but none of the options will match the car with the bigger engine. Any ideas? Thanks...


 
This is a trickier one - your local revenue office will need to send the details of your car to Revenue in Rosslare for a ruling on the OMSP and applicable VRT for a car if there is no previous record of a car of that spec being imported.

You MAY be able to help matters by getting a quote from two or three car dealers in Ireland on the value of the car but this may be difficult if they can't see the car.

It may be worth your while calling a local revenue office and asking them what their procedures in a case like this is


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## mc-BigE (5 Oct 2006)

littlejim said:


> Hi All.
> 
> Not sure how this one work so maybe one of you could help me.
> 
> Thinking about bringing in a MK 2 GTI from the UK. Its an 1988 but the engine has been converted to a 2.8 GTI. The car is priced at 4500euro. I tried the revenue website to see how much it would cost but none of the options will match the car with the bigger engine. Any ideas?  Thanks...



what does the UK log book say, 2.8 GTI (i assume were talking golf gti) or 1.8/2.0 gti ? as this is what the VRT/Road tax people will look at first.

Legally you will have to declare that the engine size is bigger when you are registering/taxing it in the state.

BTW this is a good link to the VRT calculation website, better than ringing the VRT office everytime you see a car.
https://www.ros.ie/VRTEnquiryServlet/showCarCalculator


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## efm (5 Oct 2006)

> BTW this is a good link to the VRT calculation website, better than ringing the VRT office everytime you see a car.
> https://www.ros.ie/VRTEnquiryServlet/showCarCalculator





littlejim said:


> Hi All.
> I tried the revenue website to see how much it would cost but none of the options will match the car with the bigger engine. Any ideas? Thanks...


 
I believe that littlejim has already been to Revenue's online calculator - if the car isn't showing up on this then it is likely that a car with that spec has never been imported


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## mc-BigE (5 Oct 2006)

efm said:


> I believe that littlejim has already been to Revenue's online calculator - if the car isn't showing up on this then it is likely that a car with that spec has never been imported



Point taken, i just thought i'd add the link for other people at the begining of this thread


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## Barbarella (13 Oct 2006)

I'd like to know how much i should expect to pay for a 00 or 01 Opel Astra in Ireland and also if it would be worth getting one from the UK instead? I would also like to know if i would need to get the British number plates changed over here in order for it to be legal to drive......


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## Barbarella (13 Oct 2006)

*Sorry, i should have posted new thread, just copped..Oops!*



Barbarella said:


> I'd like to know how much i should expect to pay for a 00 or 01 Opel Astra in Ireland and also if it would be worth getting one from the UK instead? I would also like to know if i would need to get the British number plates changed over here in order for it to be legal to drive......


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