I'm not an expert on this but the purchase without UK VAT and then exporting and buying a "VAT Qualifying" vehicle are two separate things.
I'd suggest a search on this forum for buying a car without the UK VAT - I believe you need to fill in an export form which the dealer can then use to sell you the car without the UK VAT. I'm pretty certain somebody put up a step-by-step guide a while back but I can't find it now. I think the car has to be < 6 months and < 6000 km for this to be possible. Some dealers charge you the VAT-inclusive price and then refund you the UK VAT when the vehicle is physically exported.
From the HMRC website:
Exporting your motor vehicle to another EU country from the UK
If you buy a new motor vehicle in the UK to take to somewhere else in the EU, you'll have to pay VAT on the vehicle in the other country when you arrive there. You won't have to pay UK VAT when you buy the car if you do all three of these things:
- you or your authorised chauffeur personally take delivery of the new vehicle in the UK
- you export it within two months of its supply to you
- you and your supplier complete and sign form VAT 411 and send it to the address on the form
If you sell a new vehicle to someone who is moving to another EU country within two months, you may be entitled to a refund of VAT. This only applies if you aren't registered for VAT in the UK, and you can demonstrate that you have paid UK VAT on the vehicle.
Obtain form VAT 411 New Means of Transport
Generally I think you need to have the car delivered to the Republic or the port of export - you won't be able to drive it back. When you get it to Ireland you pay the VAT and the VRT (unless the revenue office want to check on the extras fitted in which case you get a waiver until the final figure is determined).
The "VAT qualifying" is a UK accounting term which means that the car has never had UK VAT applied on it - e.g. it was a hire car or something. The first "end user" has to pay the VAT but if the buyer is a VAT-registered business they don't have to
but the vehicle can't be used for any personal use. It's something like that anyway, you don't need a "VAT Qualifying" vehicle to import it as far as I know.
Good time to buy a car in the UK!
SSE