Bringing Car Back From Europe - Too Late?

My parents have been living in France for several years and will be returning to Ireland for good over the summer. My dad has bought himself a car in the last 6 months and will be taking it home with him. My mum hasn't bought a car. I'd planned to buy a car in mums name, sort out insurance, leave it with her in France for 6 months and then take use of it when she got back. I didn't take up on the offer in time. Now I do have the money and I'm wondering is there a way to sort this out. My parents say I've left it too late. I'm not overly picky on which car I go for, but I realise there could be a wait before I'd get a right hand drive car. My way of thinking would be to go ahead and buy the car, drive it back over the summer in assisting them get their gear back, store it until the 6 months ownership were up & then register it. Alternatively I could see about storing it in abroad until the 6 months are up and then driving it back. Are my parents correct in saying that I've run out of time. Dad reckons I'd get a car there for 20K, for which I'd spend 30K here. I'd be well annoyed if I passed up on the opportunity. Any ideas if there's something I could do here?

isn't that completely fraudulent!!!

Booby, the person that brings the car in is the only person entitled to drive the car for 12 months. The customs/revenue guys are no fools.
I brought a car in from Germany, RHD but did everything by the book.

Bobby meant !

I presumed that it wouldn't have been fradulent had I bought the car and left it in France with mum for the 6 months. I would have paid her insurance and then put my name on her insurance when she got back. After coming back here I would have thought that I could have driven it as a named driver before transferring it over to myself after 12 months. I wasn't aware that the only person allowed to drive the car would be the person the name of the car is in. So am I snookered here? Any advice?

Look here, we should not be paying VRT and I see nothing on what you are doing. Go for it!!! I think the "the person that brings the car in is the only person entitled to drive the car for 12 months" sounds a bit funny, so what if she wants her husband to drive the car!! Oh no sorry you got to walk!!! That sound stupid but then again thats Ireland. Ring and check it out!!!

Go for it - the only people that are fraudulent here are the government - they are screwing us in VRT. We're meant to have free movement of goods and services in Europe, the VRT here is illegal and contrary to the Maastricht Treaty.

Its not restricted on who drives the car, you could have been a named driver, on it for twelve months, and then she could have sold the car to you.

If the six months rule applies, I'm not 100% sure on that, fraud or not, you've left it too late. Your mother would have to bring the car when she moves. will have to prove change of residence, prove it was insured, taxed etc in france prior to moving. and then show that she moved back. If you leave it garaged then its not part of change of residence. I had to give VRT office practically every paper document I owned to bring my car from UK and I'd been living there for 10 years and owned car nearly two years.PS My mum was a named driver on my car when I moved home first.

The best option is to ring VRT office and say that parents living in france and will be moving home during summer, but she wants to purchase a car now and will she be able to bring it VRT free in summer or whould she have to sell it again.

I think it depends on how long you are talking about, if only a few weeks from ownership to moving, then as stated VRT office not stupid, but if a few months then possibly be ok.

You (your mother) could buy a uk rhd second hand car and drive it to France, than your mother must own/insure/tax it for 6 months in France (not too sure about taxing/insuring a UK car in France) before importing to Ireland, then once the car is Irish registered under your mothers name, you can be a named driver for 12months in Ireland.

Best to ring the VRT office for advice before buying anything, it does sound like your too late if your mother is coming home in the summer.

BobbyFowler said:

I presumed that it wouldn't have been fradulent had I bought the car and left it in France with mum for the 6 months. I would have paid her insurance and then put my name on her insurance when she got back. After coming back here I would have thought that I could have driven it as a named driver before transferring it over to myself after 12 months. I wasn't aware that the only person allowed to drive the car would be the person the name of the car is in. So am I snookered here? Any advice?

Click to expand...

If you are a named driver on her insurance policy when in reality, you are the main driver of the car, you are guilty of insurance fraud.

Rainy

I would imagine 10 tp 20 % of drivers are guilty of being main drivers of a car as named driver on a policy.

Especially anyone under 25

Do you work for an insurance company ;-)