Importing a car from N. Ireland

B

bertson

Registered User
Messages
398
Hi Folks;

Stupid question I know but the FAQ doesnt seem to have been updated in a few years.

I am looking to pick up a 2011/2012 Vauxhal Insignia in NI.
Is the procedure still as follows

1. Get a quote for an VRT online
2. Buy the car
3. Book a VRT inspection
4. Pay the VRT (at the NCT center)

What is the best site for checking milage, outstanding finance etc for UK cars?


Cheers
B
 
Try Cartell. Google them and see what you think of them. They are as reputable as any of them.
 
I know a mechanic (from the North) whose opinion I would respect, who repeatedly reminds me, to never buy a diesel car from the North. According to him Northern Ireland is awash with dirty diesel and seemingly it plays havoc with cars engines.
 
Just a point to note. Both my sons recently bought cars from England (although they bought in Ireland with english reg) so hence vrt. Both were charged much more vrt than was recommended on site.
Son no 1 meant to appeal this but didnt get around to it.!
Son no 2 appealed his and received a refund of over 2000 euro which he felt he was originally overcharged by NCT. Apparently something like 90% of appeals are upheld. Try to screen print your original quotation from Revenue as a record.
 
Meath Lady said:
Just a point to note. Both my sons recently bought cars from England (although they bought in Ireland with english reg) so hence vrt. Both were charged much more vrt than was recommended on site.
Click to expand...

It's illegal to sell a UK registered car in Ireland...
 
I have never sold a UK Reg car here in Ireland but can't see how it could be against the law unless a private buyer is holding the car on UK plates for more than 30 days with no Tan number, anyway a quick scan of the popular car selling websites will disclose plenty of them offered for sale with UK plates.
 
Leo said:
It's illegal to sell a UK registered car in Ireland...
Click to expand...

Link please Leo? Plenty of dealers here sell UK registered cars, they simply ensure the car is registered in Ireland (and VRT paid) once sale is agreed and before the keys are handed over. I think you are talking about someone selling a UK registered car without registering it in Ireland first but I don't think that is what Meath Lady was describing.
 
Ceist Beag said:
Link please Leo? Plenty of dealers here sell UK registered cars, they simply ensure the car is registered in Ireland (and VRT paid) once sale is agreed and before the keys are handed over. I think you are talking about someone selling a UK registered car without registering it in Ireland first but I don't think that is what Meath Lady was describing.
Click to expand...

What you describe there is fine, the original importer registers and VRTs the car (the law says they must register to do this within 7 days of the vehicle's arrival in the state). The purchaser drives off the forecourt with an Irish registered car, so all is good.

MeathLady described her two sons buying cars with UK plates, then registering for VRT themselves (otherwise how could they appeal the VRT amount?)
 
Leo said:
What you describe there is fine, the original importer registers and VRTs the car (the law says they must register to do this within 7 days of the vehicle's arrival in the state). The purchaser drives off the forecourt with an Irish registered car, so all is good.

MeathLady described her two sons buying cars with UK plates, then registering for VRT themselves (otherwise how could they appeal the VRT amount?)
Click to expand...

That's interesting Leo. I don't think that is how it works in practice or at least not in my case anyway. I bought a UK registered car from a dealer who had the car on his books for a year (the dealer himself told me this). When I bought the car he submitted it for registration in Ireland and paid the VRT at that time. I see what you mean about the scenario described by Meath Lady though as indeed I would not have been able to appeal the VRT costs (they were simply included in the purchase cost of the car) given that I wasn't the one paying them.
 
The revenue turn a blind eye to people selling UK reg cars here so long as they are registered here eventually. It's all about the money.
 
Uk car import sterling

Car import saving tip 1
Dont accept revenues valuation of your car unless you are sure the valuation is equal to or less than you have seen the same car valued on the Irish forecourts.
Check the same year/model on Carzone and have that with you when registering for vrt.

Car import saving tip 2
Make sure to get the best exchange rate when buying as th bank will be unlikely to offer this to you. In any event check your banks euro sterling exchange rate, another banks rate and check transfermate.com and go with whoever has the best rate. This will save you money.

Car importt saving tip 3
I bought from the north a few years ago and the car was perfect. Make sure to get it independently checked by a mechanic and check that there is no funding owed on it on one of the motor check sites.
 
insignia

Thx for all the advice lads;

I am looking for a 2011 or is possible a 2012 Insignia. I want as high of spec as possible with low milage. The cars here are up to €25k while in the north higher spec are available for around £15k. The VRT site quote me 4-5k , so almost 5k or 6k cheaper to import.

Am i missing something or does it make good sense to import?
 
If you are using the 25k as a yardstick, it does look like a saving, a quick scan on car zone shows 2011 models going for anything from 18k.
 
Opel Insignia 2.0CDTI Exclusive 160BHP

Sorry, whats would the road tax on this be?

Opel Insignia 2.0CDTI Exclusive 160BHP
 
we need the c02 emissions figure. but look here

http://www.environ.ie/en/LocalGovernment/MotorTax/MotorTaxRates/MotorTaxRatesbasedonCO2Emissions/
 
CO2 Emissions 127 g/km
CO2 Emissions 127 g/km
CO2 Emissions 127 g/km
Thanks a mil;
127 g/km, so I guess that is €270
 
[QUOTE=
Son no 2 appealed his and received a refund of over 2000 euro which he felt he was originally overcharged by NCT. Apparently something like 90% of appeals are upheld. Try to screen print your original quotation from Revenue as a record.

Could you tell me on what grounds he appealed. I'm looking at a 2010 car which is advertised at E11,110, and the vrt at 23% is calculated at E3551, OMSP 15,439. If carzone or one of those sites has a similar car valued much higher, how do you prove the vrt should be lower? Sorry, I'm a newbie at this so I'm trying to get as much info as possible.
 
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